Blasphemy

Jesus said to his disciples: “I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before others the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God. But whoever denies me before others will be denied before the angels of God. “Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. When they take you before synagogues and before rulers and authorities, do not worry about how or what your defense will be or about what you are to say.  For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say.”   (Luke 12:8-12)

How do we deny Jesus?  Perhaps through a conscious “No way, Jesus.  It’s my way first and foremost.”  But Jesus is understanding, and he forgives us far quicker than we forgive those who have trespassed against us: “Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven.”  Of course, this is Luke speaking for Jesus, Luke having written his Gospel about 50 years after Jesus was killed and then rose.  We can never be sure Luke was correctly quoting Jesus or his audience.

Denying Jesus has great consequence, according to Luke.  We will be denied before the angels of God.  Who are these angels?   The Book of Enoch [not part of the Catholic Canon] Chapter 20 explains: 1. And these are the names of the holy angels who watch. 2. Uriel, one of the holy angels, who is over the world and over Tartarus. 3. Raphael, one of the holy angels, who is over the spirits of men. 4. Raguel, one of the holy angels who takes vengeance on the world of the luminaries. 5. Michael, one of the holy angels, to wit, he that is set over the best part of mankind and over chaos. 6. Saraqâêl, one of the holy angels, who is set over the spirits, who sin in the spirit. 7. Gabriel, one of the holy angels, who is over Paradise and the serpents and the Cherubim. 8. Remiel, one of the holy angels, whom God set over those who rise.

The idea of seven archangels is most explicitly stated in the Book of Tobit (12:15) when Raphael reveals himself, declaring: "I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who stand in the glorious presence of the Lord, ready to serve him."

Somewhat ominously, seven angels appear in Revelation “visions” to blow the seven trumpets. The first angel caused hail and fire with blood scorching the earth.  The second, cast a huge mountain in flames into the sea turning it into blood and killing a third of creatures living in the sea.  The third trumpet caused a huge star to crash upon rivers and streams causing many people to die from polluted water.  Etcetera.  Such a contrast with Tobit and Enoch’s descriptions!  None of us would like to be denied before Revelation’s cruel and destructive angels of God. 

Revelation is fantasy, but too many people consider it prophetic.  Our Bible states: “The Book of Revelation had its origin in a time of crisis: ruthless persecution of the early church by Roman authorities with the harlot, Babylon, symbolizing pagan Rome.  Revelation is about Christ’s overwhelming defeat of the Kingdom of Satan ushering in the everlasting reign of God.”

I suggest “blaspheming against the Holy Spirit” as noted in the Gospel occurs when we believe Revelation is other than the author intended.  When we believe the vivid and horrific depictions of what is to come is reality, then we blaspheme.  The Holy Spirit is love in our hearts and souls.  The Spirit is not vengeance and death issued at God’s command.  Nonsense!

Deacon David Pierce