(Compare Matthew 12:22–50; Luke 11:14–36)
DISCOVERY OF THE FACTS
1. Considered Insane by Friends, vv. 20, 21
How was the eagerness of the multitude to hear our Lord illustrated? Was it simply to hear Him that the multitude came? (vv. 9, 10; Luke 6:17.) Was He willing to have His rest and refreshment broken in upon in this way? (Mark 6:31–35.) Why? In which did He find the most satisfying refreshment, food for His own body or ministering to the needs of others? (John 4:31, 34–36.) If He had been like many of us, what would He have done if the needy multitudes gathered about Him when He needed food and rest? Why was it He sent the multitudes away in one instance? (Mark 6:45, compare John 6:15.) When His friends heard how He was taking time from rest and refreshment to minister to the needy multitudes, what did they at once conclude? If a man nowadays spends his strength and takes the time that other men would spend in eating and rest in ministering to the needs of perishing souls, what do many people conclude about him?
What did our Lord’s friends try to do? Were they moved by kindly or hostile motives? Were they right? What lay at the root of their grievous mistake? Was any other man of God beside our Lord ever reckoned insane? (2 Kings 9:11; Jer. 29:26; Acts 26:24.)
2. Considered in League with the Devil by His Foes, vv. 22–30
What was the interpretation put upon His actions and deeds by the scribes? Why did they seek to explain His miracles in that way? What would have been a more simple and natural explanation? (John 3:2.) Why did they not accept that explanation? (John 3:19, 20; 11:47, 48; Mark 12:7.) For what purpose had these scribes come down from Jerusalem? (vv. 2, 6; 7:1, 2; Luke 5:17, 21; Matt. 21:15, 16.)
What was the immediate occasion of their accusing Him of being in league with Beelzebub? (Matt. 12:22–24.) Was this the only instance in which this accusation was brought against Him? (Matt. 9:34; John 7:20; 8:48, 52; 10:20.) If such charges were brought against Him, what may His disciples expect? (Matt. 10:25.) Did these awful accusations grieve Him? (Ps. 69:20.) For whose sake did He “endure such contradiction of sinners against Himself”? (Is. 53:3, 4.) Did He meet these outrageous charges with anger and invective? What did He do? Had the scribes made these charges directly to Himself? (Matt. 12:25; Luke 11:17.) Of what was “knowing their thought” a proof? (1 Kings 8:39.)
What was His argument to prove that it was not by Satan’s power that He cast out Satan’s emissaries? Was that a conclusive argument? If it was not by Satan’s power that He cast out demons, by what power must it have been? (Matt. 12:28; Luke 11:20.) Who was He who could thus put forth “the finger of God” and bring Satan’s power to naught? To what does He compare Satan in verse 27? To what does He compare the man under Satan’s influence? (Luke 11:21, 22.) What must be done before the poor victim of Satan can be delivered? Who is the “stronger than he” (Satan) who comes upon him and overcomes him and taketh from him all his armor and divideth his spoils? (Luke 11:22.) If a man then is under the mighty power of Satan, to whom must he look for deliverance? Why is he sure of it if he looks to Him? Who must this One who is mightier than Satan be?
What turn does the thought take next? How many sins are pardonable? (1 Peter 2:24.) What is the condition upon which they will be pardoned? (Acts 10:43; 13:39.) What is the unpardonable sin? (Matt. 12:31, 32.) Why unpardonable? (Heb. 6:6.) Will one who has committed the unpardonable sin wish to come to Christ? Will every one who comes to Christ be received? (John 6:37.) If then one does come to Christ what does it conclusively show? Will the Spirit move upon the heart of one who has committed this sin? If then the Spirit is moving a man’s heart what does it show? What change does the Revised Version make in the closing words of verse 29? What is implied by that change? How does this doctrine of an unpardonable sin (see especially Matt. 12:32) bear upon the doctrine that all men will ultimately be forgiven and saved? Why did our Lord utter this warning? Had they in so saying committed the unpardonable sin?
