Blasphemy

Blasphemy is speaking or writing in a way that shows disrespect or insults God. It can also include actions that show contempt toward God. More generally, "blasphemy" can refer to insulting or damaging someone's reputation. This includes any words or actions that degrade or devalue another person. In ancient Greek writings, people used the word "blasphemy" to describe insults or mockery toward both living and dead people. Later, it came to also mean doubting or mocking the power and nature of the gods.

In the Old Testament, “blasphemy” always means to insult God, either by attacking him directly or mocking him indirectly. Either way, the glory and honor of God are lessened. So, blasphemy is the opposite of praise. An Israelite might directly insult the “Name” (the personal name of God, Yahweh) by cursing God (Leviticus 24:10–16) or deliberately disobeying God’s law (Numbers 15:30). Either of those blasphemies was punishable by death, as was idolatry, the ultimate blasphemy (Isaiah 66:3).

It was thought that Gentiles, who had never experienced the power and majesty of the Lord, were the most likely blasphemers. Thus the king of Assyria blasphemed in equating the Lord with the gods of the nations he had already conquered (2 Kings 19:4–6, 22). For his arrogance, the king was doomed by the word of the prophet Isaiah. God was also mocked when:

Israel was exiled (Isaiah 52:5);

Edom derided the desolate “mountains of Israel” (Ezekiel 35:12, King James Version); and

The enemy scoffed that God had not protected Jerusalem (Psalm 74:18; 1 Maccabees 2:6).

In the New Testament, blasphemy takes on the wider Greek meaning. It includes slandering a human being, as well as God (Matthew 15:19; see also Romans 3:8; 1 Corinthians 10:30; Ephesians 4:31; Titus 3:2). It even includes mocking angelic or demonic powers, which is just as wrong as mocking any other being (2 Peter 2:10–12, Jude 1:8–10). In other words, slander, ridicule, and mocking of any kind are totally condemned in the New Testament.

The most common form of blasphemy in the New Testament is blasphemy against God. One might insult God directly (Revelation 13:6; 16:9), mock his word (Titus 2:5), or reject his revelation and its bearer (Acts 6:11). Jesus was accused of blasphemy when he claimed to have a prerogative belonging to God—the power to forgive sins (Mark 2:7). John 10:33–36 reports an attempt to stone Jesus. His accusers said to him, “You, who are a man, declare Yourself to be God” (verse 33). The highest Jewish court (the Sanhedrin) condemned Jesus on the charge of blasphemy because he claimed to be the Son of Man (the Messiah). In their view, Jesus had given no evidence that he was such an exalted personage. Jesus appeared to be mocking the Messiah and, by extension, to mock God himself (Mark 14:64).

The Bible makes clear that blasphemy is forgivable (Matthew 12:32; Mark 3:28–29). But, if a person will not repent, the only remedy is to turn him or her “over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme” (1 Timothy 1:20).

The Bible mentions blasphemy against the Holy Spirit only in Mark 3:28–29 and the parallel passages in Luke 12:10 and Matthew 12:31. Blasphemy means speaking against God in a deeply insulting or dishonoring way.

In Mark, people responded to the growing popularity and amazing power of Jesus in two ways:

His family thought he was out of his mind and tried to take him home.

The religious leaders said that his power came from demons. They had already accused him of blasphemy (Mark 2:1–12).

Matthew adds that these leaders were Pharisees who were disturbed by a healing Jesus had performed. Luke places this teaching of Jesus in a different setting, where he speaks about openly confessing faith in him.

Jesus explained that the charge of demon possession did not make sense. He also said that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit would never be forgiven. He taught that speaking against the Holy Spirit was even more serious than speaking against the Son of Man or against God. In the Old Testament, blasphemy against God was punished by death (Leviticus 24:16). Yet Jesus said that those sins could be forgiven.

Many Jews believed that death brought an end to the guilt of every sin. Therefore, when Jesus called blasphemy against the Holy Spirit “an eternal sin,” he showed how serious it was.

The religious leaders had seen clear and public evidence of God’s good power. Yet they called that power evil and said that it came from demons. In this way, they knowingly rejected God, his power, and his saving grace. They had seen the truth, but they rejected it and spoke against it to others.

According to this interpretation, the “unforgivable sin” is not simply a serious moral failure. It is not continuing in one particular sin. It is also not insulting or rejecting Jesus because of spiritual blindness or a sudden act of rebellion. Instead, it is the deliberate rejection of God’s good power. It is a willing choice to call good evil and to confuse the work of God with the work of Satan.

How can this sin be unforgivable if God is always willing to forgive? The answer given here is that the person has gone beyond the point of turning back. God respects human freedom. The sin cannot be repented of because the person has rejected repentance so firmly that repentance is no longer possible. The evidence is clear, but the person still rejects the truth while knowing that it is true.

This definition also means that a person who fears that they have committed the unforgivable sin has probably not committed it. A troubled conscience and this kind of deliberate rejection cannot exist together. Feelings of regret show that the person has not fully and knowingly rejected the work of the Holy Spirit.

At the same time, the teaching of Jesus gives a serious warning. Those who know the truth about God must not reject it or turn away from their faith.

See also Unpardonable Sin, Unforgivable Sin.