Year 2, Week 31, Day 1 Bible Reading Observations

Year 2, Week 31, Day 1

I have a brief observation for today’s reading of Matthew 12; Mark 3

Today’s reading records further disputes over the Sabbath as the conflict between Jesus and the Jewish religious establishment deepens. Matthew 12 records a healing on the Sabbath that Jesus intentionally performs after he has asked the religious leaders a question to prompt them: “He went on from there and entered their synagogue. And a man was there with a withered hand. And they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—so that they might accuse him” (Matthew 12:9-10). Our reading today from Mark 3 records the reaction to Jesus’ Sabbath healing: “The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him” (Mark 3:6). There would have been little that the Pharisees and the Herodians agreed upon, but they would be united on the notion that Jesus must go. Both Matthew 12 and Mark 3 report on the religious establishment’s attempt to discredit Jesus by alleging that His miracles were demonic: “But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons” (Matthew 12:24, see also Mark 3:22). Jesus points out the absurdity of their argument: “And he called them to him and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand” (Mark 3:22-23, see also Matthew 12:25-26). And yet, while the religious establishment was firm in their resistance to Jesus, many ordinary Jews were beginning to consider the significance of Jesus’ words and actions: “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. And all the people were amazed, and said, “Can this be the Son of David?” (Matthew 12:22-23).

One of the things that struck me from today’s reading is the explanation and response to the Scribes and the Pharisees attributing Jesus’ miraculous powers to demons: “Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 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” (Matthew 12:31-32). With these strong words, Jesus was declaring that there was not any middle ground: either Jesus is Messiah, to whom all honor and submission belong; or Jesus is not the Messiah: “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters” (Matthew 12:30). Matthew prefaced this episode in which the religious leaders blatantly rejected Jesus as the Messiah, with words from Isaiah that describe Jesus: “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. He will not quarrel or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets; a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory; and in his name the Gentiles will hope” (Matthew 12:18-21, see also Isaiah 42:1-4). Even though opposition is fierce, Isaiah speaks of a victorious outcome for the Messiah.

Jesus issued a stern warning to the religious leaders who attributed His miracles to the devil: “Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.” While the religious leaders accused Jesus of blasphemy when He claimed to be equal with the Father, it is actually they who were the blasphemers. By attributing to demons what was actually the empowerment of the Holy Spirit in Jesus’ life, they were in a serious condition of dire consequences: “whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.” This troublesome statement is not descriptive of something one can do inadvertently, but deliberately. Sins of ignorance are pardonable; but a sober, measured rejection of Jesus against all the evidence even though it is clearly attested by the Spirit, that is unpardonable. Blasphemy involves flagrant, willful, persistent rejection of the work of the Spirit of God. Applying how this sin is committed today is to stress that it is done only by unbelievers who reject the ministry of the Holy Spirit leading them to Christ.

Jesus not only warns the Scribes and the Pharisees, He also explains that their blasphemous posture is actually an evil heart condition: “You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil” (Matthew 12:34-35). The unbelief of religious leaders was not rooted in a lack of evidence to reasonably convince them, but in an abundance of evil that rendered them inconvincible. Their rejection of Jesus was driven by an evil disposition that attributed the evidence of the Holy Spirit to be demonic. Furthermore, their active promotion of such attribution would result in severe judgment: “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matthew 12:36-37). Their slanderous, blasphemous words would come before God.

What struck you in today’s reading? What questions were prompted from today’s reading?

Pastor Joe