some or any person or object · indefinite pronoun — nominative plural masculine
scribes
γραμματέωνgrammateōn
G1122
scribe · noun — genitive plural masculine
said
εἶπανeipan
G2036
to speak or say (by word or writing) · verb — second aorist active indicative, 3rd person plural
within
ἐνen
G1722
"in · preposition
themselves
ἑαυτοῖς·he'autois
G1438
him- (her- · reflexive pronoun
This
οὗτοςhoutos
G3778
the he (she or it) · demonstrative pronoun — nominative singular masculine
blasphemeth
βλασφημεῖ.blasphēmei
G987
to vilify · verb — present active indicative, 3rd person singular
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
Matthew 26:65 Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard h…
Leviticus 24:16 And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well t…
Luke 5:21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?
Mark 2:6-7 But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,
Mark 14:64 Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.
Luke 7:39-40 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and…
John 10:33-36 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.
Matthew 7:29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on Matthew 9:1-8
The first words of this chapter oblige us to look back to the close of that which precedes it, where we find the Gadarenes so resenting the loss of their swine, that they were disgusted with Christ's company, and besought him to depart out of their coasts. Now here it follows, He entered into a ship, and passed over. They bid him begone, and he took them at their word, and we never read that he came into their coasts again. Now here observe, 1. His justice - that he left them. Note, Christ will not tarry long where he is not welcome. In righteous judgment, he forsakes those places and persons that are weary of him, but abides with those that covet and court his stay. If the unbeliever will d…
And behold, certain of the Scribes said within themselves,.... And of the Pharisees also, as Luke says; for there were at this time Pharisees and doctors of the law, who were come out of every town of Galilee and Judea, and out of Jerusalem, sitting and hearing him teach, and observing what he said, and did; who upon hearing him pronounce the sentence of pardon, upon this "paralytic" man, reasoned and concluded in their own minds, though they did not care to speak it out, that
this man blasphemeth: the reason was, because they thought he ascribed that to himself, which was peculiar to God: and so he did, and yet did not blaspheme; because he himself was God, of which he quickly gave convinc…
Matthew 9:1-8
Matthew 9:1-8
Mark 2:1-12
Luke 5:17-26
1. And entering into a ship, he passed over, and came into his own city. 2. And, lo, they brought to him a paralytic lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, Take courage, my son, thy sins are forgiven thee. 3. And, lo, some of the scribes said among themselves, This man blasphemeth. 4. And when Jesus saw their thoughts, he said, Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5. For whether is it easier to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? 6. But that you may know that the Son of man hath authority on earth to forgive sins, (then he saith to the paralytic,) Arise, take up thy bed, and…
The Church Fathers
We read in the prophet the words of God: "It is I who cleanse you from all your iniquities." Consequently the scribes, because they were judgmental in construing the words of God, accused him of blasphemy. But the Lord, reading their thoughts, shows himself to be God who knows the hidden things of the heart. He breaks his silence: "With the same majesty and power by which I perceive your thoughts, I am able to forgive their sins; see for yourselves what the paralytic has received."
We read in prophecy, I am he that blolleth out thy transgressions; (Is. 43:25.) so the Scribes regarding Him as a man, and not understanding the words of God, charged Him with blasphemy. But He seeing their thoughts thus showed Himself to be God, Who alone knoweth the heart; and thus, as it were, said, By the same power and prerogative by which I see your thoughts, I can forgive men their sins. Learn from your own experience what the paralytic has obtained. When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he said, Why think ye evil in your hearts?
(Verses 3, 4.) And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves: He blasphemes. And when Jesus saw their thoughts, he said: Why do you think evil in your hearts? We read in the Prophet, saying God: I am the one who blots out your iniquities (Isaiah 43:25). Therefore, the scribes, because they thought he was a man and did not understand the words of God, accuse him of blasphemy. But the Lord, seeing their thoughts, shows himself to be God, who can know the hidden things of the heart, and speaks in a silent manner: With the same majesty and power with which I behold your thoughts, I can also forgive sins to men. Understand what the paralytic suffers from among you.
The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).
Dictionary and topics
Blasphemy — In the sense of speaking evil of God this word is found in Ps. 74:18; Isa. 52:5; Rom. 2:24; Rev. 13:1, 6; 16:9, 11, 21. It denotes also any kind of calumny, or evil-speaking, or abuse (1 Kings 21:10;…
Custom — A tax imposed by the Romans. The tax-gatherers were termed publicans (q.v.), who had their stations at the gates of cities, and in the public highways, and at the place set apart for that purpose,…
Palsy — A shorter form of “paralysis.” Many persons thus afflicted were cured by our Lord (Matt. 4:24; 8:5-13; 9:2-7; Mark 2:3-11; Luke 7:2-10; John 5:5-7) and the apostles (Acts 8:7; 9:33, 34).
Blasphemy · Charged upon Christ — Charged upon Christ
Capernaum · Miracles of Jesus performed at — Miracles of Jesus performed at
Scribe (S) · Hypocrisy of, reproved by Jesus — Hypocrisy of, reproved by Jesus
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
Does he think he’s God? God alone could forgive sins (Ps 103:3; Isa 43:25; Jer 50:20). The teachers of religious law failed to comprehend Jesus’ mission as God’s incarnate Son (Matt 3:17; 11:25-27). As God’s Messiah (1:1; 11:2-6), he was saving mankind (8:17; 26:26-28).
