Jesus’ knowledge of the evil thoughts in the scribes’ hearts (Matthew 9:4), shows his divine knowledge, as God’s Son, seeing into people’s hearts. He knows that they want to use his proclamation of forgiveness (Matthew 9:2) to get rid of him. His mission to bring forgiveness will indeed cost him his life.
Jesus knows the evil thoughts in the hearts of the scribes (Matthew 9:4), thereby demonstrating once again that he is indeed God’s Son, since he can see what others cannot: people’s hearts lie open to him. Jesus also knows that the scribes are already thinking of ways in which they can use his proclamation forgiving the sins of the paralytic (Matthew 9:2) to get rid of him: devising evil against Jesus. His mission to forgive the sins of believers will eventually cost him his life.1
4 But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts?