Mercy, not Sacrifice!
Christ’s healing of the paralytic and his acceptance of tax collectors highlighted his mission to reconcile sinners with God . When Jesus pronounced the paralytic man’s sins forgiven, he offended his critics. But he alienated them further by fellowshipping with tax collectors and showing mercy “ to sinners ,” individuals judged by the scribes and Pharisees to be unclean and therefore unacceptable – (Mark 2:1-17).