22 And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils. 23 And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26 And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end. 27 No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house. 28 Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: 29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation: 30 Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit. (Mark 3:22-30 KJV)
Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit
The scribes gave a bold and wicked explanation for Christ’s casting out of demons, trying to avoid being convinced by it and looking for an excuse not to believe. These scribes came down from Jerusalem (Mark 3:22), apparently making the journey specifically to hinder the spread of Christ’s teaching. They went to great effort to oppose him, and since they came from Jerusalem, where the most educated and influential scribes were, they were in a stronger position to sway others. The reputation of Jerusalem scribes would influence not just the common people but also the local scribes.
This false idea that Christ cast out demons by the power of Beelzebub may not have occurred to anyone until these scribes suggested it. They couldn’t deny that he cast out demons, which clearly showed he was sent by God. But they accused him of being in league with Beelzebub, claiming he cast out demons by the prince of demons. They suggested it was a trick, that Satan wasn’t truly being cast out, but rather leaving by agreement. Yet there was nothing in Christ’s actions to support this claim; he cast out demons with authority. Still, this is what they chose to believe, having already decided not to believe in him.
Christ responded with a clear and logical answer that showed how absurd their accusation was. He said, “If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. His kingdom cannot stand” (Mark 3:23-26). Jesus called them to him, wanting to convince them. He spoke with openness and patience, reasoning with them so that they would be left without excuse. Christ’s teaching directly opposed Satan’s kingdom and sought to destroy his power over people’s souls. His miracles, including casting out demons, supported that message and strengthened it. Therefore, it was unreasonable to think that Satan would be behind something that worked against his own kingdom. Everyone knows Satan isn’t foolish enough to sabotage himself.
Christ made it clear that he was at war with Satan and would confront his power wherever it appeared, whether in people’s bodies or their souls (Mark 3:27). His goal was to enter the strong man’s house, bind him, and take back what he had stolen. So, it made sense that Jesus would overpower Satan, stop him from speaking or remaining where he wanted, and show that he had defeated him.
Jesus then gave a serious warning about the danger of speaking such reckless words. Even if they dismissed them as mere speculation or intellectual freedom, if they continued in that attitude, it would lead to disastrous consequences. It would be a sin against the final remedy and therefore unforgivable. What more could possibly convince them to repent of their sin in blaspheming Christ if they dismissed such strong evidence with such a weak excuse? It’s true the gospel offers forgiveness for the worst sins because Christ purchased it for sinners (Mark 3:28).
Even many who mocked him on the cross—blaspheming the Son of Man in the worst way—were shown mercy. Christ even prayed, “Father, forgive them.” But in this case, they were blaspheming the Holy Spirit, because it was by the Holy Spirit that Jesus cast out demons, and they were saying he did it by an unclean spirit (Mark 3:30). By doing so, they rejected the clearest evidence and risked rejecting all future works of the Holy Spirit after Christ’s ascension. After that, no further proof remained. As a result, they would never be forgiven but were in danger of eternal damnation. They stood on the edge of everlasting punishment—without redemption, without relief, and without forgiveness.