Willful Unbelief – Matthew 12:22-32

I have a blog called Ask the Pastors, where people are invited to ask Bible related questions of pastors, though, truth be told, I am the only pastor answering (Hey, it started out with more than one pastor responding, but there was attrition). One of the questions I get asked the most is about the unpardonable sin, usually people asking if they have committed that sin. I haven’t had one person who wrote in whom I actually believe committed the unpardonable sin.

But here in Matthew is where Jesus mentions that there is sin that is not forgivable. And it is important to see that it is during this time in his ministry where the ire and wrath of the religious leaders is at its max and they are looking for ways to destroy Jesus. And there is one situation where their willful unbelief becomes very apparent.

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. And all the people were amazed, and said, “Can this be the Son of David?” But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.” 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. And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 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. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 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. (Matthew 12:22–32, ESV)

Jesus has healed a man who was mute because demon-oppressed (Matthew 9:32-34) and blind men who were not demon-oppressed (Matthew 9:27-31), and now a man who because of demon-oppression is both blind and mute. The accusation that Jesus is doing this is by Satan’s power has been made, but here it is made to Jesus’ face. The Pharisees use the term “Beelzebul, the prince of demons” for Satan. It comes from the Philistine god whose name either means “lord of the flies” or the Hebrews altered it from “lord of the heavenly dwelling” to diminish its fame. It had become a name for Satan.

But Jesus challenges their accusation on two grounds: (1) it is illogical, since for Satan to be fighting against himself this way would mean he would lose, and (2) this same accusation could be made against other Jews who cast out demons, though of course the Pharisees would not lay that claim at their feet. It is obvious that the Pharisees are staring point-blank at overwhelming evidence that Jesus is empowered by the Holy Spirit and therefore his ministry is divinely approved, but their unwillingness to believe despite the evidence indicates their hearts are hardened towards God. They won’t be forgiven because they are incapable of repenting, their hearts covered in steel.

Jesus is not diminishing his own value by saying that a word spoken against the Son of Man can be forgiven. He is acknowledging that it is easier to doubt him as someone living among them than to doubt the obvious work of the Holy Spirit in the miracle after miracle He is performing through Jesus.

The unpardonable sin is unbelief in the face of undeniable evidence that the work of God is being done through Jesus. If you feel repentant for some sin you have committed then by definition you have not committed the unpardonable sin.  A saved person cannot commit this sin.

Here are three articles I wrote on this subject:

• https://askthepastors.wordpress.com/2010/12/11/what-is-the-unpardonable-sin/
• https://askthepastors.wordpress.com/2010/12/11/can-backsliding-cause-me-to-lose-my-salvation/
• https://askthepastors.wordpress.com/2010/12/10/what-is-the-sin-that-leads-to-death-in-1-john-516/