BIBLE IN TEN

Matthew 12:38

Monday, 25 August 2025
 
Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” Matthew 12:38
 
“Then, they answered, some of the scribes and Pharisees, saying, ‘Teacher, we desire to see a sign from You’” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus noted that from one’s words he will be justified and from one’s words he will be condemned. Now, the direction changes based on the following. Matthew records, “Then, they answered, some of the scribes and Pharisees, saying, ‘Teacher, we desire to see a sign from You.’”
 
The words are similar in content in Matthew 16:4, Mark 8:11, 12, and Luke 11:29-32. Each varies a little, but what seems likely is that this request for a sign is something that was asked of Him more than once.
 
In Mark, it seems contradictory to the other accounts because it says, “Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation.” In Matthew and Luke, a sign is promised, but none is in Mark. However, in Mark, the request is for a sign “from heaven,” something not requested in Matthew or Luke. Therefore, it is probable that Jesus was addressing that specifically in Mark.
 
Putting the three accounts side by side and analyzing them, no contradiction arises. There is just different information being conveyed with each account. As for the words here in Matthew, it is some of the scribes and Pharisees who petition Him.
 
In MarkMatthew, only the Pharisees are noted. In Luke, there is no one mentioned first. Rather, Jesus directly addresses the crowds. Whether His address was in response to a petition, as in Matthew and Mark, is unknown.
 
Concerning their petition, they desire to see “a sign.” It is a new word, sémeion, a sign which is normally miraculous in nature. It is derived from the verb, sémainó, to indicate or signify. Unlike a miracle, wonder, etc., a sign is something that stands for something else. It may be a miracle or a wonder, but a sign points to another thing, such as “this indicates this.”
 
On the other hand, a miracle or wonder is its own thing. The purpose of a miracle is determined by why it was given in the first place, such as exalting the Lord, bringing glory to God, etc. In John, specific signs are noted, each having the intended purpose of establishing Jesus as the Messiah.
 
Some translations, such as the KJV, inconsistently translate the word “sign” as “miracle,” “wonder,” etc. They may be these things, but the intent is that it is a sign pointing to something else. This is the same with the word oth, sign, in the Old Testament. For example –
 
“Then God said, ‘Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs [oth] and seasons, and for days and years.’” Genesis 1:14
 
From there, the Bible will give signs in the heavens to indicate that other things will happen. Thus, the sign points to the event. For example, the star of Bethlehem, though not called a sign, is exactly that. It was a celestial event that pointed to the coming of the Messiah.
 
Life application: The Bible itself is a sign. It is something that is given to point to other things: there is a Creator, there is a problem that exists between God and man, God will send a Redeemer into the world to fix the relationship, God loves His creation, etc. Each of these things is found in the Bible.
 
It is a witness and a testimony to what He has done, is doing, and promises to do. The Bible may be miraculous in how it was received and in the contents it contains, such as future prophecy, but it is a miraculous sign.
 
When you pick it up and read it, consider it as such. God is pointing you to truths about Himself and what He is doing. Someday, Jesus will come again for His church. The Bible testifies to this, and it will be a sign to the people of the world who are left behind that what He did was anticipated by those who trust in Him.
 
Be sure to read your Bible and consider the marvel and wonder that it contains. It is God’s wonderful gift to us, a sign of His love for us.
 
Lord God, help each of us to remember that when we read Your word, we are reading YOUR word. It isn’t just something about You, but it is from You. Therefore, it reflects Your very heart and intent for us as we live before You. May we treat it with respect and carefully consider its sacred contents. Amen.
 

Matthew 12:37

Sunday, 24 August 2025
 
For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” Matthew 12:37
 
“For from your words, you will be justified, and from your words, you will be condemned” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus noted that for every inactive utterance spoken by man, it will render a word about it in judgement day. Now to fully establish the thought as a set precept concerning man’s state, He says, “For from your words, you will be justified, and from your words, you will be condemned.”
 
This is a general truth regardless of dispensations. Good trees bear good fruit while bad trees bear bad fruit. Likewise, a person’s words reveal his nature. What a person says will lead to justification or condemnation.
 
This, however, has to be taken in its overall sense. People say things that are not good despite being followers of the Lord. And people who don’t follow the Lord are fully capable of speaking good things.
 
If people were to receive eternal condemnation for saying the wrong thing at times, it’s pretty certain there wouldn’t be any saved people. Peter promised to stick to Jesus no matter what. And yet, even after being told what would happen, he still failed to live by his words.
 
It can’t be that a “bad” person who was capable of saying really good things is going to be justified for all the other bad things he has done. Jesus, therefore, is speaking of the nature of the tree, not every fruit. Good trees with the right fruit can still have bad fruit on them.
 
The overall substance of the tree is what keeps it from getting cut down. During the time of the law, the people were expected to live by the law. When they failed, as David did, they were to acknowledge their failings and do the things necessary according to the law to be restored.
 
This is where faith comes in. A person who lived under the law and kept it meticulously may not have an ounce of faith in the provision of God. He is interested in justifying himself through his works.
 
In this dispensation, the instructions concerning Jesus’ words are even clearer to comprehend because the muddy waters of law observance, which are still fully dependent on faith to be justified, have been removed. Paul tells us about words of justification that are perfectly in line with Jesus’ proclamation –
 
“For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, ‘The man who does those things shall live by them.’ 6 But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, ‘Do not say in your heart, “Who will ascend into heaven?” (that is, to bring Christ down from above) 7 or, “Who will descend into the abyss?” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).’ 8 But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, ‘Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.’ 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For ‘whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’” Romans 10:5-13
 
Life application: Words are a reflection of the heart. They may be temporary words that do not reflect the overall character of a person, but rather words spoken out of stress, anxiety, or other pressures. When the moment has passed, the person may say, “I’m so sorry, Lord. I was overwhelmed and just lost it.”
 
