The Holy Spirit - God's Spirit
E-book and Audio series
PART 2 - The Roles and Activities of the Holy Spirit
Chapter 21 - Rejection
Summary: Christ's ministry, and thus the work of the Spirit, was rejected. Among other passages discussed, we consider why a person might be forgiven if speaking against Christ, but not be forgiven for blaspheming against the Spirit.
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Study Notes - No.21 Rejection
(Some of these issues are discussed in more detail on the audio recording.)
In the previous study, we saw that the Lord preached and worked miracles, and that He was enabled to perform miracles by the Holy Spirit. Teaching was accompanied by miracles. He was also referred to as a “Prophet”.
In this study, we’ll focus more on the reaction of the people. Simply put, many people believed Him, but the majority did not.
Surprise
Let’s first observe how many people were surprised once the Lord's ministry began:
READ Luke 4:18 (spirit is upon me)
.. 21 (today fulfilled)
...22 (Isn't this Joseph's son? He wasn't doing these things before.)
... 28-30 (went to throw him out) - notice their reaction - one of rejection
READ Luke 5:17 He was sometimes restricted by what He could do
THEN READ Luke 5:17-21
READ...6:6-11 - more rejection.
Some of these events are elaborated upon in other accounts ...
READ Mark 6:1-3 (perhaps elaborating on the same event we just read about)
Mark 6:5 - linked with rejection of Him.
Other accounts …
READ John 7:1-5 - even His brothers did not believe Him
Another account:
READ John 10:24,25 … 30-33 …36-38 - works - the Father is in me, and I in Him
Another account:
READ John 11:45-48 …53
Blasphemy
READ- Matthew 12:31,32 – Why would a person be forgiven if speaking against Christ, but not forgiven if speaking against the Spirit? This is a real puzzle, if John 16:14 is true, where Christ promised His disciples that “the Holy Spirit will glorify Me”. We need to put these verses in their proper place.
Matthew 12:31,32 came first, and was spoken while the Lord was still walking the earth, whereas John 16:14 was spoken by the Lord in reference to a time after His resurrection and ascension.
READ Matthew 12:22-32 - A suggested answer to this seeming contradiction: Christ, who appeared as a mere human, was being enabled by the Spirit of God. A person living at the time might be forgiven for thinking that a mere human was claiming great things, but that same person should not have been able to deny the obvious workings of God through His Holy Spirit.
v. 32 - The phrase "in this age or that to come" is not applicable now.
READ parallel passage Luke 12:10-12, "unforgiveness", and then goes on to talk about how the disciples / apostles would also be rejected.
Next chapter ...
READ Luke 13:31-35 - not received as coming in the name of the Lord. Links ideas of teaching and healing, and their rejection.
There is a parallel here with Romans ch1 -
v. 20 God's invisible attributes are clearly seen (cp Psalm 19:1 - "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork.)
v. 21 although they (ungodly men) knew God, they did not glorify Him as God
v. 24 Therefore God gave them up to uncleanness (Who?)
v. 25 (Answer: Those who ...) worshipped the creature rather than the Creator
Attributing something that is clearly from God to "Mother Nature" or self perpetuating evolution.
So, what is the parallel between Romans 1 and the blasphemy of the Holy Spiritn in Matthew 12? Simply put, it is this: The Holy Spirit was not seen performing those miracles, but the attributes of God, working through Jesus of Nazareth should have been enough for people to say "God is doing these things, The kingdom of God is among us". Instead many attributed these miracles to a demonic force. They would be forgiven for speaking against someone who appeared to be just a man, but not when God was working so overtly through His Spirit. This is not applicable today; God's Spirit is not working in the same overt ways in this current age of grace.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
As an application for us today, it behoves us to act upon what we understand to be God's Word, and His will written in that Word - i.e. to believe and to respond to what is plainly set before us.
(Some of these issues are discussed in more detail on the audio recording.)
In the previous study, we saw that the Lord preached and worked miracles, and that He was enabled to perform miracles by the Holy Spirit. Teaching was accompanied by miracles. He was also referred to as a “Prophet”.
In this study, we’ll focus more on the reaction of the people. Simply put, many people believed Him, but the majority did not.
Surprise
Let’s first observe how many people were surprised once the Lord's ministry began:
READ Luke 4:18 (spirit is upon me)
.. 21 (today fulfilled)
...22 (Isn't this Joseph's son? He wasn't doing these things before.)
... 28-30 (went to throw him out) - notice their reaction - one of rejection
READ Luke 5:17 He was sometimes restricted by what He could do
THEN READ Luke 5:17-21
READ...6:6-11 - more rejection.
Some of these events are elaborated upon in other accounts ...
READ Mark 6:1-3 (perhaps elaborating on the same event we just read about)
Mark 6:5 - linked with rejection of Him.
Other accounts …
READ John 7:1-5 - even His brothers did not believe Him
Another account:
READ John 10:24,25 … 30-33 …36-38 - works - the Father is in me, and I in Him
Another account:
READ John 11:45-48 …53
Blasphemy
READ- Matthew 12:31,32 – Why would a person be forgiven if speaking against Christ, but not forgiven if speaking against the Spirit? This is a real puzzle, if John 16:14 is true, where Christ promised His disciples that “the Holy Spirit will glorify Me”. We need to put these verses in their proper place.
Matthew 12:31,32 came first, and was spoken while the Lord was still walking the earth, whereas John 16:14 was spoken by the Lord in reference to a time after His resurrection and ascension.
READ Matthew 12:22-32 - A suggested answer to this seeming contradiction: Christ, who appeared as a mere human, was being enabled by the Spirit of God. A person living at the time might be forgiven for thinking that a mere human was claiming great things, but that same person should not have been able to deny the obvious workings of God through His Holy Spirit.
v. 32 - The phrase "in this age or that to come" is not applicable now.
READ parallel passage Luke 12:10-12, "unforgiveness", and then goes on to talk about how the disciples / apostles would also be rejected.
Next chapter ...
READ Luke 13:31-35 - not received as coming in the name of the Lord. Links ideas of teaching and healing, and their rejection.
There is a parallel here with Romans ch1 -
v. 20 God's invisible attributes are clearly seen (cp Psalm 19:1 - "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork.)
v. 21 although they (ungodly men) knew God, they did not glorify Him as God
v. 24 Therefore God gave them up to uncleanness (Who?)
v. 25 (Answer: Those who ...) worshipped the creature rather than the Creator
Attributing something that is clearly from God to "Mother Nature" or self perpetuating evolution.
So, what is the parallel between Romans 1 and the blasphemy of the Holy Spiritn in Matthew 12? Simply put, it is this: The Holy Spirit was not seen performing those miracles, but the attributes of God, working through Jesus of Nazareth should have been enough for people to say "God is doing these things, The kingdom of God is among us". Instead many attributed these miracles to a demonic force. They would be forgiven for speaking against someone who appeared to be just a man, but not when God was working so overtly through His Spirit. This is not applicable today; God's Spirit is not working in the same overt ways in this current age of grace.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
As an application for us today, it behoves us to act upon what we understand to be God's Word, and His will written in that Word - i.e. to believe and to respond to what is plainly set before us.