“HE was casting out a demon, and it was dumb” (Luke 11:1414And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered. (Luke 11:14)). “Blind and dumb,” adds Matthew (12:22). A most merciful deliverance assuredly, for which every observer should have been profoundly thankful to God. The common people were not altogether unappreciative, for they said: “Is not this the Son of David?” It has frequently happened that the simple ones of the earth have been very true in their perception of the hand of God.
But with the religious leaders it was otherwise. They said: “He casteth out demons by Beelzebub the prince of demons” (Luke 11:1515But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils. (Luke 11:15), R. V.). Matthew says this came from the Pharisees; Mark adds that the scribes were involved in it also (3:22). It is a question whether we should condemn the most their spiritual incompetency or their desperate wickedness. If they were really quite unable to distinguish between the hand of God and the hand of Satan they were utterly unfit to be instructors of God’s people; if instead they saw God’s power and deliberately imputed it to be the operation of hell, because it did not happen to work through official channels, the wickedness of it is almost too awful to contemplate. No evil is worse than religious evil; how much there has been of it let the annals of ecclesiasticism declare.
There have ever been certain recognized channels through which, in men’s judgment, divine power and blessing ought to flow. But it is most certain that the blessing of God has reached multitudes of souls apart from official channels altogether. Like Gideon’s fleece, ecclesiasticism has been dry while the refreshing dew of God’s Spirit has been experienced all around (Jud. 6:40). This, instead of producing heart-searching in those thus divinely passed by, has only too often evoked rancor and blasphemy. It is a settled principle with ecclesiasticism that everything outside of itself is unauthorized and abominable.
The compassionate Saviour stooped to reason with His evil critics. He asks them how Satan could possibly cast out Satan, and pointed out that a kingdom divided against itself must needs come to desolation, and that a house divided against itself cannot stand. The true position was this: ―Satan as the strong one had long kept his captives in peace; now a Stronger had come, with power to overcome him, and divide the spoils. For this let us praise our God. The Stronger than Satan is manifestly the victorious Son of God. He has met the enemy in his last stronghold―death, and has vanquished him, putting away sin the while; there is not a single child of Adam but may be set free from the thraldom of Satan forthwith by appealing to the Saviour’s grace. Sin-distressed souls need not concern themselves with the ways and criticism of contentious religionists; the Saviour is their true resource; let them cast themselves on Him.
To His stern rebuke our Lord added these words: “He that is not with Me is against Me; and he that gathereth not with Me scattereth abroad” (Luke 11:2323He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. (Luke 11:23)). He was undoubtedly wielding the power of God in grace and blessing to needy men; those who opposed Him were not gatherers but rather scatterers, of God’s “beautiful flock” (Jer. 13:2020Lift up your eyes, and behold them that come from the north: where is the flock that was given thee, thy beautiful flock? (Jeremiah 13:20)). Let us tremble lest religious prejudice land us in this terrible position to-day. Where the hand of God is clearly seen, where the Spirit of grace is really blessing and comforting souls, let us frankly acknowledge it, and without a reserve in our hearts let us praise and magnify our God.