Helping the Helpless as the King of the Kingdom
Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the man who had been mute began to speak, and the crowds were amazed.
But some of them said, “By the power of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons, he casts out demons.”
Others, to test him, began asking for a sign from heaven.
But Jesus, realizing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed, and a divided household falls. So if Satan too is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? I ask you this because you claim that I cast out demons by Beelzebul.
Now if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out?
Therefore they will be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has already overtaken you.”
There was a belief at the time that a holy person could only cast a demon out of someone if they wanted the demon to leave. Specifically, if they could say that they wanted the demon to leave. If a mute spirit got ahold of someone, they were doomed! They couldn’t talk and say that they wanted the demon to leave!
That is why everyone is now beyond-amazed at Jesus. Not only has He been healing people that have been coming to Him, but now He is healing the most helpless. Today we might even think of these people like the people that “Don’t even want to help themselves.”
That’s where the real mercy shows up, isn’t it? The Protestant Work Ethic inside of us loves to help the person that isn’t scamming people on the corner with a cardboard sign. We like to help people with a business plan and a course of getting out of their bad situation. That feels good, purposeful, a little less hopeless.
And if you want to talk about a Kingdom divided against itself, nothing feels more counterproductive than feeding or enabling someone that will continue to make terrible choices. You feel like they have to show some desire to work with you as you help them.
But that’s not how Jesus is operating in this segment.
Not only is Jesus freeing people from demons that can’t help themselves, He’s not hitting the Pharisees over the head with His power. He’s asking them to consider who has such power and leaving them to figure it out or resist. He’s giving out unconditional love and even unconditional knowledge. You can believe and receive or deny it, He is leaving you free to choose.
But if you see and choose to believe that He’s as powerful as He acts, the Kingdom of God has come. The rule and reign of God, the governing power of the Most High, is in the space all around you.
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