Blind to the Good

June 18, 2025 | Read and think about Mark 2:1-12

We looked at this same passage when covering John the Baptist. It's a repeat, but it's worth covering again because there is something else important to notice.

The passage recounts how Jesus healed a paralyzed man - someone whose friends brought him to the house where Jesus was preaching, made a hole in the roof because the door was inaccessible, and lowered the mat on which the paralyzed friend lay.

There is so much good happening in this scene:

1. Jesus in the house, teaching the word

2. People heard Jesus was there, and they came - a large crowd

3. The faith of the friends

4. The miracle of healing Jesus performed

5. People being utterly amazed at the miracle

6. Then glorifying God because of it

And yet ...

There were scribes sitting there, listening to His words, and hearing Him tell the paralyzed man, "Your sins are forgiven." They were blinded to the importance of that statement. They rejected it in their hearts, calling it blasphemy. They were wrong. They were tuned to their own agendas, not to God's.

These scribes - the learned ones who could transcribe key documents, most notably scripture - were blind to the Good that was before them. Throughout these next few posts, we will see this as a recurring theme among the religious leaders of Jesus' time.