Discovery BoxMatthew 12:8 
Context12:8 For the Son of Man is lord 1 of the Sabbath.”
Matthew 12:32
Context12:32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven. 2 But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, 3 either in this age or in the age to come.
Matthew 12:40
Context12:40 For just as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish 4 for three days and three nights, 5 so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.
1 tn The term “lord” is in emphatic position in the Greek text.
sn A second point in Jesus’ defense of his disciples’ actions was that his authority as Son of Man also allowed it, since as Son of Man he was lord of the Sabbath.
2 tn Grk “it will be forgiven him.”
3 tn Grk “it will not be forgiven him.”
sn Whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. This passage has troubled many people, who have wondered whether or not they have committed this sin. Three things must be kept in mind: (1) the nature of the sin is to ascribe what is the obvious work of the Holy Spirit (e.g., releasing people from Satan’s power) to Satan himself; (2) it is not simply a momentary doubt or sinful attitude, but is indeed a settled condition which opposes the Spirit’s work, as typified by the religious leaders who opposed Jesus; and (3) a person who is concerned about it has probably never committed this sin, for those who commit it here (i.e., the religious leaders) are not in the least concerned about Jesus’ warning.
4 tn Grk “large sea creature.”
5 sn A quotation from Jonah 1:17.
