of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme
—1 Timothy 1:20

The verse above may cause fear and confusion in a believer. After all, no one wants to be handed over to be torn to pieces for something. And what if a blasphemous thought comes into your head — what then? Confess it? The point is that in the new covenant blasphemy is completely different from blasphemy in the Old Testament, because the covenant of the law is fleshly, aimed at man’s flesh, while the new covenant is spiritual. On the other hand, while understanding that God has done away with the old covenant of the law, we do not reject the book of the Old Testament. For us it is like a dictionary that helps us read a book in an unfamiliar language. So it is with the book of the Old Testament: in it the truths of the New Testament are depicted in physical forms we can understand, which help to explain spiritual truths.

In the Old Testament, blasphemy meant sacrilegious words against God or His name. “And in the new covenant, blasphemy is cursing the Holy Spirit.” Thanks for the hint. Let’s read Jesus’ words once more: “And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven” [Luk.12:10]. It seems strange. Blasphemy against Jesus Christ will be forgiven, but against the Holy Spirit it will not be forgiven. But the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are one God. So what is the difference? Or maybe Jesus was talking about something else entirely here?

This is what happened in Antioch, when Paul and Barnabas preached the gospel of grace, and a week later the whole city gathered: “But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul” [Act.13:45]. Here the word “blaspheming” is the Greek blasphemeo (G987), the same word as in the Gospel of Luke and in 1 Timothy 1:20. So what did their blasphemy consist of? They contradicted and opposed the things spoken by Paul. And what did Paul say? “Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses” [Act.13:38-39]

The words “contradicting” and “opposed” are one word in Greek, antilego (G483), which literally means to speak against. To speak against what the Holy Spirit bears witness to. And what does He bear witness to? To what Paul preached — the forgiveness of sins: “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more” [Heb.10:15-17]. A word from the same root, antilogia, is also used in the following verse: “Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain… and perished in the rebellion [antilogia] of Korah” [Jud.1:11]. Korah and his gang also opposed Moses, just as the Jews of Antioch opposed Paul. Korah said to Moses: “We are just as holy as you are — what makes you think God chose you?”

The thing is, Korah, like the Jews of Antioch, “was filled with envy” [Act.13:45]. Korah was filled with envy because he was not a priest [one chosen by God]. Paul writes: “What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded” [Rom.11:7]. So blasphemy in the new covenant is not insulting words against God, but stubborn rejection of God’s choice. And what is the essence of God’s choice? Pastors and “anointed ones” are not God’s chosen ones, as some mistakenly claim today. Jesus is God’s Chosen One! It is written: “He chose us IN HIM before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.” [Eph.1:4] Korah wanted to be holy, but one can be holy only in Christ, in God’s Chosen One. Those who are obstinate like Korah blaspheme and perish, because they reject God’s Chosen One, Jesus Christ, and also keep others from receiving the Lord’s grace, like Elymas the sorcerer, whom Paul struck blind [Act.13:8].