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Explanation for:
Matthew
12
:
28
But if I by the Spirit of God cast out devils, then is the kingdom of God come upon you.
11
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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":"If I expel demons by the Spirit of God. This passage found in Luke states: If I cast out demons by the finger of God, as noted in Luke 11:20. This finger is the same that the wise men acknowledged when they performed miracles in the presence of Moses and Aaron, declaring, This is the finger of God, as referenced in Exodus 8:19. It is also mentioned in Exodus 4:29; this is the finger that inscribed the stone tablets on Mount Sinai, as stated in Deuteronomy 9. Thus, while we understand the Son as the hand of God and the Holy Spirit as the finger of God, the essence of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is unified. Let not the apparent distinctions among the persons lead you astray, for the unity of the body provides instruction. Truly, the kingdom of God has come upon you. With these words, He indicates either Himself, of whom it is written: the kingdom of God is within you, as found in Luke 17:21, or perhaps He refers to the Kingdom that John the Baptist and the Lord proclaimed: Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near, as recorded in Matthew 3:2. There is also a third aspect of the Kingdom in Scripture, which has been taken from the Jews and given to those who produce its fruits, as mentioned in Matthew 21:43."},{"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":"What is meant by the kingdom? It refers to My arrival. Observe how He continually draws people to Himself, providing healing and striving to reveal His nature to them, illustrating that they are equipping themselves against their own blessings and opposing their deliverance. To you, He declares, you should rejoice and celebrate that I have come to grant those immense and indescribable gifts foretold by the prophets of old, heralding that your time of favor has arrived; instead, you behave contrary to this, not only rejecting the gifts but also fabricating slander and false charges against the One who offers them. The book of Hebrews affirms, I will cast out demons by the Spirit of God; while Luke states, I will cast out demons by the finger of God (Luke 11:20), demonstrating that the expulsion of demons is an act of the ultimate authority and divine grace. This suggests that, if true, it implies the arrival of the Son of God. Yet, Christ does not state this overtly; to avoid inciting their animosity, He subtly refers to it by saying, For the kingdom of God is resting upon you. What profound insight! For the accusations made by the Pharisees only underscore His presence among them. Furthermore, to draw them closer to Himself, He did not merely say, ‘The kingdom is near,’ but added, ‘On you’; as if to indicate, ‘The moment of your blessedness has arrived. Why then do you not rejoice in your blessings? Why do you oppose your salvation? This is the season the prophets foretold. The sign of their prophesy is evident: demons are expelled through divine strength. You affirm their expulsion, yet it is through divine authority that this is accomplished, evidenced by the miraculous works. Satan can no longer maintain his strength; he must necessarily have become weaker. A weak person cannot expel a strong demon, unlike a strong person. This is what the Savior conveyed to illustrate the strength derived from love and the weakness arising from discord and contention. For this reason, He constantly encourages His disciples universally to embody love, especially because the devil seeks to dismantle it in every conceivable manner."},{"author-name":"Apollinarius of Laodicea","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":4,"exegesis-text":"Once again, as one empowered to liberate individuals from demonic forces through the Spirit, Christ wields this authority within the family of God. If the work of the Spirit signifies the reign of God, we must clearly reject the notion that the Spirit originates from the fallen creation to establish this divine kingdom. If the work of the Spirit embodies the kingdom of God, we cannot entertain the idea that the Spirit connects to the Godhead through the creature in bondage to the administration of this kingdom."},{"author-name":"Ambrose of Milan","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88871ceef8c96e0998cd0_Ambrose%20of%20Milan.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"Demons are expelled by the finger of God (Luke 11:20) or, as stated by Matthew, through the Spirit of God (Matthew 12:28). This clearly indicates that the kingdom of God is united, akin to a single body; Christ represents the right hand of God, while the Spirit symbolizes the finger, reflecting the unity of the divine essence manifested in the form of a body. If the kingdom can be likened to a body, its indivisibility becomes evident. We read that in Christ, the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily (Col. 2:9). This truth applies equally to both the Father and the Spirit. However, do not misunderstand this comparison to suggest a division in divine power; what is indivisible cannot be fragmented. Thus, the reference to the finger signifies unity rather than a partition of power. The Hand of God proclaims, I and the Father are one (John 10:30), affirming that while the Godhead is undivided, the Persons are distinct.\\n\\nWhen the Spirit is referred to as the finger, it signifies His active power, for just like the Father and the Son, the Holy Spirit engages in divine works. David articulates this when he says, When I consider the heavens, the work of Thy fingers (Psalms 8:4), and in Psalm thirty-two he notes: By the Spirit of His mouth, all their strength was made (Psalm 32:6). Furthermore, Paul states: But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills (1 Cor. 12:11). When the Lord affirms, If I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you (Matt. 12:28), He simultaneously illustrates that the power of the Holy Spirit is akin to that of a sovereign and that in Him resides the kingdom of heaven, making us in whom the Spirit dwells part of the royal household. Additionally, He proclaimed, The kingdom of God is within you (Luke 17:21). Therefore, we must regard the Holy Spirit as sharing in the divine nature, authority, and royal glory, for the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (2 Cor. 3:17)."},{"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":"He states, \\"If I drive out demons by the authority of God, I am the Son of God, sent for your benefit, to bring you healing, so that my arrival, represented by the kingdom of God, may 'come to you.' Why then do you speak ill of my presence, which has occurred for your benefit?