Mark 2:10,28

Greek Key Terms:

• G5207 υἱός (huios) - son
• G444 ἄνθρωπος (anthropos) - man, human
• G1849 ἐξουσία (exousia) - authority, power, right
• G863 ἀφίημι (aphiemi) - to forgive, send away, cancel
• G2962 κύριος (kurios) - lord, master

Context: Two controversy narratives early in Mark's Gospel establish Jesus' authority. In vv. 1-12, Jesus forgives a paralytic's sins, provoking scribes to accuse Him of blasphemy ('Who can forgive sins but God alone?'—v. 7). Jesus responds by claiming the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins (v. 10), then heals the man to prove it. In vv. 23-28, Pharisees criticize Jesus' disciples for plucking grain on the Sabbath. Jesus defends them and declares 'the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath' (v. 28).

OT-to-OT Development:

• Forgiveness of sins is divine prerogative throughout OT: Exodus 34:6-7 (only YHWH forgives); Isaiah 43:25; 44:22 (I, I am He who blots out transgressions)
• Sabbath is God's holy institution, sign of the covenant (Exodus 20:8-11; 31:12-17; Isaiah 58:13-14)
• Daniel 7:13-14 provides the Son of Man background: this figure receives divine authority

Connections:

• TO:
• Daniel 7:13-14 - Son of Man receives authority
• Exodus 34:6-7 - YHWH forgives
• Exodus 20:8-11 - Sabbath command
• Psalm 103:3 - God forgives all sins
• FROM OT:
• Isaiah 43:25 - I alone forgive sins
• FROM NT:
• Matthew 9:6 - parallel
• Luke 5:24 - parallel
• John 5:17-18 - Jesus claims equality with God through Sabbath work
• Mark 14:62 - Jesus explicitly claims Dan 7:13
• Colossians 3:13 - believers forgive as Christ forgave

Christological Connection: These passages reveal Jesus' claim to be the Danielic Son of Man exercising divine authority in the present. The scribes rightly perceive that forgiving sins is divine prerogative—Jesus doesn't dispute this but claims the Son of Man has this authority 'on earth' (v. 10), meaning during His earthly ministry, not just in future eschatological judgment. This is revolutionary: Daniel's vision showed the Son of Man receiving authority from the Ancient of Days in heaven; Jesus claims this authority is operative now through His incarnate ministry. The paralytic healing proves the invisible reality (forgiveness) through visible miracle (healing). Similarly, declaring 'the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath' (v. 28) asserts authority over the covenant sign God gave to Israel. Jesus is not merely interpreting Sabbath law; He is claiming sovereign authority over it as its Lord. This is only legitimate if Jesus is the divine-human figure of Daniel 7, who receives all authority. These early controversies set the stage for Jesus' trial, where He will explicitly claim Daniel 7:13, be condemned for blasphemy, yet be vindicated through resurrection.

Connection Method(s): Typology (Direct, Backward-Looking); Redemptive-Historical Progression — Jesus claims the Danielic Son of Man authority (Dan 7:14) as operative in His present earthly ministry, exercising divine prerogatives of forgiving sins and lordship over the Sabbath that demonstrate His identity as the divine-human figure of Daniel's vision.

Trajectory Table: 150 - Son of Man (Danielic Figure and Divine Judge)