Several passages of the Bible mention "blasphemy." It is described in terms which suggest that it is a terrible sin, a great calamity, an enormous disaster. The first mention of the term blasphemy is found in 2 Kings. When Sennacherib, king of Assyria, was approaching Israel and sent a message defying the God of heaven and demanding immediate surrender, Hezekiah described that terrible day in these words: "This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth" (2 Kings 19:3).
Here, the king of Israel describes a great reversal of fortunes--a day of great potential turned completely upside down, an opportunity not only forfeited but replaced with the greatest possible loss. Can one think of a greater calamity, before the age of modern medicine and the C-section, than for the children to have "come to the birth" when "there is not strength to bring forth"? Such is the nature of the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. It involves taking that which is most sacred, most precious, and most highly respected (such as a newborn babe) and treating it with the greatest possible disdain, resulting in the greatest possible loss.
To blaspheme an entity means to treat it with scorn, reproach, violent contempt, absolute disrespect. In Old Testament times, the penalty for blaspheming the name of God was death (see Leviticus 24:16). Although "the law was given by Moses" and "grace and truth came by Jesus Christ" (John 1:17), Jesus did not suggest that one who is guilty of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost should receive grace. Jesus made clear that the penalty for blasphemy against the Holy Ghost is the most severe that could possibly be suffered. He said, "Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men ... whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come" (Matthew 12:31, 32). Even in the New Testament, where the grace of God is most fully revealed, blasphemy against the Holy Ghost is described as unpardonable. It results in the irrevocable curse of God.
As we have seen, the Holy Spirit is the One who convicts us concerning the gospel of Jesus Christ. Salvation comes only through Christ. We cannot comprehend or even perceive the truth of the gospel, apart from the work of the Holy Ghost, because "the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Corinthians 2:14). We are completely dependent upon the Holy Spirit to reveal to us every spiritual truth. If we refuse to believe in Christ, we are showing violent contempt and complete disrespect to the third Person of the Godhead. His primary mission is to convict us concerning Christ. Therefore, if we refuse to believe in Jesus, we are dishonoring the Holy Spirit's primary work.
This type of violent contempt and utter disrespect of that which deserves the highest regard is the essence of "blasphemy." To reject the work of the Spirit is to nullify the great gift of salvation, which is already given to us in Christ, and to bring upon oneself a second condemnation. As we saw in chapter 5, we were all condemned in Adam. We were all corporately justified in Christ, but we can come into condemnation again. "He that believeth not shall be condemned" (Mark 16:16). In this verse, Jesus is not referring to the condemnation which came upon the whole human race in Adam. Adam did not commit the unpardonable sin. This verse (Mark 16:16) refers to another condemnation, which results from blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. This condemnation can never be reversed.
Other Examples Defining Blasphemy
John records that Jesus said to the Jews, "I and my Father are one. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shown you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered Him, saying, for a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God." (John 10:30-33)
Why did the Jews accuse Christ of blasphemy? He had only told them the truth. He is God. However, they did not believe that He was the divine Son of the Father. Anyone who claims to be God (except Christ and the Holy Ghost) shows the highest possible disrespect for God. Such a claim is tantamount to saying, "The true God does not exist." No greater insult is possible. Therefore, it constitutes violent contempt and utter disrespect, which is blasphemy.
In Matthew chapter 12, Jesus cast a devil out of a man, and the Pharisees accused Him of casting out devils by the prince of devils. They were attributing this mighty miracle of God to the devil. This was violent contempt and utter disrespect for that which should have commanded the highest respect. Therefore, this was also blasphemy. The power of the Holy Ghost had performed the miracle. The purpose of the miracle was to authenticate the claims of Jesus Christ. Since it was for the purpose of rejecting Jesus that the Pharisees rejected the miracle, this was actually a case of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. We already saw in chapter 8 that to reject Jesus is the sin against the Holy Ghost--the unpardonable sin. That is why Jesus responded to the Pharisees, saying, "I say unto you, all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men" (Matthew 12:31). Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is unpardonable. We shall discover the reason that this is true in our next chapter.