Catholic Bible Study – Matthew 12:31-50

Podcast: Catholic Bible Study
Host: Augustine Institute (Dr. Tim Gray and Dr. Michael Barber)
Episode Date: November 23, 2025

Episode Overview

In this engaging Bible study episode, Dr. Tim Gray and Dr. Michael Barber of the Augustine Institute delve into Matthew 12:31-50, focusing on the weighty subjects of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, the call to repentance, the sign of Jonah, and what it truly means to be part of Jesus’ family. The scholars provide nuanced Catholic perspectives, seamlessly weaving Scriptural exegesis, Catechetical teaching, and practical spiritual application, making this episode accessible, thought-provoking, and deeply pastoral.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit (00:30–08:43)

• Context:
  Jesus performs exorcisms, which the Pharisees attribute to demonic power rather than the Holy Spirit.

• Catechism Explanation:
  The blasphemy against the Spirit is a “deliberate refusal to accept God’s mercy by repenting” (Catechism 1864).

• Pastoral Clarity:
  There are no limits to God’s mercy if one repents. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is not an unforgivable act, but a continual, hardened rejection of the possibility of mercy.

  “Anyone who deliberately refuses to accept his mercy by repenting rejects forgiveness.”
  — Dr. Barber quoting the Catechism [03:07]

• Psychology of Rejection:
  The hosts highlight two tactics of the devil, per St. Catherine of Siena: either pride (no need for mercy) or despair (unworthy of mercy). The true tragedy is closing oneself off to God's inexhaustible mercy.

  “The tragedy is most people reject God’s mercy because they don’t feel like they’re worthy of God’s mercy.”
  — Dr. Gray [03:37]

2. Narrative Flow and Mercy’s Emphasis (06:53–08:43)

• Story Arcs:
  Dr. Gray connects Jesus’ call to mercy (Hosea 6:6: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice”) through earlier Matthean episodes, showing how the Pharisees’ refusal to learn about mercy ultimately hardens them and leads to the fatal misattribution of Jesus’s work.

  “When God gives you a homework assignment, you gotta do it right...They refused to learn about God’s mercy, and therefore they shut the door on forgiveness.”
  — Dr. Gray [07:49]

3. The Sin Against the Holy Spirit and Purgatory (08:43–09:37)

• Forgiveness ‘in this age or the age to come’:
  The discussion touches on the Catholic interpretation of this passage as a possible biblical hint at purgatory.

  “If you haven’t been purified in this life, at least it seems by Jesus’ words, there’s a possibility of forgiveness.”
  — Dr. Barber [09:35]

4. Good Trees and Good Fruit: Words, Hearts, and Judgement (09:37–17:18)

• Integration of Text:
  The hosts warn against isolating Scriptural stories. Jesus’s teaching about “making the tree good and its fruit good” is applied directly to faith, repentance, and especially our words.

• Judgement for Words:
  Jesus’s warning that “on the day of judgment, people will give account for every careless word they speak” is unpacked with gravity and humility.

  “That makes me tremble. I mean, we have to give an account for every word we speak.”
  — Dr. Gray [12:46]

• Spiritual Application:
  Parallels are drawn with reverence for the Eucharist – Catholics must cultivate equal reverence for their speech, especially about Church leaders despite scandals.

  “While we need to show reverence for the Eucharist, we also need to show reverence, even when they’re unworthy...for the office of the pope, the office of the bishop.”
  — Dr. Barber [13:22]

  “Every word we speak is like the fruit or the tree...is it a good fruit or is it a fruit with a worm in it?”
  — Dr. Gray [15:32]

5. The Sign of Jonah & The Conversion of the Gentiles (17:20–26:09)

• Request for a Sign:
  The Pharisees demand a sign, despite having just witnessed exorcisms. Jesus refuses, stating only the “sign of Jonah” will be given.

