I am referring of course to Matthew 12, where the Pharisees deny the power of the Holy Spirit at work in casting out demons.
In Jesus' day, prophets were tested to see if they were true prophets of God. According to Jewish records, no prophet was respected who did not perform miracles and signs to prove that he was a prophet. The exception to this rule was John the Baptist, who was accredited by Jesus Himself (Luke 7:26).
Jesus, as the Messiah, also performed signs and wonders to prove that He was the Messiah. Jesus had proven Himself time and again and had even raised the dead. He had demonstrated forcefully on many occasions the power of the Holy Spirit working in Him. The Pharisees as doctors of the Law, and having witnessed many times the workings of the Holy Spirit knew, or should have known that He was the Messiah, and that the miracles were the workings of the Holy Spirit because of who He was. To deny it was to deny what they knew for certain to be true, and they thus blasphemed the Holy Spirit.
Lets look at this a little closer. Why was Jesus baptized by John? In Matthew 3:15, Jesus told John that it was to fulfill all righteousness. This means to fulfill the Law. Which Law? Priests performed sacrifices before God for the people so Jesus became a priest after the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 6:20) so that He could sacrifice Himself for our sins. In order to become a priest, Jesus had to be 30 years old, be ceremonially washed (Leviticus 8:6), and be annointed or consecrated with oil (Leviticus 8:12). And so, with Jesus, the washing was the baptism, and the annointing was by the Holy Spirit Himself (Matthew 3:16). Therefore, to deny the miracles of Jesus was to deny the Holy Spirit Himself.
The Scriptures tell us that in the last days that the angel of light (Satan) will perform signs and wonders. And so we must test teachers and those claiming to be prophets, not by miracles and wonders, but by the standard of the Scriptures. Jesus said that there would be many false prophets in the latter days, and that we would know them by their fruits (teachings).
It is for sure that anyone who claims to have revelations that add to the gospel as revealed to the apostles, or who claim to have revelations which abrogate or supercede the Holy Scriptures, is a false prophet.
And thus, I believe that it was possible to blapheme the Holy Spirit, only during the lifetime of Jesus Christ here on the earth, by denying that He was the Messiah and performing signs and wonders through the power of the Holy Spirit.
It is certain that no true believer could possibly blaspheme the Holy Spirit, for to admit so would mean that a true believer could lose their salvation in contradiction to John 10: 27-28 where Jesus says that all believers will have eternal life and cannot be snatched out of God's hand.
In Jesus' day, prophets were tested to see if they were true prophets of God. According to Jewish records, no prophet was respected who did not perform miracles and signs to prove that he was a prophet. The exception to this rule was John the Baptist, who was accredited by Jesus Himself (Luke 7:26).
Jesus, as the Messiah, also performed signs and wonders to prove that He was the Messiah. Jesus had proven Himself time and again and had even raised the dead. He had demonstrated forcefully on many occasions the power of the Holy Spirit working in Him. The Pharisees as doctors of the Law, and having witnessed many times the workings of the Holy Spirit knew, or should have known that He was the Messiah, and that the miracles were the workings of the Holy Spirit because of who He was. To deny it was to deny what they knew for certain to be true, and they thus blasphemed the Holy Spirit.
Lets look at this a little closer. Why was Jesus baptized by John? In Matthew 3:15, Jesus told John that it was to fulfill all righteousness. This means to fulfill the Law. Which Law? Priests performed sacrifices before God for the people so Jesus became a priest after the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 6:20) so that He could sacrifice Himself for our sins. In order to become a priest, Jesus had to be 30 years old, be ceremonially washed (Leviticus 8:6), and be annointed or consecrated with oil (Leviticus 8:12). And so, with Jesus, the washing was the baptism, and the annointing was by the Holy Spirit Himself (Matthew 3:16). Therefore, to deny the miracles of Jesus was to deny the Holy Spirit Himself.
The Scriptures tell us that in the last days that the angel of light (Satan) will perform signs and wonders. And so we must test teachers and those claiming to be prophets, not by miracles and wonders, but by the standard of the Scriptures. Jesus said that there would be many false prophets in the latter days, and that we would know them by their fruits (teachings).
It is for sure that anyone who claims to have revelations that add to the gospel as revealed to the apostles, or who claim to have revelations which abrogate or supercede the Holy Scriptures, is a false prophet.
And thus, I believe that it was possible to blapheme the Holy Spirit, only during the lifetime of Jesus Christ here on the earth, by denying that He was the Messiah and performing signs and wonders through the power of the Holy Spirit.
It is certain that no true believer could possibly blaspheme the Holy Spirit, for to admit so would mean that a true believer could lose their salvation in contradiction to John 10: 27-28 where Jesus says that all believers will have eternal life and cannot be snatched out of God's hand.
