Background

Luke chapter 12 verses 1 to 12 - Under these circumstances, after so many thousands of people had gathered together that they were stepping on one another, he (Jesus) began saying to his disciples first of all, " Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed upon the housetops. I say to you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him! Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows. And I say to you, everyone who confesses me before men, the Son of Man will confess him also before the angels of God; but he who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him. When they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not worry about how or what you are to speak in your defence, or what you are to say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say."

Luke states that ‘anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him’ (Luke chapter 12 verse 10). There initially seems to be a contradiction with the redeeming act of Jesus and the cross. How can this be explained?

The Old Testament Law treats this seriously (Leviticus chapter 24 verses 10 to 16). Jesus was accused of blasphemy by claiming to forgive sins (Luke chapter 5 verse 21) although this ignores the meaning of causing harm. Jesus prays for forgiveness for those who were instrumental in crucifying him (Luke chapter 23 verse 34).

There needs to be consideration of the role of the Holy Spirit. The previous passage refers to an undivided kingdom that conquers the kingdom of Beelzebub (Luke chapter 11 verses 14 to 23). The Holy Spirit is the One who establishes the Kingdom of God. When we pray God always answers and that answer involves giving the Holy Spirit (verses 9 to 13). Jesus is the way to salvation and is the entry door into the Kingdom of God. The Holy Spirit is the means to enter and live in the good of it.

The impact of living by the Holy Spirit in the good of the Kingdom of God is total, affecting the whole body (verses 33 to 36). The eye is the lamp of the body, the oil of the lamp being the Holy Spirit. Jesus challenges the religious by contrasting external rules with true cleanliness. He is not interested in external ceremonial washing but what is in the heart. They were only interested in externals such as how they were perceived but not what they were actually like (verses 37 to 52). Jesus sees this as it is, hypocrisy (chapter 12 verse 2).

Part of salvation is being born by the Holy Spirit (John chapter 3 verse 16).

The Holy Spirit is the fuel for the lampstands that represent the church, the anointed ones (Zechariah chapter 4 verses 2, 6, 11; Revelation chapter 1 verses 12,20; 2 verses 1,5).