22 Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw. 23 And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David? 24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. 25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:
26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? 27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. 28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. 29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house. 30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.
31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. 32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. (Matthew 12:22-32 KJV)
Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit
Christ achieved a glorious victory over Satan by healing a man who was under the devil’s power. The man’s condition was dire—he was possessed by a demon. Cases like this were more common during Christ’s time to highlight his power and purpose in opposing Satan. This man was blind and mute, unable to help himself or even call for help. A soul under Satan’s control is blind to God’s truth and silent in prayer.
When Christ healed him instantly, the people were amazed. Though Christ had performed similar miracles before, his works never lost their wonder. They asked, “Isn’t this the Son of David?”—meaning the Messiah promised in Scripture. This question might have been just an enquiry they failed to pursue, or it could have been a declaration, recognizing that his miracles clearly showed that he is the Messiah.
The common people, unburdened by the biases of the Pharisees, recognized the truth more easily. This fulfilled God’s promise that what was hidden from the wise would be revealed to the humble. However, the Pharisees, who prided themselves on their knowledge and influence, reacted with hostility. Their jealousy grew when they heard people calling Jesus the Son of David, fearing that his rising influence would diminish their own. Their envy resembled Saul’s toward David when the people praised him. Those who seek human approval will always feel threatened by others’ success.
Jesus knew their thoughts. Whether they whispered among themselves or simply thought it, he understood their malice. Many people are held back from faith by doubts they are too ashamed to voice, yet they cannot hide from Christ. Jesus answered their accusation with three logical arguments:
“Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand” (Matthew 12:25). Every kingdom or household torn apart by conflict will collapse. If Satan were working against himself by casting out his own demons, his kingdom would be doomed. But Satan is too cunning to do that. His goal is to hold onto his power, not to give it up.
“And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people drive them out?” (Matthew 12:27). Some Jews claimed to drive out demons by calling on God. The Pharisees did not question their power, so why accuse Jesus? Their hypocrisy was evident. If casting out demons was a sign of God’s power in others, why not in Christ?
“But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you” (Matthew 12:28). He cast out demons by the Spirit of God, showing that the Messiah’s kingdom had begun. The ancient promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent’s head was being fulfilled. The defeat of Satan’s power is a sign that God’s kingdom is at hand.
To illustrate, Jesus gave an example: If someone wants to rob a strong man’s house, he must first overpower him. Likewise, Christ was not working with Satan but defeating him. The world was under Satan’s control, like a house ruled by a strong man, but Christ was binding him and plundering his goods—rescuing souls from his grasp.
Jesus said, “Whoever is not with me is against me” (Matthew 12:30). In ordinary disputes, there may be a middle ground, but in the war between Christ and Satan, there is no neutrality. Those who are indifferent to Christ are counted as his enemies. Christ came to gather people to himself. Those who do not actively work for his kingdom are, by their inaction, working against it—“Whoever does not gather with me scatters.” In this war, indifference is as harmful as opposition.
Jesus makes a distinction between speaking against the Son of Man and speaking against the Holy Spirit. Speaking against the Son of Man refers to the insults directed at Jesus. This includes mocking the lowliness of His birth and accusing Him of being a glutton and a drunkard. Such sins are forgivable. Speaking against the Holy Spirit means blaspheming the divine power by which Jesus performed miracles or directly insulting and rejecting the Holy Spirit.
The Pharisees were guilty of speaking against the Spirit because, despite witnessing Jesus perform miracles and cast out demons by the Spirit of God, they maliciously attributed His works to the power of the devil. The Pharisees accused Jesus of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub, the prince of demons. Moreover, they spoke of Christ with contempt, calling him “this fellow,” refusing to acknowledge his name with respect. They could not deny the miracles but twisted the facts, claiming he had made a pact with the devil, so demons obeyed him.
Jesus described the Pharisees’ action of speaking against his miraculous powers as blaspheming against the Holy Spirit. Such a sin is called unpardonable because it will never be forgiven, either in this world or the next (Matthew 12:32). This does not mean that sins unforgiven in this life can be forgiven afterward; rather, it reflects a common Jewish expression strongly emphasizing that something would never happen.
These Pharisees who blasphemed against the Holy Spirit put themselves in great danger and also resisted their last hope of salvation. They rejected one of the strongest possible proofs that Jesus is the true Messiah—the miracles he performed by God’s power. Since they insisted that these miracles were the work of the devil, as if Satan would work against himself and destroy his own kingdom, there was no way left to convince them. They would persist in their opposition to the truth, leading to their inevitable downfall.