Jesus and Beelzebul

Today's Reflections

                                                                               

Jesus and Beelzebul

Lk 11:15-26

[After Jesus had driven out a demon that was mute,] ¹⁵some of [the crowd] said, “By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he drives out demons.” ¹⁶Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven. ¹⁷But he knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house. ¹⁸And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons. ¹⁹If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people drive them out? Therefore they will be your judges. ²⁰But if it is by the finger of God that [I] drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. ²¹When a strong man fully armed guards his palace, his possessions are safe. ²²But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him, he takes away the armor on which he relied and distributes the spoils. ²³Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

²⁴“When an unclean spirit goes out of someone, it roams through arid regions searching for rest but, finding none, it says, ‘I shall return to my home from which I came.’ ²⁵But upon returning, it finds it swept clean and put in order. ²⁶Then it goes and brings back seven other spirits more wicked than itself who move in and dwell there, and the last condition of that person is worse than the first.”

BY THE POWER OF BEELZEBUL. “Crab mentality” describes the attitude of persons who cannot or do not want to see good in others and thus attempt to pull down others who seem to be achieving success. This is the mind of the Pharisees who keep on looking for occasions and reasons to criticize Jesus and bring him down. When Jesus drives out demons, they say he does so by the power of Satan.

Jesus points to the absurdity of their accusation. If Satan drives out his demons, he is fighting against himself and his kingdom will not stand. Instead, Jesus acts by God’s power and thus brings God’s kingdom among the people.

“Whoever is not with me,” says Jesus, “is against me.” Before Jesus there can be no neutrality. We are either for him or against him.

Are you blind to the good that others do?

Show by your actions that you are for Christ

and not against him.