25 Jesus knew their thoughts and replied, “Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A town or family splintered by feuding will fall apart. 26 And if Satan is casting out Satan, he is divided and fighting against himself. His own kingdom will not survive. 27 And if I am empowered by Satan, what about your own exorcists? They cast out demons, too, so they will condemn you for what you have said. 28 But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you.

29 For who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man and plunder his goods? Only someone even stronger—someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house. 

Matthew 12:25-29 (NLT)

Simple logic

Jesus knew what they were thinking. In response to the Jewish leader’s weak suggestion that Jesus casts out demons by Satan, Jesus uses simple logic that an elementary kid can understand. If a kingdom is divided against itself in a civil war, it won’t last long. Likewise, if Satan’s armies are fighting against themselves (demons are being cast out by the power of Satan), it doesn’t make sense. To add to it, He asks them how their exorcists can cast our demons. They have no answer.

What if?

What if Jesus is indeed casting out demons by the Spirit of God? And what if Jesus is indeed God? These are questions the Pharisees do not want to deal with. To them, Jesus cannot be Messiah because He’s not acting like they expected and He is disrupting their lives and ministry. 

Stronger than the strong man

Jesus uses this opportunity to teach that Satan is indeed powerful and able to possess people and cause misery. This is true. But, as evidenced by Jesus casting out demons and people getting healed, Jesus is stronger than the strong man. He is able to bind him. “Jesus looks at every life delivered from Satan’s domination and says, ‘I’m plundering the kingdom of Satan one life at a time.’ There is nothing in our life that must stay under Satan’s domination. The One who binds the strong man and will plunder his goods is our risen Lord.” (enduringword.com)

RЯeflection

• Is Jesus doing things in a way that we don’t expect…or that disrupts our comfortable lives? We need to recognize that He is Lord, not us. Pray for His will to be done. We’ll be rewarded in Heaven for it.

• Do we realize that Satan is still at work in the world? But we do not have to fear. But we do need to take action. As Jesus sent out His disciples to cast out demons, heal the sick, etc. (Matthew 10:1), He also sends us.