sf090 - Blaspheming The Holy Spirit (Matthew 12 22-32)

Matthew 12:22-32

Introduction

By nature God is forgiving. The Old Testament abounds with teachings about His forgiveness.

David declared, “For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive…" Psalm 86:5

Daniel said, “To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness...” Daniel 9:9

God described Himself to Moses as, “…The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin…” (Ex. 34:6-7)

The Old Testament also abounds with examples of His forgiveness.

When Adam and Eve committed sin, God forgave them.

When Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob sinned, God forgave them.

When Moses sinned God forgave him.

The New Testament pictures God as supremely the God of forgiveness.

That is the essence of the gospel: God’s divine and gracious provision for the forgiveness of man’s sin.

Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

There are no sins so bad or so numerous that God cannot forgive them. However, in the text before us our Lord declares that there is a sin that will not be forgiven.

1A. Jesus Demonstrates His Deity (12:22-24)

1B. The miracle (12:22-23)

The action of the master (12:22)

Ø This man was a broken reed

The man had multiple problems. He was demon-possessed … blind and mute, and possibly also suffered deafness, so often associated with inability to speak.

Ø This miracle was undeniable

Jesus seems to have performed the particular healing on this occasion especially for the benefit of the Pharisees, forcing them to make their verdict concerning Him public.

The amazement of the multitude (12:23)

Ø The measure of their surprise

Amazed, (Existemi) means to be totally astounded, beside oneself with amazement and wonder.

Ø The manifestation of their surprise

The very question the people began to ask among themselves—“could this be the Son of David?” reveals that they recognized such miracles as possible messianic signs.

That was the title later ascribed to Jesus by the crowds who welcomed Him into Jerusalem as their Messiah and King (Matt. 21:9; cf. v. 5).

2B. The accusation (12:24)

The dilemma the they faced

Ø The fact that the multitudes were seriously wondering if Jesus might be the Messiah drove the Pharisees to panic.

The decision they made

Ø They had only one option. Because Jesus’ power was indisputably supernatural, because the only two sources of supernatural power are God and Satan, and because they refused to recognize Jesus as being from God, they were forced to conclude that He was an agent of Satan.

Ø He must serve the ruler of the demons, for whom Beelzebul (or Beelzebub) was a popular title, derived from the name of an ancient Canaanite deity.

2A. Jesus Defends His Deity (12:25-32)

1B. The Lord answers their accusations (12:25-30)

Although the Pharisees were speaking to the crowd beyond Jesus’ hearing, He nevertheless knew their thoughts.

The accusation was absurd (12:25b-26)

Ø Jesus first showed His accusers that their charge was a logical absurdity. It is axiomatic that a kingdom divided against itself would soon be laid waste by self-destruction

Ø Applied to the spirit world, the principle is just as clear: If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how will his kingdom stand?

The accusation was prejudiced (12:27)

Ø Sons was often used as an epithet for disciples or followers, as in the common Old Testament expression “sons of the prophets” (See, e.g., 2 Kings 2:3).

Ø The Pharisees’ response reflects the basic response of every person who intentionally rejects Jesus Christ. They did not reject Him for lack of evidence but because they were biased against Him.

The accusation was rebellious (12:28-30)

Ø Jesus was teaching…

Ø His power over demons was from God and that the kingdom of God had come.

Ø If the kingdom has come because He has come He must be the King, the Messiah.

Ø You cannot be neutral about Jesus.

2B. The Lord announces their condemnation (12:31-32)

Jesus first stated that any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men.

Ø Sin is immoral and ungodly thoughts and actions, whereas blasphemy represents conscious denouncing and rejection of God.

Ø Blasphemy is defiant irreverence, the uniquely terrible sin of intentionally and openly speaking evil against holy God or defaming or mocking Him (cf. Mark. 2:7).

Ø But even blasphemy, Jesus says, is forgiven, just as any other sin is forgiven when it is confessed and repented of.

Ø Even a believer can blaspheme, since any thought or word that sullies or defames the Lord’s name constitutes blasphemy.

There is one exception, however: blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven.

Ø Blasphemy against the Spirit is determined unbelief—the refusal, after having seen all the evidence necessary to a complete understanding, even to consider believing in Christ. It is attributing the work of God to Satan

Ø This sin is unpardonable because those who commit it are unwilling to tread the path that leads to pardon; they have totally and completely turned their backs on God’s revelation.

Application

1. Jesus is indeed the promised Messiah and He has all power over Satan.

2. The Kingdom of God has come and Jesus is the King.

3. There is no other way of salvation other than faith in Christ alone.

4. All men everywhere are commanded to “repent and believe.”

5. To understand the gospel and refuse to repent is a dangerous thing.

6. If you are concerned about committing the unpardonable sin, that is a good indication that you have not.

7. Today, if you have not done already repent and trust in Christ!