"Who in the world does he think he is?" was the question buzzing around in the threatened little minds of the scribes in our Gospel lesson. Jesus had just spoken forgiveness of sins to a man and he had said it as if he really meant it! The scribes immediately took offense. "Only God can do that!" they said to themselves. "Who does he think he is, anyway?" As our Lord carried out his ministry of healing, teaching, forgiving, and loving, that came more and more to be the question about him.

The people were divided in their opinions about him. Some said, "He is a good man," while others said, "No, he is leading the people astray" (John 7:12). The religious leaders of the day condemned him saying, "This man is not from God for he does not keep the Sabbath." What they meant was that he did not…