These small group studies of Matthew 12:22-50 contain outlines, cross-references, Bible study discussion questions, verse by verse commentary, and applications. Visit our library of inductive Bible studies for more in depth inductive studies on this and other books of the Bible you can use in your small group.
Matthew 12:22-50 Bible Study – The Unforgivable Sin
Outline
I. Blasphemy against the Spirit (22-32)
II. A Tree is Known by its Fruit (33-37)
III. The Sign of Jonah (38-42)
IV. Return of an Unclean Spirit (43-45)
V. Jesus’ Mother and Brothers (46-52)
I. Blasphemy against the Spirit (22-32)
Discussion Questions
• How did the people respond to Jesus’ miracle?
• What does the title “Son of David” mean?
• How did the leaders respond to Jesus’ miracle?
• Who is Beelzebul?
• Paraphrase Jesus’ answer from verses 25-27 in your own words.
• Who is the strong man in verse 29?
• Who is the one entering the strong man’s house in Jesus’ example?
• What is Jesus saying in verse 30?
• How does that apply to agnostics?
• Is there an unforgivable sin? If so, what?
• Why does Jesus mention this specific unforgivable sin right now? How does the context shed light on what it might be?
• What warning should we take from this verse?
Cross-References
John 8:44 – You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
John 10:10 – The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
Luke 10:18 And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
Hebrews 2:14 – Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil.
Mark 3:28-29 – “Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”
Article from John Piper on the unforgivable sin – https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/beyond-forgiveness-blasphemy-against-the-spirit
Verse by Verse Commentary
1. This man cannot be the Son of David, can He? – The Son of David is a title used for the Messiah, since the Jews knew that the Messiah would be descended from David.
2. Beelzebul –
Matthew 12:24 – But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.”
Originally this was a name derived from a Philistine god worshipped in Ekron. It means something like “lord of the flies.” The Jews used it to describe a major demon or sometimes for Satan himself. Here they are accusing Jesus of casting out demons by the power of Satan and not by the power of God. Jesus also recognized what they were accusing Him of as seen in verse 26 where He says, “if Satan casts out Satan…” Their accusation shows the depth of the hardness of their hearts.
3. A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand – Jesus shoots holes into their logic that the miracles He was doing were by the power of Satan. What possible motivation would Satan have to cast out demons which he himself had sent to possess a person in the first place? Jesus said it best, “a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand.” Satan is certainly evil, but he is not dumb.
Jesus goes further and turns the question back to them. If He cast out demons by the power of Satan, what power did their own sons rely on to cast out demons? In accusing Jesus they were accusing themselves by implication. If they believed their own people were relying on the power of God, then they could not rightly blame Jesus as relying on a different power. Unfortunately the religious leaders did not care about logic or reason, only unbridled hate and bias.
4. The strong man –
Matthew 12:28-29 – But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can someone enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house.
In these verses Jesus warns them that the kingdom of God has come as evidenced by His miracles. By rejecting Him they were rejecting God and all the good things He offered to them. In the parable the “strong man” refers to Satan. Jesus is telling the people that He is in direct opposition to Satan. He can only do these miracles against Satan and his demons because He has already conquered Satan and won’t let him interfere. Satan and his demons are powerless to stop Jesus or the kingdom of God, because Jesus is strong enough to bind their liar in chief, Satan. Jesus is stronger than the strong man, Satan.
Application: Jesus is stronger than anything we will face. He is completely opposed to sin in every form and to the worldly system around us. We can be overwhelming conquerors in all that we face if we align ourselves with Him.
5. There is no middle –
Matthew 12:30 – Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
I often share the gospel using the bridge illustration. It depicts two sides, man’s side and God’s side. Those on God’s side have repented of their sins and placed their faith in Him. Those who haven’t are on man’s side. When I ask people, “Which side are you on?” man have answered, “I’m in the middle.” Here, Jesus shows us that there is no middle.
Jesus showed that there is no such thing as neutrality. He didn’t want anyone to sit on the fence. At times some of the people refused to publicly support or oppose Jesus for various reasons. They did the same when they told Jesus that they did not know whether John the Baptist’s preaching was from God or man.