Such a statement indicates faith that wrong words were spoken, and the person’s heart was grieved. But more, they indicate faith that the Lord is there and knows our words and actions. If the faith is properly directed, meaning toward God in Christ, there is already forgiveness granted for what was said
 
The words of justification were spoken at some point. From there, he was sealed with the Spirit, and the blood of Christ is sufficient to cover all his sins – past, present, and future. Another person may have just as much faith that there is a God watching over him, but he has called on the wrong god. He has not been justified through his words because he has not called on Jesus for his atonement.
 
The difference comes down to Jesus. Only He can remove sin. Therefore, it is not the conscience that saves. Rather, it is properly directed faith. This is why getting Jesus right is so important. Let us remember to tell others about God’s wonderful provision in the giving of His Son for our sins.
 
“My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 19 And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. 20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.” 1 John 3:18-21
 
Lord God, our hearts get overwhelmed by the things we say and do, knowing that we have not conducted ourselves appropriately in Your presence. David understood this and found comfort in You. Help us to do the same. May You be our place of rest in this world of difficulty, trial, and failure. Jesus has prevailed! May that be our comfort and rest always. Amen.

Matthew 12:36

Saturday, 23 August 2025
 
But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. Matthew 12:36
 
“And I say to you that every inactive utterance that if they will speak, men, they will render a word about it in judgment day” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus referred to the things people bring out of what is stored in their hearts, good or bad. Now, He explains a truth concerning that to which His audience was expected to consider and heed, saying, “And I say to you that every inactive utterance that if they will speak, men.”
 
A new word is introduced, argos, inactive. When one is inactive, he idles around doing nothing. As such, he will be unemployed, useless, lazy, etc. The word closely corresponds to the Hebrew word mibta, found only in Numbers 30:6 & 30:8, where a woman makes a rash vow. That word signifies hasty or thoughtless. That is derived from bata, to babble.
 
 Jesus is saying that people speak carelessly, not thinking through the ramifications of their words. However, God hears everything man says, even if it is an idle utterance. But more, not only does He hear them, but He is also accounting our idle utterances to who we are in relation to the totality of our personhood.
 
The thought is general in nature and certainly applies to all humanity at all times, but in this case, Jesus is making a point about the utterances of the Pharisees who spoke carelessly about Jesus without thinking through the logical explanation that He then provided.
 
He could not be casting out Beelzebul by the prince of demons. His explanation thoroughly refuted the notion. Even if they didn’t fully grasp the ramifications of their idle accusation, the Lord heard and was there to render a judgment based on their words, as He next says, “they will render a word about it in judgment day.”
 
The meaning is that they must give an account for what they spoke, meaning even their idle utterances. Understanding this, Jesus will give an overall summary of this thought in the next verse.
 
Life application: For now, even before getting to Jesus’ summary of the overarching thought presented in this discourse between the Pharisees and Him, we should heed the truth stated by Jesus in this verse.
 
It is true that those in Christ are in a different economy than those under the law. Despite this, God doesn’t change. His ears didn’t suddenly turn off when the dispensation of grace came. In other words, everything we say is still known by God and will be set before us by Him when we are brought before Him.
 
Therefore, we should consider our words carefully. In North Korea, children are executed or sent to grueling penal colonies (which may be worse than death) for speaking like South Korean children, repeating lines from their movies, and so forth.
 
Such treatment of citizens has occurred throughout human history. An idle word or thoughtless action has led many to the gallows or firing squad. If this is how we may be treated for carelessly speaking before human leaders, how much more severe will it be for those who carelessly and casually malign the Creator?
 
And yet, it happens innumerable times a day all over the world. People, without thinking through the logic of who God is and what He has done, flippantly ignore the evidence and arrogantly make false proclamations and accusations about Him and His nature. People challenge His word, claiming error or contradiction without considering what it may actually be saying.
 
In doing these things, we diminish His glory in the eyes of others and place ourselves above Him or what He has done. If humanity understood the consequences of its unholy attitudes, we would be more careful and circumspect in what we say and do. But we fail to consider these things, bringing judgment on ourselves.
 
For Christians, our condemnation has been decided at the cross of Christ, but what lies ahead still requires judgment for our words and actions now. Let us consider this and pay heed.
 
Lord God, how often do we say things without thinking through the full scope of what we have uttered? We offend others, we demean those in authority, and we bring dishonor to Your name, even if it was not intentional. Help us to think more clearly and to be careful as we speak, knowing that our words have meaning and may result in unhappy consequences. Amen.
 

Matthew 12:35

Friday, 22 August 2025
 
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. Matthew 12:35
 
“The good man, from the good treasure of the heart, he ejects good, and the evil man, from the evil treasure, he ejects evil” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus called the Pharisees vipers’ offspring, telling them that from the surplus of the heart, the mouth speaks. He next explains the result of that, saying, “The good man, from the good treasure of the heart, he ejects good.”
 
The word ekballo, to cast out or eject, is used. It is more forceful than “bring out,” such as in the NKJV. The meaning then is that the goodness of a good man wells up inside him until the point where goodness simply exudes from him, being ejected under its own pressure.
 
The words here show us that Jesus’ words in Matthew 9:17 are a comparative statement intended to make a point. In responding to being called “Good Teacher,” Jesus said –
 
“Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”
 
Jesus was making a comparison of goodness in relation to God. Likewise, Jesus is here making a comparison between people. One is good in relation to others. Because he is, good things will be ejected from him.
 
This is certainly a comparative statement, because even a good person can get frustrated or fed up, and something not so good will come out of his mouth. However, his character in general is one that demonstrates an inherent goodness in relation to others. Likewise, Jesus says, “and the evil man, from the evil treasure, he ejects evil.”
 
This is a person who is comparatively evil. The things that come out of such people, welling up and being ejected into their regular conversation, will be evil. But even such “evil” people can say something nice. Jesus is referring to their general character.
 
To get the sense of such a person, all one needs to do is turn on the TV and watch people arguing from a political standpoint. Those on the left will spew forth invectives, call out for illegal activities to be condoned, rage against goodness while embracing those who do truly wicked things, etc.
 
To them, morality is defined by theft and murder, not hard work and self-sufficiency. Those who pray to God are an offense who must be silenced. Because of their character, evil proceeds from them like a well under pressure. In opening their mouths to speak, the evil gushes forth.
 
