Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Mark 3:29

Mark 3:29. Guilty of, more than in danger of, or even liable to, indicating a present subjection to.

An eternal sin. Thus Mark expresses the same idea given by Matthew; ‘neither in this world, nor in that to come.' The word we translate ‘sin' includes the idea of guilt (Romans 3:25; Romans 5:16), but can scarcely be rendered “punishment.” It usually refers to an act, rather than a state of sin, but eternal sin points to an unending state of activity in sin. Damnation, or ‘judgment,' is an explanatory alteration of the original text. The correct reading implies that the unpardonable sin, though it may begin with one act of blasphemy (Mark 3:30), results in a state of sinful activity which continues forever. For this reason it is unpardonable. The punishment is perpetual, because the sin is perpetual. The sin excludes pardon, because it excludes repentance. The remark of Matthew refers to the guilt, that of Mark to the sin itself, explaining the former. This is the most fearful aspect of eternal punishment; namely, being forever deprived of the needed influences of the Holy Spirit, and hence in a state of eternally growing sin and guilt. Conscious existence is evidently implied by the word chosen. Further, while the next verse suggests a particular form of the unpardonable sin, this phrase favors the view that it is an active state rather than a particular act. See on Matthew 12:32.

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Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Mark 3:29

Old Testament

New Testament