And when Jesus knew their thoughts, answering he said to them: What is it you think in your hearts?
επιγνους δε ο ιησους τους διαλογισμους αυτων αποκριθεις ειπεν προς αυτους τι διαλογιζεσθε εν ταις καρδιαις υμων
9 Church Fathers comment on this verse · 11 commentaries
The Lord, to demonstrate that He is the one true God and does not claim divinity out of pride, provides them with a further sign. He possesses the ability to discern their innermost thoughts. This clearly illustrates His divinity, as it is unique to God to understand the hearts of individuals (1 Chron. 28:9; 2 Chron. 6:30).
Just as they reach this height of arrogance, He promptly discloses His divinity to further expose their profound wickedness. “Why do you reason in your hearts?” He asks. If you, Pharisee, claim that only God can forgive sins, I contend, who else but God alone can know the hearts and perceive the concealed thoughts of the mind? For it is written in the words of the prophets, “I am the Lord who searches the hearts and tests the minds.” Moreover, David spoke of Him and ourselves, stating, “He who alone created their hearts.” Thus, the One who knows both hearts and minds as God also holds the authority to forgive sins.
Concealed Thus, as it is written, Jesus, endowed with divine authority, offered the gift of sin forgiveness, which perplexed the envious group of Pharisees. They questioned among themselves, Who is this that utters blasphemies? (Luke 5:21). However, you would not voice such accusations against Him, Pharisee, if you truly grasped the Scriptures, if you recalled the prophetic utterances, or if you comprehended the profound and sacred mystery of the Incarnation. They accused Him of blasphemy, seeking the gravest punishment and condemning Him to death, as the Mosaic Law dictated that any blasphemer against God should face death. Having already committed this act once, Jesus promptly reveals His divine nature to confront their unbearable unrighteousness.
What, He asks, are you pondering in your hearts? (Luke 5:22). When you, Pharisee, question, Who can forgive sins but God alone? (Luke 5:21), I pose to you, Who but God alone knows the hearts and perceives the innermost thoughts of the mind? As spoken through the prophets, I am the Lord, scrutinizing the heart and examining the innermost being (Jeremiah 17:10). Furthermore, David declared regarding Him and us, He has fashioned their hearts secretly (Psalm 33:15, LXX). Therefore, knowing hearts and innermost thoughts as God, Jesus also grants forgiveness of sins with divine authority.
While we must uphold the historical truth of the account, recognizing that the paralytic's body was genuinely healed, we should also acknowledge the restoration of the inner being to whom forgiveness of sins is offered. The Jewish leaders, claiming that only God can extend forgiveness (see Luke 5:21), inadvertently affirm His divinity, revealing their own lack of faith: they accept the miracle yet reject the Miracle Worker. The Son of God received the affirmation of His deeds from the Jews without requiring their approval; the skeptic may acknowledge the works but fails to embrace true belief. They bear witness to God yet lack the faith necessary for redemption.
Their reluctant testimony holds even greater significance for belief, contrasting sharply with their destructive denial, as their very words stand as a testament against them. The folly of a faithless people is indeed great: they recognize that only God has the power to forgive sins, yet they do not accept God Himself as the forgiver. Nevertheless, the Lord, wishing for sinners to attain redemption (see 1 Tim. 1:15), manifests His divine nature by knowing the hidden thoughts and performing wondrous acts, asking, “Which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?” (Luke 5:23). The Jews, void of love, began to speak maliciously. He confronted them, stating, “Why do you harbor evil thoughts in your hearts?” (Luke 5:22). Who proclaims this? The high priest (cf. Heb. 10:21). He discerned the spiritual leprosy present within the hearts of the Jewish leaders, indicating that they were in a state worse than that of a leper. While He instructed one healed to show himself to the priest, their own priest dismisses them, preventing them from spreading their spiritual disease to others.
Wishing to restore sinners to wholeness, He demonstrated His divinity by revealing hidden truths and through the wonders of His deeds: Which is easier to declare, Your sins are forgiven, or to command, Rise and walk? (Lk 5:23). This signifies that the entire individual has been made whole. Forgiving sins is indeed a monumental task—who can forgive sins but God alone, who confers the ability to forgive upon those He chooses? Yet, to grant resurrection to the body is an act of even greater divinity, as the Lord Himself embodies the Resurrection.
In a similar manner, * See Matthew 9:4-5.
However, they were either too afraid or had not yet found the opportunity to share their thoughts when the Lord, knowing their hearts, openly disclosed them to everyone and rendered His verdict upon them.
The homes of the Jewish people were typically organized with a courtyard at the center, surrounded by living quarters. This courtyard was usually open to the elements, but it could be sheltered with boards, leather, or fabric during bad weather. The roofs of these houses were flat, and access was usually via stairs that led up from the courtyard or from the streets. Often, the rooftops of adjacent houses were interconnected, separated only by a legally permitted railing (Deuteronomy 22:8). The construction of the roofs generally involved laying down a thick layer of reeds over the wooden beams of the ceiling, followed by a layer of brushwood, then a densely packed layer of earth, which might have been topped with tiles.