Life application: In Luke 6:45, the same words are spoken by Jesus in His sermon to the people, but there are differences –
 
Matthew - “The good man, from the good treasure of the heart, he ejects [ekballo] good, and the evil man, from the evil treasure, he ejects [ekballo] evil.”
 
Luke - “The good man, from the good treasure of his heart, he hauls [propheró] good, and the evil, from the evil hauls [propheró] the evil. For from the heart’s surplus, it speaks – his mouth.”
 
In Matthew, different words concerning the motion of what is in the heart are used. One says to eject while the other uses a word meaning to bear forward. A good single word to get the intent would be to haul. Also, in Matthew, the thought about the heart’s abundance came in the preceding verse, whereas Luke places it afterwards.
 
Other slight variations in the Greek exist as well. So the question may be asked, “Which is the original and which one has an error?” Or the statement may be made, “See, there is a contradiction in the two accounts.”
 
When you are faced with such a question or statement, how will you respond? A suitable explanation is that both can be correct. This could be for various reasons. The first is that it is assumed that Jesus was originally speaking in Aramaic. Different people will write what they heard in Greek in different ways.
 
Likewise, the change in order of what is said may be a part of that translation process. Therefore, such changes would be expected. But what if the person says, “But even the context of what is said is different! One is to the Pharisees and one during a sermon!”
 
Is this a contradiction? Not at all! How many times have you repeated a point that is true in your life? Jesus was preaching and proclaiming. He probably stated the same truth innumerable times that are not recorded, along with those that are.
 
He may have changed the structure of His words, chosen different words, and spoken these things in a multitude of contexts. If the narratives were identical, those who want to tear apart the Bible would (and do!) say that the accounts were simply copies and the events belong to one source. Thus, there are not three different testimonies to Jesus’ work.
 
If they have any differences, the accusation that there are contradictions immediately arises. Don’t let such things bother you. Be prepared to show these people the folly of their thinking. From there, drop the argument. Some people wouldn’t be content if God spoke the word of Scripture personally.
 
Wait... He did!
 
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16, 17
 
Lord God, we trust that You have given us a word that carries Your intent for us to know and understand what You desire for us. Help us to be diligent in reading it and contemplating it all the days of our lives. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.

Matthew 12:34

Thursday, 21 August 2025
 
Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.  Matthew 12:34
 
“Vipers’ offspring! You can, how, speak good – being evil? For from the heart’s surplus, the mouth, it speaks” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus spoke of making the tree either good or bad. As it is made, so its fruit will be. Thus, a tree will be known by its fruit. Now, changing the metaphor, He directly addresses the Pharisees, saying, “Vipers’ offspring!”
 
It is also what John the Baptist said to this same group as the people from the surrounding areas came out to be baptized –
 
“But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, ‘Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?’” Matthew 3:7
 
This is probably a reference to the temptation and fall of man in Genesis 3. Serpents continue to be noted in Scripture after that. One instance is especially highlighted in the account of the time during the wilderness wanderings in Numbers 21. There, the people were bitten by serpents, and many died. In this, the people acknowledged their sins, and a remedy was given by the Lord to heal the people.
 
As such, the main thought of both John and Jesus is probably that of these men being the spawn of Satan, who caused the people to sin, separating them from God. They were the evil offspring of their evil parent, acting in crafty and malevolent ways. Of them, He next says, “You can, how, speak good – being evil?”
 
The analogy of the tree in the previous verse becomes clear here. They were like evil trees that could only speak evil. This is because they were vipers’ offspring. He is uniting the various metaphors into a picture of this group of men standing there, accusing Him. To further explain this, He continues with the words, “For from the heart’s surplus, the heart, the mouth, it speaks.”
 
Here is a new word, perisseuma. It is derived from peri, around. Therefore, it signifies “all around” or “excess” as in “more than anticipated.” These men had wickedness in their hearts that abounded so greatly it welled up out of them in the words they spoke.
 
They could not say anything good about Jesus because they themselves were corrupt and incapable of determining what was good. Thus, they ascribed evil to His actions, projecting their deficiencies upon Him instead of conducting self-reflection to determine if they were not the ones in error.
 
Life application: In Matthew 3, John uses the same metaphors, vipers, fruit, and trees, when referring to the same group of people. The full thought recorded there says –
 
“But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, ‘Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, 9 and do not think to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our father.” For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 10 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.’” Matthew 3:7-12
 
Such metaphors are found elsewhere in Scripture. They provide insight into what God wants us to consider while reading His word. Remember, as you read, that God is the One who created these things. That is recorded right on the first page of the Bible.
 
As this is so, and as He is using them in metaphor later in Scripture, He is asking us to consider the inherent nature of these things. Sometimes, such metaphors are explained as to their meaning or intended use.
 
At times, we have to infer what is being said. But in paying heed to what is being conveyed, we will have a fuller and richer sense of what God is telling us. Take time to consider the use of the various literary devices found in Scripture, and there are a lot of them. The content of Scripture will come alive in new ways when you do.
 
Take time to read Jeremiah 24. It is only 10 verses long. There, the Lord uses figs as a metaphor for the people of Israel. As you read, remember that the fig is used to indicate a spiritual connection to God or its lack thereof. That is consistently the case throughout Scripture. So think about that meaning as you read the chapter.
 
In remembering this meaning, the passage will make new sense to you that it may not have previously made. And more, because you are committed to reading your Bible every day, you will come across the fig at other times. When you do, remember its significance and think about why it has been mentioned at a particular time. What a treat it will be for your mind as you say, “Now I understand what God is telling me.”
 
Lord God, what a great, consistent, and beautiful tool of instruction Your word is for us. Wow! Thank You for how You have laid it out to show us a pattern of all of redemptive history, taking us from Eden and returning us to paradise in heaven. We can see how it all fits as we march toward that state of glory! Amen.

Matthew 12:33

Wednesday, 20 August 2025
 
“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. Matthew 12:33
 
“Either you make the tree good and the fruit of it good, or you make the tree rotten and the fruit of it rotten. For from the fruit, the tree – it is known” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus spoke of speaking against the Holy Spirit and that such an offense will not be forgiven in the current age or the coming age. Next, He begins another thought with, “Either you make the tree good and the fruit of it good.”
 