Today there are many agnostics in the world. These are people who say they don’t care whether or not God exists. It is not important to them or their lives. They say that they are neutral. Jesus eliminates neutrality as a possibility. You are either with Him or against Him. There is no middle. So make up your minds. If you cast your lot with Jesus, go all the way and sell out to follow Him with everything you have.
6. The unforgivable sin – Jesus mentions here the unforgivable sin. In Mark He refers to it as the eternal sin. In the context, the sin is ascribing works of the Holy Spirit to Satan. The reverse could also be true and this blasphemy could include ascribing the works of Satan to the Holy Spirit.
Note that Jesus does not say the religious leaders have all absolutely done this already. But if they haven’t, they are very, very close to that point. Perhaps they are already over the cliff. And if not they are teetering on the precipice.
Note in verse 30 Jesus says that any sin or blasphemy will be forgiven, but then goes on to say that it will not be forgiven if it is against the Holy Spirit. How can we understand this? Sins are only forgiven if a person repents. Piper says in the article listed above that “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit puts you beyond repentance, and therefore beyond forgiveness.” Thus blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is not an exception. Rather blasphemy against the Spirit is a sin that the person who commits it will never repent of. He will never repent of it because if a person makes these statements against the Spirit then he has shut himself off from the Holy Spirit’s work. And true repentance and regeneration is impossible without the Holy Spirit’s special work in the heart. Here is a definition of the unforgivable sin: “The unforgivable sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is an act of resistance which belittles the Holy Spirit so grievously that he withdraws forever with his convicting power so that we are never able to repent and be forgiven.”
Application: Run from sin. Do not play with it. Do not toy with it. The more you do it the harder your hearts will get. You don’t know when you will cross over into irreversible hardness of heart. Few people feel terror at this thought of being forsaken by God because of persistent sin. God is very patient, but even His patience has a limit. The offer: all sins will be forgiven the sons of men. Repent today, because tomorrow it may be too late.
II. A Tree is Known by its Fruit (33-37)
Discussion Questions
• What does Jesus mean in verse 33 “make the tree good… or make the tree bad…?”
• Were the religious leaders good or bad trees? How do we know?
• What does this passage tell us about the relationship between deeds and heart?
• How then can we change our hearts from the inside out?
• What evil treasure had they brought forth out of their evil hearts?
• What careless words had they spoken?
• What careless words do we speak? Words spoken in anger?
• What application should you make from the principle in verse 37?
Cross-References
Psalms 19:14 – Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
Proverbs 16:24 – Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.
Ephesians 4:29 – Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
Proverbs 29:20 – Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
Psalms 51:10 – Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Ezekiel 36:26 – And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
Verse by Verse Commentary
1. A tree is known by its fruit –
Matthew 12:33 – Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit.
A person may be able to fake his spirituality for a while. But sooner or later his true heart and spiritual condition will be revealed by his actions. The fruit will show whether or not the tree is a good tree. In the context Jesus is saying that the religious leaders are bad trees. Their words are ugly lies, spoken out of stubborn pride and hate. Rather than welcome the Messiah, they oppose God’s own Son at every turn. Their true colors have been clearly revealed for all to see. And they are not neutral, but rather actively oppose Jesus.
2. Brood of vipers –
Matthew 12:34-35 – You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil.
Jesus calls them a brood of vipers. It is the same thing that John the Baptist once called them. Jesus boldly denounces them and their hateful opposition to God’s work. He calls their words evil. He calls their hearts evil. He proclaims that they are wholly and completely evil inside and out. It is a strong statement. And in the end it made little impact on them.
I think Jesus may have said it not primarily for their own benefit since they may have been beyond repentance anyway, but instead for the benefit of the crowds who followed them. Jesus didn’t want the crowds to blindly follow their blind guides anymore.
3. Careless words – We will have to give an answer for every careless word. Words are important. Once spoken they cannot be taken back. We will have to give an account for each one. There is a record with all of your words inside.
How would you feel if Jesus opened that book in front of all of us and started reading out all of the words that you said? What kind of words will be in that book? Prideful words? Hurtful words? Angry words? Gossip? Deceitful? Flattering? Lies? Disrespectful and rude? Curses?
