QT 10/31/2023 Mark 3:22-30, The unpardonable sin

Mark 3:22–30 (ESV) —

22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.” 23 And he called them to him and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. 26 And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end. 27 But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house.

28 “Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— 30 for they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”

 

NOTE: As a result of the Messianic miracles (the first is the healing of the leper, the other two Messianic miracles have also happened but are not recorded in Mark), the leaders (the scribes and Pharisees) have concluded, without much interrogation (at least what is recorded in Mark), that Jesus is not the Messiah, but he is Satan. Jesus responds to this assessment with one argument (split in three quick parables) and one warning. Jesus argues that their conclusion does not make logical sense. How can Satan destroy Satan's kingdom in order to bring it up? What is his purpose? He would be losing ground by Jesus' ministry.

 

They could not find a way to harmonize Jesus' miracles and his statements about God. He is either who he says he is or he is evil personified (Satan), because God would not give such power to a "blasphemer." The problem is that they had committed an even greater blasphemy. The studied the promises and prophecies; they saw Jesus (God) in person; they saw the miracles; they heard the word he preached; and so the unforgivable sin is rejecting that Jesus is God's son and that God the Father is working though Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. This sin is rare. The leaders of Israel reject their Messiah despite the evidence set before their eyes. Today, we rely upon eye witnesses and have placed our faith on the recorded truth and the work of the Spirit in our lives. We were not blessed like them to live in the presence of Jesus in the flesh.

 

PONDER:

1. To be so close and to miss it, how does that happen?
2. What is God saying to me and I am missing?

 

PRAYER: Father, open my eyes to your truth. Speak to my heart. Have mercy on me, for my flesh is weak.