\\""},{"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":"While the other Gospel writers indicated, “If I cast out demons by the Spirit of God,” Luke articulated it as, “But if I cast out demons by the finger of God” (Luke 11:20). The \\"finger of God\\" refers to the Holy Spirit. By demonstrating that He does not expel demons through the authority of Beelzebub, He also reveals that He drives them out by the Spirit of God. Here, the Spirit of God is associated with the power of God; thus, Luke refers to it as the finger of God, which signifies His hand, representing His divine authority. When He states that if He casts out demons by God's power—not merely as a mortal, but truly as the Son of God—it clearly indicates that the kingdom of God has come upon you. This kingdom, as prophesied, must come through Christ, for it is only God who expels demons with His divine might. The apostles, however, did not perform such acts by God's power, but through the grace of God, possessing not the same strength as God, but rather His grace within them. Christ commanded demons to leave with a single word, whereas the apostles did so in His name. If the kingdom of God has indeed arrived to you, why then do you resist it? Why do you oppose the goodness being offered to you? This is the moment of your salvation, foretold by the prophets long ago."},{"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 I expel demons by the Spirit of God, not merely as a human but with the authority of the Son of God, then it is evident that the kingdom of God is among you. St. Chrysostom observes that the Lord refrains from explicitly stating, “I have come,” to prevent inciting their animosity; instead, He subtly indicates through the phrase, “the Kingdom of God has come to you,” signaling the arrival of a time of joy for you."},{"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":"Through the Spirit of God: by the divine power and gifts of the Holy Spirit that were bestowed upon Him at His baptism, although as the eternal Son of God He shares the same essence and eternity with the Holy Spirit and the Father. The message that ‘the kingdom of God has come upon you’ signifies that the kingdom of the Messiah has arrived among them; they could realize, if they desired, that the Messiah is present, for through His miraculous works He affirmed His identity as the Messiah. Wherever the Messiah is revealed and actively engaged, His kingdom is already present, albeit not in its complete realization, but in its unfolding in time. The expulsion of demons served as a clear indication of the arrival of this kingdom: God’s realm and Satan’s realm are in ongoing conflict over humanity; when God expels Satan, reclaiming authority over people, it is evident that the kingdom of God has indeed arrived (Matt. 3:2, Matt. 6:10)."},{"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":"Matthew records, if I am the Spirit of God... and the Evangelist Luke states, if I am the finger of God... (Luke 11:20), indicating that the expulsion of demons is an act of unparalleled authority and extraordinary grace. He did not merely declare that the kingdom of God has arrived... the kingdom of God, but emphasized, ‘unto you’. So, why do you not find joy in the blessings bestowed upon you? Why do you prepare yourselves against your salvation? Look, now is the time spoken of by the prophets. This serves as the evidence of their anticipated arrival: demons are cast out by divine might."},{"author-name":"Paul Matwejewski","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8969f5be0d592d5a10576_Paul%20Matwejewski.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"The astounding acts of Christ serve as a definitive indication of the approaching Kingdom of God. When I, empowered by the Spirit of God, or as stated in Luke, by the finger of God, expel evil spirits, it signals the restoration of the Kingdom of God among you. The contrast between the phrases used by the Evangelists Matthew and Luke, along with the interpretations of the holy Fathers, makes it clear that the \\"finger of God\\" refers to the Holy Spirit. As noted by St. Athanasius of Alexandria, \\"the Giver of the Spirit declares that He casts out demons through the Spirit,\\" which must be understood in light of His humanity—meaning He expels demons by the Spirit as a man."},{"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 demons created a profound impact on the crowd, leading them to ponder, 'Could the one who healed him be the Messiah?' This sentiment was surely displeasing to Jesus' adversaries, the scribes and Pharisees. Nonetheless, it was evident to everyone that the healing was an act of divine intervention. In an attempt to misconstrue this miracle, they claimed that Jesus had expelled demons through the power of Beelzebub, the leader of demons. To counter such accusations, Christ presented two arguments: First, if He cast out demons by Beelzebub’s power, it would indicate that Satan was opposing himself, which is nonsensical because in that case, Satan’s kingdom could not endure (25-26). Second, if the Pharisees assert that Jesus expelled demons by Beelzebub, they must also clarify how their own followers expel demons, a task they avoid (27). The Lord made a righteous assessment regarding His acts of casting out demons, asserting that He accomplished them through the Holy Spirit (in Luke, figuratively stated as by the finger of God, v. 20). Therefore, those who witnessed these miracles should conclude that the reign of Satan, which once plagued humanity, is now being dismantled, while the reign of God has arrived (28). Verse 29 emphasizes the necessity of this conclusion: if those held captive by Satan are liberated, it signifies that a Stronger One, namely the Messiah, has entered the domain of the strong, meaning Satan, who binds the strong and is now freely taking away his possessions. Following this, Christ declared, ‘Whoever is not with Me is against Me, and whoever does not gather with Me scatters’ (the imagery in the latter part of this statement is drawn from harvest). Interpreting this as a continuation of His rebuttal to the Pharisees’ accusations that He expelled demons by Beelzebub suggests that there exists a stark opposition between Beelzebub and Christ, as there can be no neutrality regarding one’s relationship with Christ; those who are not for Him are against Him. Conversely, if this verse is read in connection with what follows, it serves as a caution and warning to those who find themselves torn between aligning with the Pharisees or supporting Christ."}]}
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