Correspondence: The Thieves; Blasphemy Against the Holy Ghost

From: Young Christian: Volume 35, 1945

Matthew 27:44; Luke 23:39; Matthew 12:31‑32 • 3 min. read • grade level: 8

Question: Please explain Matthew 27:44⁴⁴The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth. (Matthew 27:44) with Luke 23:39-43³⁹And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. ⁴⁰But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? ⁴¹And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. ⁴²And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. ⁴³And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. (Luke 23:39‑43).

Answer: Matthew 27:44⁴⁴The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth. (Matthew 27:44) asserts that both the thieves joined with the priests in mocking and reviling the Lord.

Luke 23:39-43³⁹And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. ⁴⁰But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? ⁴¹And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. ⁴²And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. ⁴³And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. (Luke 23:39‑43) witnesses that one repented and believed on Jesus, calling Him Lord, and owning that He was the true King of Israel, and asking a place in His Kingdom in the future when He would come to reign. His genuine repentance and conversion are seen in the way he condemned himself, and reproved the other, and in looking to the Lord for His forgiving love to bless him. The Lord’s answer bears it out. Jesus said unto him, “Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise.” This was immediate blessing. He was sure to be in paradise that very day with the Lord.

2 Corinthians 12:2-4²I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. ³And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) ⁴How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. (2 Corinthians 12:2‑4) calls the third heaven paradise: that is where the spirit of Jesus went, and that is where the thief went when the spirit left his body. Jesus said in verse 46, “Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit,” then He died. The martyr Stephen, in Acts 7:59⁵⁹And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. (Acts 7:59) said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

2 Corinthians 5:8⁸We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:8) witnesses to the same blessed truth. It is not true that the spirit is unconscious after death. Nor is it true that the Lord went into prison when He died. His spirit went to the Father, but He did not ascend till forty days after He rose from the dead. Ascension is of spirit, soul and body, the whole man.

Question: What is the meaning of Matthew 12:31-32³¹Wherefore 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. ³²And 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 12:31‑32)?

Answer: Read from verses 22 to 32. Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost was the Pharisees’ saying that Jesus did His miracles by the power of Beelzebub, the prince of the devils (See also Mark 3:22-30²²And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils. ²³And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan? ²⁴And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. ²⁵And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. ²⁶And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end. ²⁷No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house. ²⁸Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: ²⁹But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation: ³⁰Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit. (Mark 3:22‑30)). “Because they said He had an unclean spirit.” This showed the wickedness and malicious hatred of their hearts. They have “never forgiveness,” “neither in this world” (or age, dispensation of law), “neither in the world to come” (the dispensation that follows after the church is caught up).

Now we live in the period when God is dealing in grace. Now we preach the gospel to every creature, “Whosoever believeth in Him, shall receive remission of sins” (Acts 10:43⁴³To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. (Acts 10:43)). There are men now living who once professed to believe on Christ, and have become apostates. They have not been born again. They have only a name to live, but are dead; and there are true believers who have sunk into worldly ways. To them, God calls, “Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from (among) the dead, and Christ shall give thee light,” not life, for every believer has eternal life. He may lose his happiness, and cease to enjoy his salvation, but the Great Shepherd will look after every blood-washed one.

This “blasphemy of the Holy Ghost” has no reference to true believers who have backslidden. 1 John 2:1 Says to God’s children, “If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” He maintains our place before the Father in all the blessed efficacy of His own finished work.

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