Our paragraph topic is: (A dumb demoniac) Part 2.
Christ has cast out the devil in the dumb man who was then able to speak. He did not speak before. But the removal of the demon gave him his speech. Many of the onlookers were in awe. Many did not know what to make, of what they saw. Never before has this been told of in all of Israel. Never before has such a miracle been seen. But then there are the wise Pharisees who are learned in the scriptures. But then there are the Pharisees who had an explanation for this miracle. They said, "By the prince of devils he casts out devils."
The Pharisees were not like the ordinary. They were educated. They had learning. They were above the people. They ruled the people. They handed down the laws to the people. So their statement about how Christ performed this miracle was a statement of knowledge. It was a statement of insight. It was a statement of understanding. This statement assumed that there was a relationship between Christ and the prince of devils. It implies that Christ obtained his
power from the prince of devils and that the prince gave him the authority to cast out devils.
The Pharisees saw what had happened with the man possessed by the demon. They understood within themselves that Jesus had power to cast out demons but they could not accept that the
authority came from God. This was their reasoning. If that power did come from God then this Christ could place himself above them. If this power that Christ possessed did come from God then the people would no longer believe in them. The people would no longer follow them. The people would no longer provide for them as they had in the past.
Christ had just previously spoken to the Pharisees and told them to learn about mercy instead of sacrifice. He had just publicly spoken to the scribes and told them about the evil that was in their hearts. He had indicated to the followers of John the Baptist that his disciples were different and did not follow the same precepts as they and the Pharisees. So on three public occasions Christ had rebuked the Pharisees and the Scribes. They were beginning to find him irritating. So their explanation of this miracle stated that Christ had a relationship with the devil who gave him the power to cast out demons. They could not accept him as the Messiah. They could not believe that he was sent by God. They could not allow the people to believe that they knew who he was. So they conceived of this statement so that others would believe in them and follow their explanation. They provided a basis to preserve their authority. They decided to mislead the people with a statement of falsehood.
St Matthew gives us this statement here to show us how the separation began. He demonstrates to us that a rift is taking place and the devil is working on the people around Christ. The crowd is amazed at his miracles and the demons are finding ways to undermine those miracles. There is a need for a physician to help the injured. There is a need for a physician to heal the sick. There is a need for a physician to cure the ills of society, and the demons are retaliating. They are deceiving the minds of the Pharisees. They are bringing about strife. They are causing false statements to be spoken. The battle has begun. The sides are being drawn. And the players are taking position. Which side will you take, the side of Christ or the side of the Pharisees and the prince of the devils?
Christ has cast out the devil in the dumb man who was then able to speak. He did not speak before. But the removal of the demon gave him his speech. Many of the onlookers were in awe. Many did not know what to make, of what they saw. Never before has this been told of in all of Israel. Never before has such a miracle been seen. But then there are the wise Pharisees who are learned in the scriptures. But then there are the Pharisees who had an explanation for this miracle. They said, "By the prince of devils he casts out devils."
The Pharisees were not like the ordinary. They were educated. They had learning. They were above the people. They ruled the people. They handed down the laws to the people. So their statement about how Christ performed this miracle was a statement of knowledge. It was a statement of insight. It was a statement of understanding. This statement assumed that there was a relationship between Christ and the prince of devils. It implies that Christ obtained his
power from the prince of devils and that the prince gave him the authority to cast out devils.
The Pharisees saw what had happened with the man possessed by the demon. They understood within themselves that Jesus had power to cast out demons but they could not accept that the
authority came from God. This was their reasoning. If that power did come from God then this Christ could place himself above them. If this power that Christ possessed did come from God then the people would no longer believe in them. The people would no longer follow them. The people would no longer provide for them as they had in the past.
Christ had just previously spoken to the Pharisees and told them to learn about mercy instead of sacrifice. He had just publicly spoken to the scribes and told them about the evil that was in their hearts. He had indicated to the followers of John the Baptist that his disciples were different and did not follow the same precepts as they and the Pharisees. So on three public occasions Christ had rebuked the Pharisees and the Scribes. They were beginning to find him irritating. So their explanation of this miracle stated that Christ had a relationship with the devil who gave him the power to cast out demons. They could not accept him as the Messiah. They could not believe that he was sent by God. They could not allow the people to believe that they knew who he was. So they conceived of this statement so that others would believe in them and follow their explanation. They provided a basis to preserve their authority. They decided to mislead the people with a statement of falsehood.
St Matthew gives us this statement here to show us how the separation began. He demonstrates to us that a rift is taking place and the devil is working on the people around Christ. The crowd is amazed at his miracles and the demons are finding ways to undermine those miracles. There is a need for a physician to help the injured. There is a need for a physician to heal the sick. There is a need for a physician to cure the ills of society, and the demons are retaliating. They are deceiving the minds of the Pharisees. They are bringing about strife. They are causing false statements to be spoken. The battle has begun. The sides are being drawn. And the players are taking position. Which side will you take, the side of Christ or the side of the Pharisees and the prince of the devils?
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