The words are stated as an example of a truth that exists. If what Jesus proposes in metaphor were the case in humans, what He says would be the result. There are various types of trees. Some are good and some are bad. He is not speaking of each individual fruit, but of the type.
 
For example, one can make grafts and produce something good. The nature of the type of fruit is what is referred to. Understanding this, His words are explanatory of what has transpired in their discourse. The Pharisees stated that Jesus cast out demons by Beelzebul.
 
If this were true, then He would be aligned with the devil. However, He refuted this charge by stating that if that were true, Satan would have divided and his kingdom had fallen. So He could not be a bad tree. His fruits (casting out demons) were examples of good fruit. Because of this, their charges against Him were blasphemous. With that understood, He next says, “or you make the tree rotten and the fruit of it rotten.”
 
If Jesus were a bad tree, the fruits He issued forth would be bad. However, the first premise concerning good fruit has already shown that this cannot be the case. He has cast out demons, something they openly acknowledged with the words, “This, not He ejects the demons if not in Beelzebul, prince of the demons.”
 
Despite stating it in the negative, their words substantiate that He, in fact, cast out demons: “He ejects the demons.” As they have asserted this with their own words, and as ejecting demons is a good fruit, guess what? The tree must be a good tree, “For from the fruit, the tree – it is known.”
 
Jesus has taken control of their own words to demonstrate an exacting and undeniable truth. They didn’t say, “He pretends to eject,” as if His works were the works of a charlatan. It was obvious from the things He did that His works were real.
 
Throughout the gospels, the people who are highlighted as having demons cast out, those with afflictions or sicknesses, were known by others as being so afflicted, etc. Some were noted as being born that way, some were seen by the crowds before the healing, some were evidenced in advance to be so afflicted by those challenging Him (such as Matthew 12:9-14), etc.
 
What He did was not in question. What they challenged was the Source of His ability to do it. With His logical explanations, they must either concede what He says or be subject to blasphemy not of Him, but of the Holy Spirit.
 
Life application: When a person claims to heal by the power of Jesus and is later seen to be a false healer, it must be questioned how their actions line up with the logic of Jesus’ words. They are obviously bad trees because their fruits are bad.
 
However, if they are claiming they are fruits from a good source, their claims make a mockery of God and bring shame on the Spirit. Ascribing the work of the Spirit to Satan is shown to be an accusation worth condemnation. How about ascribing false fruits (false miracles) to the power of the Spirit?
 
How much will God tolerate from man before He says, “This line has been crossed?” God knows, we do not. However, for those who make false claims, it seems appropriate to say, “Man, I would not want to be the one standing next to him on judgment day.”
 
One of the best things we can do as followers of Jesus is to be honest in our actions and claims concerning God. We should never ascribe to God something that didn’t happen. False tongues, false healings, false dreams and visions, etc., should never be ascribed to the power of the Holy Spirit.
 
If we had a dream that seemed real to us, it does not mean it was from God. It is best not to make a claim in such a case than to incorrectly claim. If you had an experience you think might have been from God, either keep it to yourself or tell others without trying to make a claim that may not be what you think it was.
 
How often do you hear people say something like, “The Lord showed me to do XX,” or “the Lord gave me insight into XX.” However, the thing later doesn’t pan out or proves to be incorrect. The person claimed it was of the Lord when it wasn’t. It is best to avoid any such rash claims.
 
Lord God, may our actions and words be so honest and reliable that people won’t mind standing next to us on the day we stand before You for judgment. Amen.

Matthew 12:32

Tuesday, 19 August 2025
 
Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come. Matthew 12:32
 
“And whoever if he should speak a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him. But whoever, if he should speak against the Holy Spirit, not it will be forgiven him, neither in this age, nor in the coming” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus noted that every sin and blasphemy would be forgiven men, but the “Spirit blasphemy” will not be forgiven men. He now continues and builds upon that thought, saying, “And whoever if he should speak a word against the Son of Man.”
 
Such was to be expected. Here is a Man who lived a poor existence, was from Nazareth, something looked down upon, was the Son of a carpenter, and who probably did these labors Himself, who had argued with the Pharisees about the dietary laws, who had healed on the Sabbath, etc.
 
Everything about Him was not what one would expect of the Messiah, even if He had a group of disciples around Him and His teachings were interesting. It is obvious they were interested in Him and what He was up to because they kept popping up in accounts recorded in the gospels, inspecting Him and His movements.
 
But because He didn’t fit their notions about a Messiah, they spoke against Him and what He did. Eventually, they would rid themselves of Him by having Him crucified. These things were forgivable, as Jesus notes, “it will be forgiven him.”
 
It is certain that being complicit in Jesus’ death was pardonable. This is evident from the appeals of the apostles after the resurrection –
 
“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Acts 2:36
 
This thought is reiterated in Acts 4 when Peter addresses the “rulers of the people and elders of Israel.” Even after their actions against the Son of Man, they could still obtain mercy and forgiveness. However, Jesus continues, saying, “But whoever, if he should speak against the Holy Spirit, not it will be forgiven him.”
 
The words “speak against” are to be taken as parallel in meaning to the “Spirit blasphemy” of the previous verse. It is the point that is highlighted for these people to understand the consequences of such words. Mark provides additional understanding of what Jesus is referring to with the words, “because they said, ‘He has an unclean spirit.’”
 
The men accusing Jesus were ascribing the work of the Spirit to an unclean Spirit. Jesus logically defended why this could not be the case and that He must, in fact, be casting out demons by the Spirit of God. This is the issue. With that now understood, those who understood the Source of His power would have to concede the argument and accept the authority of the Spirit in Christ’s works.
 
To continue in such accusations would be to speak against the Holy Spirit. At what point God determined this threshold had been met, such a person’s fate was determined. There would be no forgiveness “neither in this age, nor in the coming.”
 
