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[Truth Please]

What does blasphemy against the Holy Spirit entail? I am trying to better understand what this means exactly. Matthew 12:32 says speaking against the Holy Spirit can never be forgiven, do you know more about what this means?

[jimwalton]

Yeah, great question. Glad to talk.

Matthew 12.31; Mark 3.29; Lk. 12.10. The Greek word is where we get our English word: βλασφημία (blasphemia or blasphemeo, depending on the form). The word means, as you might expect, "To speak in such a way as to bring reproach to another; malicious misrepresentation of someone; contemptuous speech to insult the reverence of God; arrogant defiance of God."

The specific instance that brought forth the comment from Jesus was the leaders attributing His healing and casting out demons to the power of Satan. Jesus takes sharp offense to the comment as well as to the idea behind it: Jesus is an agent of Satan.

Since Jesus is God, it is actually these accusers who are blaspheming, not Jesus. Blasphemy was a capital offense, punishable by death (Lev. 24.15-16). Jesus does not call for their death, however. Instead He says that even blasphemy can be forgiven (Mark 3.28). Marianne Meye Thompson says that Jesus's point is therefore God's merciful forgiveness rather than God's eagerness to hunt down and condemn sinners, something these leaders were actively doing in the name of God.

While I agree with that, I think there's more to it than that. When Jesus speaks, we always look for layers of messages. The tense that Jesus uses (imperfect tense) speaks of a continual, habitual behavior—endless repetition and a fixed attitude. While Jesus is saying that we should be people of grace rather than people who go on witch hunts to condemn sinners, He's also saying that the person who never stops disgracing God is the person who can never be forgiven. All kinds of sin, and every kind of sin, can be forgiven. The one that can't be forgiven is the one that never stops sinning, the one who never repents, and who never asks for forgiveness. If you always defy, always pervert, and always reject, you cannot be forgiven. In your perpetual rebellion, you perpetually spurn the work of the Holy Spirit (whose job it is to convict of sin, convince of truth, and to draw you to Christ).

Therefore, it's not a single event. It's not a mistake someone makes that, once done, is too late to undo. It is not simply making an insult remark about Jesus or the Spirit. Instead, it is a sustained stance of defiance. But none of the Gospels claim that once this stance is taken, it can never be altered. It can always be altered. It's unforgivable for the person who never turn towards Christ.

I hope this helps. Feel free to respond, comment, or ask more.