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Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost (Matthew 12:31, 32; Mark 3:28, 29; Luke 12:10) is regarded by some as a continued and obstinate rejection of the gospel, and hence is an unpardonable sin, simply because as long as a sinner remains in unbelief he voluntarily excludes himself from pardon. Others regard the expression as designating the sin of attributing to the power of Satan those miracles which Christ performed, or generally those works which are the result of the Spirit’s agency.

•BLASTUS chamberlain to king Herod Agrippa I. (Acts 12:20). Such persons generally had great influence with their masters.

•BLEMISH imperfection or bodily deformity excluding men from the priesthood, and rendering animals unfit to be offered in sacrifice (Leviticus 21:17-23; 22:19-25). The Christian church, as justified in Christ, is “without blemish” (Ephesians 5:27). Christ offered himself a sacrifice “without blemish,” acceptable to God (1 Peter 1:19).

•BLESS (1.) God blesses his people when he bestows on them some gift temporal or spiritual (Genesis 1:22; 24:35; Job 42:12; Psalm 45:2; 104:24, 35).

(2.) We bless God when we thank him for his mercies (Psalm 103:1, 2; 145:1, 2).

(3.) A man blesses himself when he invokes God’s blessing (Isaiah 65:16), or rejoices in God’s goodness to him (Deuteronomy 29:19; Psalm 49:18).

(4.) One blesses another when he expresses good wishes or offers prayer to God for his welfare (Genesis 24:60; 31:55; 1 Samuel 2:20). Sometimes blessings were uttered under divine inspiration, as in the case of Noah, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses (Genesis 9:26, 27; 27:28, 29, 40; 48:15-20; 49:1-28; Deuteronomy 33). The priests were divinely authorized to bless the people (Deuteronomy 10:8; Numbers 6:22-27). We have many examples of apostolic benediction (2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 6:23,

24; 2 Thessalonians 3:16, 18; Hebrews 13:20, 21; 1 Peter 5:10, 11).

(5.) Among the Jews in their thank-offerings the master of the feast took a cup of wine in his hand, and after having blessed God for it and for other mercies then enjoyed, handed it to his guests, who all partook of it. Psalm

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