Matthew 9:3 - Exposition

And certain of the scribes . From St. Luke's account (verse 17) we learn that the miracle took place before a large assembly of "Pharisees and teachers of the Law, who had come out of every village of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem." 'Yet even among these there was a division ( τινές ). Said within themselves . So Mark, "reasoning in their hearts." This man ( οὗτος ) . The word seems to convey a notion of contempt and of vindictive joy that they have caught him. Blasphemeth ( βλασφημεῖ ). In its fullest meaning; through assumption of Divine authority (so also Matthew 26:65 ; John 10:33 , John 10:36 ). "No passage of the Old Testament affirms that the Messiah himself will forgive sins. Thus Jesus ascribes to himself what even the highest Old Testament prophecies of the Messianic time had reserved to God; e.g. Jeremiah 31:34 ; Isaiah 43:25 " (Kubel). Observe that Mark lays more stress upon the process of their thoughts, Matthew and Luke on the conclusion at which they arrived, Luke also indicating that the supposed sin had many parts ( λαλεῖ βλασφημίας )—they thought, "Every word he has uttered is blasphemy."