Or perhaps there are not many of the above. But perhaps the words recorded in your book are largely empty. Perhaps your “book of words” is filled with meaningless words. Talk of politics and sports and movies and TV shows, etc. I hope rather that your “book of words” is filled with meaningful words. What kind of words do you think are more meaningful? Words of encouragement. Praise. Worship. Complimenting others. Testimonies. Sharing what we have learned from the Word. Let’s be intentional to guide conversations in a more meaningful direction.
Application – Spend some time to prayerfully reflect on your speech recently. Ask God to reveal to you any wrong habits. Confess those to the Lord and ask Him to help you tame your tongue.
III. The Sign of Jonah (38-42)
Discussion Questions
• What do you think motivated the religious leaders to ask Jesus for a sign?
• Why did Jesus respond with such strong words rather than just honoring their request?
• What sign did He promise them?
• How can we understand the statement “three days and three nights” if Jesus died on Good Friday?
• Why does Jesus make a comparison with Nineveh and the queen of the South? What do these Gentiles have to do with Jesus’ message?
Cross-References
Matthew 27:62-64 – The religious leaders wanted a guard until the third day.
Matthew 16:21, 17:23, 20:19, Luke 24:7, 21, 46 – Jesus would raise on the third day.
Verse by Verse Commentary
1. They ask for a sign (Matthew 12:38) – Jesus refuses to give a sign on demand. He is not a parlor magician. He doesn’t do miracles just to appease their appetites or draw attention to Himself. But He does tell them He will give them one sign. It is the greatest sign of all. It is His death and resurrection. He uses the analogy of Jonah who is in the belly of the fish and then appeared live on land as a comparison to His own death and resurrection.
God doesn’t ask us to believe in Him blindly. He has always been in the business of giving reasons to believe in Him. And this is no exception. The greatest reason to be a follower of Jesus is His resurrection. As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15, without it our entire faith crumbles and loses all meaning and merit. In Matthew 27:62-64 we see that the religious leaders remembered what He said. So they did understand this prophecy and could have seen and believed this sign if they would have been willing to humble themselves.
2. Three days and three nights – This phrase is the center of much debate. The traditional interpretation of the biblical account is that Jesus was crucified on Good Friday and rose from the dead on Resurrection Sunday. That allows for 1 complete day and two nights. It is reasonable to consider Friday and Sunday also count as a day since they are part of the day. But that would be three days and two nights, which falls one night short of Jesus’ statement here. For an explanation you can visit: https://bible.org/question/were-three-days-and-three-nights-jesus-was-grave-full-72-hours.
Those who hold to a Friday crucifixion remind us that we have to understand the Bible through a Jewish cultural lens. And in their culture the statement “three days and three nights” simply means across three days. It is hard for us to understand how it could mean that, but we see a similar case of this meaning in Esther 4:16 and 5:1. We also see that the religious leaders thought it was enough to have the guard present at the tomb until the third day (Matthew 27:62-67). The Greek does not say through the third day. So in the minds of Jesus’ listeners He was saying that He would rise again on the third day, which is in fact what many other verses in the Bible say.
We know that the next day was going to be a Sabbath day, which is another reason for the traditional interpretation. The Jews did have other high days or Sabbath days beyond the normal weekly ones related to the Passover festival. So some scholars rightly point out that Jesus could have been crucified on Thursday.
This is not a reason to get angry or divide over believers who view this issue differently. The most important thing is that Jesus was crucified and did rise again, not that his crucifixion was Thursday or Friday. For the people that become adamant about one view or another I would ask you a question: what practical difference will it make in your life whether Jesus was crucified on Thursday or Friday?
IV. Return of an Unclean Spirit (43-45)
Discussion Questions
• What lesson is Jesus teaching the people with this parable?
• What does Jesus mean “so it will also be with this generation?” What was going to happen to this generation? Why?
• What can we learn from this parable about the difference between surface/short-term and heart/long-term remedies for people’s spiritual condition?
• How might this apply to you if you are giving marriage counsel to unbelievers?
• What is the only lasting remedy for your friends and relatives’ problems?
Verse by Verse Commentary
1. If a person’s heart is not changed, surface changes will not last. A person may resolve himself to be a better person. Perhaps he can for a while. But if he has not decided to invite Jesus into his heart and make him Lord, he will revert back to his old habits again. Likewise if a person is possessed by a demon and the demon is driven out without a new Master (Jesus) being invited in, the demon will just come back again and bring more with him the second time. The lesson is simple: the only lasting remedy for people’s problems is Jesus. Anything short of accepting Jesus will result in only surface changes.