3. Misunderstood by His Nearest Kin, vv. 31–35
What was the effect of the conflict between our Lord and the scribes upon His relatives? What was their object in calling Him at this time? Instead of trying to call Him away what ought they to have been doing? (Luke 10:39–42.) Was it an occasion of any grief to Him that His own kin and His own mother misunderstood Him? (Ps. 69:7, 8.) Which caused Him the more bitter grief, the terrific denunciation of His avowed enemies or the strange misunderstanding of His own kin? Which causes Him the more bitter grief today, the gross misrepresentations of His open enemies or the failure of His professed friends to understand Him? How did He rebuke the interference of these officious relatives? What were the characteristics of this rebuke? Who did He say were His nearest kin and most loved ones? (John 14:21–23.) Does obedience to God make us children of God and so nearest kin to Christ, or does it prove that we already are children of God and nearest kin to Christ? How do we become children of God? (John 1:12, 13.) What is the test by which we shall know we are (v. 35)? (1 John 2:29.) Is the love that our Lord here proclaims a general love or a love for each individual who does God’s will? If we wish Him to have this deeper and peculiar affection for us as individuals what must we do? If we would do God’s will what must we first become? (Ro. 7:18, 19; 8:3, 4; 1 John 3:9; Gal. 3:26.) How much does He love us if we “do the will of God”? Are there any other blessings pronounced in the Bible upon those who do the will of God? (Matt. 7:21; John 7:17; 1 John 2:17; 3:22.) What is the will of God? (John 6:29; 1 John 3:23.)
CLASSIFICATION OF TEACHINGS
1. Our Lord
Divine, 23 (Luke 11:17; 1 Kings 8:29), 27 (cf. Matt. 12:28; Luke 11:20); drew the multitudes to Himself, 20, 32; forgot His own needs in His consideration for the needs of the neglected masses, 20; was counted “beside Himself” by His friends, 21; and in league with the devil by His enemies, 22; would not be severed from the path in which God led Him by the impulses of natural affection, or the misunderstanding and opposition of blind friends, or the slanders and plots of unprincipled enemies, 21, 22, 31–33; composed in the face of unjust and outrageous accusation, 23; put His enemies to confusion, 23–29; stronger than Satan, binds him, alone can deliver his victims, 27; forgives all sins but one, 28; finds His nearest kin in those who obey His Father’s will, has a peculiar and personal love for each obedient child of God, 34, 35.
2. The Scribes
Dogged the footsteps of our Lord, accused Him of being in league with the devil, attributed the work of the Spirit of God to Satan, 22; committed, or were in imminent peril of committing, the unpardonable sin, 29, 30; were answered and silenced by our Lord, 23–26.
3. The Friends of Our Lord
Misunderstood Him, misrepresented Him, hindered His work, tried to put a stop to His work, 21; interrupted His work, were without calling when they should have been within listening to Him, 31; grieved Him by their lack of appreciation of Himself and His purposes perhaps more than His avowed enemies by their slanders, 21–33; tenderly but severely rebuked by Him, 31–35.
4. Satan
Mighty, masters men and takes possession of them as “his goods,” overmastered by Christ, bound by Christ, despoiled of “his goods” by Christ, 27.
5. The Unpardonable Sin
There is an unpardonable sin, 29; there is but one unpardonable sin, 28; it is blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, its character is such and it discloses such settled antagonism to the truth and to good that it is certain that the one who commits it will never repent, it is unpardonable because eternal and never repented of, 29, R. V.
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R.A. Torrey (1856 - 1928)
An American evangelist, pastor, educator, and writer. Called by D. L. Moody to head Bible institute in Chicago (now Moody Bible Institute). Dean of Bible Institute of Los Angeles. Pastorates included Chicago Avenue Church (now Moody Memorial) and Church of the Open Door, Los Angeles. Worldwide evangelistic meetings with Charlie Alexander. Founded Montrose Bible Conference, PA. Wrote more than forty books.Torrey held his last evangelistic meeting in Florida in 1927, additional meetings being canceled because of his failing health. He died at home in Asheville, North Carolina, on October 26, 1928, having preached throughout the world and written more than 40 books. Torrey-Gray Auditorium, the main auditorium at Moody, was named for Torrey and his successor, James M. Gray. At Biola, the Torrey Honors Institute honors him, as does the university's annual Bible conference.
Reuben Archer Torrey was an American evangelist, pastor, educator, and writer. Held evangelistic meetings around the world with song leader Charlie Alexander. Called by D.L. Moody to head the Bible Institute of the Chicago Evangelization Society (now Moody Bible Institute); Dean of Bible Institute of Los Angeles; pastorates included Chicago Avenue Church (now Moody Memorial Church) and Church of the Open Door, Los Angeles.
Besides his obvious gifts in all these areas, he was also a man of prayer, a student of the Bible, and an outstanding personal soul-winner. It is said that he daily read the Bible in four languages, having a good working knowledge of Greek and Hebrew. Some students of church history feel he did more to promote personal evangelism than any other one man since the days of the apostles. His prayer life has seldom been equaled in the annals of Christendom.
Reuben A. Torrey wrote some forty books and his practical writings on the Holy Spirit, prayer, salvation, soul-winning, and evangelism are still favorites of many Christians.