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Explanation for:
Matthew
12
:
26
And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself: how then shall his kingdom stand?
10
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{"arr":[{"author-name":"Jerome of Stridon","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88dcd3432c6dd41375498_Jerome%20of%20Stridon.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"The city and its dominion, turning against themselves, cannot maintain their strength. Just as insignificant matters can grow through mutual agreement, so too can the mightiest lose their power through animosity. Consequently, if Satan is at odds with himself and if one demon opposes another, then the day of reckoning should have already arrived, leaving no ground for opposing forces, whose conflicts create turmoil for humanity. However, you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, if you believe that casting out demons signifies their submission to their leader, only to mock the uninformed with your deceitful semblance, what can you say about the healing of the body performed by the Lord? If you assign the ailments of the body and the expressions of spiritual forces to demons, then this act of healing must be understood differently."},{"author-name":"John Chrysostom","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88ea76859f9f8e2ffd3ee_John%20Chrysostom.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"The Pharisees previously charged Jesus with expelling demons by the authority of Beelzebub. However, He chose not to respond immediately to them, allowing them time to recognize His divine authority through His miraculous works and profound teachings. Yet, when they persisted in their allegations, He ultimately called them out. First, He demonstrated His divinity by revealing their hidden thoughts, and second, He effortlessly cast out demons. Despite the audacity of their accusations—driven by envy, which often disregards the truth—Christ remained composed, responding with His typical gentleness, teaching us to confront our adversaries with humility. Even when they wrongfully accuse us in our hearts, lacking any basis, we are encouraged to maintain our peace and approach them with patience. The Savior addressed the Pharisees, clearly indicating that their statements were untrue. It was rare for someone possessed to exhibit such profound humility or to be aware of others' secret intentions. The Pharisees, partly because of the brazen nature of their assertions and partly out of fear of the crowd, refrained from openly expressing their accusations, keeping them to themselves. However, in His desire to demonstrate His awareness of their thoughts, the Savior chose not to mention their accusations or expose their malice. Instead, He countered their objections, allowing their own consciences to judge them as deceivers. His sole intent was to extend grace to those who had erred rather than to unveil their sins. If He had sought to shame the Pharisees and impose severe punishment, He could have easily done so. Instead, the Savior aimed to eliminate their contentious nature, instructing them in gentleness to enhance their readiness for correction. How did He defend Himself? Rather than citing Scripture—which they had neglected and might distort—He presented general arguments. He stated that “Every kingdom divided against itself shall be made desolate; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand.” Truly, the internal conflicts are more devastating than external ones, applicable in all societies and circumstances. Drawing from a more relatable example, He emphasized that nothing is more formidable than a kingdom. Yet, even a kingdom can falter in its turmoil. If even a kingdom can fall when divided, what can be said of a city or a family? Whether significant or insignificant, if division arises, destruction follows. Thus, if I, possessed, were to cast out other demons with his power, it implies disunity among the demons, with them opposing one another, leading to their downfall. Yet, Jesus pointed out, if Satan casts out Satan—using the name of the ruler of darkness, signifying the unity among demons—then he is divided against himself. If he is divided, he loses power and faces demise; and if he faces demise, how can he drive out another? Observe how absurd their accusation is, how irrational, containing a profound contradiction! A single individual cannot profess to be both powerful and simultaneously expel demons while remaining strong from that which ought to weaken him."},{"author-name":"Augustine of Hippo","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88950a5c988a4fc06c7ae_Augustine%20of%20Hippo.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":5,"exegesis-text":"In making this statement, He aimed to demonstrate through the acknowledgment of the Pharisees that their refusal to have faith in Him meant they opted to remain within the dominion of darkness, which is inherently vulnerable to division. Thus, the Pharisees must decide their course of action. If the adversary is unable to drive out his own, then they could not hold any accusations against the Lord. However, if he is able to do so, they should examine their own hearts and consider departing from a kingdom that cannot withstand the discord within."},{"author-name":"Theophylact of Bulgaria","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8989296bafed9104677d7_Theophylact%20of%20Bulgaria.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":11,"exegesis-text":"How can demons expel themselves when they are so eager to come together? Satan is known as the enemy."},{"author-name":"Euthymios Zigabenos","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":11,"exegesis-text":"If Satan, the ruler of evil spirits, were to involuntarily expel any of his own kind, it would indicate that the oppressed is the adversary of the oppressor. Thus, he becomes divided within himself, just as the demons under his control are splintered from him; and how can his reign over them remain intact? Consequently, if he is indeed their sovereign, he will not separate himself from them by expelling them—he will never assist humanity against a demon, nor reveal any affection for mankind, since he has always been a destroyer of humanity."