Pharisees Looking to Catch Jesus in a Gotcha Moment

Last time, we finished the final of four sections of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (See Building Our Foundation Upon the Word of Christ).

If you think about it, the Pharisees have been trying to catch Jesus in a ‘gotcha moment’ for quite a while. You know, trying to get Him to blaspheme Himself so that they might have Christ executed.

Jesus certainly has kept them in a constant kerfuffle. For example, He declared that He had the power on earth to forgive sins when He healed the paralytic in Peter’s house.

Christ also spoke a parable to them which demonstrated their spiritual corruption. Finally, He healed a man in their synagogue, on the Sabbath. Certainly, the Pharisees got their headdresses in a twist. But they have yet to come upon a ‘killing blow’ to usurp His authority and build a case for blasphemy – leading to death.

Previously, we left off with Jesus teaching the Gospel in a town near Capernaum. When He finished, a Pharisee, named Simon, immediately approached Him and invited Jesus to share a meal with him in his home.

Christ assented, surely looking for any opportunity to declare His Kingdom message.

When they arrived at the Pharisee’s home, a woman (whom the Bible identifies as a ‘sinner’ inferring that she was a prostitute), approaches Jesus, washed His feet with her tears, dried them with her hair, and anointed them with fragrant oil.

The Pharisee is watching this scenario with disgust, thinking that if Jesus was the God-ordained prophet that He claimed, surely, He would know she was a sinner and send her away.

Jesus perceives Simon’s thoughts and verbally answers him with a pertinent parable. It described a creditor who forgave two men their debts to him. One of them owed the creditor ten times as much as the other.

Christ asks Simon which man loved the creditor more. Simon rightly answers that it was the one that had owed him the most.[1]

Our Savior turns to the woman, while He speaks conviction over Simon:

Then turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house [but you failed to extend to Me the usual courtesies shown to a guest]; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair [demonstrating her love]. You gave Me no [welcoming] kiss, but from the moment I came in, she has not ceased to kiss My feet. You did not [even] anoint My head with [ordinary] oil, but she has anointed My feet with [costly and rare] perfume. Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.”

Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” Those who were reclining at the table with Him began saying among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith [in Me] has saved you; go in peace [free from the distress experienced because of sin].” Lk. 7:44 – 50. AMP

The woman loved much because of the great expanse of Christ’s forgiveness, available to her because of her faith in Him and in His grace. This is the same kind of loving grace Jesus is always willing to bestow upon repentant sinners.

Afterwards, Jesus, the apostles, and other disciples traveled from town to town, preaching the Gospel. While doing so, He healed a demon-possessed man that was freed from demonic blindness and a likewise induced inability to speak.

Crowds that were following Him went wild and were beginning to think that Jesus just might be the Messiah. However, there were some persnickety Pharisees within the crowd that accused Him of using the power of the devil to exorcise the man. Christ takes a huge umbrage against their accusation:

Knowing their thoughts Jesus said to them, “Any kingdom that is divided against itself is being laid waste; and no city or house divided against itself will [continue to] stand. If Satan casts out Satan [that is, his demons], he has become divided against himself and disunited; how then will his kingdom stand? If I cast out the demons by [the help of] Beelzebub (Satan), by whom do your sons drive them out? For this reason, they will be your judges. But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out the demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you [before you expected it]. Or how can anyone go into a strong man’s house and steal his property unless he first overpowers and ties up the strong man? Then he will ransack and rob his house.” Mt. 12:25 – 29. AMP

Jesus is stating that it makes no sense for the devil to attack himself. He’s also letting the Pharisees know that He is first whipping Satan’s butt, and then exorcising his demonic minions.

But wait! He’s not done. He clearly describes His God-given earthly mandate:

“He who is not with Me [once and for all on My side] is against Me; and he who does not [unequivocally] gather with Me scatters.

“Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy [every evil, abusive, injurious speaking, or indignity against sacred things] will be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the [Holy] Spirit will not be forgiven. Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit [by attributing the miracles done by Me to Satan] will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.” Mt. 12:30 – 32. AMP[2]

Blasphemy results, in this case, by denying the miracles of the Holy Spirit, which is fed by rejecting the deity of Christ.

This is commonly referred to as the ‘unpardonable sin’. Thus, we must elucidate the characteristics of the Holy Spirit, because heretofore, He was only briefly introduced to Nicodemus regarding His role in baptism.[3]

Approximately 2 years from this moment with the Pharisees, Jesus would offer further elucidation to the apostles:

But theHelper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you. Jn. 14:26 AMP

“But when the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby) comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of Truth who comes from the Father, He will testify and bear witness about Me.” Jn. 15:26 AMP

So, the primary purpose of the presence of the Holy Spirit is to bring greater revelation of the Gospel and of Christ and His deity.

‘Blaspheme’ comes from the Greek blasphemo, which means ‘to speak evil, defame, or to speak irreverently.’ It is denying the Holy Spirit’s very purpose, which is to glorify the Father through the Son, and to herald the truth of Jesus Christ.

Thus, to deny the Holy Spirit is to deny Christ and His salvation continually and unrepentantly. Then forgiveness is forfeit.

If you did repent before you died, even this would be forgiven. But if you stay the course in your blasphemy, your outcome is eternal:

[For if we go on willfully and deliberately sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice [to atone] for our sins [that is, no further offering to anticipate], but a kind of awful and terrifying expectation of [divine] judgment and the fury of a fire and burning wrath which will consume the adversaries [those who put themselves in opposition to God].] Hb. 10:26, 27. AMP

Jesus is done dealing with these lying Pharisees. Now, He begins to upbraid them for trying to lead God’s children astray:

“You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart.” Mt. 12:34, 35. NLT

“But I tell you, on the day of judgment people will have to give an accounting for every careless or useless word they speak. For by your words [reflecting your spiritual condition] you will be justified and acquitted of the guilt of sin; and by your words [rejecting Me] you will be condemned and sentenced.” Mt. 12:36, 37. AMP

The Pharisees balk, demanding a miracle from Jesus (how many do they need?). Christ refuses to perform like a trained animal. He rebukes them again:

“Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign; but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.” Mt. 12:39, 40. NLT

Jesus was referring to His impending death and resurrection. Yet it sails right over their heads. Instead, He clarifies their demon possession:

“When an unclean spirit comes out of a person, it roams through waterless places looking for rest but doesn’t find any. Then it says, ‘I’ll go back to my house that I came from.’ Returning, it finds the house vacant, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and settle down there. As a result, that person’s last condition is worse than the first. That’s how it will also be with this evil generation.” Mt. 12:43 – 45. CSB

The ‘house’ is the soul of the rebellious, one swept clean of the Gospel or any other knowledge of Jesus. In this state, the unbeliever carries his or her own ‘hell’.

Let’s conclude on a higher note. At the end of this encounter with the Pharisees, someone tells Jesus that His family was nearby and would like to speak with Him. Christ never lets a teaching moment go by. He answers for the whole crowd to hear – defining who belongs to the family of God:

“For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven [by believing in Me, and following Me] is My brother, sister and mother” Mt. 12:50 AMP

Amen

Goodnight and God bless.

[1] Lk. 7:40 – 43.

[2] Mk. 3:29

[3] Jn. 3:1 – 8.