Given this architectural style, the accounts provided by the Evangelists could very well depict events occurring in either the courtyard or within the house itself.
According to the account in the Gospel of Mark (v. 4), those who brought the paralytic to Jesus made a considerable effort to break through the roof (εξορυξαντες). It seems likely that they were working on the roof of the house, where they needed to remove the mortar binding the individual tiles, then clear away the earth, and subsequently take apart the ceiling itself. The bed or mat on which the sick man was transported was likely light and portable, resembling felt, suitable for resting anywhere, even in situations like this one.
Recognizing the faith of those who brought the paralytic, Jesus addressed the man, saying, “Child, your sins are forgiven you.” The Pharisees present perceived this as blasphemy, arguing that only God has the authority to forgive sins. In response, Christ expressed that healing a sick individual is no more difficult than forgiving sins; thus, if they acknowledged His ability to heal—something they could not deny—they should also accept His capacity to pardon sins. To prevent the Pharisees from doubting the truth of His statement, “Thy sins are forgiven thee,” Jesus instructed the healed man, “Arise, take up thy bed, and go into thy house.” The immediate fulfillment of the Lord’s command led the Pharisees to understand that His declaration, “thy sins are forgiven thee,” must indeed have had its effect. Notably, the expression “Son of man on earth” stands in contrast to God who resides in heaven, as articulated by the Pharisees.
The scribes and Pharisees, gathered together and distanced from the people they looked down upon, began to murmur among themselves, criticizing Jesus for assuming the prerogative of God. Their whispers were likely so soft that no one else could catch their words, as Jesus turned to them, not rebuking them for what they said, but for what they were thinking. By revealing their inner thoughts, Jesus helped them comprehend that if he possessed the complete knowledge of God, he undoubtedly held the authority to pardon sins.
To illuminate their understanding further, He posed a question: ‘Which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you, which is the reason for your ailment, and thus you shall be made whole,’ or to command, ‘Rise and walk?’’ If the power of divinity is essential for the absolution of sins, that same power is also required for the healing of sickness, which can depart from a person once the underlying cause—namely, the forgiveness of sins—has been addressed.
The earnest request for healing, visible in the presence of the afflicted man, was graciously responded to by Christ, who declared, “Be of good cheer, son; your sins are forgiven.” Due to his courageous faith, he not only obtained physical restoration but also the pardon of his transgressions (Matt. 9:2-8, Mk. 2:2-12, Lk. 5:18-26). However, the scribes among the onlookers harbored a different perspective. Upon hearing these words, they remarked silently, “This man is blaspheming.” Their thoughts did not go unnoticed by the Lord, who, discerning their reasoning, asked, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven’ or to say, ‘Rise up and walk’?
But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” – and then He turned to the paralytic, saying, “Rise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” Immediately, the man stood, gathered his mat, and returned home completely well. The witnesses of this miracle were filled with astonishment and praised God, acknowledging that He had granted such authority to humanity. The news of this wondrous occurrence disseminated across Galilee and Perea, reaching even the distant regions of Syria (Matthew 4:24). One can envision how much the weary Savior craved a moment of solitude afterward. Yet, the most refreshing rest for Him came from being alone and quiet, where He could commune with His Heavenly Father without interruption. Before dawn, the plain of Genesaret remained cloaked in darkness when, unnoticed by anyone, Christ rose and retreated to a solitary place to refresh His spirit through quiet prayer.
The Pharisees and scribes, who closely scrutinized the words and actions of Christ, silently questioned themselves, “Why does this man utter such blasphemies? Only God can forgive sins.” However, the One who bears the heart’s intentions perceived their unspoken thoughts and asked, “Why do you harbor such thoughts in your hearts? Which is easier to say to a paralyzed man: ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat, and walk’? The healing of the spirit—granting forgiveness—is an unseen act of divine grace, while the healing of the body is a visible display of the Creator’s supreme authority.
Thus, let it be understood that the Son of Man has the ability on earth to forgive sins.” He then turned to the paralytic and commanded, “I tell you, get up, take your mat, and go home.” By instructing him to carry his mat, He ensured that the miracle would not be dismissed as an illusion, allowing the onlookers—who viewed Christ merely as an ordinary man, though greater than all—to witness the miracle together. The paralyzed man immediately stood up, took his mat, and glorified God as he returned home. This event profoundly impacted those who witnessed it; even though, as St. John Chrysostom remarked, they did not fully recognize Christ’s divine nature, they were filled with awe, exclaiming to one another, “We have seen wonderful things today—never have we witnessed anything like this!” The scribes and Pharisees could also glean from this miracle a deeper understanding of the significance of Jesus Christ.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 17 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS