Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit

  Understanding Psychopathy 

"Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit"
FROM BOOK: St. Philaret of New York
 pp. 341-344
https://www.amazon.com/Saint-Philaret-New-York-Collected/dp/B0DK1Q9K7B

     These days [1980?] people often talk about the Savior's miracles, distorting and misinterpreting them, trying in one way or another to deny them.  At the time He performed them, this was impossible to do, becasue these miracles were worked in the sight of all.  They would have gladly discredited the miracles and denied the fact that they had actually happened.  But, again I say, this was not at all possible, and therefore they resorted to their favorite way of doing things — to falsehood.  The started saying that the Savior drives out demons by the power of Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.

     We know that in the Holy Gospel, the Evangelist John says that when the Lord sternly reproved them for their falsification, all they could say was, "Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?"  (Jn. 8:48)  This was what they dared say to Him!  And in another place in the Gospel when the Lord reproved them, He said that any sin can be forgiven: every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven "either in this age, or in the age to come" (Mt. 12:32), that is, NEVER!

     We know that the Church hopes that a person who has not cleansed himself of earthly sins can receive absolution and forgiveness.  All our prayers for our dear deceased are based on this hope when we ask of the Lord "that they be forgiven every transgression, both voluntary and involuntary (in the Panikhida).  If the Church prays this, we have every reason to retain this bright hope.  We pray with faith that the Lord in His grace and mercy will cleanse them THERE of what they did not get to cleanse themselves here.

     With regard to this sin, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, the Lord said that this will not be forgiven either in this age, or in the age to come!  Since it was obvious to all, with what power the Lord Jesus Christ worked His miracles, it is indisputable that this was blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.  Only His enemies who had become completely like unto Satan dared to say wuch a thing when Christ poured out His mercy and blessing on the ailing and infirm.  They were brazen enough to say that He worked these miracles by the power of Beelzebub.  There is also another place in the Gospel, when he opened the eyes of one blind from birth, other people of the same mind started to stop them saying, "Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?" (Jn. 10:21)

     Remember that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is a conscious opposition to the truth that is obvious to a person's conscience, when a person goes against the truth and against the voice of his own conscience.  This is the grave sin the Lord Jesus Christ was speaking of, that it will not be forgiven in this present age, or in the coming age.

     It is significant that in another place in the Gospel regarding the same, He said that every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven if anyone speaks a word against the SON OF MAN, that is, against Him Himself, but blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age, or in the age to come.  The wrong conclusion can be drawn here, as if the Divine Person of the Holy Spirit uis higher than the Lord Jesus Christ, since blasphemy against Christ the Savior may be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.  This conclusion is completely wrong.  Not that the Lord did not at all say that blasphemy against the SON OF GOD may be forgiven, and blsphemy against the Holy Spirit may not.  Those who were blaspheming Him saw before themselves a man, therefore, the Lord did not say against the SON OF GOD, but against the SON OF MAN.  They saw Him as the Son of Man.  Even the Holy Apostle Paul, the great missionary of Christianity, said blasphemous things in his time.  But this sin of blasphemy was forgiven because he had blasphemed the SON OF MAN, not the SON OF GOD.

     The sin against the Holy Spirit is terrible because when a person's spirit is so hardened that it goes against an obvious truth, he crosses a dreadful, lethal border after which there is no turning back.  With this evil, with this opposition to the Light of the Lord, he becomes like the evil Satan who does nothing but blaspheme the Lord.  That is why this sin is not to be forgiven.  Saint Athanasius says, "there is no sin which can overcome the love of God — there is no such sin."  But the thing is, a sin can be forgiven if a person repents of it, but a person who has allowed himself to get to this terrible condition is already not capable of repentance.  He has become like the evil Satan who could repent, but as he (Satan) said himself, when he was talking to some saints about himself, if he wanted to repent he could, but in his malice DOES NOT WANT TO and fights against God and His truth.  Likewise, a person in this most sorrowful spiritual state is already on the path of falsehood and by this takes his unfortunate soul over the border, past the point of no return, for he has already committed spiritual suicide and is not able to repent.

     Remember, beloved brothers and sisters, Saint John Chrysostom, the great preacher of repentance always said, "Strictly speaking, the terrible mortal sin which is unforgivable is precisely that sin which a person did not and cannot repent."  No matter how much a person has sinned, whatever he may have done, if only he is capable of repentance, there is still hope for him.  Not in vain did the Holy Fathers say that when Satan came to a holy person leading an ascetic life who had fallen into a terrible and grave sin, he still could not rejoice because he knew all too well that repentance would destroy all his machinations and again return the person to God's mercy.

     The enemy of our salvation knows this very well.  Judas, the traitor, perished only when he ran off and hanged himself, that is, when he despaired and was not able to repent.  The Apostle Peter also sinned gravely and disgracefully when he denied the Lord three times, but he did not despair, and even though he knew the gravity of his sin, he did not lost hope that the judgment of His beloved Teacher would be merciful.  With this hope he did not despair, but wept and repented for his sin, and we know how he was forgiven.

     Our Lord does not forgive sins like we who are sinners.  We always say, "I forgive but cannot forget."  But the Lord forgives in such a way that He completely OBLITERATES the sin, as if it never existed.  He crosses it out completely from a person's deeds.  Likewise, Saint Theophan the Recluse said, "If a person has a grave sin on his conscience and goes to his spiritual father and is given absolution in the name of the Lord, then at the moment that the absolution was made, the sin disappears as if it never happened.  Only our Lord is able to forgive like this!  This is how He forgave the Apostle Peter and all sinners who repented.  As the Most-blessed Vladyka Anthony pointed out, the forgiveness granted at confession completely eliminates those sins from the human soul. They fly off into the abyss of non-existence and they ahve absolutely no effect on the eternal fate of man beyond the grave.  This is how great God's mercy is!

     I have to make sure that my soul does not begin to become evil and consciously oppose the truth.  This sometimes happens!  To a small extent we can take this example.   A little child was naughty, but he knew that his kind parents would forgive him if he asked forgiveness.  But he was stubborn and did not want to!  This, of course, is a small example, but it shows what this is about and warns us that a person before God can get to the point, like this child before his parents, when he does not WANT TO REPENT.

     May the Lord protect all of us from this terrible fate, from this terrible condition of the soul, for where there is repentance, the mercy of God cannot NOT be present, for as Saint John Chrysostom said, our Lord is compassionate and merciful, long-suffering and plenteous in mercy.  Amen

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Saint Philaret of New York, "Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit," in Sermons & Teachings of Metropolitan Philaret, Volume II (Flushing: Russian Orthodox Youth Committee, 1989), 183–186

Portrait of St. Philaret of New York

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   This is a portrait of Metropolitan Philaret by his spiritual daughter, Abbess Eupraxia of Our Lady of Kazan Convent, Kentlyn, Australia.

  

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   http://www.russian-inok.org/page.php?page=english1&dir=english&month=0207

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. Abbesss Eupraxia †2006

What Abp. Averky Says About Simon Magus

  Understanding Psychopathy 

. . . ask God if PERHAPS your evil thought may be forgiven . . .

Holy Bible  Acts  Chapter 8

  5  Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ to them.
  6  And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Phiip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.
  7  For unlcean spirits, crying with loud voices came out of many that were posessed with them; and many taken with palsies, and that were lame were healed.
  8  And there was great joy in that city,
  9  But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one.
 10 To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is a great power of God.
 11  And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.
 12  But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized both men and women.
 13  Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done. 
 14  Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and  John:
 15  Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
 16  (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
 17. Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. 
 18  And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,
 19  Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.
 20  But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
 21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.
 22  Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
 23  For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.
 24  Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.

Abp. Averky Commentary on Acts Chapter 8

  
5–13 The Planting of the Church in Samaria by Deacon Philip and the Baptism of Simon Magus

The author of Acts [St. Luke] reports the conversion of Samaritans as a result of deacon Philip's preaching.  This Philip was one of the deacons, and not the Apostle Philip of the Twelve, which is made obvious by the fact that the Samaritans needed the Apostles Peter and John to lay hands on them and call down the Spirit.  Deacon Philip apparently had a home and family in Caesaria.  After the beginning of the persecution he decided to travel back to Caesaria.  On the way, he stopped in the city of Samaria which was renamed by Herod the Great as Sebaste.  Seeing the miracles performed by Philip, the people joyfully listened to his preaching.  Among those converted and baptized was a certain Simon Magus who until that time was famous in the city for his works of sorcery,

St. Justin Martyr wrote at length about Simon Magus, calling him a Samaritan from the village of Gitta.  But he was not a magus or a sage in a positive sense, like the Magi from Persia who came to worship the Christ Child.  He was a black magician, a sorcerer.  During this time, according to various Roman and Greek sources, many such magi, having some knowledge of the powers of nature (still not very well understood at the time) presented themselves as superhuman.  By healing certain illnesses , by using charms, by soothsaying or even by simple mountebanks' tricks, they had such an effect on the ignorant masses that the people believed that they communed with "higher powers."  Thus, it was said of Simon Magus that "this man is the great power of God."

