seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Matthew 12:22 Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. 23 All the people were astonished and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”
24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.”
25 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
29 “Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.
30 “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 31 And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.
33 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. 35 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36 But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Yesterday's verse got some comments. Cool. The writer said we choose which gospel we like the best. I guess that's true.... but for me... I like John's version of Jesus better than Matthew's version. See here.... Matthew was a government worker, a dreaded or hated tax collector. He knows first-hand how the politics of the day were drifting, and Jesus was a huge anomaly. Conquering Rome didn't like large crowds. Jesus drew large crowds. Even if He wanted to be alone... there were twelve people in the next room. Matthew wrote from the political side.... the governmental side.
Jesus was accused of being Satan himself. In these verses explained the insanity of it. Explaining the "Spirit" part of this gospel is going to be difficult. Remember, I'm just an old woman with a computer and an online Bible to work with. I don't really have a clue.
I think the "Spirit" in this case, is the Godly side of Jesus. Jesus had a human body. He had a Godly Spirit. The Holy Spirit... the Soul of Jesus, the way I figure it.... was what drove Jesus to complete His Mission.
Because of the "Spirit", Jesus was consumed with helping and healing. Yesterday someone said Jesus couldn't have been the Messiah because He didn't take over Jerusalem and drive the Romans back to where they came from. But Jesus was a healer not a hater. His Spirit was excellent. His Purpose was always to do good. His Spirit made the human boy born to a human woman so compassionate.
Those Pharisees were accusing the "Spirit" that filled Jesus of being as hateful and deceitful as Satan. Jesus said that was not possible. An evil person cannot do wonderful things all the time. Wonderful sickens Satan. To compare Jesus with Satan.... is just ignorant.
Jesus said blaspheming the "Spirit" would not be forgiven. Simply put.... the only way a person could blaspheme the "Spirit" would be to NOT Believe Jesus is the Messiah. The Spirit is what made Jesus Messiah... not a brand on His chest or a hole in His hand. It was the "Spirit" that gave Him the words for teaching. Jesus was born human with an extremely well adjusted "Spirit of God". That's what made Jesus Messiah.
Don't blaspheme Jesus by denying the Messiah. That's blaspheming the "Spirit".
