“And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.” Matthew 12:36-37 NLT
Read Matthew 12.
How would you like to have a group of mean-spirited, legalistic bullies following you around, scrutinizing every single thing you say and do for the purpose of accusing you and trying to have you killed? Everywhere Jesus went, the Pharisees followed closely behind, criticizing everything he said and did, and tried to trap him with trick questions. Yet, they were no match for Jesus! He always had just the right answer!
The chapter opens with the continued debate about the Sabbath. The Pharisees saw the disciples pick some heads of grain from the field, and they pounced! Jesus set them straight. They had no comprehension of the purpose of the Sabbath. It wasn’t established as another set of rigorous rules to follow, but it is a day of rest, a time to show compassion and mercy. Jesus explained that Sabbath was a day to do good, and yes, that includes healing. The Pharisees were so frustrated that they couldn’t outsmart Jesus, so they angrily went on their way, determined to plot a way to have this Jesus killed!
As He went, Jesus continued healing everyone He met. A certain man who was possessed with demons, and who was blind and mute, was brought before Jesus. As Jesus healed him, many witnessed the transformation. Suddenly, this man could both see and speak. Of course, as they did just a few chapters back, the Pharisees again accused Jesus of receiving His power to cast out demons from the prince of demons, Satan himself.
Jesus explains that any kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. That would be like Satan fighting against Satan. It doesn’t make sense! No, there must be a stronger power at work. It must be the power of God! Jesus stated that since His power comes from the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God is now among them. Oh, they didn’t like that!
However, the Pharisees didn’t realize how dangerous it was to attribute the work of the Holy Spirit to the power of Satan. That is a problem! This is where we come upon the unpardonable sin. Jesus said that every sin can be forgiven, except for blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. That will never be forgiven.
There is disagreement about what that really means. In context, some believe it is to attribute the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan’s power. Some say it is to reject the Spirit which means they will never receive Christ and never see salvation. I am not sure either of these gives a complete picture.
The Wikipedia definition of blasphemy is “the act of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence to a deity, to religious or holy persons or sacred things, or toward something considered sacred or inviolable.” While some translations use the word blasphemy, the New American Standard, which is the most precise Word for Word translation from the Greek, actually says, “…but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him…” (verse 32).
Some have worried whether they may have inadvertently committed the unpardonable sin and may be lost for all eternity without hope of being forgiven. However, if that is the case, if that person can never be saved, then they would not be able to experience the conviction of the Holy Spirit. If you feel sorrow for your sins and have repented, and if you can declare that Jesus is your Lord, you are saved. As for the particulars of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, I’ll leave that up to the Bible scholars who are much smarter than I am to sort that out.
Jesus then condemned the Pharisees for pretending to be so righteous. He said that a good tree bears good fruit, and a bad tree bears bad fruit. They can’t hide what they really are inside because out of the reservoir of their hearts come their words, and it is their words that reveal their true nature. Their big mouths condemned them!
Well, the Pharisees were just about depleted of their arsenal against Jesus. So, they demanded a sign from Him to prove He really is who He says He is. Jesus rebuked them and said that the only sign He would give them is the sign of Jonah. Just as Jonah had remained in the belly of the whale for three days and nights, so would the Son of Man remain in the heart of the earth for three days and nights. What could Jesus possibly mean? He always seemed to speak in riddles, but that is because they were spiritually blind.
Jesus pegged these bullies perfectly in verses 43-45. He told another riddle about a demon leaving a man only to come back to find the house empty, swept, and in order. This demon then invites seven of his most evil buddies to come back to live with him. What this means is to show how ridiculous it was for the Pharisees to clean up on the outside but to not really be clean. They haven’t replaced their sins with anything positive, so they have become much worse off than they were before. What a brood of vipers, as Jesus called them.
As Jesus continued to talk with the crowds, His mother and brothers came to speak with Him. However, instead of going, he explained to them that anyone who does the will of the Father are His mother and brother and sister. That means that you and I are family! We are sisters of Jesus Christ! So, when the religious bullies hassle one of us, we have a great big brother who knows just how to handle them!