The point of the Levitical sacrifices was to obtain forgiveness for transgressions under the law. There are instances where it is noted that forgiveness would not be granted to people under the law. One example is found in the sons of Eli in 1 Samuel 3. Another is found in Isaiah 22:12-14.
 
In both cases, there was a complete abandonment of God. The Spirit was spoken against as if being ineffectual in the lives of these people through their words and actions. In the coming age, which appears to be referring to the age after Christ’s resurrection, it is the Spirit who seals a person for salvation.
 
This “age” cannot be speaking of the state after death. One’s life determines one’s state before God. It cannot be speaking of the final age where all saved humanity will be glorified. The eternal state of man will be set at that time. To limit it to the millennium is too narrow a focus for the intent of Jesus’ words. Therefore, the age He refers to would be the time after the law is fulfilled and abolished.
 
To reject the calling of the Spirit upon one’s life is a life action that can be equated to speaking against the Spirit. To deny Christ and His power to save, a power evidenced and validated by the resurrection, is to deny the only hope one has of being saved. There can be no forgiveness for this.
 
Only God can restore man to Himself. To deny this is to deny what God in Christ has done. To do so can be equated to saying Christ had an unclean spirit. Otherwise, it would be obvious that the narrative concerning Him is true. If it is true, it would mean God had ordained Him to be the Author of salvation.
 
Life application: The door to forgiveness and salvation in Christ remains open until one’s final breath. After that, man must face judgment. Some people will never hear the message and will die apart from God. Some will hear and not believe for whatever reason. However, they may at some point believe and be saved.
 
Others will hear the message and never accept it. The Spirit cannot work in the life of such a person. There can be no forgiveness for such a denial of what God has done. Jesus is the necessary key to understanding the words of this verse.
 
His resurrection is the proof of the Spirit of God’s power to save all men –
 
“Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God 2 which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, 3 concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, 4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.” Romans 1:1-4
 
“But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” Romans 8:9-11
 
Lord God, help us to be about the business of sharing the good news concerning forgiveness through the shed blood of Christ. May You guide us as we talk to others so that our words will be effectual in leading them to a right understanding of what You have done. Yes, Lord, help us in this. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.
 

Matthew 12:31

Monday, 18 August 2025
 
“Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Matthew 12:31
 
“Through this, I say to you, every sin and blasphemy, it will be forgiven men, but the ‘Spirit blasphemy’ not it will be forgiven men” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus said that the one not being with Him is against Him, and the one not gathering with Him scatters. Now, to build upon that thought, He says, “Through this, I say to you, every sin and blasphemy, it will be forgiven men.”
 
The word blasphémia is introduced. It signifies vilification, especially against God. The meaning of Jesus’ words is that sins occur and people blaspheme. These things are a part of being human. People may be uninformed, misinformed, etc. Similarly, people get frustrated, tempted, over-exerted, etc. When these things occur, stamina is weakened, thoughts and emotions get distorted, and so forth.
 
People can be forgiven of these things through the correction of their heart attitude. The weakness of the flesh might be what disrupts a right attitude. Through being reinvigorated, stamina and mental clarity arise in place of what is evil. Through self-evaluation, a pro-abortionist can redirect his thinking to understand the wrong thought process he previously held.
 
Such examples as this are understood by God, and when a change to right thinking with a turning from sin and blasphemy, restoration is possible. However, Jesus next says, “but the ‘Spirit blasphemy’ not it will be forgiven men.”
 
Jesus’ words, although understood by Christian thinking, reflect a separation that exists within the Godhead. There is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Israel at the time was unaware of these tenets.
 
Clues to the nature of God may be found in the Hebrew Scriptures, but without the introduction of New Testament theology, such things would remain unclear and obscure at best. What Jesus is saying is in accord with what a Hebrew thinker would understand. God’s Spirit, the same Spirit who hovered over the waters in the creation, was known to those hearing Jesus’ words.
 
What He says about “Spirit blasphemy” would have been understood because of this. The Pharisees were accusing Jesus of casting out demons by Beelzebul. They were ascribing the work of the Spirit of God to the devil.
 
Whether this, in and of itself, can be considered as “Spirit blasphemy” is debatable. The reason for this is that after being so accused, Jesus corrected their words, and thus (hopefully) their thinking, with a logical reason why it could not be so.
 
People can do, say, and think things that seem to be beyond the pale, but they may not have any idea of the ramifications of what they are saying or even understand the thought process behind their actions.
 
The fact is, however, that Jesus’ words set a bar that, when it is reached, equates to “Spirit blasphemy.” At that point, there will be no forgiveness obtainable for that person. As the Topical Lexicon rightly states –
 
“Matthew 12:31-32 and Mark 3:28-30 locate the unpardonable sin in attributing the unmistakable work of the Spirit to satanic power. It is not a single rash word but a settled verdict against the light, revealing a heart hardened beyond repentance.”
 
Life application: People often wonder if they have committed blasphemy of the Spirit, worrying about the state of their eternal souls for something they thought or did. The very fact that they are concerned about that should tell them it has not happened.
 
Unfortunately, there is a great deal of incredibly bad theology taught in seminaries and churches concerning this issue. True story: A group of young boys was outside of a charismatic church where women were rolling on the ground, disgracing themselves through false manifestations of the “Spirit.” The boys laughed at them. One of the women said to them, “You can never be saved. You have blasphemed the Holy Spirit.”
 
One of the boys lost hope, became a drunk and a rebel in life. In the military, he heard the message about the King of kings and realized the lie that he had heard was nonsense. He gave his life to Christ and became a missionary, telling others about the goodness of God.
 
The women, not the boys, were much closer to blaspheming the Spirit. They were ascribing their ridiculously stupid actions, showing off in public, and acting like fools to the work of the Spirit.
 
If someone, we’ll say a Muslim, says, “The Bible is the work of the devil.” Is that blasphemy of the Holy Spirit? The Bible is inspired by the Spirit. Therefore, someone could make the claim. But what if the Muslim never read the Bible and was just repeating what he had been told? He had no idea what the Bible said concerning God, the Spirit, Christ, or the Christian faith.
 
