The Weekend Word

Matthew 12:15-32

God’s Chosen Servant

15 Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he healed them all

• Jesus knows
• Withdraws – he deliberately removes himself from danger or controversy.
• Why – as it says in John 3 times “My hour has not yet come.”

16 and ordered them not to make him known.

• Jesus is fighting this on 2 fronts –
• (1) not to get killed before his time –
• (2) not to have the people try to make him a king

17 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah:

• This is already the 7th of 10 OT citations used by Matthew.

18 “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.

• Who is “my servant”?
• OT it was Israel – Jacob as it says in the LXX

19 He will not quarrel or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets;

• Jesus is not there to start a controversy – he is there to proclaim the truth.
• So he withdraws and goes elsewhere to proclaim once again.

20 a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench,
until he brings justice to victory;

• This is how God approached us – we are damaged.
• He doesn’t cut us off and cast us into hell – he stands us up and attaches us to something sturdy (the Church and Jesus) so we heal.

21     and in his name the Gentiles will hope.”

• In the end, this Isaiah passage is telling us that Jesus has come to set things right.
• It really is a social justice message in that he begins his work with the needy and those oppressed by those in power.

Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit

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.

• Jesus is going about his ministry – his mission of salvation
• The suffering servant who has come for the sake of sinners.
• And there is blowback as he does so – and through all of this, his disciples are there with him.
• They are in seminary, the school of theology – they are being catechized – they are seeing what Jesus is all about
• Who Christ is and why he has come.
• OK– to the text – is this a healing or an exorcism? Who is the only person in the OT mentioned as an exorcist? 1 Sam 16 – David calmed the demonic spirits in Saul with his harp.
• Is exorcism for today?

23 And all the people were amazed, and said, “Can this be the Son of David?”

• This is funny. Here Jesus has been saying this or people like John the Baptist have been pointing out – and then the people ask the question …
• But they then say “nah, can’t be him.”
• 2 Sam 7 – and then later the claims to be the son of man.

24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.”

• Who is Beelzebul (Beelzebub)
• Their claim must be that a holy man wouldn’t cast out demons or couldn’t.

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.

• Again, Jesus knows their thoughts… and then he states the obvious.

26 And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?

• A Rhetorical question.

27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.

• This is Jesus saying “hey guys, I can play this game too – you are in the same boat.”
• More judgment – in the end, the judgment of Jesus is this “if you go to hell, it by your own choice.”

28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

• If = since
• “Guess what boys? The kingdom of heaven has come, even amongst you!”
• “Surprise – it’s me!!! This is what you get.”

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.

• Who is the Strong Man? = Satan
• Who is the Someone? = Jesus
• Who is the Plunder? = us – the unsaved.

30 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

• Here is the dividing line
• With Jesus or against Jesus – there is absolutely no middle ground.
• It’s not just a matter of being indifferent. If you are not working with God you are working against him.

31 Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.

• This seems to be the biggy – the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit – the one sin that cannot be forgiven. – What is it.
• I would say that it is a conscious, stubborn, malicious opposition to God.
• Against whay? The revelation that Jesus is Immanuel, God in the flesh.
• Not just God in the flesh, but God in the flesh FOR YOU & for your salvation.
• See, the devil knows all that I just stated – that Jesus is God in the flesh – many unbelievers know this
• But what they miss is the “for you” part – the deny that it is for me and my salvation.
• This cuts you off from repentance – forgiveness.

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.

• What could this mean? This seems to be the real confusing part.
• In the NT, especially in John 14 -16 it tells us of the role of the Holy spirit
• (1) He gives witness to Jesus
• (2) To glorify Jesus, to take from what is Jesus and making it known to the us.
• Jesus would put it this way (I think). The Holy spirit is at work in my ministry – you don’t divide us. If you reject me, you are rejecting the Holy spirit, who is trying to call you to me.

**So in the end, what is the Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit? It is nothing more and nothing less than the ongoing rejection of Jesus.**