The Blasphemy of the Spirit

[MichaelBurke]

I've read St. Agustine's Sermon on the Blasphemy of the Spirit.

He believed it was the life-long resistance of an impenitant heart, but I've read that there were other Fathers who held the same view.

Irenaeus is said to have believed that this sin was rejecting the Gospel, and Athanasius is said to have believed it was rejecting Christ, but I've never seen any direct quotes.

Could anyone provide any?

I'm inclined toward Augustine's view, but I'm interested in what other Fathers wrote.

 

[a_ntv]

I've read St. Agustine's Sermon on the Blasphemy of the Spirit.

He believed it was the life-long resistance of an impenitant heart, but I've read that there were other Fathers who held the same view.

Irenaeus is said to have believed that this sin was rejecting the Gospel, and Athanasius is said to have believed it was rejecting Christ, but I've never seen any direct quotes.

Could anyone provide any?

I'm inclined toward Augustine's view, but I'm interested in what other Fathers wrote.

The same idea is stated also in the Cathechism of the Catholic Church: 1864 "Whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin." There are no limits to the mercy of God, but anyone who deliberately refuses to accept his mercy by repenting, rejects the forgiveness of his sins and the salvation offered by the Holy Spirit. Such hardness of heart can lead to final impenitence and eternal loss.

I think that the Origen has been important in realizing that: 6 ...In the Gospel He declares that there is forgiveness for the sin committed against Himself, but that for blasphemy against the Holy Spirit there is no forgiveness, either in this age or in the age to come. What is the reason of this? Is it because the Holy Spirit is of more value than Christ that the sin against Him cannot be forgiven? May it not rather be that all rational beings have part in Christ, and that forgiveness is extended to them when they repent of their sins, while only those have part in the Holy Spirit who have been found worthy of it, and that there cannot well be any forgiveness for those who fall away to evil in spite of such great and powerful cooperation, and who defeat the counsels of the Spirit who is in them. (http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/101502.htm)

Please note: cooperation.

St Ambrose view is slightly different: 54. Is an offence against the Son different from one against the Holy Spirit? For as their dignity is one, and common to both, so too is the offence. But if any one, led astray by the visible human body, should think somewhat more remissly than is fitting concerning the Body of Christ (for it ought not to appear of little worth to us, seeing it is the palace of chastity, and the fruit of the Virgin), he incurs guilt, but he is not shut out from pardon, which he may attain to by faith. But if any one should deny the dignity, majesty, and eternal power of the Holy Spirit, and should think that devils are cast out not in the Spirit of God, but in Beelzebub, there can be no attaining of pardon there where is the fulness of sacrilege; for he who has denied the Spirit has denied also the Father and the Son, since the same is the Spirit of God Who is the Spirit of Christ. (http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/34021.htm)

 

[MichaelBurke]

Thank you a_ntv.

The quote from Origen was interesting.

I've seen it stated that Irenaeus believed the blasphemy of the Spirit to be the rejection of the Gospel, but the only actual quote I've read was more along the lines of what Ambrose wrote.

Do you know if St. Athanasius, Gregory of Nyssa, or Gregory Nazianus ever commented on Matt. 12:31-32?

 

[njcl]

,at a guess id say its lying on something extremely holy/important when the holy spirit resides in you,ala the couple who kept the valuables bk from the kitty in the NT