Meet God in Scripture

Meet God in Matthew 9:4

“And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?”

Matthew 9:4 (KJV)

Six ways to encounter God here

A passage is not only to be understood; it is to be lived with. Choose how you want to meet God in Matthew 9:4, and Living Bread opens it right there.

Read itSit with the words themselves in The Word.Study itContext, cross-references, and questions in Bible Study.Be still in itLet it quiet you in the Sanctuary.Pray itTurn it into a prayer of your own.Hide it in your heartMemorize it, word by word.Encounter it togetherGather a few people to walk through it.

The passage in its setting

Meeting God in a verse begins with hearing it where it lives, in the flow of Matthew 9. Read it slowly, and let the focal verse settle into its own context.

2 And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.

3 And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth.

4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?

5 For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?

6 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.

The web of Scripture around it

Where this passage echoes across the Bible, from the cross-reference graph, 14 connected Scriptures. Each one is a door to meet God there too.

  • Luke 6:8But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth.
  • Matthew 12:25And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:
  • Revelation 2:23And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
  • Psalms 44:21Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.
  • Luke 11:17But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth.
  • Psalms 139:2Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
  • John 16:30Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.
  • Luke 9:46Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest.
  • John 2:24But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men,
  • Hebrews 4:12For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of…
  • John 6:64But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
  • John 16:19Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye enquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and …
  • Acts 8:20But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
  • Acts 5:3But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

More to meet God in Matthew

Matthew 6:33Matthew 28:19Matthew 5:14Matthew 7:7Matthew 6:34Matthew 22:37Matthew 6:26Matthew 5:4Matthew 5:16Matthew 19:26Matthew 11:28Matthew 5:22Matthew 5:18Matthew 25:34

How it points to Christ

Every Scripture ultimately leads to Jesus. See how the whole Bible points to Him in Christ in all Scripture, then meet Him for yourself.