In this case indeed He discloses also another sign, and that no small one, of His own Godhead, and of His equality in honor with the Father. For whereas they said, "To unbind sins pertains to God only," He not only unbinds sins, but also before this He makes another kind of display in a thing which pertained to God only; the publishing the secrets in the heart. For neither had they uttered what they were thinking.
-St. John Chrysostom, Homily 29 on Matthew 9, 4th Century


Faith…is the beginning of our union with God: the true believers are the stone of the church of God, prepared for the edifice of God the Father, which is raised up to the heights by the power of Jesus Christ, that is, by the Cross and help of the grace of the Holy Spirit. "Faith without works is dead" (James 2:26). The works of faith are love, peace, longsuffering, mercy, humility, bearing one’s cross and life by the Spirit. True faith cannot remain without works. One who truly believes will also surely perform good works.
-St. Seraphim of Sarov, Unknown, 19th century


The Lord looks with affection on the humble. . .Learn, you who are sick, to gain health through prayer. Should you be diffident because of your grave sins, seek the prayers of others, call upon the Church to pray for you, and in His regard for her, the Lord will give what He could refuse to you.
-Saint Ambrose, The Healing of the Paralytic, P. L. 15 (col. 138), Expos., in Toal, IV: 182, 183., Fourth Century


In this place He gives a complete likeness of the resurrection. Healing wounds of mind and body, He forgives the sins of souls and makes an end of the infirmity of the flesh: This is to cure the whole man. And though it is a great thing to forgive men their sins. . . nevertheless, it is a much more divine work to give resurrection to their bodies, because the Lord is Himself the resurrection.
-Saint Ambrose, The Healing of the Paralytic, P. L. 15 (col. 1638), Fourth Century


Though in the beginning He Himself went about and did not require so much faith of those who came to Him, in this case they approached Him, and faith was also required on their part. For the words "Seeing their faith refer to the faith of those who had let the man down."
-Saint John Chrysostom, Homily XXIX on Matthew IX, 1, 2, Fourth Century


[The Lord] does not on all occasions require faith on the part of the sick - as for instance when they are mentally ill or in any other way, through their disease, have no self control. However, in this case the sick man also had part in the faith, for he would not have allowed himself to be let down, unless he had believed.
-Saint John Chrysostom, Homily XXIX on Matthew IX, 1, 2, Fourth Century


Forasmuch then as they had demonstrated such great faith, [the Lord] also demonstrated His own power with all authority absolving [the paralytic's] sins, and signifying in all ways that He is equal in Honor with Him who begat Him
-Saint John Chrysostom, Homily XXIX on Matthew IX, 1, 2, Fourth Century


In this case in fact He also discloses another sign - and that no small one - of His own Godhead, and of His equality in honor with the Father. For when they said, "To unbind sins pertains to God alone," He not only unbinds sins, but prior to this He makes another kind of display of a thing which pertained only to God: publishing the secrets of the heart. For they had not vocalized what they were thinking.
-Saint John Chrysostom, Homily XXIX on Matthew IX, 1, 2, Fourth Century


God listens, not to our voice, but to our heart. He does not need to be prodded with shouts, since He sees our thoughts, as the Lord proved when He asked, "Why do you think evil in your hearts?" And elsewhere He stated: "All the assemblies shall know that I am He who searches minds and hearts."
-Saint Cyprian of Carthage, The Lord's Prayer, Third Century