Blasphemy against the Spirit
TRANSLATION
(15) And Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from that place, and many followed him. And he healed all of them (16) and exhorted them not to make him known. (17) This was to fulfill that which had been spoken by Isaiah the prophet: (18) “Behold, (this is) my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit on him and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. (19) He will not quarrel nor cry aloud. Nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets. (20) A bruised reed he will not break and smoldering flax he will not quench until he brings justice through to victory. (21) And in his name will the Gentiles place their hope.”
(22) Then a demon-oppressed man, both blind and mute, was brought to him, and he healed him so that he could both see and speak. (23) And all the people were amazed and said, “Can this be the son of David?” (24) But when the Pharisees heard about it, they said, “This man only casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons.” (25) And, knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to destruction, and no city or house divided against itself will 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 Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore, they will be your judges. (28) However, if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come among you. (29) Or how can someone enter the house of a strong man and plunder his goods unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house. (30) Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. (31) Therefore, I tell you that every human sin and blasphemy will be forgiven except blasphemy against the Spirit which will not be forgiven. (32) And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven, neither in this world nor in that which is to come.
(33) “Either a tree is good and its fruit good or a tree is bad and its fruit bad, for a tree is known by its fruit. (34) You brood of vipers! How can you speak good when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. (35) A good person out of the good stored up in him brings forth good things, but an evil person out of the evil stored up in him brings forth evil things. (36) And I tell you that everyone will give an account for every idle word they speak on the day of judgment, (37) for by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
OBSERVATIONS
This passage marks a major turning-point in Matthew’s Gospel, the moment when the Savior who had initially come to offer himself only to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Mt. 10:6) now extended God’s message of salvation to the Gentiles. This change in mission strategy was indicated by the quotation from Isaiah’s prophecy in which “the Gentiles” were mentioned twice (vss. 18 & 21) to demonstrate that this development was all part of God’s eternal plan (Is. 42:1-4).
The precipitating event was the Pharisees’ harsh reaction to Jesus’ healing of a demon-oppressed man whose affliction had left him both blind and mute. Instead of giving glory to God as did the others present, the Jewish leaders attributed Jesus’ healing power not to God’s Spirit but to Beelzebul, the prince of demons. Repeated words included “healed” (vss. 15 & 22), “demon(s)” (five times in vss. 22, 24, & 27), “Beelzebul” (vss. 24 & 27), “Satan” (twice in vs. 26), “cast(s) out” (three times in vss. 24 & 27), “divided” (vss. 25 & 26), “kingdom” (vss. 26 & 28), “strong man” and “plunder” (each twice in vs. 29), and finally “Spirit of God/Holy Spirit” (in vss. 28, 31, & 32). Jesus defended himself against their charges first by logic with the words “no kingdom divided against itself can stand” (vss. 25 & 26) and then by warning about blaspheming against the Holy Spirit, an unforgivable sin (vss. 31 & 32).
In the final paragraph Jesus used an illustration about gathering good fruit and bad fruit produced by good trees and bad trees. His point: everyone will be held accountable on the Day of Judgment for verbal expressions which reveal the thoughts and intents of the heart. In this segment we find several repetitions including “tree” and “fruit” (each one appearing three times in vs. 33), six mentions of “good” (vss. 33, 34, & 35), “bad” (twice in vs. 33), “evil” (four times in vss. 34 & 35), “speak(s)” (three times in vss. 33 & 36), “treasure” (twice in vs. 35), and “word(s)” (three times in vss. 36 & 37).
OUTLINE
I. According to Isaiah’s prophecy the way of salvation was now open to Gentiles. (15-21)
II. The Pharisees attributed Jesus’ healing of a demon-oppressed man to the power of Satan. (22-32)
III. Jesus taught regarding our accountability for our words on the Day of Judgment. (33-37)
IDEA STATEMENT
The Pharisees’ attributing the work of the Holy Spirit in the healing and teaching ministry of Christ to Satan elicited Jesus’ strongest condemnation and warnings.
APPLICATION
Some after reading this passage may find themselves wondering if believers today could ever commit the “unforgiveable sin.” Others are put off by the harshness of the penalty for blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Explanations of these two issues help us grasp the significance of this passage. First, what precisely was blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? The answer that Jesus gave to the Pharisees on this occasion was that their attributing to Satan the miraculous work of God’s Holy Spirit through the Messiah constituted the unforgivable sin.
Once having determined this, we can more easily answer the question, “Is it possible for believers to commit this sin today?” Some believe that it is impossible for us to commit this sin because Jesus is not physically present, ministering today as he did in New Testament times. However, another viewpoint holds that if a skeptic today were to call the convicting work of the Holy Spirit the work of Satan, that person would stand in danger of committing an unforgiveable sin, namely, the sin of willful unbelief since it is unbelief that condemns a person to a Christ-less eternity. On the other hand, those who have placed their faith in the Son by the testimony of the Holy Spirit need never fear committing the unforgivable sin since they have already been declared righteous and incorporated into God’s eternal family.