|
Post by mystic on Nov 3, 2016 2:38:33 GMT -8
32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.
Moderator note: thread moved to its' proper category. Dan
|
|
|
Post by alon on Nov 3, 2016 3:59:06 GMT -8
32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.
This is a favorite of commentators and pastors alike, and I've heard several conflicting views on what this means over the years. But I think we need to do what we always do here and read this in context, then try an figure it out.
Matthew 12:22-37 (ESV)
Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit
22 Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw. 23 And all the people were amazed, and said, “Can this be the Son of David?” 24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.” 25 Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26 And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 Or how can someone enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house. 30 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 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.
A Tree Is Known by Its Fruit
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.”
The first problem hindering understanding is those titles many modern translations like to put in the text. They keep people from reading the full context, effectively separating the scriptures; sometimes discouraging us from reading things together and making connections. But if we read this all together, paying particular attention to what I've underlined, we can get an idea what is being said. The religious leadership opposing Yeshua was trying to discredit His miracles, saying His power was derived from demons. We know His power came from the Ruach HaKodesh, so these men were also speaking against the Spirit of Hashem Himself! And their speaking against the Ruach had the potential to keep others from accepting the only One who could effect their salvation- Yeshua. So if they'd have said Yeshua was ugly or they didn't like the way He dressed, they could have been forgiven. But speaking against His works, done in the power and authority of the Ruach for the express purpose of keeping others from accepting Him as HaMoshiach will not be forgiven. Verses 33-37 put the exclamation point on what was just said.
Another explanation I've heard for this passage is that if the Ruach makes it clear to us who is the Messiah and Savior of Yisro'el and the world, and we reject this and so die in our sins, then we will not be forgiven. The truth of this is born out in scripture, and even tied to the verse which is our subject here:
Luke 12:8-10 (ESV) “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.
But while this is certainly one interpretation and a good lesson we can take away from the passage in Matthew, I don't think it is the main one. Because you can deny the Ruach up to the point of death and still be forgiven until you take that last breath. However Matthew seems to be saying if you oppose the Ruach for the purpose of turning others away, then you will not be forgiven.
Dan C
|
|