Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:
All Commentaries on Luke 12:8 Go To Luke 12
Bede
AD 735
But lest from what He says, that those who have denied Him are to be denied, it should be supposed that the condition of all was alike, that is, both of those who deny deliberately, and those who deny from infirmity or ignorance, He immediately added, And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him.
Or else; Whoso said that the works of the Holy Spirit are those of Beelzebub, it shall not be forgiven him either in the present world, or in that which is to come. Not that we deny that if he could come to repentance he could be forgiven by God, but that we believe that such a blasphemer as by the necessity of his desert he would never come to forgiveness, so neither to the fruits themselves of a worthy repentance; according to that. He has blinded their eyes, so that they should not be converted, and I should heal them.
Nor however are all they who say that the Spirit is not holy, or is not God, but is inferior to the Father and the Son, involved in the crime of unpardonable blasphemy, because they are led to do it through human ignorance, not a demoniacal hatred, as the rulers of tile Jews were.
For when we are led for Christ's sake before judges, we ought to offer only our will for Christ, but in answering, the Holy Spirit will supply His grace, as it is added, For the Holy Spirit will teach you.
