Board Thread:Bible Questions/@comment-25928375-20150705115926/@comment-1777104-20150729175833

First, footnotes 1 & 2 return an error. Bible Gateway doesn't recognise "Corinth" as a book of the Bible. "Cor" works fine, with or without a period. Also, footnote #3 should be Luke 23:34.

Okay, now let's discuss the passage before us: Matthew 12:22-32


 * 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.


 * We find the Pharisees accusing Jesus of doing miracles by "Beelzebul" or, as Jesus identifies him, Satan. Jesus argues that if it is instead the Holy Spirit, then God is at work.  What his opponents were doing was attributing to Satan what only God could do. These men were 'speaking evil of' God, revealing their hearts to be hardened. Just like Pharaoh in Exodus, they had acted just as they were expected to act.  Unless they repented, they would die in their sin.


 * There is debate over what Jesus' favorite designation for himself -- The Son of Man -- actually means. However, since it is definitely setting himself apart from others, this title is most likely a reference to Daniel 7:13, the only clearly Messianic reference using the common phrase 'son of man.'  In that passage, the Messiah is described as coming before the throne of God.  Speaking evil of the Messiah is common.  This would be evident among the crowd at Golgotha.  Hearing those jeers, Jesus was able to ask God to forgive them - 'for they knew not what they were doing.' (Luke 23:34)   The Pharisees knew what they were doing, and so were without excuse.


 * Jesus identifies the Pharisees as being against him, and thus "antichrist." John would later write of men in his day as "having the spirit of antichrist" (1 John 4:3).  This is, and will be, the ultimate sin of mankind: denying the Father and the Son (1 John 2:22).  It is impossible to have this spirit and be a Christian.  It is the sin of unbelief.  Those who perish will be those who refuse to believe that Jesus is who he said he is: the Savior of those that the Father has given him. (John 6:37)