It seems that there is great competition today about who is the greater victim. We are all victimized by others, and many clamor for victims’ rights.

David had it right when he confessed in Psalm 51:4 that against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight. He was referring to his sin with Bathsheba.  David had clearly victimized both Bathsheba and her husband in his order to arrange Uriah’s death to cover his adultery with Bathsheba, but in essence he was saying that God is the ultimate victim.

I was reading the story of Jesus at dinner in the home of Simon the Pharisee when a sinful woman washed his feet with her hair and tears.

And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace. (Luke 7:48-50)

The Pharisees correctly identified the basic issue. Who can forgive sins but God? We can forgive the people who sin against us, but we cannot forgive sins. Only God can do that.

Now, think about what happened in the home of Simon the Pharisee that night. What had this woman done to offend Jesus? If he is not God – nothing. If he is not God, can he forgive sin? No way!

The ultimate victim paid the ultimate price to offer to us the ultimate forgiveness of sin. The are plenty of examples where Jesus claimed to be God in human form, but this reminds me that Jesus displayed and confirmed his deity in other ways as well.