 This expression reminds us of Gnosticism, a later heresy that mixed Christian teachings with pagan notions.  Central to Gnosticism was the teaching of the so-called aeons, the emanations of the pleroma (fullness) of divinity.  Apparently, Simon identified himself with such an aeon, and the people, fascinated by this, believed him.  But the power of Philip's preaching was so great, and the miracles he performed were so astounding, that the people believed in Christ.  They abandoned their fascination with Simon and were baptized.  Simon himself was also baptized, but judging by his later history, his conversion was not genuine.  Impressed by the miracles of Philip, he apparently hoped to acquire the power to perform to perform similar miracles, thereby earning even greater glory and influence over the people.

14–25 The Apostles Peter and John in Samaria and Simon Magus

The baptism of the Samaritan was such a momentous event, because these were the first people who became Christians without the mediation of Judaism.  Moreover, they were converted by a Hellenist preacher.  The apostles considered this event to be so significant that they immediately sent Peter and John to lay hands on the converts and call down the grace of the Holy Spirit upon them.  Here it is important to note that the Apostles Peter and John were sent by the other apostles.  In other words, it is clear that they did not consider themselves to be more powerful than the whole assembly of apostles, but rather were themselves responsible to fulfill the commission entrusted to them by the whole apostolic college.  In other words, the assembly of the apostles functioned as a single body in which the individual members had equal status.

The laying on of hands in this case was the second of the mysteries, which later began to be performed by chrismation.  Philip could not perform this sacrament, because he was only a deacon.  "and when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles.hands the Holy Spirit was given he offered them money,"  Evidently the calling down of the Spirit was accompanied by some visible signs that Simon noticed.  This makes it obvious that Simon himself, even though already baptized, was not found worthy of receiving the Holy spirit, for if he had, such an action on his part would not have been possible.  Probably, his turn for the laying on of hands had not yet come, and he, not waiting for his time, rushed to ask the apostle directly not only for the gift of the Spirit, but for the authority to call down the Spirit himself.

In this request, the true deceitful character of the mage was revealed.  Evidently, he saw the apostles only as bearers of higher magical power, and he wanted to own this unknown power himself to improve his skill as a magician.  By offering money, he showed himself to be a man governed by avarice and other impure motives.  "How is it that he was baptized?"  asked St. John Chrysostom.  "Just as Christ chose Judas."

"Peter said to him, 'Your money perish with you.'"  This expression is not a curse, but rather an indication that Simon's moral state will lead to his perdition.  It is a call to repentance.  This sin, however, is so great, that St. Peter did not even promise forgiveness, but only said, "Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you."  Why is this?  Because such a sin requires an especially deep and sincere repentance, and Peter did not see Simon capable of such repentance, as he said to him, "For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity."

Frightened by Peter's words, Simon asked the apostles to pray for him, but even this was hardly sincere.  Tradition tells us that Simon Magus was one of the most virulent enemies of Christianity, the father of all gnostic heresies.  There is a tradition that later he appeared in Rome as a hardened enemy of the Apostle Peter, and by the prayers of the latter, was cast into the Tiber when he wanted to cross the river by the prayers of he latter, was cast into the Tiber when he wanted to cross the river by levitating over it.  His sin received his own name in the tradition of the Church: that of simony, which is the sale of God's grace or of ecclesiastical office for money.

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.source:

.https://churchsupplies.jordanville.org/products/commentary-on-the-holy-scriptures-of-the-new-testament-vol-2-the-acts-of-the-apostles
Acts of the Apostles Commentary
Archbishop Averky
Jordanville 2017

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Book: Apostasy & Antichrist

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A Reading of the Book: Apostasy and Antichrist
by Archimandrite Panteleimon Nizhnik. †1984
Jordanville 1978
1 hour 52 minutes
NO BACKGROUND MUSIC

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.download mp4
https://app.box.com/s/hl62fa30zxrdrz2anhoaad7jkf1ajoti
This audio omits Translators' Preface. 

 

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.download pdf 
https://app.box.com/s/fidluwvb48ffrhzly22uq2zvvzb56byl/file/294105194991
This pdf includes Translators' Preface.

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Doing Reader's Typica at Home

1. Here is a popular version of a Reader's Sunday Typica
     https://www.saintjonah.org/services/typica.htm. 
 
2.   https://vigilservicetexts.groups.io/g/main/topics
      Click on the date you want and then scroll down to bottom-left and click on "Bulletin"
 

In Fr. David's Bulletin, scroll down near the end to where is the information for the Litrugy.  The troparia/kontakia that is chanted at Liturgy is what you chant that day at 

typica.   Fr. David includes troparion/kontakion for St. Elizabeth who is his "temple patron."   People doing services at home can substitute their family patron or their own patron saint.
  
Fr. David includes the verses to use in the 3rd Antiphon (Beatitudes) which are indicated in the Liturgical Calendar to be taken from the Octoechos/Menaion/Triodion/Pentecostarion.

