The Life of Christ – Lesson 8 Preaching in galilee – Blasphemous accusations - Jesus’ family - April 24, 2019

A divided kingdom will not stand. “He who is not with Me …” Matthew 12:22-37; Mark 3:20-30; Luke 11:14-23 3 arguments: A divided kingdom will not stand. Is “laid waste” - Mathew 12:25 “Cannot stand” - Mark 3:24 “Falls” - Luke 11:17 Their inconsistency - “By whom do your sons cast them out?” (Matthew 12:27; cf. Mark 9:38; Acts 19:13) Galatians 5:15, “But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another”.

“He who is not with Me …” Matthew 12:22-37; Mark 3:20-30; Luke 11:14-23 3 arguments: “No one can enter the strong man’s house … unless he first binds the strong man” (Mark 3:27; cf., Isaiah 49:24-25) The “strong man” can be bound by someone stronger. (Matthew 12:29; Luke 11:21-22) In contrast to accusation of being complicit with, Jesus bound and overpowered Satan. Lord, lunatic or liar.

“He who is not with Me …” Matthew 12:22-37; Mark 3:20-30; Luke 11:14-23 1 Conclusion: If demons were cast out by God’s “finger” and the strong man has been bound, then, “the kingdom of God has come upon you” (Luke 11:20). Luke 9:27; 10:11; 16:16 Lord, lunatic or liar.

Binding the “strong Man” Matthew 12:29; Mark 3:27; Luke 11:21-22 Understanding the power and limitations of Satan. When Jesus’ disciples returned and described how “the demons are subject to us in Your name” (Luke 10:17-18), Jesus said, “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning.” When we read of demons being cast out, we read of Satan’s fall and the binding of the “strong man.” The final defeat coming through Jesus’ death and resurrection. Hebrews 2:14-18, “… that through death, He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil.” (Colossians 2:15) When we read of demons being cast out, we read of Satan’s fall and the binding of the “strong man”. Rendering Satan powerless: 1 Corinthians 15:54-57 Barnes says of “render powerless” - “bringing into subjection or crushing his power”. Think Genesis 3:15 “Render powerless”, ‘katargeoo’, “(1) to render idle, unemployed, inactive… (2) to cause to cease, put an end to” (Thayer)

Binding the “strong Man” Matthew 12:22-37; Mark 3:20-30; Luke 11:14-23 Understanding the power and limitations of Satan. Though Satan is a “roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8), Jesus said “no one,” including Satan can “snatch them (His sheep) out of My hand.” (John 10:27-28; cf., Romans 8:37-39; 2 Peter 1:10-11). Satan needs opportunities (Ephesians 4:27; Romans 13:13-14) and can be resisted (Ephesians 6:11; James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8-9). Zechariah 13:1-3, prophecy that God would “remove the prophets and the unclean spirit from the land” when “a fountain will be opened for… sin and for impurity.”

Unpardonable sin Matthew 12:30-32; Mark 3:28-29; Luke 12:10 Matthew 12:31-32, “… any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.” What sin is unpardonable? Lord, lunatic or liar.

Unpardonable sin Matthew 12:30-32; Mark 3:28-29; Luke 12:10 Definition of blasphemy - “Impious and reproachful speech injurious to the divine majesty … defiant irreverence” (Thayer) Worse than ignoring His miracles, they … Irreverently defied God and the Holy Spirit ascribing His work to Satan. Deliberately and purposefully denying divine truth and deity. Blasphemy is not simply words uttered but a condition of the heart. Lord, lunatic or liar. Yet the scribes willfully and deliberately assigned to Satanic origins what the Holy Spirit was actually doing, in spite of evidence to the contrary.

Unpardonable sin Matthew 12:30-32; Mark 3:28-29; Luke 12:10 Context (Matthew and Mark) - Pharisees just accused Jesus of casting out demons by Beelzebul. (cf. Acts 10:38), saying that He had “an unclean spirit” (Mark 3:30). Context (Luke) - Fear of divine judgment (verses 4- 5; cf. Hebrews 10:26-31, “… terrifying expectation of judgment …”) and, confession versus denial of Jesus (verses 8-9), followed by promise of the Holy Spirit to guide the apostles. Lord, lunatic or liar.

Unpardonable sin Matthew 12:22-37; Mark 3:20-30; Luke 11:14-23 2 Chronicles 36:15-16, “The Lord, the God of their fathers, sent word to them again and again by His messengers, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place; 16 but they continually mocked the messengers of God, despised His words and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, until there was no remedy.” (Proverbs 6:15; 29:1) Lord, lunatic or liar.