He is condemned because he is not in Christ, just like any other human. But what if, after saying what he said, he got the desire to check out the claims of the Bible? In reading it, he realized that he was wrong, that the Bible is the inspired word of God, and that Jesus is the Christ. Can he be saved? Yes. His words about the Bible, although incorrect, did not meet the bar set by Jesus.
 
Keep your fingers from pointing. Paul, a Pharisee who heard all about Jesus, did everything he could to destroy the faith. And yet, despite all he had done, he was not only forgiven by God, but he was given an appointment as His ambassador and apostle.
 
“And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, 13 although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.” 1 Timothy 1:12, 13
 
O God, help us to learn and rightly apply sound doctrine to our lives. Help us to not get swayed by false or manipulative people. Rather, lead us in understanding You, Your word, and what is correct as we live our lives in Your presence. Amen.
 

Matthew 12:30

Sunday, 17 August 2025
 
He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad. Matthew 12:30
 
“The ‘not being with Me,’ he is against me. And the ‘not gathering with Me,’ he scatters” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus spoke of binding the strong man before his goods can be plundered. With that thought complete, He now poignantly states, “The ‘not being with Me,’ he is against me.”
 
There is a great deal of dissension about who Jesus is speaking of in this verse. Some say it is a word against the Pharisees, others say it is referring to Satan, others that it is anyone at any time as they interact with the cause of Christ, etc. Checking the surrounding verses gives us the answer.
 
A man who was demon possessed, blind and mute, was brought to Him. He healed the man (vs. 23). The people asked if He could be the Son of David (vs. 24). He was accused by the Pharisees of casting out by Beelzebul (vs. 24). From there, Jesus gave His words on kingdom division, authority to cast out demons, and binding a strong man (vss. 25-29).
 
In verses 31 & 32, He will speak of blasphemy against the Spirit, stating that speaking a word against the Son of Man is forgivable, but speaking against the Holy Spirit is not. But Jesus has said in verse 28 that if He casts out demons by the Spirit of God, the kingdom of God has come upon them.
 
He is clearly stating that He and what He does are in accord with the Spirit. Therefore, when someone speaks against His actions, they are speaking against the work of the Spirit. As anyone opposed to the Spirit is under the authority of the devil, those opposed to Christ’s works are not in accord with the Spirit.
 
The general words, “the not being with Me,” indicate the devil and those who are his. There is “what God is doing,” and “what the devil is doing.” That is the totality of what is happening in the universe around us. Understanding this, He next says, “And the ‘not gathering with Me,’ he scatters.”
 
A new word, skorpizó, to dissipate, is introduced. It is derived from skorpios, a scorpion. A scorpion penetrates its prey, causing a dissipating effect. One can think of a grenade being tossed into a room, and those in the room scatter, causing a dissipating effect.
 
When the Spirit of God is present, there will be one effect. When the presence of the devil is present, there will be another. Bengel rightly ties the thought of gathering to the word qoheleth, Teacher or Preacher, found seven times in Ecclesiastes. The word is derived from qahal, to convoke or assemble.
 
Through the teaching of the Teacher, there is a gathering effect that takes place in the kingdom of God. Through opposition to it, there is a scattering effect. God is teaching us through the work of the Spirit. As Jesus is filled with the Spirit of God in the fullest sense, what He does is the ultimate gathering for the kingdom that can be realized.
 
Life application: Jesus’ words are not speaking of the general state of any of us on a given day. One day, we may be on fire for Jesus and out telling all about Him and His goodness, handing out tracts and blaring Christian music from our car stereo. The next day, we may be in a grumpy mood and completely ineffective in our witness.
 
This is the normal way of life. Being a Christian does not change that. We are physical, chemical, and biological beings. Variations in those aspects of us can change our whole attitude. But this does not change our state in Christ. If we have accepted the gospel, we are sealed with the Spirit of God (Ephesians 1:13, 14).
 
Those who have not believed the gospel are incapable of being “with” Christ because they do not have the Spirit of God. It is the Spirit that testifies to Jesus Christ. He inspired Scripture, and all Scripture points to Jesus. Jesus’ life is documented in Scripture. We can either accept that He is who Scripture claims or reject that. The gospel is given in the word, and it can be explained by man (Romans 10:14-18).
 
To reject the gospel is to reject what God is doing in redemptive history in and through His Son. The issue Jesus is referring to is being a part of one kingdom or another. If one moves from the devil to Jesus, he is with Jesus, and he gathers with Him because he has the Spirit of God.
 
If Jesus is rejected, the person who rejects Him is not with Him. Therefore, his being, his existence, stands in opposition to the work of the Spirit. This is an all-encompassing thought. It is not a Jew/Gentile issue. It is not a Russian/Ukrainian issue. It is not an “I support Israel” or “I don’t support Israel” issue, nor a democrat/republican issue. And so forth.
 
We have our own divisions for various things we want or desire. At times, what we do may or may not align with God’s plans as they are being worked out in human history. This may be because of stubborn rebellion, poor doctrine, etc. However, the main division of all things comes down to Christ.
 
Are we in Christ because of our acceptance of the Spirit’s working in Him, or are we of the devil, having never been converted to accepting the Spirit’s marking Him as God’s chosen Servant to bring us back to Him?
 
“He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.” 1 John 3:8, 9
 
O God, help us to clearly identify the battle that is raging in the world. The devil has his kingdom, and Christ Jesus has His. Help us to effectively communicate the gospel for others to see this and to call out to You through Jesus. May You strengthen us for this at all times. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.

Matthew 12:29

Saturday, 16 August 2025
 
Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. Matthew 12:29
 
“Or how, any, he can enter into the house of the strong and his goods seize, if not first he should bind the strong? And then, his house he will through-seize” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus emphatically declared to the Pharisees that if He casts out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon them. Next, He questions them with the words, “Or how, any, he can enter into the house of the strong and his goods through-seize?”
 
His question contains a new word, diarpazó. It is derived from dia, through, and harpazó, to seize. Thus, a literal, albeit clunky translation would be to through-seize. Some Greek texts use the word harpazó here and then diarpazó later in this verse.
 