V. Jesus’ Mother and Brothers (46-52)
Discussion Questions
• Who do we know by name from the people mentioned in verse 46?
• Why did they have to send word in to Jesus instead of just going in and talking to Him directly?
• How did Jesus respond to this news? Why?
• What do we learn about the relationship we can have with Christ in these verses? Why is this important? How does this impact you?
• Is there anything we need to do based on what we learned today?
Cross-References
Mark 3:31-35 – Parallel passage in Mark.
John 1:12 – Those who believe in Him are children of God.
Matthew 13:53-58 – More on Jesus’ family including his four brothers.
Verse by Verse Commentary
1. A crowd – We can see again how crowded it was. His family was probably standing outside because it was too jammed with people to even get into the house. They had to pass the message to Jesus by word of mouth.
2. Jesus and His family – Jesus is not disrespecting his family. Later while hanging on the cross he told John to take care of His mother. Also, Jesus said that the common practice of children giving what they had to God when their parents needed help was wrong. In John 2, Jesus supernaturally helped Mary when she came to him with a need even though it wasn’t according to His planned schedule. Other biblical passages such as Ephesians 6 also tell us we must honor our parents.
Jesus’ point here is not actually about who is not part of His physical family, but who is part of His spiritual family. Jesus often used situations He and the people around Him were part of as object lessons. And this is one of those examples. The issue of “family” came up and Jesus taught them that anyone who obeyed God could be part of His spiritual family.
3. A spiritual family – Jesus has a large spiritual family that anyone can be part of.
Reflect – How does this passage encourage you?
Here are a few key lessons from this passage.
A. Jesus welcomes anyone into His family. There are many people from distressing family situations. Fathers abandon their children. Parents get divorced. Children like ABai and other orphans don’t even have parents. Many people that do have two parents have parents who drink, take drugs, are abusive physically or verbally, argue all the time, ignore them, berate them, dominate them, etc. Siblings are often selfish towards one another even to the point of fighting over their parents’ money after they pass away (see the story of the prodigal son, Esau/Jacob, or Joseph and his brothers for more sibling rivalry.)
Yet as bad as your family might be, there is hope. Jesus offers a different kind of family. He offers the love, care, peace, mercy, and kindness that is absent in many homes around the world. Jesus’ own physical family was not like this as his brothers for a time rejected Him and tried to control Him.
B. The spiritual family is more important than the physical family –
Galatians 6:10 – So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
This sentence is like a bombshell to the traditional Chinese value placed on family. Remember firstly that our physical family IS very important and that if we don’t care for the members of our family we are worse than an unbeliever.
1 Timothy 5:8 – But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
However, many believers are tempted to place the opinions and commands of family members over and above the opinions and commands of God (our heavenly Father.) You can see this with married couples where one spouse still listens to his parents first instead of his wife as the Bible says. You can also see this happen when a child decides not to continue following God because of pressure from his parents. I have seen this happen many times. Those who go down this road have made the decision that their physical family is more important than their spiritual family. This is the wrong decision. Jesus Himself said that He came to bring a sword not peace. Matthew 10:34.
C. Try to model your household and family after God’s – Don’t let your family become like those mentioned where the members are divided, lonely, bitter, and angry. Follow God’s rules for your own family and you can have one that reflects God’s own (and this is possible if your family is part of God’s family too.)
D. Treat brothers and sisters well – One complaint many have is that the church is divided and people often argue with each other there. Don’t be one of those divisive or argumentative people. Treat other believers like God wants us to treat a brother and sister. According to Ephesians 5, that means a mutual submission of our own will to each other.
E. There is an entrance requirement. Not everyone is part of God’s family. He is not everyone’s Father. Only those who do His will (which is enabled by having faith in Him) can enter His family. Are you in His family? Are you putting your heavenly Father’s or earthly father’s will first? Are you leading your home to be a model of God’s family or does it look like every other broken household? Do you treat brothers and sisters in the church like brothers and sisters or do you treat them like strangers, nuisances, or even enemies?
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