Breaking the Word

 He was driving out a demon (that was) mute, and when the demon had gone out, the mute person spoke and the crowds were amazed. Some of them said, "By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he drives out demons." Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven. But he knew their thoughts and said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house. And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons. If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people drive them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that (I) drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man fully armed guards his palace, his possessions are safe. But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him, he takes away the armor on which he relied and distributes the spoils. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. (Lk 11:14-23)

 

 

Jesus was commanding the evil spirits and they obeyed him. This could be interpreted two ways. One was that Jesus had some extraordinary power and he could do anything and everything and in that sense he could even command the spirits and they all obeyed him. There was a second interpretation by which the people thought that Jesus was in league with the spirits so they did what Jesus wanted. The some of the Israelites accepted the second interpretation.

 

This implied that some of the followers did not accept the kingdom which Jesus was preaching about. Preaching the kingdom and establishing the kingdom were the main purpose of Jesus life and mission. Chasing the demons were only the external signs of his activities. So by denying or suspecting the external activities the opponents denied the kingdom ministry.

 

Jesus was aware that whatever he was doing was ‘by the finger of God’. It was like Moses who was doing mighty deeds in front of Pharaoh and he was doing them by the finger of God (Ex 8, 19). So Jesus was aware that the God exodus was alive and active in him and through him. Those who were godly saw God in Jesus and those who were Pharaoh saw a magician and the like.   

"Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (Mt 5:17-19)

 

 

The people of Israel had many teachers of law and the covenant. There were prophets. At the time of Jesus there were Pharisees and the scribes. They taught the Israelites the way of being faithful to God, a way of behaving in accordance with God’s covenant. The teachers of the law and the interpreters of the law were helping the listeners to be more faithful to God.

 

Jesus was thought to be another teacher of the law. But Jesus was not intending to abandon the law and the prophets. Israel’s whole story, commandments, promises were all going to be fulfilled in him. Kingdom of heaven was breaking in; God’s covenant was becoming a reality. This was changing their lives; a behavioural change not just by teaching but by a change of heart.

 

This change was seen in Jesus and the change was a reality in Jesus. Every law and promises were fulfilled in Jesus and Jesus wanted his disciples also to be like him. Everyone should be a reality like Jesus in whom the laws and the prophets would be seen and experienced.