The Unpardonable Sin
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Matthew 12:22-32
Matthew 12:22-32
a. The accusation by the Pharisees (12:22-24)
a. The accusation by the Pharisees (12:22-24)
b. The response by Jesus (12:25-32)
b. The response by Jesus (12:25-32)
1. INTRODUCTION
1. INTRODUCTION
2. BODY
2. BODY
a. The accusation by the Pharisees (12:22-24)
a. The accusation by the Pharisees (12:22-24)
i. Verse 22 begins with a demon possessed man who was blind and mute that was brought to Jesus. I love the little details but it shows a picture of a couple of friends who might have brought this man. Most likely this man didn’t want to come to Jesus because he was demon possessed. His friends probably saw him suffering which is why they suggested and brought him to Jesus.
i. Verse 22 begins with a demon possessed man who was blind and mute that was brought to Jesus. I love the little details but it shows a picture of a couple of friends who might have brought this man. Most likely this man didn’t want to come to Jesus because he was demon possessed. His friends probably saw him suffering which is why they suggested and brought him to Jesus.
ii. What’s interesting about this is that there was a similar instance in Matthew 9:32-34. It’s interesting here where a mute demon possessed man was brought to him. Again, this man most likely didn’t want to come to Christ but his friends and family most likely brought him because they heard of this Jesus and wanted to see if Jesus could heal him. Well, as we see in verse 33, this man was healed and he spoke and the crowds were amazed. Similarly, in verse 34, the Pharisees accuse Jesus that He casts out the demons by the ruler of the demons. The Pharisees by this accusation believed that maybe Jesus was demon possessed that He was able to cast out demons which is what leads us to our passage for today.
ii. What’s interesting about this is that there was a similar instance in Matthew 9:32-34. It’s interesting here where a mute demon possessed man was brought to him. Again, this man most likely didn’t want to come to Christ but his friends and family most likely brought him because they heard of this Jesus and wanted to see if Jesus could heal him. Well, as we see in verse 33, this man was healed and he spoke and the crowds were amazed. Similarly, in verse 34, the Pharisees accuse Jesus that He casts out the demons by the ruler of the demons. The Pharisees by this accusation believed that maybe Jesus was demon possessed that He was able to cast out demons which is what leads us to our passage for today.
iii. Jesus seeing the man, heals him so that the mute man now spoke and saw. This man was demon possessed, but it was an interesting instance. He was demon possessed but also blind and mute. So when it says that Jesus healed him, he didn’t simply heal him of his muteness and his vision. Rather, he took away the demon as well. Similar to Matthew 9:33, just as the demon was cast out, the mute man spoke. Most likely, this was similar to this case as well, where the difference was that he was blind and mute. But we can understand most likely that his mute and blindness was caused by this demon. Therefore, when it says that He healed him, this man was free of this demon which allowed him to speak and see.
iii. Jesus seeing the man, heals him so that the mute man now spoke and saw. This man was demon possessed, but it was an interesting instance. He was demon possessed but also blind and mute. So when it says that Jesus healed him, he didn’t simply heal him of his muteness and his vision. Rather, he took away the demon as well. Similar to Matthew 9:33, just as the demon was cast out, the mute man spoke. Most likely, this was similar to this case as well, where the difference was that he was blind and mute. But we can understand most likely that his mute and blindness was caused by this demon. Therefore, when it says that He healed him, this man was free of this demon which allowed him to speak and see.
iv. Similar to the story in Matthew 9, the crowds were amazed. They respond by saying that this cannot be the son of David can He? This question is better understood maybe with the understanding that they were perplexed and surprised, but also open to the possibility that Jesus could also be the Son of David. The question could be better understood as This man could be the Son of David. The Son of David here is understood as the equivalent as Messiah, and they are so impressed by the miracle that they wondered whether or not they were in the Messiah’s presence. This was a similar response in 9:33. Similar to nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel, they were starting to connect the dots that they started to believe potentially that He is actually who He said He was. He was now doing things they’ve never seen prior. They might have seen healings and exorcisms in separate instances, but never seen a situation this complicated. This man was demon possessed, mute and blind. This reminded me of the story of Moses. In Exodus 7:8-13, in the story of Moses and Aaron with the staff, the people had seen people do miracles. This caused them to really ask the question, could He really be the Messiah?
