He is Condemned for Casting Out Demons

["Click here for Luke's account"]

We have a similar story to this recorded in Matthew 12:22. Jesus was giving proof of His divine nature by showing His power over Satan. Here the man is possessed by a Demon that keeps him from talking. When the Demon is forced out by the word of Christ, the man spoke immediately and he gave phrase to God.

Notice that some were amazed by what Jesus did and wondered why, if indeed He was the Messiah, He had not arrived with more pomp and grandeur. Others, were offended and to justify their hard headedness, suggested that it was by Beelzebub, the Prince of Devils, that He did this. They suggested that Satan allowed Jesus to cast out a Demon in order to prove He was something He was not. Ultimately, Satan would triumph. To prove their point, they dared Him to produce a "sign from Heaven", to confirm His position by some appearance in the clouds such as was upon Mt. Sinai when the Law was given.

In their hearts, these doubters could by no means believe that Satan for one minute would ever agree to measures that would even appear to subvert his power and Jesus knew their thoughts and said, You yourselves, cannot but see the stupidity of your remarks." No house, even Satan's, can stand if it is divided against it's self. Further more, some of your own kindred cast out devils and you never charged them with being in league with the Devil.

In opposing the divine nature of this miracle, they were enemies to themselves, standing in their own light, not acknowledging that the Kingdom of God had come. "If I, with the finger of God, cast out demons, as you yourself know that I do, then there is no doubt that the Kingdom of God has come upon you." The Kingdom of the Messiah had come upon you and if you receive it not, you do so to your own peril. When Christ casts out Devils, He need not do so by any compact with them for He is stronger then they. Satan had much power in this world, but when one stronger than he came and overcame him, the armor in which he trusted was taken away. Satan is not with Christ, therefore he is against Christ. Christ gathers people together, Satan scatters.

Then Christ compares His cleansing with that of Satan's. There is a vast difference between the casting out of a demon by agreement, as they condemned Jesus of doing, and the casting out of demons by compulsion, as He actually did. Those whom Jesus casts out, never return again. Those whom are cast out by agreement, return seven fold and the last state of that man is worse than the first.

As He said this, a woman in the crowd appreciated the wisdom of his words and gave evidence of this by saying, "Blessed is the womb that bore you." but Jesus replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it."

Matthew Henry describes the casting out of demons by agreement this way: The unclean spirit has gone out but he was not driven out by the power of converting Grace. He withdrew for a time, so that the man seemed not to be under the power of Satan. His house is swept from common pollutions by a forged confession of sin, but still under the power of the god of this world. His house is swept, but not washed. Jesus said, "If I do not wash you, you have no part in me." Without Christ, the demon returns and brings demons more wicked than himself. Mary Magdalene was said to have had seven demons cast from her. Seven wicked spirits are said to oppose the seven spirits of God (Rev. 3:1).

Let us, therefore, hear and fear, examine ourselves and hold on to our integrity.


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