These dignitaries did not exchange words together, but looking into one another's faces they read the same thought in each, that something must be done to arrest the tide of feeling. Jesus had declared that the sins of the paralytic were forgiven. The Pharisees caught at these words as blasphemy, and conceived that they could present this as a sin worthy of death. They said in their hearts, "He blasphemeth: who can forgive sins but One, even God?" Mark 2:7, R. V. Fixing His glance upon them, beneath which they cowered, and drew back, Jesus said, "Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins," He said, turning to the paralytic, "Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house."

Disse høje gejstlige udvekslede ingen ord med hinanden, men ved at betragte hinandens ansigter læste de den samme tanke hos alle: at noget måtte der gøres for at standse følelsernes strøm. Jesus havde erklæret, at den lammes synder var tilgivet! Farisæerne slog ned på disse ord som en gudsbespottelse og fandt på, at de kunne fremstille dette som en synd, der burde straffes med døden. De sagde ved sig selv: "Han taler gudsbespotteligt. Hvem kan forlade synder uden én, nemlig Gud." Mark. 2,7.