Br. David Vryhof

Luke 11:14-26

All four of the gospels reveal that as Jesus’ popularity increased, so did the opposition to his message. His teachings and miracles drew crowds but also brought him into conflict with the religious authorities. We see this in today’s gospel reading from Luke 11:14-26.

The triggering event in this case is an exorcism. The exorcism itself is sketched out very briefly and matter-of-factly: “Now he was casting out a demon that was mute; when the demon had gone out, the one who had been mute spoke” (v. 14). That’s it. No further details are given. What is emphasized is not the miracle itself, but the response to it. Three responses are described:

Jesus refuses to give this third group the sign they were requesting (v. 29), but he does address the challenge put to him by the second group. Spirits, both good and evil, were thought to be active in Jesus’ day and it wasn’t always clear which kind of spirit was responsible for a person’s mental or physical condition, or for their misfortune. In this case, an evil spirit has caused this man to be unable to speak, but in the case of Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, it is God’s spirit that causes him to be mute for several weeks before his child is born.[1]

Jesus responds to the criticism that he is casting out demons by the ruler of demons in three ways. First, with logic: “Satan would not work against himself by casting out his own demons, would he?” Second, with a comparison: “If I am casting out demons by the power of Beelzebul, by whom do your exorcists cast them out?” Third, by a challenge: “If it is by the finger of God that I cast out the demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you” (v.20). (In other words, if you admit that this is the work of God, why won’t you acknowledge that the kingdom of God has come?)

The truth is, says Jesus, that Satan is strong but now he is being overthrown by a stronger power. Jesus’ work and that of his disciples marks the beginning of the end for the forces of evil. There will continue to be skirmishes between good and evil, but there is a sure and certain hope that Satan will be conquered in the end. It calls to mind Jesus’ vision in the previous chapter, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning” (Luke 10:18).

It’s an encouraging word for Jesus’ listeners and for us who live in these challenging times when evil seems to be so hard at work. Recall Jesus’ words, “I watched Satan fall from heaven,” and put your trust in God’s strength and God’s assurance of victory.

[1] Luke 1:20.