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If Jesus says those words, maybe I should listen up! He said that to people questioning his ministry. Mark 3:21 called them his friends from home. Then the “religious scholars” got in on the act and started to spread rumors against Jesus. (Rumors are a common tactic of the enemy…fans of Vegie Tales will remember the Rumor Weed). The talk was all about the source of Jesus’ power for the miraculous – that maybe he was using “devil tricks”. People haven’t changed at all in all these 2000 plus years. We’d rather believe something outlandish – anything – rather than admit Jesus just might be who he said he is!
Jesus considered the accusation of “evil power” to be a direct act of slander against the actual source of his power – the Holy Spirit. And he delivered a stern warning: to deny the Holy Spirit, to slander against Him, is to “repudiate the One who forgives”. Doing so puts forgiveness in danger. Jesus used the analogy of sawing off the branch on which you’re sitting, “severing off all connection with the One who forgives.” (Mark 3:29) Jesus began his warning saying “There’s nothing done or said that can’t be forgiven.” But… you are in dangerous territory when you slander the Holy Spirit!
“Listen to this carefully. I’m warning you,” He said… That’s an attitude check to pay attention to!
