I find it interesting here that Mark specifically says that the response from Jesus was in parables. We know from the Bible that Jesus spoke in parables because they refused to see even though they were seeing and refused to hear even though they were hearing. Their hearts had become dull. That aside, there is very little difference between the account from Mark and the account from Matthew. We now turn to the last and shortest account, from Luke's Gospel:
"And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say." - Luke 12: 8-12 (ESV)
The surrounding context here is not directly related to the blasphemy of the Spirit. These are more individual teachings that have common themes. Either way, there is nothing new or additional to consider for the exposition at hand. What we end up with are three references to the phrase, "blasphemy against the Holy Spirit." The Luke reference is not supported with the story that preceded this statement, whereas the Matthew and Mark accounts do contain the contextual story. There is virtually no difference between these two accounts. There is very little in dispute. The disputes come in when we try to fit our pre-conceived biases into a text. The Matthew account provides the best detail for us to exposit. These are the key portions to keep in mind:
1) And all the people were amazed, and said, "Can this be the Son of David?"
2) But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, "It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons."
3) Knowing their thoughts, he said to them
4) Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
5) Therefore I tell you
Number one establishes that the people were clearly beginning to consider Jesus as the Messiah based upon the miracle He had performed. This reaction is confirmed in many other Scriptures throughout the Gospels. Number two clearly establishes that the accusation leveled by the Pharisees and Scribes was in direct response to the reaction from the people. This is also supported in other Scriptures like the story of raising Lazarus from the dead. Number three indicates that Jesus knew what they thought and knew it was in opposition to the accusation they were leveling. Number four exposes why this was so important to Jesus. Why the unpardonable sin is unpardonable. It is bad enough that you know full well that your accusation is false but the fact that your motivation is to draw people away from Christ? That you would willingly lead people to hell in order to protect whatever slice of carnality here on earth you have grown accustomed to? Number five connects the statement about the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit directly to the accusation they made, the thoughts they knew which were in contradiction to it and the motivation to use the accusation to draw people away from Christ.
So the question remains - how is this applicable to us? Is it applicable to us? I have read many Christian writers state that this could only occur during the time Jesus walked the earth. I am not sure about that. I do not see that specifically in the Scripture. I do think the bar has been set pretty high but is it unreachable in this day and age? Is it beyond possibility that someone would be so enamored with their own power, prestige, and riches in Christianity that they would somehow attribute the miracles of God to Satan in order to consolidate and keep that power? I can certainly picture that as the great persecution settles in on this country. There are a great many "preachers" that will not hesitate to sell Christ out to keep their slice of the pie they currently enjoy. Then comes an even scarier proposition. What if you took the works of Satan and attributed them to the Holy Spirit? Is that the same thing? Granted, it would have to be something willfully done by someone who knows the truth but is that so out of the realm of belief? When we see every day obvious demonic activity attributed to the Holy Spirit one has to wonder. Sobering thoughts to consider. What we do know however is that unbelieving people making a YouTube video saying they deny the Spirit when their entire life already denies Him is not the unpardonable sin. That person can still come to penitent faith in Christ. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Everyone. Yet he who is so enchanted by the things of this world that he is willing to not only sell Christ out but willfully deceive his brothers and sisters into hell? He is not seeking a pardon. He has made his choice and allegiance clear.
Reverend Anthony Wade - September 14, 2014
