10.27.08
Rejection of Christ and His Offer by the Leaders
Rejection of Christ and His Offer by the Leaders (Matt. 12:22-37; Mark 3:20-30)
In the relationship triangle of the Pharisees, the nation of Israel, and Christ now comes to a critical point. In Mark’s account we see the multitude crowding around Jesus, and the demands were so great and pressing that there was not even time to eat. The family of Jesus (read that, His friends) realized the need for rest and sustenance while not underestimating Jesus’ zeal for what He was doing. So, their plan was to whisk Him away and their reason for this was that He had taken leave of His senses. Basically, He had gone mad.
This was an occasion that a demon possessed man who had other physical issues was brought to Him. Jesus healed every problem! This was a clear validation (again) that Jesus was who He claimed to be – the Messiah. The astonished question in verse 23 (in Matthew’s account) could easily be reworded in the negative – ‘This couldn’t be the Son of David, could it?’ You see, the Pharisees had rejected Christ. They had no problem telling others that Jesus was a false messiah, a false prophet, one that their religious leaders had found fault with. It wasn’t a lack of evidence provided by Jesus that was in question, it was the fact that the religious leaders had not given their stamp of approval that led to the question to start with. Keep in mind that the teaching for many, many years to the people was one of being sheep that were led by the shepherds, and they needed to follow the shepherds still. So the conflict was there in their minds, and was now brought out of their mouths. Look what Jesus did! Are you guys sure….
And the answer from the leaders came swiftly. Look at verse 24. It is interesting that the Pharisees did not deny the miracle, the healing and casting out of demons that had just taken place and everyone witnessed. But there was a different explanation – the devil made Him do it! The question of was this a miracle was not a question at all – but in who’s name the miracle was performed is now the main issue. And here is where the destiny of the nation, and of those watching this unfold while weighing the evidence, depends on the interpretation of the person of Christ.
Jesus offered three ‘proofs’ to who that the explanation offered by the Pharisees was false. The first was that division leads to destruction. His point was that unity was needed for preservation. Look at verses 25 and 26. Satan would not let his authority be used by anyone to assist in his own fall or destruction. It was a twist of logic that Jesus wouldn’t let pass without being challenged.
The next proof recognized the existence of exorcists in the nation of Israel. It was known that some could cast out demons – and the nation accepted these individuals as God’s gift to them. The Pharisees even thanked God for these folks. So…by what power, by what name did the acknowledged folks do their work by? Look at verses 27 and 28. The person observing and thinking this through must arrive at the conclusion that Jesus could actually drive out demons and cure the ill (they just saw it!) so either His claims to do this by the power of God were right as well, or … perhaps the Pharisees were not looking at the facts.
The last proof was looking at the need to have the power to subdue the guard of the place they wish to rob before the robbery can take place (verse 29). The inference was that if Christ can enter Satan’s stronghold and deliver people from his control as He had just done, then it is evident that He is stronger than Satan. The devil couldn’t give Christ a power greater than what he himself possessed. And with these three proofs Christ tried to show those gathered that the Pharisees were grasping for straws.
In verse 30 Jesus calls for their decision. What will be done with the information provided? Jesus expected a response to His words.
Now to the verses you may have wanted to tackle. What about this blasphemy deal? What is this blasphemy against the Spirit for which there is no forgiveness? Let’s see what Pentecost says.
If the nation rejected His own testimony concerning Himself, they might come to faith in His word through His Father’s word…If one rejected the word of Christ and the word of the Father, he might still be brought to faith in the person of Christ by the witness of the Holy Spirit. The miracles were the Spirit’s witness to Christ. The Spirit bore the final witness to both the person and word of Christ. If one rejected this final witness, there was no further witness God had to offer. While to reject the word of Christ was sin, a person could be led to a confession of that sin and to acknowledge the truth by the witness of the Father. To reject the witness of the Father was a sin; yet one could be led to faith in Christ by the witness of the Sprit. If one rejected the final witness, there was no further witness to bring him to Christ.
It is evident that this sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit could only be committed while Christ was personally present on earth. The sin could only be committed when the nation was being given evidences as to the person of Christ through the miracles which He performed by the power of the Holy Spirit. The necessary circumstances do not exist today and, consequently, this same sin cannot be committed today.
So, taking this in context of Jesus, addressing the nation or the whole generation that He was there in the midst of (and not as an individual sin, but viewed as a collective sin), could not be done today. If the explanation of the Pharisees was the one that was chosen, the sin of blasphemy of the Holy Spirit had indeed been played out by the nation, and there was no further witness that could be given for them to accept. The response to Christ had implications for a future destiny.
It is noteworthy here that – from this point on – the nation of Israel is viewed in the Gospels as having rejected Christ as Messiah. The unofficial rejection by the religious leaders would become official when finalized at the cross.
You will have noticed that I try to personalize this at the end of each lesson, and this one is no different. The words and works of Christ have spoken to all throughout history. And today, perhaps they speak to you. What will you do with the claims of Jesus Christ?