Jesus’ question is concerning ability. There is a house owned by a strong man. If someone wants to rob this guy, how is he going to do it? Jesus provides the answer in the next clause, saying, “if not first he should bind the strong.”
 
If the house of a strong man is to be plundered, the strong man has to first be bound. His strength must be dealt with, or it will be impossible for someone to rob him. Instead, he will get a good pounding and maybe a trip to the hospital. But if he is bound up, Jesus continues with, “And then, his house he will through-seize.”
 
When that which interferes with one’s plans to take an action is removed, the ability to take that action can then go forward. The point of Jesus’ words is built upon what He has already said. This is introduced with the word translated as “or.”
 
His first question in this regard was that if Satan casts out Satan, he divided himself. If so, then his kingdom cannot stand. Thus, the word “or” continues to refer to this concept. Speaking again of Satan, he calls him “the strong.”
 
Some equate the house with the demon-possessed man. But this is too limited. Satan’s house, in this questioning, is his place of rule. Thus, it is the Earth. This is the same as the “house of David” being the scope of David’s rule. Satan has already been shown to have authority over the earth (Matthew 4:9).
 
Therefore, the strong, meaning Satan, must be bound. From there, a person can then thoroughly plunder his house. How did God do this? He sent Jesus, born without sin, into the world. This is why Satan attempted to get Jesus to sin right at the start. But Jesus prevailed over his temptations. Remaining sinless, Jesus has bound Satan’s authority.
 
Therefore, Jesus can now thoroughly plunder his house. One step at a time, this will take place until, at the cross, he is entirely defeated. The sinless death of Jesus is the proverbial final nail in the coffin of Satan’s ability to come against Him. In His death, the law is fulfilled. Therefore, the thing that stood against man and which Satan used against man, law, will no longer be an implement to cause saved humanity to fall again.
 
Life application: The importance of the issue of law versus grace is not to be diminished. Law, a violation of it, is what brought sin into the world. Through sin, man died. That state of sin and death spread to all men. This is recorded by Paul in Romans 5.
 
In Christ, the issue of law, and thus the issue of the imputation of sin, has been dealt with. This is why those who have come to Christ can adamantly avow that they have been saved. They have moved from a position of “under law” in Adam to a position of “in grace” in Jesus.
 
It is also why salvation, once it has been granted, is eternal. It is true, we may ignorantly reimpose law on ourselves after being saved, but we are still in Christ. Therefore, sin is not being imputed, even for the blunder of placing oneself under law. However, in our state of salvation, we will receive no rewards for a life lived under law, even if we remain in grace. By our actions, we are excluding the chance to be rewarded for our conduct.
 
On the other hand, those who never believe the gospel, but continue under law, cannot be saved. Only by rejecting self, accepting Christ’s full atonement through His sacrificial death, which is proved by the resurrection, can someone be moved from “under law” to “in grace.”
 
Once that move takes place, it should be the person’s goal and desire to live for God, loving Him, and being obedient to His guidance as outlined under the New Covenant in order to receive rewards. This is not for being saved or continuing to be saved. That was dealt with in Jesus’ work. It is for rewards and losses in our state of salvation.
 
Let us learn the lesson of law and cling to the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ always.
 
Glorious God, how grateful we are for what You have done for us in Christ. The power of Satan was bound in our lives, and we have been plundered from His hand. We are now under a new Master who will continue to forever protect us from the power of the devil. As this is so, help us to stay away from evil and always strive for what is good and pleasing in Your sight. Amen.

Matthew 12:28

Friday, 15 August 2025
 
But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. Matthew 12:28
 
“And if in God’s Spirit I, I eject the demons, then it preceded upon you, the ‘God’s kingdom’” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus trapped the Pharisees with a question concerning the casting out of demons by their sons, meaning their disciples. With that complete, He now states a proposition to be accepted or rejected by the hearer, beginning with an emphatic statement, “And if in God’s Spirit I, I eject the demons.”
 
Jesus has just clearly demonstrated that He cannot be ejecting demons by Beelzebul, something the Pharisees would have to grant based on His logic. Understanding that it is not by Beelzebul, then it must be from another source. In fact, it can only be from one source. And so He says, “then it preceded upon you, the ‘God’s kingdom.’”
 
Here is a new word, phthanó (ff-than-oh), to precede, as in arriving ahead of time. Because of this, it is an arrival “before something which indicates priority in importance or sequence” (HELPS Word Studies).
 
The use of this word by Jesus indicates that He had already been on the scene, performing healings and miracles while preaching the gospel, but the people didn’t realize that He was who He, in fact, turned out to be. One might paraphrase the thought, “Jesus walked among us, and before we knew it, He had revealed Himself to be the Messiah.”
 
The sense of the word can be seen from Paul’s description of the rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4:15 –
 
“For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede (phthanó) those who are asleep.”
 
Jesus cast out demons. He was accused of having derived His authority from Beelzebub. He demonstrated that such could not be the case. Therefore, what He had accomplished was evidence that what He did was from God, and thus God’s kingdom had already come upon them.
 
As usual, the spiritual leaders of Israel missed the boat in understanding the significance of the events around them. Today, two thousand years later, they sit in synagogues and miss the fact that God’s kingdom has come, rejecting Jesus, and thus rejecting their only hope of salvation.
 
Life application: It is common in evangelical Christian circles for people to give Jews a pass on not accepting Jesus, as if they are ok without Him. This comes in varying degrees. The most extreme case of this heresy is that of dual covenantalism, something preached by John Hagee. It is also the set doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church. Even if it is not openly taught, it is in their doctrinal writings.
 
Others may not openly understand or accept this doctrine, but they still hold to it in their thinking, trying to rationalize away why Jews are ok with God because they are “God’s people,” even while understanding that Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, etc., are condemned without Jesus.
 
This attitude stems from a failure to understand who “God’s people” are at a given time. Hosea prophesied of a time when His people would no longer be His people, but those who were not His people would be His people. Paul explains this in Romans 9-11.
 
While the Jews are out of God’s favor, they are “God’s people” only in anticipation of restoration. However, they are not His people for salvation. Rather, that belongs to those -Jews and Gentiles – who have received Jesus. They are a part of the church.
 
