How does God forgive sins? In the Old Testament, God gave his people certain things they had to do. First, he asked his people to build him a tabernacle (later called the temple). In the temple was a holy place where our holy God would meet with his unholy people and they could seek forgiveness. Second, only certain people could go into this place on behalf of the rest of God’s people. Do you remember Moses’s brother Aaron? Only people from Aaron’s family (from the tribe of Levi) could go into the holy place. Third, God instructed these men (called priests) to offer sacrifices for the sins of God’s people in that holy place—that was how God forgave sins. Outside the holy place, there weren’t signs that said “Restricted Access” or “Authorized Personnel Only,” but everyone knew only priests could enter. So, in today’s lesson when Jesus—who was outside the holy place and not a priest from Levi’s line—announced to someone, “Your sins are forgiven,” it makes sense that the religious leaders said, “Why does this man speak like that?” (Mark 2:7). They knew God alone—through his priests, in the temple—could forgive sins. So what is Jesus talking about, and who does he think he is? Let’s find out.