iv. Similar to the story in Matthew 9, the crowds were amazed. They respond by saying that this cannot be the son of David can He? This question is better understood maybe with the understanding that they were perplexed and surprised, but also open to the possibility that Jesus could also be the Son of David. The question could be better understood as This man could be the Son of David. The Son of David here is understood as the equivalent as Messiah, and they are so impressed by the miracle that they wondered whether or not they were in the Messiah’s presence. This was a similar response in 9:33. Similar to nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel, they were starting to connect the dots that they started to believe potentially that He is actually who He said He was. He was now doing things they’ve never seen prior. They might have seen healings and exorcisms in separate instances, but never seen a situation this complicated. This man was demon possessed, mute and blind. This reminded me of the story of Moses. In Exodus 7:8-13, in the story of Moses and Aaron with the staff, the people had seen people do miracles. This caused them to really ask the question, could He really be the Messiah?
v. So verse 24 is interesting because when they heard the people asking these questions, they answered immediately by stating that this man casts out demons only by Beelzebub who is the ruler of the demons. According to 2 Kings 1:1-18, they speak of Baalzebub, the god of Ekron which is the god of the Philistines. Ekron was a city within the Philistinian empire and named, lord of the flies. He was believed to be the prince of evil spirits, and his name became another term for Satan; what the Pharisees were saying was that Jesus cast out demons through the power of Satan.
v. So verse 24 is interesting because when they heard the people asking these questions, they answered immediately by stating that this man casts out demons only by Beelzebub who is the ruler of the demons. According to 2 Kings 1:1-18, they speak of Baalzebub, the god of Ekron which is the god of the Philistines. Ekron was a city within the Philistinian empire and named, lord of the flies. He was believed to be the prince of evil spirits, and his name became another term for Satan; what the Pharisees were saying was that Jesus cast out demons through the power of Satan.
b. The response by Jesus (12:25-32)
b. The response by Jesus (12:25-32)
i. So Jesus responds in verse 25, and it states that He knew their thoughts. Interesting that this was in response to verse 24 where it doesn’t make it explicit that Jesus heard anything from their mouths. But we can understand from this passage that He knew what they were thinking and how they were reasoning. He knew that they were accusing Him of casting out demons by the power and authority of Beelzebub who is the ruler of demons. Their accusations regarding Him was founded upon the principle that because Beelzebub is the greatest demon, He is casting out demons through Beelzebub’s authority.
i. So Jesus responds in verse 25, and it states that He knew their thoughts. Interesting that this was in response to verse 24 where it doesn’t make it explicit that Jesus heard anything from their mouths. But we can understand from this passage that He knew what they were thinking and how they were reasoning. He knew that they were accusing Him of casting out demons by the power and authority of Beelzebub who is the ruler of demons. Their accusations regarding Him was founded upon the principle that because Beelzebub is the greatest demon, He is casting out demons through Beelzebub’s authority.
ii. Knowing how they were reasoning, Jesus asks them a question. Jesus’s first counter-argument is the common sense point that it is absurd to imagine that the demon king would attack and defeat his own demonic forces. This would mean civil war in the demonic kingdom. Another interesting point to recognize is that Jesus seems to be speaking as if Satan has a kingdom. What Jesus is making clear is that, if Satan’s house is divided, he would not be able to rule because they would be at war against each other.
ii. Knowing how they were reasoning, Jesus asks them a question. Jesus’s first counter-argument is the common sense point that it is absurd to imagine that the demon king would attack and defeat his own demonic forces. This would mean civil war in the demonic kingdom. Another interesting point to recognize is that Jesus seems to be speaking as if Satan has a kingdom. What Jesus is making clear is that, if Satan’s house is divided, he would not be able to rule because they would be at war against each other.
