DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9552#0180
SECOND APPEAL
Arise and walk?" Taking those texts as the grounds of
his position, I therefore beg to call the attention of the
Editor to the passage almost immediately following, in
which the evangelical writer intimates, that this power
of forgiving sins, as well as of healing men, was given by
the Almighty : "But when the multitude saw it, they
marvelled, and glorified God, who had given such power
unto men." Does not this passage convey an express
declaration, that Jesus was as much dependent on God
in exercising the power of forgiving sins and healing the
sick, as the prophets who came forth from God before
him ? The apostles, who witnessed the power of fogiving
sins in the Saviour, were thoroughly impressed with a be-
lief that it was the Almighty Father who forgave sins
through the Son. Acts, ch. v. vers. 31, 32 : "Him hath
God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a
Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and foi giveness
of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things."
Ch. xiii. ver 38 : "Be it known, therefore, men and bre-
thren, that through this man, (meaning the Saviour,) is
preached unto you the forgiveness of sins." I know not
how far religious zeal in the breasts of many of the fol-
lowers of Christ may excuse them in encroaching upon the
prerogative which revelation and reason ascribe to the
Divine Majesty alone ; but Jesus himself clearly avows,
that; tiie power of forgiving sins had its source and origin
in God alone, as appears from his petitioning the Father
to forgive those that were guilty of bringing the death
of the cross upon *him, the greatest of all imaginable
crimes. Luke, ch. xxiii. ver. 34: "Father, forgive
them," (says Jusus,) "for they know not what they do ;"
and from his directing all* those that followed him to
Arise and walk?" Taking those texts as the grounds of
his position, I therefore beg to call the attention of the
Editor to the passage almost immediately following, in
which the evangelical writer intimates, that this power
of forgiving sins, as well as of healing men, was given by
the Almighty : "But when the multitude saw it, they
marvelled, and glorified God, who had given such power
unto men." Does not this passage convey an express
declaration, that Jesus was as much dependent on God
in exercising the power of forgiving sins and healing the
sick, as the prophets who came forth from God before
him ? The apostles, who witnessed the power of fogiving
sins in the Saviour, were thoroughly impressed with a be-
lief that it was the Almighty Father who forgave sins
through the Son. Acts, ch. v. vers. 31, 32 : "Him hath
God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a
Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and foi giveness
of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things."
Ch. xiii. ver 38 : "Be it known, therefore, men and bre-
thren, that through this man, (meaning the Saviour,) is
preached unto you the forgiveness of sins." I know not
how far religious zeal in the breasts of many of the fol-
lowers of Christ may excuse them in encroaching upon the
prerogative which revelation and reason ascribe to the
Divine Majesty alone ; but Jesus himself clearly avows,
that; tiie power of forgiving sins had its source and origin
in God alone, as appears from his petitioning the Father
to forgive those that were guilty of bringing the death
of the cross upon *him, the greatest of all imaginable
crimes. Luke, ch. xxiii. ver. 34: "Father, forgive
them," (says Jusus,) "for they know not what they do ;"
and from his directing all* those that followed him to