After the confrontation in the cornfield, Jesus went to the synagogue and was again accosted by the Pharisees, who asked if a man could be healed on the Sabbath. Jesus once again demonstrated His authority and healed a man who had his hand parched. “Then the Pharisees went out and planned against him how they could destroy him” (Matthew 12:14; Mark 3:6; Luke 6:11). As a pediatrician, Dr. Meg Meeker has seen thousands of girls walk through her office over the years. They struggle with issues with food, gender identity, social media. and many other challenges in this toxic culture. Dr. Meeker will encourage parents to invest love and time in their daughters and develop their character to give them the best chance at a bright future, all rooted in a spiritual foundation. The discussion also includes healthy feminism vs. This stubborn and unrepentant attitude—persistent self-hardening—is the main characteristic of true blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. What is this sin? Mark and Luke both use the term “blasphemy,” while Matthew most commonly uses “speaks against,” showing that all three have some sort of verbal rejection or denunciation of God`s Spirit in the service of Jesus in spirit.
The ancients believed in the power of words and the pronunciation of curses, curses and blasphemies was taken seriously. The verb “blasphemy” means to insult or insult someone or something (Acts 18:6; Romans 14:16). In the Old Testament, the term was used specifically to mock the language and attitude toward the God of the covenant with Israel (2 Kings 19:4; 6:22 Isaiah 66:3; Ezekiel 35:12–13). The basic idea inherited from the New Testament writers, and Jesus in particular, is expressed in Leviticus 24:15-16: “He who curses (qalal [l;l]; katareo [katavra]) his God will bear his sin. Whoever blasphemes the name of the Lord (naqab [b;q”n]; onomazo [ojnomavzw]) will be killed; Let the whole assembly stone him; the traveler and the native, if he blasphemes the name (naqab [b;q”n]; onomazo [ojnomavzw]), will be killed” (RSV cf. Lev 24:10-23; for the blasphemer). With this understanding of the background of the word, we can better understand its meaning than Jesus used it. The context of Jesus` statement of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit included a certain miracle He did.
Jesus performed a powerful action to heal a man who was demon-possessed, blind and mute. Instead of recognizing Jesus as the Messiah, religious leaders attributed this, along with all his other miracles, to the power of the devil. Although they realized that some power allowed Jesus to do this miraculous work, they claimed that His power was demonic rather than the work of God`s Holy Spirit. This was not done in ignorance. Have you ever wondered what a baby looks like in the womb? With today`s technology, moms and dads can see the baby`s heartbeat, facial expressions, and movements! You`ll find out why more women choose life once they hear their baby`s heartbeat and realize it`s a real living person! From these sources, we can make a number of observations from Jesus` statements about blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. In addition, a concept that Matthew would also expect you to take care of the topic of “fruit” as you read his gospel. He first introduces this theme in the words of John the Baptist that we have just observed (3:8; also 3:10), develops it substantially when he incorporates Jesus` teaching in the Sermon on the Mount (7:15-20), takes up the same theme of fruit in the passage we mainly think of today (12:33), again in the parable of the ground (13:23), and finally in a section of judgment that, Not surprisingly, focuses again on the Pharisees` failure to bear fruit (21:43). The point for Matthew is that everything that dwells in people`s hearts is manifested in the way people live and speak (“fruit”). It should also be noted that the biblical description of the Holy Spirit condemning people for sin helps us understand why blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is such a serious problem.
Blaspheming the Holy Spirit is not simply saying something wrong about the Holy Spirit (or anything else), but is a persistent rejection of the persuasive work of the Spirit whose job it is to expose our sins and lead us to accept Christ. Jesus says of the Holy Spirit in John 16:8, “And when he comes, he will convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment.” My former teacher and longtime Talbot colleague, Mike Wilkins, writes: “This also goes hand in hand with the Spirit`s role in convicting people of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8). As long as one rejects the Spirit, one can never find forgiveness of sins. [2] As we evangelize, when we share our faith with others, the realization that our friend, family member, or unsaved acquaintance could be condemned to hell should lead us with love and compassion to share the truth of Jesus.
