The Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God

The Pharisees Rebuked

and the Power of God over the devil revealed.

Matthew 12:22-29, 30-32, 33-37, 38-45, 46-50 Then was brought to Him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and He healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spoke and saw again. All the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David? But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow does not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come to you. Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house. (parallel passages Mark 3:20-30, Luke 11:14-23, 12:10)

The Unpardonable Sin

He that is not with Me is against Me; and he that gathers not with Me scatters abroad. Wherefore I say to you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven men. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whoever speaks against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

Words Reveal mans Character, The Tree is Known by it's Fruit

Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. O generation of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart brings forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by your words (fruit, our life style is also fruit, which bears witness for or against us) you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned. (parallel passage Luke 6:43-45, John 15:4-7, it is this fruit that is to be judged and its error pointed to and revealed and exposed.)

The Desire for Signs Rebuked

Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from You. He answered them, An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. (parallel passages Mark 8:11-12, Luke 11:29-32, in the next few verses Jesus ties this rebuking to the Religious leadership.)

When an unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walks through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, I will return into my house (mans soul) from whence I came out; and when he is come, he finds it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goes he, and takes with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation. (parallel passage Luke 11:24-26)

True Relationship, the True Family of Jesus

While He spoke to the people, behold, His mother and brothers stood without, desiring to speak with Him. Then someone said to Him, Behold, your mother and brothers are standing outside, desiring to speak with You. But He answered him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And He stretched forth His hand toward His disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.(parallel passages Mark 3:31-35, Luke 8:19-21)