Encounter Jesus – Matthew Week 10

How Does Jesus Respond to Rejection?

Matthew 11-12

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Lesson Notes

In Matthew chapters 5-9 we saw people constantly amazed by Jesus. Challenged, but amazed. A few people start to question him and whisper nasty things.

In chapter 50, He calls his apostles and sends them to practice their life’s work. He warns them of opposition, then and in the future.

In chapters 11-12, we have a series of stories where people first question and then outright oppose Jesus (chapter 12) as He becomes much clearer about who He is.

  • Matthew 11:27 – All things handed to Him, no one knows the Father except the  Son and who He chooses to reveal Him to
  • Matthew 12:6 – Greater than the temple
  • Matthew 12:8 – Lord of the Sabbath
  • Matthew 12:14 – Pharisees conspired against Him
  • Matthew 12: 41 – Greater than Jonah
  • Matthew 12: 42 – Greater than Solomon

We’ll focus on one of these stories – the sharpest conflict – Matthew 12: 22-37

The Pharisees Commit the Unforgivable Sin (Matthew 12: 22-37)

  • Read Matthew 12: 22-37 – Realize this is all one story, it all relates together.
  • People sometimes wring their hands over the unforgiveable sin / blasphemy of the Spirit
    • Those who worry about it have forgotten the context of the whole story
    • The context of this exorcism clarifies it tremendously!
  • verse 22 – demon-oppressed, blind, mute. Healing this man was an unprecedented miracle.
    • We don’t know much about 1st century exorcism, but it was apparently not uncommon.
    • It seems a mute demon was a special case – one theory is you had to know the demon’s name to cast it out, and a mute demon couldn’t tell you its name. Therefore casting out a mute demon was a sign of the Messiah.
  • verse 23 – All the people are asking if He is the  Son of David (= Messiah). Note – the blind men in chapter 9 already knew He was the Son of David.
  • verse 24 – Matthew 9: 14 – Pharisees are conspiring to destroy Him. So they pronounce in their authority – they are the primary teachers, highly respected – He casts out demons by the power of demons.
  • verses 25-27 – Jesus responds with logic. 2 arguments: (1) If you’re right, that’s stupid, it’d be a demon civil war, and (2) If that’s how I cast out demons, how do your people?
  • verse 28 – If they’re wrong then this miracle has tremendous significance
    • If it’s not by the power of Satan, it’s the Spirit of God
    • Then the Kingdom of God is here – now!
  • verse 29 – Jesus responds with more logic!
    • How could I beat Satan if the Kingdom weren’t here? If the binding of Satan’s minions wasn’t by Satan’s power, then Jesus must be more powerful than Satan!
    • Jesus has entered Satan’s house = the Earth! (John 12: 31, 14:30)
    • And beat him at the temptation (chapter 4)
    • Now he’s plundering his goods – people!
  • verse 30 – Jesus responds with a call for decision!
    • No more waffling and watching – you’re with Jesus or you aren’t.
    • This is still true – you can’t be sort of with Jesus, or respect him as a teacher, that’s just displaying ignorance of what He taught.
    • Either you follow Him as Lord, Savior, and Son of God, or you don’t.
    • Either you’re gathering the harvest with Jesus or you’re scattering it (i.e. part of the problem)
    • Note that in the Old Testament (which is all these people knew) the harvester is always God!
  • verse 31 – Every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven – Good News! That’s what Jesus offers.
    • If you say that what He does by the Holy  Spirit is the work of Satan you can’t be forgiven.
    • Because you can’t believe Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God and so you are incapable of saving faith. So can’t receive forgiveness.
    • Blasphemy of the Spirit = Attributing the works of God to Satan
      • You are so turned around you refuse to trust in Jesus
      • It is a heart so hard it won’t ever seek forgiveness in Jesus Christ
  • verse 32 – Why you can rage against Jesus for years and still come to repentance and faith
    • But if you are so hardened, so set, that the work of God is Satan’s work to you, you will never bring yourself to ask forgiveness. And if you never ask, you can’t be forgiven.
    • A believer can’t commit this sin. Anyone who even asks the question pretty much can’t commit this sin, because they have enough awareness of God to ask.
  • That’s the Unforgivable Sin and the Pharisees just committed it
    • We have to understand that from the context
    • As we’ll see, this is the turning point – Jesus is done with them
    • verses 33-37 – Jesus rips them to shreds.
    • Then Jesus stops speaking clearly and directly. From here on, he uses parables so that those who willfully choose not to get it won’t understand.
  • Decision Time!
    • We’ve seen massive crowds following Jesus – astonished, amazed.
    • He’s given them proof after proof.
    • Now it’s decision time for everyone then and every reader throughout history.
    • Lack of a decision is a decision.
    • Either He is the Son of God or you reject Him.