1. an impromptu healing in the middle of a church service,
2. demons who recognize Jesus’ true identity before any of us do,
3. twelve nobodies commissioned to become traveling preachers and healers,
4. a scathing verbal attack on Jesus’ authority and motives, and
5. a curious exchange between Jesus and his family
Notice also the recurrence of brilliant questions Jesus asks throughout the chapter.
1. To some of the churchgoers who try to use Jesus’ compassion for others to catch him breaking the Sabbath regulations, he asks: “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save or to kill?” So good.
2. To the teachers of the law who announce that he must be controlled by Satan to be able to order demons around, he comes back with this: “How can Satan drive out Satan?” Yeah, how could that work?
3. And then, when told his mother and brothers were waiting for him, Jesus replies with a riddle: “Who are my mother and my brothers?” He then answers his own question by declaring that his family includes anyone who gathers around him to do God’s will.
So here’s a question I have: What is this eternal, unforgivable sin Jesus speaks of in verses 28 & 29? What does it mean to blaspheme against the Holy Spirit? Mark explains that Jesus says this in response to the teachers of the law who accused him of being filled with an impure or evil spirit. I haven’t gotten the chance yet to teach on this passage in Promiseland…
Reuben
Chapters like this cause me to pause and think. Jesus not only healed but was recognized by demons. This tells me demons are real and move among us. It also tells me they can inhabit a human (or animals like pigs). When Jesus sent them from a man to 2000 pigs which then drowned themselves, it tells me that a man can have many demons (Over 2000? Wow!). In Acts 19 a demon (thru a person) said, “Jesus and Paul I know but who are you?” This tells me that demons are aware of those making an impact for the Kingdom of God. When Jesus healed people he had the discernment to deliver demons OR physically heal. This tells me that physical/mental afflictions may be simply physical in nature or may be demonic. In this chapter is it interesting how Jesus seems very familiar with the impure spirits, how they submit to Him so readily and how He knew exactly how to handle them like it was no big deal. I believe Jesus showed us a great model of how things could be. Healing and deliverance should be something that happens on a regular basis in our midst yet it rarely does. The central focus of Jesus’ entire ministry was never on healing or demons, those things just happened as he moved around the area teaching. It really makes me think.
ReplyDeleteThe best answer I can give to define blasphemy of the the Holy Spirit is to reject Jesus’ works, his teachings and the Holy Spirit he imparted (Acts 2) and to disbelieve the gospel message itself. This makes me think a true Christian is not capable of this sin. There is my guess, Reuben.
Oh man... Thus enters my 20 year obsession (it started in a high school Bible class) with the "unforgivable sin." I fear my ability to have commited this irreversible crime...or my ability to do so in the future.
ReplyDeleteJust what is blaspheming the Holy Spirit? I used to roll my eyes at those who were charismatic.... I did not know the Holy Spirit intimately until reading Francis Chans book. I did not know I was filled with it.
Anyway this has never been explained in terms that has brought forth a sincere our sound understanding, for me, anyway.