Jesus Knew their Hostile Thoughts
Mk 2:8–9. Immediately (euthys; cf. Mk 1:10) Jesus perceived in His spirit (inwardly; cf. Mk 14:38) their hostile thoughts and He confronted them directly with pointed counter questions (a rhetorical device in Rabbinic debate; cf. Mk 3:4; Mk 11:30; Mk 12:37).
The scribes expected a physical healing, but Jesus pronounced the man’s sins … forgiven. They probably thought that a pronouncement of forgiveness was easier than one of healing because healing was visible and immediately verifiable.
Mk 2:10. This verse presents an interpretive problem due to the awkward change of addressee in the verse’s middle. Jesus seemed to be addressing the scribes (v. Mk 2:10a) but there is an abrupt break in the verse after which He addressed the paralytic. Another problem in light of the overall emphasis of Mark is the public use of the title Son of Man by Jesus in the presence of unbelieving hearers so early in His ministry (cf. Mk 9:9; Mk 10:33). Apart from Mk 2:10 and Mk 2:28, this title does not occur in Mark’s account until after Peter’s confession (Mk 8:29). After that it occurs 12 times and is crucial to Jesus’ self-disclosure to His disciples (cf. Mk 8:31, Mk 8:38; Mk 9:9, Mk 9:12, Mk 9:31; V 2, p 113 Mk 10:33, Mk 10:45; Mk 13:26; Mk 14:21 [twice], Mk 14:41, Mk 14:62; see comments on Mk 8:31).
Grassmick, John D. “Mark.” The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures. Ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck. Vol. 2. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985. 112–113. Print.
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