Knowing Our Thoughts: Luke 9:46-48

Focus Passage: Luke 9:46-48 (NIV)

46 An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. 47 Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him. 48 Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.”

Read Luke 9:46-48 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!

Throughout Jesus’ ministry, three of the four gospel’s writers record at least one time where the disciples began an argument about who would be the greatest among them. During one of these arguments, Luke’s gospel shares an interesting phrase that is incredibly profound when we stop to think about it.

Luke describes this event by saying: “An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him.” (v. 46-47)

While I don’t know how Luke knew to include a phrase that he included, but he tells all of us that Jesus framed His response to the disciples because He knew their thoughts. This is significant in my mind because not only could Jesus specifically see into the minds of those closest to Him, He also chose to interact with those who He knew their deepest, darkest secrets. Nothing about the disciples’ lives was hidden from Jesus.

I’m not sure if Luke includes this detail because this was a onetime occurrence in Jesus’ ministry, or if this was Luke’s subtle way of suggesting that Jesus continually had this divine revelation into people’s minds, but when we look at other events in the gospels, I don’t think Jesus was ever truly surprised by something that happened. Even Judas Iscariot’s betrayal was not a surprise to Jesus.

Jesus knew the disciples better than they knew themselves, and Jesus chose to interact and associate with them. In a similar way, Jesus knows us better than we know ourselves – and He chooses to love us, forgive us, and give us the gift of salvation. Jesus knows our deepest, darkest secrets and He still chooses to love us. Nothing in our past or future is a surprise to Him, and because He still chooses to love us when He knows our worst, we can trust that He has the best future imaginable waiting for us when we accept Him into our hearts.

This thought was inspired by studying the Walking With Jesus “Reflective Bible Study” package. To discover insights like this in your own study time, click here and give Reflective Bible Study a try today!

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