That day will end at the rapture, and a simple question clears up the heretical notion that the Jews today are “God’s people.” Will the Jews who don’t believe in Jesus be taken at the rapture? The answer is obvious, “No.” Rather, they as a collective group will go through the tribulation. This proves that they are not now “God’s people” except in anticipation of restoration.
 
The Christian community would do far better by evangelizing Jews than by proclaiming that they are God’s people, thus bolstering the idea in their minds (meaning the Jews) that they think Christians believe they are right with God. Without Jesus, there is no salvation. Remember the basic equation –
 
In proper theology, one plus one will always equal two.
 
“‘I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. 38 I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.’39 They answered and said to Him, ‘Abraham is our father.’Jesus said to them, ‘If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. 40 But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. 41 You do the deeds of your father.’” John 8:37-41
 
Being a descendant (physically descended from) Abraham does not mean one is a child of Abraham from a spiritual perspective. Rather –
 
“Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?— 6 just as Abraham ‘believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.’ 7 Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, ‘In you all the nations shall be blessed.’ 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.” Galatians 3:5-9
 
Glorious God, help to get our thinking right in relation to what You are doing in redemptive history. Too many reject Israel because of their misdeeds, as if they no longer have the promises of the prophets. But too many fail to acknowledge that without Jesus, the Jews stand condemned. Help us to have clarity of thought, and to pray for and evangelize to this beloved, set-aside group of people. Amen.

Matthew 12:27

Thursday, 14 August 2025
 
And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. Matthew 12:27
 
“And if I, I eject demons in Beelzebul, your sons – in whom do they eject? Through this they, they will be your judges” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Jesus told the Pharisees that if Satan were to cast out Satan, he would have divided himself. If so, his kingdom could not stand. Now, with a kind of “in your face” question for His accusers, Jesus emphatically asks, “And if I, I eject demons in Beelzebul, your sons – in whom do they eject?”
 
In this question, the “sons” are those who sit under the authority of the Pharisees, specifically meaning their disciples. There are two main points to consider in this question. The first is that their disciples must have claimed that they cast out demons. Otherwise, Jesus would not have even bothered with the question. Therefore, it is certain that they claimed this power.
 
Second, Jesus does not say they actually did it. Rather, He is affirming that they practiced the casting out of demons. An example of Jews doing this is found in Acts 19. Other than being a priest, it doesn’t say what position their father held, be it a Sadducee or Pharisee, but the matter is documented by Luke –
 
“Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, ‘We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.’ 14 Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so.15 And the evil spirit answered and said, ‘Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?’16 Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17 This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. 18 And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds.” Acts 19:13-18
 
People like this made claims that they were able to cast out demons. Jesus has established through His question that He knows the Pharisees’ disciples made such claims. If this is so, the claim would be that they did it under God’s authority. However, if the argument of the Pharisees was that Jesus was casting out demons by Beelzebul, then their own disciples must be allied with Beelzebul.
 
They have now placed themselves in an impossible trap. Therefore, they have to either retract their claim, which will then validate Jesus’ ministry, or they will have to restate their claim and simply acknowledge that Jesus’ authority is of God. If they don’t, “Through this they, they will be your judges.”
 
The words are again emphatic. The claims and actions (whether real or fake) of the disciples bear witness against the words of the Pharisees. Either they are really casting out by God’s help and thus Jesus is as well, or they are faking it and are charlatans. Either way, they cannot be casting out by Beelzebul because if they were, Beelzebul would have divided himself and fallen.
 
Life application: The Pharisees must have known that their disciples were falsely casting out demons. Having seen Jesus casting them out and realizing that what He was doing was true and effective, it cast on them the certain knowledge that He was able to do something they could not do. Therefore, they projected their failings on Him by adding an unsupportable accusation.
 
This, therefore, is essentially the fallacy known as projection. In essence, their thinking is as follows:
 
We are not really casting out demons. It is just a Benny Hinn show to dupe the masses.We see Jesus really casting out demons. However, we are (surely!) on God’s side.Therefore, He must be doing this at the hand of Beelzebul!
 
However, because they are lying about their abilities, they are actually doing the work of the devil, because their lying certainly isn’t of God. Therefore, they project their own failing on Jesus by ascribing His successes to Beelzebul.
 
This is a common practice among wicked people. They are corrupt, and yet they take what they are doing and ascribe it to their foes. As a modern example of this, which occurs daily in the US, the democrat party and individual democrats do exactly what they accuse their opponents of doing. In doing this, they project their own failings on those with whom they are at variance.
 
Unfortunately, shallow people who are unable to clearly process the events as they occur will often accept the words of such people without attempting to reconcile the words against the actions. It is a sort of brain-dead state where their hatred of a person or ideal completely blinds them to the reality in which they exist.
 
Much of this is a result of a lack of critical thinking, which is no longer taught in schools. Without the ability to see and then rightly process what is actually going on, subjective feelings become a person’s hold on reality. As they already cannot properly process reality, they have nothing but enmity welling up in them toward whoever is being falsely accused.
 
Jesus used critical thinking when dealing with the Pharisees. He was able to cut through their unsupportable accusations and shine the light back on those who made them, exposing their hypocrisy.
 
To rightly understand the accusations of the left, listening to well-trained critical thinking people such as Thomas Sowell, Victor Davis Hanson, Dennis Prager, and others will help you process what is really going on in the minds of the left.
 
The same is true in Christian circles. Be willing to listen to sound teachers who have taken the time to learn Scripture and rightly process when someone is giving an invalid argument from it. What God says and does is logical. Nothing illogical will issue from Him. Therefore, when something is illogically presented, even if it sounds right at first, it cannot be.
 
“With Him are wisdom and strength,He has counsel and understanding.” Job 12:13
 
Lord God, give us wisdom and understanding to rightly process Your word. Help us to possess this in the world around us as well. There is so much unclear thinking out there. Give us clarity of thought, discernment, and the ability to critically evaluate what is presented so that we can then rightly consider and act on what we are told. Amen.