With so many views of what the unpardonable sin is, is there a common theme?

Question

There are many Christian pastors, scholars, and theologians who are positive they have the correct interpretation of the unpardonable sin. There isn’t a universal interpretation that everyone agrees on. I assume they all take into account verses such as John 7:37-38, 1 John 1:8–9, Hebrew 7:25, John 6:44, and Romans 10:9-10 when forming their interpretations.

Questions

1. Can it be correctly said that all interpretations by pastors and theologians on the unpardonable sin, involve a rejection of Jesus within the interpretation, or involve non-repentance?

I don’t believe any interpretation to be correct if it implies that after said interpretation occurs, one could be denied by our Lord if they repent and believe in their heart that Jesus is Lord and they call on His Name. Based on so many other verses, that interpretation is just unBiblical.

1. If some pastors or theologians think otherwise, do they ever attempt to explain their view of the unpardonable sin and how it would hermeneutically fit within the rest of scripture, without contradictions?

Looking for common ground within interpretations of this sin by theologians and pastors. I know of folks who are terrified they may have accidentally committed this sin. (I asked these similar questions in a different community on this site but didn’t get a lot of answers due to it being the incorrect community, I think by the site’s guidelines, to ask in.)

The unpardonable sin verse I have been referring to is Matthew 12:31-32:

³¹ And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. ³² Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

Answer 1

The immediate context of Matthew 12 (which I think is a common element) is Jesus healing a man and some accusing him of doing it by the power of Satan:

Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw. And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David? But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. - Matthew 12:22-24

Any discrepancy, therefore, between interpretations will have to come from disagreements as to how far beyond the immediate context the principle applies. If one factors in the stated purpose of Jesus' signs, which is to identify him as the promised Christ:

Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. - Matthew 11:2-6

And if one factors in the stated purpose of the Holy Spirit of God by which Jesus performed the signs:

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you. - John 16:13-15

Then it stands to reason that the unpardonable sin which Jesus talks about is the rejection of the Holy Spirit's work in Jesus and testimony regarding Jesus. It also stands to reason that rejecting that which testifies of Jesus renders it impossible to receive Jesus and be forgiven so that rejection of testimony is unpardonable since the pardon is through Jesus.

Unless one goes far afield it is difficult to imagine a scenario where one has received Jesus and also commits the unpardonable sin. Doing it accidentally would appear impossible. Until one receives Jesus they are continually committing the unpardonable sin because the Holy Spirit is in the world for a very particular purpose:

Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:  Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;  Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. - John 16:7-11

After receiving Jesus it is a matter of theological debate as to whether the unpardonable sin can be committed and whether or not it can be repented of.

Answer 2

Can it be correctly said that all interpretations by pastors and theologians on the unpardonable sin, involve a rejection of Jesus within the interpretation, or involve non repentance?

No, because many people interpret this sin as to attribute God's works to Satan. In this way of looking at it, a person may accept Jesus but supposedly commit the unforgivable sin by saying that a spiritual leader or a church is inspired by Satan rather than God. Protestants who say that the Pope is the antichrist might be one example, and so might Catholics who say that Martin Luther was inspired by the devil. Both are thought by others to attribute God's work to Satan. Regarding non-repentance, few commentators think this is blasphemy. Indeed many people seem to reject the Holy Spirit's conviction early in life but repent at a later opportunity.

If some pastors or theologians think otherwise, do they ever attempt to explain their view of the unpardonable sin and how it would hermeneutically fit within the rest of scripture, without contradictions?

Yes. The interpretation I mentioned above is backed by Matthew 12, where Jesus specifically says speaking against the Son of Man may be forgiven but blasphemy against the Holy Ghost will not. Jesus is not the Holy Ghost, so those who disagree with the OP do not necessarily contradict scripture. This passage remains controversial and there is no consensus about how it should be interpreted.

Answer 3

Mark 3:22-30 describes the same incident as in Matthew 12:22-32. Verses 28-30 make the point that the unforgivable is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Jesus rebuked the unbelieving Pharisees who attributed his miracles to Beelzebub, the prince of demons, with these words:

I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin. He said this because they were saying, “He has an evil spirit.”