 

Two other very appreciated online resources for putting services together is:
https://ponomar.net
https://music.russianorthodox-stl.org

Always start with the Liturgical Calendar

https://tinyurl.com/LiturgicalCalendar2026 

Everything has to be checked against the Liturgical Calendar.  Fr. David's Vigil Texts is a huge help, but it can be trusted only so far as the ROCOR-MP.   Etna's website is amazingly organized — everything is laid out so clear and uncomplicated.  It is more trustworthy than MP, but it can not be trusted completely either.  Always check everything against our Liturgical Calendar, which overrides any inconsistency you might find, even with our own ODS.

Liturgical Calendar and ODS

Litugical Calendar overrides Order of Divine Services

      

Dear Fellow-ROCOR folks,

Recently, twice now I have noticed that there are inconsistencies with the ROCOR-MP sources of the rubrics for our services.  And this is aside from the fact that ROCOR-MP does not recognize our recent saints, like recently glorified St. Philaret of New York and our ROCOR hierarchs Anastasy/Anthony/Philaret/Vitaly.  The first time I noticed was when I heard the (phony) Surgeon Luke commemorated on a list of unmercenary healers (Nov 3/16).    I inquired and found out that list came from a source other than our true ROCOR.  

 

Another inconsistency I notice even more recently: for Dec 29/Jan 11, instead of "It is Truly Meet..."  the Liturgical Calendar calls for irmos of Canon II but the ODS calls for the irmos of Canon I.

LC overrides ODS

LC overrides ODS and also overrides ODS Vol III (which can not be had online at this time, Jan 2026, as far as I know).

ODS Vol. III has instruction for the more rare configurations, such as when the eve of a feast falls on a Sunday.   On those days, the LC refers us to the ODS III.  

Dec 29/Jan 11, Sunday was one of those days where the LC refers us to the ODS III.   We don't have to figure it out ourselves, since Rdr. Daniel guides us to the very page we need.  In this case pp. 104-107 when the Eve of Theophany falls on a Sunday.  

The LC 12/29, and the ODS Vol III both tell us to use the irmos of Canon II instead of "It is truly meet..." at Liturgy (home typica); while the ODS says to use the irmos of Canon I. 

Apparently these sources outside our ROCOR are not checking the LC.  Because, both Fr. David Straut (ROCOR-MP) and Sbn. Paul Daniels (Etna) missed it.  

This just so proves where the Spirit of the Church resides.  The Protestants can not run off with our Bible and have a church.  The super-correct can not run off with our canons and have the Church.  And now, see, the ROCOR-MP can not run off with our ODS and have services that are in alignment with the Heavenly Church.

Another factor is the melody for this irmos in question — irmoi of the Nativity Canons.  Both Canon I and Canon II the irmoi are in tone 2; this is indicated in the menaion.  But what is not indicated in the menaion, is that the tone 2 melody for Canon I is the familiar ("Christ is Born..."), and the tone 2 melody for Canon II is the familiar ("It is the Day of Resurrection...").  The only way I knew this is because of sheet music I saved from years ago that was/is still published on the St. Louis Music website. 

The pair of these melodies is an important detail.  Because the two melodies together like this point to the earthly birth and earthly death of Christ.  On another scale, this is the Creation of the world and the End of Times.  The melodies put together connect the beginning and the end for us in a very pleasing way that words could not explain as well.

 

It is important to us to align our home services with the Church, because our home icon corner is a "little church."

I think the only way to prevent calendar accidents is to only stick to our old original sources, and not get lazy and just trust neo-stuff that comes out of ROCOR-MP (like I was doing).  We want to stay in sync with our forefathers, with Abp. Averky Taushev, Archim. Constantine Ziatsev, Bp. Gregory Grabbe, etc.  Truly they are still very much here with us.   

love in Christ,
Joanna

p.s. 
Links  (not activated on purpose)
https://tinyurl.com/LiturgicalCalendar2026
https://music.russianorthodox-stl.org
https://myrrh-bearers.org/home.htm
https://vigilservicetexts.groups.io/g/main/topics
https://ponomar.net

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Orthodox Life Magazines

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.I am very pleased to announce that Orthodox Life magazines set online is now complete.  Please download a set for yourself to help preserve it.  It would be good to archive these magazines in several various formats.

 

Please pray for the souls of the people who worked to make this set easily available & free for everyone.

  Joanna in Tennessee
  Rdr. Daniel in heaven
  Rdr. Daniel in Virginia 
  David in Ohio
  Stephen in Arizona
  Cristian in France

   Maria

   Sbn. Nektarios

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.   https://orthodoxlifemagazines.blogspot.com

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