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Matthew 12

At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat.

But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.

But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;

How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?

Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?

But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.

But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.

For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.

And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue:

And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.

And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?

How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.

Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.

Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.

But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;

And charged them that they should not make him known:

That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,

Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.

He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.

A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.

And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.

Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.

And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?

But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.

And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:

And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?

And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.

But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.

Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.

He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.

Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.

And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.

O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.

But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:

For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.

Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.

Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.

Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.

But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?

And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!

For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

What does Matthew 12:31 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 12:31 is a verse in which Jesus Christ is speaking about the severity and unforgivable nature of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

In the Christian faith, the Trinity consists of the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit.

Blasphemy, in general, is the act of speaking sacrilegiously against God or sacred things, and is considered a serious sin.

This particular pronouncement by Jesus emphasizes that while many sins can be forgiven, there is a line that should not be crossed, which is the denigration of the Holy Spirit.

This has been interpreted to mean that to knowingly and persistently reject the work and conviction of the Holy Spirit is to cut oneself off from the means by which God forgives and heals.

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Historical Context

Matthew 12:31 was spoken during Christ's ministry on Earth, in the context of an accusation from the Pharisees, who were the Jewish religious leaders of the time.

They had accused Jesus of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub (seen as a prince of demons), rather than by the Spirit of God.

This event took place after Jesus had been performing miracles, including healing a man who was blind and mute.

The Pharisees' rejection of the clear work of the Holy Spirit, attributing it instead to demonic power, prompted Jesus to issue this solemn warning about the consequences of such blasphemy.

Theological Insights

The verse has been a subject of much theological debate, particularly concerning what constitutes the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit and why it is unforgivable.

Some theologians suggest that this blasphemy involves persistent and willful opposition to the truth of the Gospel, especially when the evidence of the Holy Spirit’s power is manifest.

Others view it as a complete and final rejection of God's grace.

Calvinists, for instance, may interpret the "unpardonable sin" as evidence of one's reprobation, while Arminians might argue that it represents a decisive and irreversible hardening of one's heart against God's saving grace.

Practical Applications

The practical application of this verse encourages believers to align their lives with the guidance and conviction of the Holy Spirit, and to approach their faith with humility and openness.

This warning can serve as a reminder of the seriousness with which one should approach matters of faith and testimony.

It also underscores the need for discernment in attributing spiritual work as coming from God or other sources.

Cross-References

Mark 3:28-29: "Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation."
Luke 12:10: "And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven."
Hebrews 6:4-6: "For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame."
Hebrews 10:26-29: "For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries."

Language Study

The Greek term for "blasphemy" used in this verse is "βλασφημία" (blasphēmia), which means slander, detraction, speech injurious, to another's good name, or impious and reproachful speech injurious to divine majesty.

"Shall not be forgiven" translates from the Greek "οὐκ ἀφεθήσεται" (ouk aphethēsetai), using a strong double negative for emphasis on the certainty of the statement.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Blasphemy is a concept present in many religions and often carries severe penalties.

In Islam, for example, blasphemy against God, the Prophet Muhammad, or any aspect of the faith can result in harsh punishment.

In the Hebrew tradition, blasphemy was also a grave offense, punishable by death under the Mosaic Law.

Scientific Perspectives

Scientific perspectives generally do not intersect directly with this verse, as the concepts of sin, blasphemy, and forgiveness are moral and theological in nature rather than empirical.

However, the study of psychology could provide insight into the human propensity for certain behaviors that might be termed "blasphemous" and the effects of such actions on community dynamics and mental health.

commentaries

Commentaries on Matthew 12:31 vary:

The Pulpit Commentary emphasizes that the sin against the Holy Ghost must be a determined, conscious, and malicious act.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible suggests it involves a level of knowledge that the Pharisees possessed, making their actions against the Holy Ghost so grievous.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary mentions that these types of sins show a state of sin, and the heart is hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
John Calvin, in his commentary, speaks to this being a final impenitence and says that the sin is unforgivable because it is "against the only remedy."

Each of these commentaries delves into the depth of the sin in question and its relation to the nature of God's forgiveness through the Holy Spirit's agency.

Matthew 12

Matthew 12

What does Matthew 12:31 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

commentaries

Want more context?

What does Matthew 12:31 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

commentaries

Want more context?