JESUS is still speaking to the Pharisees, and concerning the Pharisees, and this goes on to the end of the chapter, and his words have terrible import concerning them, and all who act towards Jesus as they did.

Having refuted the charge the Pharisees made against him, Jesus goes on to describe in verse 29 what was really happening. This is what the Pharisees could not see and refused willfully to see. The fact was that the house of Satan was being burgled, and all his ill-gotten gains were being taken from him. Jesus is describing Satan as a strong man who has been living quietly and triumphantly in the house he has stolen, which is this world. Because of his strength, nobody could take his possessions from him, which in the terms of the analogy are human beings who inhabit the world. A burglar can expect no help from the owner of the house. If the burglar is to succeed he must first bind the owner of the house then he can take what he likes from the house.

Jesus is implying that he is the stronger than the strong man, Satan. Jesus is saying he has come and bound Satan, and now people who Satan regards as his possessions can be freed. Jesus can rob Satan's house. This is now the state of this Gospel age. Christ has won a victory over Satan by his death, resurrection, ascension and glorification, and now it is possible for people to be taken from Satan. This is the only viable interpretation of the reference in Revelation of Satan being bound for a 1000 years. Christ has bound Satan by his victory over him through the cross, and Satan's power is reduced so that people can now be saved from his power and dominion through faith in Christ. This may not seem to be so as we look out on the world, but we need to remember that no one would or could be saved if Satan wasn't bound as Jesus tells us he is bound in verse 29. It is the power of Jesus that binds him. Let us be diligent in this Gospel age to make hay while the sun shines, and so preach and witness that as many as possible may escape Satan's dominion.

Following this Jesus goes on to speak about the division there is in the world. The world makes everything so complicated. There are all sorts of problems presented to us. Jesus reduces everything to the true simple form. The world is divided into two kingdoms – the kingdom of Christ which is inhabited by those who are out and out for Jesus, and his true disciples, and the rest of the world who are not for Jesus, and are still in the kingdom of Satan. The stark reality which Jesus presents to us is that we can't be neutral. We are either for Jesus, and if we are not then we belong to the devil's kingdom.

Then Jesus, having the Pharisees in mind, speaks of the unforgivable sin – the sin of blaspheme against the Holy Ghost. This sin has troubled Christian minds all down the centuries, and most of the trouble is because we do not look at this sin in terms of the context in which it is spoken about by Jesus.

Jesus tells us in verses 30-33 that every sin can be forgiven, except one, which is the sin of blaspheme against the Holy Spirit. Of course for forgiveness to be experienced there must be true and real repentance, and here is the crux of the matter. Jesus is implying that the Pharisees, by their attitude were committing the unforgivable sin of blaspheme against the Holy Ghost.

Look at the record which we have in this chapter. Jesus showed that he was doing the work of God and that he was from God. The Holy Spirit was in his ministry testifying to the fact that Jesus had come to destroy the works of the devil. The Pharisees were flying in the face of this plain and powerful testimony of the Holy Spirit to Jesus. They were not just refusing to receive it, but they were willfully saying that this testimony of the Holy Spirit was the work of the devil. Here we see total refusal of these men to receive the testimony of the Holy Spirit to the Lordship and Saviourhood of Jesus. They were despising the gracious witness of the Spirit. This is the sin of blaspheme against the Holy Spirit.

The vilest sin can be forgiven. The Holy Spirit testifies to the fact that Jesus has atoned for the all the sin of the world, and there is no sin that he has not atoned for. The Holy Spirit testifies to the fact that all who repent and trust in Jesus are promised full forgiveness and eternal life through Jesus. If we deny this and willfully vilify this testimony of grace given by the Spirit, then we are shutting ourselves off from salvation, and blaspheming against the Holy Spirit and calling him a liar and a cheat.