},{"author-name":"Abbot Panteleimon about the Trinity","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"If Satan expels Satan—he specifically mentioned Satan rather than demons, indicating a profound unity among them—he is essentially undermining his own authority: how can his kingdom endure? Can the ruler of demons truly aid humanity in battling their own evil spirits? Is it conceivable that one who has been a murderer from the outset could act in such a manner? Consider how absurd your charge is, how thoughtless it appears, and the contradictions it embodies! If humanity is under the dominion of demons, how could it possibly drive them out? Furthermore, I am not alone in the act of expelling demons."},{"author-name":"Michail (Lusin)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c89550c567e172d15b3055_Michail%20(Lusin).png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"Understanding their thoughts serves as a testament to Christ's divinity, for only God can discern the hidden thoughts and intentions of the heart (Ps. 7:10, Jer. 17:10). The Lord highlights the absurdity of the Pharisees’ interpretation of His miraculous works by illustrating what is typical in the lives of entire nations, cities, and households. A kingdom, city, or family that fails to exist in harmony and possible agreement, instead becoming fragmented and hostile towards itself, will inevitably falter and become desolate. The same reasoning applies to the kingdom of Beelzebub or Satan (with Satan denoting adversary, opponent, hater, and often associated both with evil spirits more broadly and specifically with the leader of their realm—the prince of demons). If Satan, the leader of demons, were to send spirits to torment individuals while simultaneously aiding Me in driving them out, thereby alleviating their suffering, it would indicate a conflict within himself, acting in contradiction to his own purposes and creating division among the demons. If this were the case, could the demonic realm remain intact? Yet, it does; thus, the Pharisees’ rationale attributing the miraculous exorcisms to the authority of the prince of demons is illogical."},{"author-name":"Gladkow B.I.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88bf0ceef8c96e09a6521_Gladkow%20B.I..png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"If I, possessed by a demon, drive out other demons through his power, it indicates that there is conflict and turmoil among the demons, causing them to turn against one another. If they oppose each other, their authority has been weakened and brought to ruin. Furthermore, if Satan expels Satan, he stands in opposition to himself; a divided entity loses its power and ultimately falls. If he falls, how can he possibly expel another? This serves as the initial rebuttal."},{"author-name":"Paul Matwejewski","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8969f5be0d592d5a10576_Paul%20Matwejewski.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"In response to the accusations that threatened to undermine the most compelling evidence of Christ's divine mission—His miracles (John 5:36)—He vigorously defended Himself. Understanding the hidden motives of His adversaries, He sought to dismantle their fabricated interpretations of these miracles by referring to universally recognized truths: \\"Every kingdom divided against itself shall become desolate, and every town or house divided against itself shall not stand; and if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand?\\" The internal inconsistency in the Pharisees' reasoning, which depicted evil spirits as turning against one another rather than supporting each other, rendered their charges absurd and foolish."},{"author-name":"Bogolepow D.P.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"The miraculous healing of the blind man possessed by a demon significantly impacted the crowd, leading them to ponder, “Is the one who healed him not the Messiah?” This sentiment was not favorable to Jesus' adversaries, the scribes and Pharisees, but it was apparent to everyone present that the healing was an act of divine intervention. In response to the miracle, these opponents attempted to distort the narrative, claiming that Jesus performed the healing by the power of Beelzebub, the ruler of demons. To counter such accusations, Jesus offered two points: first, if He was expelling demons by Beelzebub’s power, it would suggest that Satan was acting against himself, which is illogical, as such conflict would prevent the existence of Satan's dominion; second, if the Pharisees were to claim that Jesus cast out demons through Beelzebub, they would also need to explain the exorcisms conducted by their own followers, which they do not do. \\n\\nThe Lord then rightly assessed the nature of His own miraculous acts of exorcism: He carries them out through the Holy Spirit (as described figuratively in Luke as the finger of God), thereby compelling the witnesses of these events to recognize that the reign of Satan, who had long tormented humanity, is now concluded, and the kingdom of God has been established. The need for this conclusion is underscored in verse 29: if those bound by Satan are freed from his hold, it indicates that a Stronger One, the Messiah, has invaded the domain of the strong man, Satan, who had previously bound him, and is now liberating his captives.\\n\\nFollowing this, Jesus declared, “Whoever is not with Me is against Me, and whoever does not gather with Me scatters.” If these words are viewed as part of His rebuttal against the Pharisees' accusation that He used Beelzebub’s power, their implication is that there can be no alliance between Beelzebub and Christ, as there is no neutral stance in relation to Christ; to not be with Him is to oppose Him. However, if this verse is connected to what follows, it serves as a caution and a warning to those who were currently wavering between adherence to the Pharisees and allegiance to Christ."}]}
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