§ 8. Jesus' Ministry in Galilee Continued

† 35. The Sin against the Holy Spirit

Overview

In this episode, Jesus introduces us to the single most dangerous sin: blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. It is the most dangerous sin because it leads to all other sins, preventing someone from even hearing what God says—let alone responding to Him in repentance.

It should be an alarming thought that there is something we can do that will never be forgiven.

But that thing is perhaps not what we think. It isn't something violent, public, or physically destructive.

The blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is simply any claim that the Bible is not inspired.

Since the Holy Spirit spoke these words to the prophets and apostles of old, what they in turn wrote down was not their own speech but God's. When someone says the Bible is the product of human imagination, they make the Holy Spirit of God into a fallible human spirit.

We must remember, however, that the Bible makes faith (Romans 10:17). Someone who does not yet believe may come to believe upon reading the Bible and seeing there "the finger of God." Blasphemy is an active denial that this book is inspired, not merely an ignorance of it.

Scholars provide the following additional readings, but we will not cover them since they are from different episodes.

  • Matthew 7:16–20; Luke 6:43–45
  • Luke 12:10

‡ Matthew 12:31–37

Matthew 12

31  Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.
32  And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.
33  “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the 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  The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil.
36  I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak,
37  for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

either in this age or in the age to come

It matters not whether someone lived in the age of Moses, the patriarchs, or Christ. Faith (which comes by the word) has always been the source of salvation.

Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad

This is pointed at the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and scribes. They appear to be religious, to uphold the Law of Moses, but in fact they are blaspheming the Holy Spirit.

You brood of vipers!

That is, the Pharisees and scribes.

It was John the baptist who first said this to these same religious leaders.

Matthew 3:7–8

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.”

In fact, many Pharisees had refused to be baptized by John. Hearing his words again must have struck them in some way.

Luke 7:28–30

“I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” (When all the people heard this, and the tax collectors too, they declared God just, having been baptized with the baptism of John, but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.)

We can see how they were blaspheming the Spirit in the case of John the baptist's teaching, as well. John was inspired by God. But the religious leaders did not believe he was. When John called on them to repent, they did not recognize that it was really God who was calling them to repent. When they refused to be baptized by John, they rejected God's purpose for them.

How can you speak good, when you are evil?

Jesus is not here advocating any idea that human nature is inherently sinful. (Compare the next verse, "The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good…").

Jesus is pointing out that the Pharisees' hearts in particular are full of evil. Therefore, it is to be expected that they speak evil things—such as the blasphemy against the Spirit.

on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak

The context, again, is speaking against the Holy Spirit. It's true we must watch our words, and our words do reveal the content of our hearts—we would never advocate Christians using railing or foul language. But specifically, the warning is about how casually the world dismisses the inspiration of Scripture.

by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned

We must confess Him with our mouths as well as our lives.

‡ Mark 3:28–30

Mark 3

28  “Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter,
29  but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”—
30  for they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”

whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness

Mark's wording is an especially good explanation of this specific act. No one can come to forgiveness while blaspheming the Holy Spirit.

People might misunderstand or be ignorant of many religious things and yet still hear God's word and start learning and making correction. Everyone starts somewhere! But if someone does not accept that God spoke the words of the Bible, they can never learn from Him, because they will never hear it!

Romans 10:17

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.