iii. This is what Jesus concludes in verse 26 by stating that if Satan casts Himself out because He is at war with himself, then how will his kingdom stand? It is absurd to think that He is actually Satan because He would be hurting Himself.
iii. This is what Jesus concludes in verse 26 by stating that if Satan casts Himself out because He is at war with himself, then how will his kingdom stand? It is absurd to think that He is actually Satan because He would be hurting Himself.
iv. This causes Jesus to now pointing it back to them. Now that I’ve proved to you that it would make no sense that I am casting demons under the power and authority of Satan, then who do you cast demons out with? The statements here made by Jesus is important. Jesus is making it clear that man doesn’t have the innate ability to cast out demons on their own. This is why He says by whom do your sons cast them out? This is Jesus saying that they are working under the authority of someone. If Jesus has such victory, He is the one of someone that has superhuman ability to cast out demons. And if those among you also can cast out demons, it will reveal to you exactly who they are working for.
iv. This causes Jesus to now pointing it back to them. Now that I’ve proved to you that it would make no sense that I am casting demons under the power and authority of Satan, then who do you cast demons out with? The statements here made by Jesus is important. Jesus is making it clear that man doesn’t have the innate ability to cast out demons on their own. This is why He says by whom do your sons cast them out? This is Jesus saying that they are working under the authority of someone. If Jesus has such victory, He is the one of someone that has superhuman ability to cast out demons. And if those among you also can cast out demons, it will reveal to you exactly who they are working for.
v. This is what causes Jesus to state who He is and by who’s authority He works with. In verse 28, He states that if He casts out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. Jesus invites His listeners here that if He truly does cast demons out by the Spirit of God, then now, you are confronted by the reality that the kingdom of God, God’s victory over Satan has come.
v. This is what causes Jesus to state who He is and by who’s authority He works with. In verse 28, He states that if He casts out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. Jesus invites His listeners here that if He truly does cast demons out by the Spirit of God, then now, you are confronted by the reality that the kingdom of God, God’s victory over Satan has come.
vi. This helps us to see the future reality that if Christ is truly the Messiah and that He is God Himself, then Satan will be defeated by Him. Not only is this the truth in this present reality, but it is so even in the future. There is no power that can overcome and extinguish the power of God. He is over all and omnipotent over all. That is His claim.
vi. This helps us to see the future reality that if Christ is truly the Messiah and that He is God Himself, then Satan will be defeated by Him. Not only is this the truth in this present reality, but it is so even in the future. There is no power that can overcome and extinguish the power of God. He is over all and omnipotent over all. That is His claim.
vii. Verse 29 illustrates exactly what He means. Jesus asks a question, how can you enter into a strong man’s home and rob him, unless you first tie him down? You can’t rob a strong man because he will stop you so the first step would be to tie him down. We can conclude here that the strong man is Satan and Christ has come to overthrow and show that this man is in defeat. Jesus is claiming that the kingdom of Satan is under attack and his strength is acknowledged but his strength is nothing compared to that of God. Jesus has tied Satan down, and now all his possessions are free from his power. This is the reality of salvation. All were under the domain and power of Satan, but God, through Christ has transferred us into the kingdom of light (Colossians 1:13).
vii. Verse 29 illustrates exactly what He means. Jesus asks a question, how can you enter into a strong man’s home and rob him, unless you first tie him down? You can’t rob a strong man because he will stop you so the first step would be to tie him down. We can conclude here that the strong man is Satan and Christ has come to overthrow and show that this man is in defeat. Jesus is claiming that the kingdom of Satan is under attack and his strength is acknowledged but his strength is nothing compared to that of God. Jesus has tied Satan down, and now all his possessions are free from his power. This is the reality of salvation. All were under the domain and power of Satan, but God, through Christ has transferred us into the kingdom of light (Colossians 1:13).
3. CONCLUSION
3. CONCLUSION