Today’s passage: Matthew 12:22-32
Helpful thoughts:
- Jesus’ healing of this demon-possessed man was indisputable. The Pharisees could not deny it. So they accused Jesus of being a demonic trickster.
- In verse 28, Jesus says, if I am casting out demons by the power of the Spirit of God, then you cannot logically deny that I am the Messiah! (The problem was, the Pharisees were NOT being logical. They simply refused to submit.)
- Blasphemy is a conscious denouncing of God. And this can be forgiven! Not believing in God or speaking poorly of Him is something that can be repented of. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is said by Christ to be a different matter. A primary ministry of the Holy Spirit throughout the NT is to point people to Jesus…and the Pharisees had been pointed to Jesus. His Holy Spirit-powered works had been on display right before their eyes. Nobody knew the OT better than these men and Jesus had proven over and over that He was the Christ. Jesus is saying here in this passage that these Pharisees had once and for all chosen to reject the ministry of the Holy Spirit by denying what was obviously true. They refused to acknowledge the Spirit was working through Him and that He was the Christ. This was blasphemy, directly in opposition to the work of the Holy Spirit. So, to once and for all deny Christ, to be determined to reject Him in spite of the Spirit’s work, is to blaspheme against the Holy Spirit.
Questions to consider:
- How does the fact that Jesus’ miracles were indisputable encourage your faith and courage to share the Gospel?
- What does the nature of these Pharisees’ rejection of Christ remind us of as it relates to our work in trying to prove to people that Jesus is our Lord and Savior? Can we simply convince someone to get saved? What has to happen in the sinner’s heart?
- How can this passage make us more thankful for our faith?