The following "Question" was asked by a member of the congregation at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, and "Answered" by their pastor, John MacArthur Jr. It was transcribed by Kathy Shortridge of Billings, Montana from the tape, GC 1301-P, titled "Bible Questions and Answers Part 18."  A copy of the tape can be obtained by writing, Word of Grace, P.O. Box 4000, Panorama City, CA 91412 or by dialing toll free 1-800-55-GRACE. ©1981. All Rights Reserved.

Question

In Matthew 12:31-32 it talks about the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit and in Hebrews 6:4-6 it talks about “crucifying again the Son of God.” Can you explain the differences between and or similarities in those passages. How does the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit in Matthew twelve relate to Hebrews six?

Answer

Now, we talked about Hebrews six a little bit last time where it says, "...those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit...if they have fallen away, that it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, seeing they crucify the Son of God and put him to an open shame." 

Essentially those two passages are parallel. Because, what happened in twelve of Matthew is identical to what the writer of Hebrews is talking about. The reason the Pharisees blasphemed the Holy Spirit was they had seen everything Jesus did. All his miracles, all his works, they had heard all his teaching. Every possible exposure to him had been given to them, and they rejected it, and they concluded that he’s of the devil. And so he says, with all of that light and all of that information you have concluded 180 degrees opposite the truth. And therefore in a sense its impossible for you to be renewed to repentance because when you had full light you concluded the very opposite thing. So in Hebrews six, he's saying the same thing: Some of you, who have had full exposure to the full light and turned your back on Christ at that point can never be renewed again to repentance, because you rejected with the full information.

Added to Bible Bulletin Board's "MacArthur’s Questions and Answers" by:

Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
Box 119
Columbus, New Jersey, USA, 08022
Our websites: www.biblebb.com and www.gospelgems.com
Email: tony@biblebb.com
Online since 1986