Slandering God Pt 2

Slandering God Pt 2 Matthew 12:31-37

The context is Matthew 12:22–37, which we will read by way of introduction. Follow along in your translation - we use for bible studies, the NKJV. It primarily uses

Matthew 12:22–37 “ Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw. 23 And all the multitudes were amazed and said, “Could this be the Son of David?” 24 Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, “This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.” 25 But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. 28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. 30 He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.””

In 22-30, we saw His authority and command of the demonic realm, not in representing it, but in tearing it down, challenging it. Destroying it even as he built others up and taught them.

He made it plain, that to not be with him is to be against him. You are plainly brining disunity into the body of Christ. To not bring people into the kingdom is to fight against what God is doing. If you aren't working with Him, you’re working against Him.

Since Jesus is the Son of God, He is rightfully who we need to follow, to bring others to follow.

Now as we examine our text in 31-37, we’ll break it in parts,

31-32 Slandering Words, 33-35 Heart Words, 36-37 Condemning Words

Jesus begins this next section with a very sobering statement.

31-32 Slandering Words

Matthew 12:31 “ “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.”

Now, just as Jesus makes some sweeping statements here, I don’t want to explain them away or misrepresent what He’s saying.

Where do we read that Jesus died for the world? (usuals) 1 John 2:1–2 “ My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.”

So its not just the world and mankind, we know that God requires repentance, trust, etc. But His sacrifice we see in v2, it is propitiatory for the whole world (meets the requirements for the whole of them). And us.

This ONE who argues your case points at His life, not yours. Your lawyer is powerful.

The false statements about holy things, saying slanderous things - what is blasphemy , in the greek its βλασφημίαa: to speak against someone in such a way as to harm or injure his or her reputation (occurring in relation to persons as well as to divine beings)—‘to revile, to defame, to blaspheme, reviling.’ to slander.

Jesus relates this super-heavy statement that reminds us we need to watch our mouths because why? The words we speak reflect whats happening in our hearts (34) Acts 7:51 “ “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you.”

The Jews accused Jesus of Blasphemy because He made Himself equal with God. (Luke 5:21) here Jesus says they are denying (Like the world) the very ONE that saves. He says it wont be forgiven.

But what if I did it once? What if I now realize I was wrong? the key is in what Jesus says

Matthew 12:32 “ Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.”

Is it Speaks? Active speaking. If thats the case, how can one blaspheme christ but not blaspheme the Spirit, but it doesnt translate this way. I looked at multiple versions

Who is the Son of Man? It is Jesus yes, but its the office the title. Its not denying Jesus but they might deny that He is Messiah.

To deny the obvious fulfillment of prophecy and work of God going on, undeniable to any student or teacher of the scriptures, that was the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. I don’t think we could cant see these things taking place and acting like its not happening.

To deny it, was to condemn yourself. Jesus explains this isn't just a say some words break a law kind of thing. Its not just SAYING it. Its where it comes from

33-35 Heart Words

Matthew 12:33 “ “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.”

Jesus said in Matthew 7:16 “ You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?”

This was a saying or local colloquialism, kinda like old wives tale. Jesus is like, you cant look at the amazing things happening and say this with any sort of real confidence, its a denial of reality.

Matthew 12:34 “ Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”

wow. smack right? A brood (family) of vipers was a nest. creepy, so creepy. Except to weird folk. I like snakes and it upsets me strangely.

A nest of vipers, cant speak well or rightly because of who they are.

Jesus says this blasphemy isnt the reason for their condemnation but it was their hearts that condemned them, not just the word. But words, Jesus says, come from the heart. But since we have believed, that means our hearts keep us from any condementation. (Romans 8:1)

this means they werent just cursing or being reactive it was purposeful. a conscience choice to ignore what they saw happening with their own eyes and still blaspheme through denial

Now, let me add this. If I take this statement in itself as a generality, (which i dont like to do) but I want to say, that Jesus here convicts us all. The words, the curses, the vulgarities we traffic in, comes from a still struggling heart. Put off the old man. Why do i say this? Because of the context I think we can use it this way to a degree, someone said once, “God sometimes takes us more seriously than we do!”

Jesus then teaches us all about the idle things we say.

Matthew 12:35 “ A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.”

Do you want to know where your life is, then examine your walk (speech, etc). Proverbs 10:20 “ The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; The heart of the wicked is worth little.”

Its not the “good things” that save you, its the “good Man” living in you.

36-37 Condemning Words

Matthew 12:36 “ But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.”

Idle, useless, lazy words. Ecclesiastes 12:14 “ For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.” This is nothing new.

These folks that blaspheme, those that deny, those who live in vulgarity and speaking empty words, even us will give an account for everything we said.

Give account. LOGON in the greek (root: Logos) We will give a message (answer) for it. No lies, obfuscation. Not an inch of wool over anyones eyes, etc. Everyone there will see everything you have ever done, or said.

Now for these Pharisees, Jesus ends with a sobering Word.

Matthew 12:37 “ For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.””

These men, eyewitnesses to one of the greatest events ever experienced, God became flesh and dwelt with them.

Like the presence of God in the middle of the desert, when the serpents (sin) were biting them and killing them, and the answer to saving faith, was look to the serpent on the pole (Jesus, John 3). Jesus took on humanity (sinful, lost, dying) so that he could go on that pole. For us.

These leaders are condemned by words because it came from their hearts. That same word can tell of the salvation in our hearts. Romans 10:9–10 “ that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

in closing:

Back in 22-30 they accused Jesus of working for the bad guy, in spite of every incredible miracle they saw. They slandered the work of God. Listen to yourself, especially in private. What or who do you sound like? Would you cuss like that if Christ were sitting in the room? (He is)

Though you might not be able to blaspheme the holy spirit like these leaders, we can still blaspheme. We can slander God through sounding like braying donkeys, vulgar jest and trying to look rotten to hang out with the evil trees. We can tell un-truths about God and speak like children of the devil rather than children of the Living God. What we say reflects whats happening in our hearts.