The Life of Christ

Mt. 12:28 “But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.”

Jesus announces that one of the true Messianic signs is that He will cast out demons .

• This is not mentioned anywhere in the Old Testament but becomes a rare New Testament prediction of the Messiah!

• Up until He came, there is no record of a demon ever being cast out.

• Jesus casts demons out by the Spirit of God, or as Luke 11:20 puts it, “with the finger of God.”

• Luke 11:20: “But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.”

Mt. 12:29 “Or how can anyone enter the strong man’s house and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.”

Satan is the strong man; Jesus is the One stronger who enters into his house and binds him.

• Once he is bound, Jesus will plunder his house and then give away his goods.

• We are reminded how David defeated the Amalekites, took their plunder, and then gave it away to his friends (1 Sam. 30:26-31).

• This practice also gives us fresh insight into Isa. 53:12: “Therefore, I will divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong….”

Mt. 12:30-31 He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters. 31 “Therefore, I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven.”

What does it mean to blaspheme against the Holy Spirit?

• To blaspheme means to slander, or to speak reproachfully.

• To blaspheme against Jesus would be forgiven, because in His earthly veiled condition it is not always clear if it is He who is present.

• To blaspheme against the Holy Spirit would require knowing full well that the Holy Spirit is doing something, but instead willfully attribute that activity to the devil.

• This is a blatant act of disrespect to the Holy Spirit done in complete knowledge and this will not be forgiven.

Heb. 6:4-6 sheds additional light on the type of person who would even be eligible to blaspheme the Holy Spirit:

For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God, and put Him to open shame.

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