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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 12:32 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 12:32 is a verse that speaks of the gravitas of blaspheming against the Holy Spirit.

It draws a distinction between sins that can be forgiven and an unforgivable sin.

Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is considered by this verse to be an eternal sin.

The reference to "speaking a word against the Son of man" suggests that while slandering or rejecting Jesus (the Son of man) is a forgivable offense, the same leniency is not extended to those who speak against the Holy Spirit.

The "Holy Ghost" here refers to the third person of the Christian Trinity, representing God's spirit or presence in the world.

The verse underscores the severity of being obstinately resistant or attributing the work of the Holy Spirit to the devil, which is what the Pharisees did by accusing Jesus of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub earlier in the chapter.

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Historical Context

This verse is part of a larger narrative found in Matthew 12, where Jesus confronts the Pharisees after healing a demon-possessed man.

The Pharisees accuse Jesus of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub (a name for the devil), to which Jesus responds with a series of arguments culminating in the statement of Matthew 12:32.

The culture of the time held profound respect for the sacred, and blasphemy was a gravely serious accusation, punishable by death according to the Mosaic Law.

Theological Insights

Different Christian denominations and theologians interpret this verse variously.

Some see it as describing a state of hardened heart where a person is no longer open to divine influence.

Others argue it is a specific instance related to the Pharisees' willful misattribution of Jesus' miracles to demonic forces.

Among Catholic theologians, this verse has been discussed in the context of the sacrament of reconciliation and the nature of mortal sin, indicating that a willful, conscious rejection of God's grace constitutes an unforgivable sin.

Practical Applications

The practical applications of Matthew 12:32 can often involve warning against the dangers of hard-heartedness and encouraging believers to remain receptive to the workings of the Holy Spirit.

It also serves as a reminder for Christians to discern and acknowledge the presence of God's activity in the world and within their lives.

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."

Language Study

The key phrase in the original Greek text of this verse is "εἰς τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον" (eis to pneuma to hagion), which translates to "against the Holy Spirit." "εἰς" (eis) often means "against" or "into," suggesting an action directed towards the Holy Spirit. "πνεῦμα" (pneuma) means "spirit" or "breath," and "ἅγιον" (hagion) means "holy" or "sacred." This construction emphasizes the sanctity of the Holy Spirit and the gravity of acting against it.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In many ancient cultures and religions, certain sins were considered unforgivable or attracted particularly grave consequences. For example, in Ancient Egypt, blaspheming the gods could result in harsh penalties.

However, the Christian concept of blaspheming against the Holy Spirit being an unforgivable sin is quite specific to Christianity and does not have a direct parallel in most other ancient myths or religions.

Scientific Perspectives

The concept of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit does not lend itself to scientific analysis as it deals with theological and metaphysical ideas rather than empirical ones.

The science of psychology might provide insights into the nature of belief, resistance to change, or cognitive dissonance, but these would be tangential at best and cannot be used to validate or invalidate the religious concepts presented in the verse.

Commentaries

Among Christian commentaries, there's broad agreement that the context of the verse is key to understanding its meaning.

William Barclay suggested that the sin Jesus speaks of is the deliberate refusal to recognize God's work.

John Calvin mentioned that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is an unforgivable offense because it demonstrates willful, conscious resistance to the truth.

Modern commentaries often reiterate these themes, emphasizing the relationship between the state of the heart and the receptiveness to the gifts and convictions that come through the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 12

Matthew 12

What does Matthew 12:32 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 12:32 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?