Luke 5:22

Now the Pharisee, while he was doubting concerning our Lord, that He was not a prophet, pledged himself to the truth unawares, in saying—Had this man been a prophet, he would have known that this woman is a sinner. Therefore, if it should be found that our Lord knew that she was a sinner, He is, according to thy word, O Pharisee, a prophet. Our Lord, therefore, hastened to show both that she was a sinner, and that her sins were many; that the testimony of his own mouth might confute him as a liar. For he was companion of those that said: Who is able to forgive sins, but God only? For from them our Lord received testimony, that, therefore, He Who is able to forgive sins, is God. Thenceforth, then, the contention was this, that our Lord should show them whether He was able to forgive sins or no. So He speedily healed the members that were visible, that it might be made sure that He had forgiven the sins that were invisible. For our Lord cast before them the word which was expected to catch him that said it; so that when they should rush forward to catch Him by it, according to their wish, they might be caught by Him according to His wish. Fear not, My son, thy sins are forgiven thee. While they were hastening to catch Him on the charge of blasphemy, they pledged themselves unawares to the truth. For Who is able to forgive sins but God only? Accordingly, our Lord confuted them [as though saying]: "If I shall have shown that I am able to forgive sins, even though ye do not believe in Me that I am God; yet abide ye by your word, which determined that whoso forgives sins is God." Therefore that our Lord might teach them that He forgives sins, He forgave that man his hidden sin, and caused him to carry his bed openly; that by the carrying of the bed which carries [those that lie on it], they might believe in the slaying of the sin that slays.

The Lord wishing to save sinners shows Himself to be God, by His knowledge of the secret thoughts; as it follows, But that ye may know.

As if to say, O Pharisees, since ye say, Who can forgive sins, but God alone? I answer you, Who can search the secrets of the heart, but God alone, Who says by His prophet, I am the Lord, that searcheth the hearts, and trieth the reins. (Jer. 17:10.)

But no sooner have they arrived at this height of daring, than he immediately shows that he is God, to convict them once more of intolerable impiety, "Why do you question in your hearts?" If you, therefore, Pharisee, say, "Who can forgive sins but God only?" I will also say to you, "Who can know hearts, and see the thoughts hidden in the depth of the understanding, but God only?" For he himself says somewhere by the voice of the prophets, "I, the Lord, search the minds and try the heart." David also said somewhere concerning both him and us, "He who fashions the hearts of them all." Therefore he who as God knows both the hearts and minds, as God also forgives sins.

For He said, answering them, "Why do you think in your hearts?" For to the same God who says, "I am, I am He who blots out your iniquities" (Isaiah 43), the wisest speaker says, "For You alone know the hearts of all the sons of men" (1 Kings 8). Therefore, He said, by the same majesty and power with which I observe your thoughts, I can also forgive men's sins. Understand from yourselves what the paralytic receives.

And since by thinking these things they were blaspheming, therefore they are detected and reproved, when it is added: But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, as God, because, Sirach twenty-three, "the eyes of the Lord are far brighter than the sun, surveying all the ways of men and the depth of the abyss and beholding the hearts of men." Nor is this a wonder, because He is the Word of God, of whom in Hebrews four: "The word of God is living and effective and more penetrating than any two-edged sword, and a discerner of the thoughts and intentions of the heart."

Nor does He only detect and discern, but He also reproves: Answering, He said to them: Why do you think evil in your hearts? as if to say that of Isaiah one: "Take away the evil of your thoughts from before my eyes." For He Himself saw and reproved; Jeremiah four: "How long shall harmful thoughts dwell within you"? For such are perverse thoughts, of which in Wisdom one: "For perverse thoughts separate from God." Therefore Isaiah twenty-nine: "Woe to you who are deep of heart, so as to hide your counsel from the Lord"; and it continues: "This thought of yours is perverse, as if the clay should think against the potter, and the work should say to its maker: You did not make me; and the thing formed should say to its fashioner: You do not understand." But certainly it can be said of them that of Wisdom two: "These things they thought and erred, for their malice blinded them."