• Meaning of the Sign:
  The sign is twofold:

  1. Jonah’s three days in the fish—prefiguring Jesus’s death and resurrection.
  2. The repentance of Nineveh (Gentiles) at Jonah’s preaching—paralleling the future Gentile conversion under the Gospel.

  “The best piece of evidence for [the Resurrection] is look around the world; they’re all worshiping the God of Israel.”
  — Dr. Barber [22:50]

  “Just as Nineveh was the capital of the enemy of Israel and they repented at the preaching of Jonah, so now at Jesus’ proclamation...Rome converts.”
  — Dr. Gray [23:49]

  “If you could go back in a flying DeLorean...and you told people that one day, all over the world, people would be worshipping the God of one of these nations...it’s going to be the God of Israel...This is remarkable.”
  — Dr. Barber [24:20]

6. Wisdom Greater than Solomon, and Words Foreshadowing Parables (26:09–26:57)

• Jesus Greater than Solomon:
  Jesus invokes both wisdom (Solomon) and exorcistic power, setting up the coming parables; He is greater than Jonah and Solomon.

• Parabolic Wisdom:
  The conversation teases the transition to Matthew 13, where Jesus will teach in parables, echoing Solomon’s teaching in Proverbs (Greek: Parables).

  “And what is Jesus going to do in the next chapter? Teach through parables.”
  — Dr. Barber [26:56]

7. The Return of the Unclean Spirit (27:03–28:24)

• Spiritual Peril:
  Jesus describes how an unclean spirit may return with greater force if a person (or generation) fails to fill the “swept and clean” house with genuine faith.

  “When a person experiences the graces [of] conversion and then turns away from it, the demons come back and they imitate the virtues of faith...but the person’s only pretending anyway.”
  — Dr. Barber referencing St. Augustine’s reading [28:08]

  “If they don’t obey him and repent, then the demons will come back with a vengeance.”
  — Dr. Gray [28:13]

8. Redefining Jesus’s Family (28:24–29:20)

• Spiritual Kinship:
  Jesus teaches that true kinship is defined by doing God’s will, not just blood relation.

  “Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and my sister and my mother.”
  — Dr. Gray citing Jesus [28:37]

• Mary as the Model Disciple:
  This passage is not a denigration of Mary but highlights her exalted role as the exemplar of obedience to God’s will.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• On God’s Mercy:

  “There are no limits to the mercy of God. Let’s be very clear about this.”
  — Dr. Barber [01:53]

• On the Devil’s Strategies:

  “The devil...works in two ways. One, making you so proud you think you’re great...the other way is making you feel like you’re so sinful you’re beyond God’s mercy.”
  — Dr. Gray [03:38]

• On Good and Bad Fruit:

  “Every word we speak about others, is it a good fruit or is it a fruit with a worm in it?”
  — Dr. Gray [15:32]

• On the Universal Worship of the God of Israel:

  “People aren’t worshiping the gods of Egypt anymore...but you know who they’re still worshipping? The God of Israel.”
  — Dr. Barber [25:10]

Segment Timestamps

• Opening & Context: 00:00–01:24
• Blasphemy Against the Spirit: 01:24–08:43
• Mercy vs. Sacrifice & Hardness of Heart: 06:53–09:31
• On Words and Judgement: 09:31–17:18
• The Sign of Jonah: 17:20–26:09
• Solomon, Wisdom, and Parables Preview: 26:09–26:57
• Return of the Unclean Spirit: 27:03–28:24
• Redefining Jesus’ Family: 28:24–29:20

Conclusion

This episode offers a masterclass in reading the Gospels as a living narrative, emphasizing the call to repentance, humility, and right speech. Listeners come away with a deeper appreciation for the mercy of God, the reality of spiritual combat, and the surprising, world-changing impact of Christ’s resurrection. The scholars invite all to reflect on the fruits of their lives and to join in the next installment by reading Matthew 13.

Suggested Homework (from hosts):
Read all of Matthew 13 ("the seven parables of the Kingdom"), and consider how you can bear good fruit in word and deed.