The Jewish leaders of Jesus’ day committed the unforgivable sin by accusing Jesus Christ (in person, on earth) of being demon-possessed. They had no excuse for such an action. They were not speaking out of ignorance or misunderstanding. They saw Jesus’ wonderful works, and they heard His clear presentation of truth. Yet they deliberately chose to deny the truth and slander the Holy Spirit. This was a unique event. Jesus is no longer here performing miracles and healing. He is in heaven, at the right hand of God. But the Holy Spirit is here and is at work in the world, convicting the unsaved of sin, righteousness and judgment (John 16:8-11).

The only unforgivable sin today is that of continued unbelief. No born-again Christian who has experienced the spiritual rebirth can say anything other than “Jesus is Lord” and that because the Holy Spirit has convicted them that Christ Jesus is Lord and Saviour. Jesus’ promise is that “he is able to save completely those who come to God through him” (Hebrews 7:25). Our Lord will never fail. “Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation” (Isaiah 12:2).

You ask: Can it be correctly said that all interpretations by pastors and theologians on the unpardonable sin, involve a rejection of Jesus within the interpretation, or involve non repentance?

Answer: I can’t speak for any and all ministers/pastors/theologians. But the Bible seems very clear – that if we do not repent and if we reject Christ Jesus we have sinned against the Holy Spirit, which is unpardonable.

You ask: Q: If some pastors or theologians think otherwise, do they ever attempt to explain their view of the unpardonable sin and how it would hermeneutically fit within the rest of scripture, without contradictions?

Answer: I can’t speak for any and all ministers/pastors/theologians as to whether they attempt to explain their view. All I can say is that the Bible is clear – we are destined to die once and after that to face judgment (Hebrews 9:27). No mention of a second chance. We are judged on the basis of what we say and do in this life. People (like the Pharisees) who reject Christ Jesus do so to their eternal detriment.

Answer 4

The passage in Matthew speaking of the unpardonable sin jumps out at you when you read it. It is jarring. If you look at it in isolation from other exceptional statements in Matthew, its fuller meaning will elude you.

A key to reaching a better understanding of the passage is to reflect on the Trinitarian structure of both Matthew and the Ten Commandments. The commandments may be divided into fourteen imperative statements. Each imperative is closely aligned with one member of the Trinity. Thus the commands to not make vain oaths and to not bear false witness naturally match Jesus as the Word, the truth. Likewise, honoring father and mother is something a Son does and Jesus, as Lord of the Sabbath, is the one who calls people to rest.

In similar vein, the Holy Spirit is tied up in worship as it relates to the heart, so no worshiping idols and no adultery and no coveting, as adultery is used in scripture often as an analogy for false worship and coveting is another form of idolatry. Also, keeping the sabbath Holy names holiness directly.

Rounding out the commandments, the Father has to do with commands about actions manipulating physical reality, so making idols with your hands, murdering people with your hands, stealing things with your hands.

Matthew has 28 chapters. If you take it as fourteen pairs of chapters in sequence, it turns out that each pair of chapters matches one of the fourteen imperative statements in the Commandments. Matthew literally gives us the Law of Christ spoken of by the Apostle Paul. Not only do the commandments match the chapters of Matthew, so do the assignments to the members of the Trinity. The principal member of the Trinity for each imperative statement matches the person most discussed or exalted in that chapter of Matthew, almost...

Four chapters of Matthew exalt a member of the Trinity out of place. The last chapter (Matt 28) exalts all three, with the command to baptize in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The other deviations from pattern each favor one of the three members and constitute the most powerful statements in Matthew about each person:

• Chapter 6 matches the Father, not the Holy Spirit
• Chapter 12 matches the Holy Spirit, not the Father
• Chapter 17 matches the Son, not the Father

How can we make this claim? Chapter six mentions the Father nine times, including Jesus teaching the Lord's Prayer, the Our Father. Chapter seventeen describes the Transfiguration of Christ on the mountain. And of course chapter 12 has Jesus telling us about the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

It is not mainly about the sin! The most important thing to learn about this passage is that Jesus is lifting up the Holy Spirit as important, to be feared, respected and worshiped. These four chapters, 6, 12, 17 and 28 tell us to revere each person of the Trinity separately and as one.

Jesus said that some people who call Lord, Lord are liars, because they do not do it from the heart. He said that true worshipers worship God in Spirit and in Truth. In everything he taught, Jesus emphasized the heart over words or actions. Only actions and words that proceed from a pure heart are pure. Everything starts there. Whatever the unpardonable sin is, it has to do with heart attitudes and worship.