31 There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him.
32 And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee.
33 And he answered them, saying,
Who is my mother, or my brethren ?
34 And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my breth- ren!
35 For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.
In the verses which immediately precede this passage, we see our blessed Lord accused by the Scribes of being in league with the devil. They said, " He hath Beelze- bub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils." In the verses we have now read, we find that this absurd charge of the Scribes was not all that Jesus had to endure at this time. We are told that " his brethren
day of Pentecost. But, unfortunately for tins theory, the doctrine here laid down is to be found in other places of Scripture beside this. I allude of course to the well-known passages, Heb. vi. 4-6 ; Heb. x. 26, and 1 John v. 17. In all these places there seems a reference to a sin which is not forgiven.
What then is the unpardonable sin ? It must be frankly confessed that its precise nature is nowhere defined in holy Scripture. The most probable view is, that it is a combination of clear intellectual knowledge of the Gospel, with deliberate rejection of it, and wilful choice of sin. It is a union of light in the head, and hatred in the heart. Such was the case of Judas Iscariot. We must not natter ourselves that none have walked in his steps. In the absence of any definition in Scripture, we shall probably not get much nearer to the mark than this. Yet even this view must be carefully handled. The limits which knowledge combined with unbelief must pass, in order to become the unpardonable sin, are graciously withheld from us. It is mercifully ordered of God, that man can never decide positively of any brother, that he has committed a sin which cannot be forgiven.
But although it is difficult to define what the unpardonable sin is, it is far less difficult to point out what it is not. A few words on this point may possibly help to relieve tender consciences.
We may lay it down as nearly certain, that those who are troubled with fears that they have sinned the unpardonable sin, are the very people who have not sinned it. The very fact that they are afraid
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and his mother came, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him." They could not yet understand the beauty and usefulness of the life that our Lord was living. Though they doubtless loved Him well, they would fain have persuaded him to cease from His work, and " spare himself." Little did they know what they were doing ! Little had they observed or understood our Lord's words when He was only twelve years old, u wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business ?"* (Luke ii. 49.)
and anxious about it, is the strongest possible evidence in their favor. A troubled conscience — an anxiety about salvation, and a dread of being cast away — a concern about the next world, and a desire to escape from the wrath of God — will probably never be found in the heart of that person who has sinned the sin for which there is no for- giveness. It is far more probable that the general marks of such a person will be utter hardness of conscience — a seared heart — an ab- sence of any feeling — a thorough insensibility to spiritual concern. The subject may safely be left here. There is such a thing as a sin which is never forgiven. But those who are troubled about it, are most unlikely to have committed it.
The following quotation from Thomas Fuller deserves attention : " The sin against the Holy Ghost is ever attended with these two symptoms — absence of all contrition, and of all desire of forgiveness. Now, if thou canst truly say that thy sins are a burden to thee — that thou dost desire forgiveness, and wouldst give anything to attain it, be of good comfort ; thou hast not yet, and, by God's grace, never shall, commit that unpardonable offence. I will not define how near thou hast been unto it. As David said to Jonathan, ' there is but a step between me and death' — so, may be, thou hast missed it very narrowly ; but assure thyself thou art not as yet guilty thereof." — Fuller 's Cause and Cure of a Wounded Conscience.
* The remarks of Scott on the conduct of our Lord's mother on this occasion, are worth quoting : " It is plain that many of these in- timations were suited, and doubtless prophetically intended, to be a Scriptural protest against the idolatrous honor, to this day, by vast multitudes, rendered to Mary the mother of Jesus. She was, no doubt, an excellent and honorable character, but evidently not peiv* feet. She is entitled to Great estimation, and high veneration, but