Jesus and Beelzebul

Today's Reflections

Jesus and Beelzebul 

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Mk 3:22-30

²²The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said [of Jesus], “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “By the prince of demons he drives out demons.”

²³Summoning them, [Jesus] began to speak to them in parables, “How can Satan drive out Satan? ²⁴If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. ²⁵And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. ²⁶And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand; that is the end of him. ²⁷But no one can enter a strong man’s house to plunder his property unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house. ²⁸Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies that people utter will be forgiven them. ²⁹But whoever blasphemes against the holy Spirit will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting sin.” ³⁰For they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”

Reflection:

How can Satan drive out Satan? Jesus has been depicted in Mark as performing miracles, and the unclean spirits are clearly subject to him. Yet the scribes from Jerusalem claim that Jesus is possessed by Beelzebul and that he drives out demons through the prince of demons.

Jesus shows how absurd the accusation is, and implies that it is a sin against the Holy Spirit, which is unforgivable. This sin is the hardening of one’s heart to grace. While a person resists the grace of the Holy Spirit, he cannot obtain forgiveness.

Let us pray that we do not harden our hearts through rationalization and deliberate refusal of God’s grace. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to keep us open to his grace even should we sin.

Do you ascribe evil to the good that others do?