2025 09 14 the Greatest Need

By Jeff Ward

The first section emphasizes obtaining help often “requires a certain professional”.

This story is one of the few that can be found in all four gospel accounts.

  • Matthew 9:1-8
  • Mark 2:1-12
  • Luke 5:17-26
  • John 5:5-17

An interesting statement is found in Luke 5:17. It states that “the Lord’s power” was “in Jesus”. That would be quite different than the power originating in Jesus. It implies an anointing similar to Elijah or Moses or the prophets.

The lesson itself puts a lot of emphasis on the “experts in Mosaic law”. They are described as:

  • Preventing others to “come to God” even though they knew the importance
  • Should have been acting as ushers.
  • Just sitting there taking up space.
  • Were blocking the way for the man who really needed Jesus.

They are characterized as people with zero integrity. Basically, in a word, they were obstructionists. It might be categorized three ways:

  1. Didn’t agree “son of man” could forgive sin.
  2. Were greedy with their space in the crowded house.
  3. Did’t agree healing was appropriate to carry your bed on the Sabbath.

Differences in venue and emphasis

In the accounts in Mark and Luke, the story takes place in a crowded home. Primary emphasis is on #1 and #2 with no mention of #3.

In Matthew, there is no mention of a house or crowded conditions, thus #2 is not mentioned, but #1 is center-stage.

In John, neither #2 nor #3 are an issue. There’s no mention of “son of man” or “sins forgiven”. The emphasis is entirely on #3, disrespect of the Sabbath by Jesus.

Be like the “friends”, not like the pharisees

The emphasis of the lesson is being the enablers that the man’s friends were in the Luke account, helping him surmount the obstacles between himself and Jesus. The contrast of that is the selfish pharisees who act as obstructionists. The text actually states the “keepers of the law sat by, not even offering their seat.” It’s hard to imagine how the writers have this degree of knowledge since the text doesn’t blame the pharisees alone for the crowded conditions. The lesson describes “four beaming faces” from the friends, and “sour angry faces” from the “keepers of the law”. The predisposition against the pharisees is taken to a whole new level.

Ambiguity of divinity of Jesus is intentional?

Since nowhere in the Old Testament is it hinted that the end-of-days anointed will be a deity, I would expect Jesus to be very direct. Instead, we find ambiguity. According to the text:

Instead of just bluntly setting the record straight as to His identity, Jesus, as he often did, posed a thought provoking question.

He then asks the “which is easier to say” question. Oh my goodness. What a horribly unclear answer. How tragic.

Is the author of the lesson confused?

Here is another quote from the lesson:

“The Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”. Jesus spoke to the group in third person by calling Himself the Son of Man, and therefore on the same plane as God.

What?? Was Ezekiel who was called the same thing 63 times, was he also on the same plane as God? Was the “worm” known by that title in the Psalms on the same level?

Clearly, the author has a misunderstanding of what Yehovah means in the Holy Scripture of the Old Testament by this term.

Summary of problems with the text and the story