QUESTION #20 If satan cast out satan, then he is decided against himself; and how then shall his kingdom stand?

 QUESTIONS JESUS ASKED BIBLE STUDY

 

   Read Matthew 12:22-37 KJV: 

 

        If Satan cast out Satan, then he is divided against himself; and how then shall his kingdom stand?(Matthew 12:26)

     And if I cast out devils by Beelzebub, then by whom do your children cast them out? (Matthew 12:27)

     Or else how can one enter a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? (Matthew 12:29)

        Oh generations of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? (Matthew 12:34)

 

CAN SATAN CAST OUT SATAN?

Reference: Matthew 12:22-37; Mark 3:9-30; Luke 11:14-23

 

These questions come about when Jesus healed a person possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb. When all the people saw that the person could see and speak they were amazed, and said, “Is this not the Son of David?” But when the Pharisees heard of this, they accused Jesus of casting out devils by Beelzebub, the prince of devils.

 

Jesus knowing their thoughts opposes them with some logical arguments for why He is not casting out demons by the power of satan. Jesus responded by saying, “How can satan cast out satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand”. Meaning if He was casting out satan by the power of satan, then satan’s kingdom would fall and could not stand.

 

Then Jesus states, “If you claim that I cast out satan by Beelzebub, then why don’t you charge your own “followers” – for they profess to do the same things?” Remember, Jesus declared that in the day of Judgment some would claim, “Did we not prophesy in your Name, and by your Name cast out demons?” And yet He said, “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of iniquity” (Matthew 7:22). Those children, meaning those “followers” of the Pharisees, will be in that rejected group!

 

Jesus then says, “But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you”. Basically, Jesus is saying “It is the power of God manifested in me that demonstrates that I am the Messiah, the Son of David, of whom the multitude spoke.”

 

Jesus also argues, “How else can one break into the house of a strong man and take his property unless he has rendered that man himself helpless”. If he had taken his goods, it would therefore be sufficient proof that he had bound the man to do so. Jesus is not referring to a general illustration, but is pointing to a specific enemy – satan. Basically, Jesus is saying, “How can I despoil satan without first having conquered him?”

 

In addition to his other arguments, Jesus uses this general principle - that there can be but two parties in the universe. If anyone did not act with Him, he was against Him. If he gathered not with him, he scattered. This is taken from the practice of persons in harvest. He that did not gather with Him, or “aid” Him, scattered abroad, or opposed Him. The application of this was, “As I have not united with satan, but opposed him, there can be no league between us.” The charge, therefore, is false.

 

To conclude that Jesus did His miracles by the power of satan was to completely reject the very proof that God had given to them that Jesus was God and the Savior of the world. To give credit to satan for the work of the Holy Spirit performed through Jesus Christ is to blaspheme the Holy Ghost (verse 32). They said he had an “unclean spirit”. That is the ultimate rejection of Jesus. Jesus warned if you blaspheme the Holy Ghost there is no forgiveness, ever. As far as it applies today, it is not the thought that one seeking pardon will not find it, but rather that the one who rejects the Holy Ghost will not seek pardon. It is the ultimate in unbelief. 

 

In verse 33, He points out that a good tree brings forth good fruit and a bad tree brings forth bad fruit. A good man out of the goodness of his heart, speaks good things, and that of an evil man out of the evilness of his heart, speaks evil things. How do you know what is in a person’s heart? Pay attention to what they speak from their mouth “for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh” (Luke 6:45, Matthew 12:34)

 

The unbelief of the Pharisees calls forth the strongest language. Christ addressed them, “generation of vipers,” or poisonous snakes. He declared that they were evil and therefore could not speak good and warned them that as unbelievers, every idle word they speak will be called to account on the day of Judgment. “For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned” (Matthew 12:37).

 

Notes: