This prompted the Jewish leaders to say, “Now we know for sure that you’re demon possessed! You just said that those who keep watch over your words will never experience death, but Abraham and all the prophets have died!
The student must be satisfied to share his teacher’s fate and the servant his master’s. If they have called the head of the family ‘lord of flies,’ no wonder they malign the members of his family.
You can believe all you want that there is one true God, that’s wonderful! But even the demons know this and tremble with fear before him, yet they’re unchanged—they remain demons.
For not even the most powerful one of all, the Anointed One, lived to please himself. His life fulfilled the Scripture that says: All the insults of those who insulted you fall upon me.
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of deep sorrows who was no stranger to suffering and grief. We hid our faces from him in disgust and considered him a nobody, not worthy of respect.
Yahweh, Israel’s Kinsman-Redeemer and Holy One, says to the one who is deeply despised and repulsed by rulers and a slave to the ruling class: “Kings will see and stand up in respect; princes will bow down to honor the faithfulness of Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”
This is why I warn you. God will forgive people for every sin and blasphemy except one. There is no forgiveness for the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
Now this was John’s testimony when some of the Jewish leaders sent an entourage of priests and temple servants from Jerusalem to interrogate him. “Who are you?” they asked him.
This so confused the Jewish leaders that they began to say, “Is he planning to commit suicide? What’s he talking about—‘You won’t be able to come where I am going’?”