Mateus 9

Mateus 9

Ellicott comments on blasphemes - The words were but an echo of the charge that had been brought at Jerusalem, that “He made Himself equal with God” (John 5:18 - "For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God."), and may well have come from some of the same objectors. Matthew 9:4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, "Why are you thinking evil in your hearts? NET Matthew 9:4 When Jesus saw their reaction he said, "Why do you respond with evil in your hearts? GNT Matthew 9:4 καὶ ἰδὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τὰς ἐνθυμήσεις αὐτῶν εἶπεν, Ἱνατί ἐνθυμεῖσθε πονηρὰ ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν; NLT Matthew 9:4 Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, "Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts? KJV Matthew 9:4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? ESV Matthew 9:4 But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts? NIV Matthew 9:4 Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, "Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? ASV Matthew 9:4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? CSB Matthew 9:4 But perceiving their thoughts, Jesus said, "Why are you thinking evil things in your hearts? knowing - Mt 12:25 16:7,8 Ps 44:21 139:2 Mk 2:8 8:16,17 12:15 Lu 5:22 Lu 6:8 7:40 9:46,47 11:17 Joh 2:24,25 6:61,64 16:19,30 21:17 Heb 4:12,13 Rev 2:23 Why are you - Eze 38:10 Ac 5:3,4,9 8:20-22 JESUS ACCEPTS THE CRITICS CHALLENGE And Jesus knowing their thoughts - Mk 2:8+ has "aware in His spirit." Knowing is the same verb translated seeing in Mt 9:2, in both cases indicating supernatural perception. Thus Knowing is perhaps better rendered "perceived" (to become aware of through the senses, in this case supernatural senses!) the verb eido which means He supernaturally knew beyond a shadow of a doubt (cf similar supernatural perception by Jesus in Lk 6:8, Lk 9:47, Mk 12:15, Jn 2:24-25, Jn 4:29, Mt 12:25, Mt 22:18). In this aspect Jesus was not giving us an example to follow as He usually is in His actions and behavior (cf 1 Jn 2:6+, 1 Pe 2:21+), for only God can know the thoughts of a man's heart. This was Jesus exercising His divine power. In a similar way, when "many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing" in John 2:23+, John then records "But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man." (John 2:24,25+) And of course today Heb 4:12 says that even His Word is able "to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." “The Lord looks at the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7) and knows the hearts of all men (1 Kings 8:39). He even “searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts” (1 Chron. 28:9; cf. Jer. 17:10; Ezek. 11:5). Thoughts (1761)(enthumesis from en = in + thumos = strong feeling, passion, mind, thought) means an inward reasoning or deliberation and conveys the idea of pondering or thinking out. Our English word “reflection” is an accurate translation. Westcott notes that the word refers to the action of the affections and is related to the will. Said, "Why are you thinking (enthumeomai in present tense = continually) evil in your hearts? - Mk 2:8+ lacks the moral element (evil) rendering Jesus' question "Why are you reasoning about these things in your hearts?" Jesus knows what they are thinking, and so He asks a rhetorical question so that they would know that He knew! Imagine their thoughts now which might have been something like "This man has did performed a miracle by accurately reading our minds!" The word for evil is poneros (see below) which speaks of malice or active evil, evil that desires to do harm (thus the name given to the devil in Mt 13:19) and not mentioned in either Mark or Luke. An evil heart is a heart that plots against God. An evil heart speaks evil words (Mt 12:34, 35, 15:19, 20, Lk 6:45+). Jesus not only laid bare what they were thinking but exposed the wickedness behind the thoughts. The heart of their problem (and all mankind) is an evil heart. Now they were just thinking evil, but thoughts result in actions and in time these evil thoughts would lead them to crucify Jesus. It all begins with a thought. This is why we all need to heed Paul's exhortation to take "every thought captive to the obedience of Christ," (2 Cor 10:5+). Jesus speaks of His supernatural omniscience that enables Him to know hearts in Rev 2:23+ "And I will kill her children with pestilence, and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds." Hearts (2588)(kardia) does not refer to the physical organ (over 800 mentions and none refer to the physical organ!) but is always used figuratively in Scripture to refer to the seat and center of human life, the seat of thoughts and affections. The heart is the center of the personality, and it controls the intellect, emotions, and will. No outward obedience is of the slightest value unless the heart turns to God. Heart in effect describes our "control center" (to make a play on the "air traffic control center" at the airport which carefully guards and guides what flies in and what flies out. How applicable to our "hearts" which are so prone to wander!). Our heart is the "heart" of most of our problems! Kardia refers to the the affective center of our being wherein lies the capacity of moral preference and volitional desire. The kardia generates thoughts that make the decisions which the mind works out. In other words, our logic flows out of our heart-decisions and not vice versa. Gleason Archer called the kardia, the "desire-producer that makes us tick" for it is the place where our "desire-decisions" occur, and which establish who we really are. 🙏 THOUGHT - WHO ARE YOU? HAVE YOU HAD A HEART CHECK UP RECENTLY? We are assiduous to do this medically, but woefully lax in doing it spiritually (beloved, I speak from experience!). At regeneration God reverses the spiritual atherosclerosis of our old sinful heart by giving us a total heart transplant! Daily confession and repentance are thereafter necessary to avoid "spiritual atherosclerosis" and gradual, subtle hardening (and becoming cold to the things of God) of our heart! (Practice daily "preventative maintenance" = 1 Jn 1:9+, Pr 28:13+) Evil (wicked, bad) (4190)(poneros from poneo = work or toil,