On the Question of Blasphemy By Babatunde Olugboji
To blaspheme is to express disdain towards God or to exhibit a willful lack of reverence. Blasphemy encompasses verbal or written insults directed at God’s name, character, deeds, or attributes. In the legal framework established by God for Moses, blasphemy was regarded as a grave offense. The Israelites were commanded to worship and obey God. In Leviticus 24:10–16, an individual was found guilty of blaspheming God’s name. 
For the Hebrews, a name represented more than mere identification; it symbolized the essence of a person’s character. The man who blasphemed in Leviticus faced the ultimate penalty of stoning. Isaiah 36 recounts the narrative of Sennacherib, the Assyrian king, who sought to undermine the morale of Jerusalem prior to his assault.
After highlighting Assyria’s numerous victories, he arrogantly questioned, “Who among the gods of these nations has been able to save their lands from me? How then can the LORD rescue Jerusalem from my grasp?” (Isaiah 36:20). Sennacherib’s blasphemy lay in equating the God of Israel with the false deities of neighboring nations.
King Hezekiah of Judah recognized this blasphemy in his prayer, imploring God to deliver them in order to uphold His own honor (Isaiah 37:4, 17). God responded to this plea, as detailed in Isaiah 37:36-37: “Then the angel of the LORD went out and struck down a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the Assyrian camp. When the people arose the next morning—there were all the dead bodies! Consequently, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, broke camp and retreated. He returned to Nineveh and remained there.” Ultimately, Sennacherib met his end in the temple of his god Nisroch (Isaiah 37:38).
Believers in God bear the responsibility of ensuring that their actions do not provoke others to speak irreverently about Him. In Romans 2:17-24, the Apostle Paul admonishes those who profess salvation through the law while continuing to engage in sinful behavior. He cites Isaiah 52:5, stating, “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you” (verse 24).
Furthermore, in 1 Timothy 1:20, Paul recounted how he delivered two false teachers to Satan so that they might “learn not to blaspheme;” thus, propagating erroneous teachings and misleading God’s followers constitutes a form of blasphemy as well.
Jesus identified a particular kind of blasphemy-blasphemy against the Holy Spirit-perpetrated by the religious authorities of his time. The Pharisees, who witnessed Jesus’ miracles firsthand, attributed the workings of the Holy Spirit to demonic influence (Mark 3:22-30). Their characterization of the sacred as demonic represented a conscious and contemptuous rejection of God, which is deemed unforgivable. 
The most notable accusation of blasphemy against Jesus was entirely unfounded. It was on the charge of blasphemy that the priests and Pharisees condemned him (Matthew 26:65). They recognized that Jesus was asserting his divinity, which would indeed tarnish God’s character if it were untrue. If Jesus were merely a man claiming to be God, He would indeed be guilty of blasphemy. However, as the second person of the trinity, his claim to divinity is entirely valid (Philippians 2:6).
Fortunately, Jesus extends forgiveness even for the sin of blasphemy. Paul himself was a blasphemer (1 Timothy 1:13) and sought to compel others to blaspheme as well (Acts 26:11). Even Jesus’ own brothers considered him to be out of his mind (Mark 3:21). All of them repented and received forgiveness. Blasphemy is, by its very nature, intentional and explicit. Therefore, a true believer in Jesus Christ cannot commit blasphemy. Nonetheless, it is imperative that we strive to embody God’s holiness and accurately represent his glory, authority, and character.
Have a great week.
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