Stein on the Person of Jesus

Chapter 10- "The Person of Jesus: 'Who Then is This That Even the Wind and the Sea Obey Him?"

"At times Jesus performed certain actions that were the exclusive prerogative of God. When Jesus forgave the sins of a paralytic, the scribes protested: 'Why does this fellow speak in this way? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?' (Mark 2:7). Similarly, when he forgave a woman of her sins, some of those present responded: 'Who is this that even forgives sins?' (Luke 7:49). Attempts have made to interpret these actions ('your sins are forgiven') as examples of 'divine passives'--a reverent way of avoiding the name of God by using the passive. The words of Jesus, according to this view, should be interpreted 'God has forgiven you of your sins,' rather than 'I personally have forgiven you of your sins.' It is evident that neither Mark nor Luke understood these sayings in this manner.

Nor did Jesus' audience understand his words in this way, for they were greatly upset. They all believed that Jesus was exercising a prerogative belonging to God alone. The accounts furthermore do not give the slightest hint that Jesus sought to explain to his opponents that they misunderstood his action. There is no hint of Jesus saying, 'You have misunderstood me. I was simply using the 'divine passive' and stating that God had forgiven him/her.' The gospel accounts clearly portray Jesus as consciously exercising a divine prerogative and personally forgiving sins."

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"Unlike John the Baptist, the ministry of Jesus was typified by miracles. Thirty-four separate miracles are performed by Jesus in the Gospel accounts...One cannot read the Gospel accounts without the question arising, 'Who is this man who is master of nature, disease, and even death?' In Jesus' actions people saw a bold claim to a unique authority. Even as the prince dressed a pauper unconsciously revealed who he was by his behavior, so Jesus, despite his modest dress and occupation, revealed his understanding of who he was by his actions." 

 

Robert Stein, Jesus the Messiah