The assertion that Christians today use the term “Holy Spirit” to mean the trinity is incorrect. Many Christians speak of the Holy Spirit as someone who dwells within them without any reference to any trinity. Those who believe they have been baptized by the Holy Spirit may think in terms of being a member of the Body of Christ, and not give any thought to any trinity. Many Christians, who have been baptized in the Holy Spirit, see themselves as being one of those who are sanctified, and because of what Jesus gave them, they have access to the Father, just as Jesus did. This is what the book of Hebrews says:
- For both he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one, for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying,“I will declare your name to my brothers. Among of the congregation I will sing your praise.” (Hebrews 2:11:12)
When Jesus spoke of blaspheming the Holy Spirit, we cannot know what the people at the time were thinking. We can surmise that people understood blasphemy of the Holy Spirit as defying God and rejecting life.
- Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, neither in this age, nor in that which is to come. (Matthew 12:31–32)
In saying that those who speak against the son of man will be forgiven, this can be interpreted as merely being a son of man or it could be understood as one who is likened unto a son of man. In which case, the Son of Man here is understood to be the Messiah.
- I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. (Daniel 7:13)
The account in Matthew (12:31–32) is different to the account in John where Jesus referred to Himself as the son of God, and the Jews understood that He was referring to Himself as the Messiah.
- The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we stone you but for blasphemy; because you, being a man, make yourself God.” Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, you are gods’? If he called them gods to whom the word of God came (and scripture cannot be broken), do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? (John 10:34–36)
In the Gospel of Matthew, when Jesus called Himself the Son of Man, those to whom He spoke did not seem to grasp what He was saying. Whereas in the Gospel of John, we see a contrast between the idea of man and that of God. This suggests that the Jews believed no man could be God unless He were the Savior.
For Jesus to call Himself the Son of Man, like many things Jesus said, this just went over the listener’s heads. Even if there were Israelites who understood that term “Son of Man” was a reference to the Messiah, from what we read, such individuals were not present in the account from the Gospel of John.
Nevertheless, the frequent reference by Jesus that He was the Son of Man must have aroused interest by those who heard Him speak often.
- For both he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one, for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying,“I will declare your name to my brothers. Among of the congregation I will sing your praise.” (Hebrews 2:11:12)
- Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, neither in this age, nor in that which is to come. (Matthew 12:31–32)
- I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. (Daniel 7:13)
- The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we stone you but for blasphemy; because you, being a man, make yourself God.” Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, you are gods’? If he called them gods to whom the word of God came (and scripture cannot be broken), do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? (John 10:34–36)
For Jesus to call Himself the Son of Man, like many things Jesus said, this just went over the listener’s heads. Even if there were Israelites who understood that term “Son of Man” was a reference to the Messiah, from what we read, such individuals were not present in the account from the Gospel of John.
Nevertheless, the frequent reference by Jesus that He was the Son of Man must have aroused interest by those who heard Him speak often.
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