“What reason ye in your hearts?”
The full verse · Luke 5:22 · KJV
when , he , reason ?
Asked by
Jesus: teaching in a house when a paralyzed man was let down through the tiling, to whom He said, "Man, thy sins are forgiven thee" (Luke 5:19-20)
The Scene
Jesus has just told a paralyzed man, "thy sins are forgiven thee," and the scribes and Pharisees begin reasoning that He is speaking blasphemy (Luke 5:20-21).
Why It Was Asked
The purpose behind the questionJesus knew what they were thinking, so He did not ask for information. Gill says He asked "not as being ignorant what their reasonings were," but "to expose the wickedness of them." By naming their hidden reasoning, He also showed who He was. Barnes writes that "The power of searching the heart, and of knowing the thoughts of people, belongs only to God." Matthew Henry makes the same point: Jesus knew their thoughts, "which it is God's prerogative to do." The question brings their secret charge into the open so He can answer it.
The Response
What Scripture recordsLuke records no reply from the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus went straight on with a second question, "Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?" (Luke 5:23). Then He healed the man "that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins" (Luke 5:24). The man rose "before them," and all who saw it "glorified God" (Luke 5:25-26).
Historical Context
The world behind the wordsLuke's wording links the question to their thoughts. "Thoughts" translates dialogismous, "reasonings," and "reason ye" is dialogizesthe, from the same root and the same verb Luke used for the scribes in Luke 5:21. Jesus answers their reasoning with their own word. "Perceived" is epignous, "having known."
The other Gospels give the question in their own words. Matthew has "Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?" (Matthew 9:4), and Mark says Jesus "perceived in his spirit" and asked, "Why reason ye these things in your hearts?" (Mark 2:8).
The Bigger Picture
Where this fits in God's storyThe scribes asked, "Who is this?" (Luke 5:21). Before Jesus healed anyone, His question already pointed to the answer: He read hearts. Barnes and Matthew Henry both say this belongs to God alone.
Jesus could have simply condemned them. Instead, He spoke to them, asked them to look at their own reasoning, and then gave them evidence they could see (Luke 5:24). Even His opponents received a question that invited them to think again.
Look Closer
How did Jesus know what the scribes and Pharisees were thinking?
Carry the question into prayer and conversation.
Lord Jesus, You know my thoughts before I speak them; what am I reasoning in my heart about You that You want to bring into the light?
A prayer to carry into the day.
- Jesus questioned the scribes' hidden reasoning instead of ignoring it. What thoughts about God do you tend to keep to yourself rather than bring to Him?
- Tell about a time a good question helped you see your own thinking more clearly.
For you, a small group, a friend, or the dinner table.
Nothing in your heart is hidden from Jesus. That can feel uncomfortable, but in this scene it leads to an invitation. Jesus named what the scribes were thinking, and then He showed them the truth.
You can bring your objections and doubts to Him openly. He already knows them, and in this scene He answered even objections no one spoke aloud.
This does not mean every question in your heart is wrong. Jesus' question exposed a hidden accusation against Him. Honest questions brought to Him are different from silent verdicts made against Him.
Built from the biblical text and checked against trusted commentaries and lexicons. References & Sources
Keep questioning
“Why reason ye these things in your hearts?”
“Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?”
“Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?”
“Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?”