Luke 11:14-32: “Jesus Is Accused Of Casting Out A Demon By
The Ruler Of The Demons / People Must Decide About Jesus”
By
1.
INTRO:
1.1.
In our last study, we looked
verse 38 of chapter 10 through verse 13 of chapter 11.
1.1.1. That section of scripture dealt with the importance of seeking the Lord
and praying, and being persistent in our praying. We looked at:
1.1.1.1. The story of Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus listening to Him while
her sister Martha was busy preparing a meal for Him.
1.1.1.1.1.
Martha was an example to us
of someone who always tried to do her best for Jesus. It is sad but while Martha in her life is
seeking to always give Jesus her very best in her service to Him and demonstrating
this by preparing Him a wonderful meal, most of us who take the name of
Christian are content to give Jesus the leftovers of our life. However, Martha errored by placing service
ahead of worship and seeking the Lord.
1.1.1.1.2.
Mary on the other hand knew
what was really important in life.
Though we all have many things in our life that we think are so
important to do, Mary realized the one thing that was most important and that
was sitting at Jesus’ feet adoring Him and learning from Him.
1.1.1.2. Jesus teaching His disciples a model prayer after they come to Him
asking Him how they are supposed to pray.
1.1.1.3. Jesus using an illustration of a man going in the middle of the night
to a friend in order to borrow loaves of bread in order to demonstrate the
point that His disciples are to be persistent in their praying to the Lord
1.1.1.4. Jesus using the example of evil fathers to give good things to their
children in order to demonstrate to His disciples their Heavenly Father’s
desire to give good things to them when they pray.
1.2.
In our study today, we are
going to look at chapter 11 verses 14-32.
1.2.1. Jesus will cast a demon out of a man healing him from being mute,
however there is a variety of responses amongst the people observing
Jesus. Some want to see a further sign
from Jesus and some say that Jesus must have done this through the power of the
ruler of the demons.
1.2.2. The verses we will consider make the point that seeing and hearing
Jesus cause people to have to make a decision about Him.
2. VS 11:14-22 - “14 And He was casting out a demon,
and it was mute; when the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke; and the
crowds were amazed. 15 But some of them said, “He casts out demons
by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.” 16 Others, to test Him, were
demanding of Him a sign from heaven. 17 But He knew their thoughts
and said to them, “Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and a
house divided against itself falls. 18 “If Satan also is
divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast
out demons by Beelzebul. 19 “And if I by Beelzebul cast out demons,
by whom do your sons cast them out? So they will be your judges. 20 “But
if I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the
2.1.
The name ‘Beelzebul’
used here is a derivative of the name “Beelzebub” which means “Lord of the
Flies.” This was a term by which
Satan, the Devil, was referred to.
2.2.
In Matthew’s account of this
miracle, Matt. 12:22-24, Matthew tells us that this man was both blind and mute
and that when the demon was cast out that the man was now able to both speak
and hear. This man had then been under a
severe demonic influence and then Jesus performed a wonderful and complete
healing of him.
2.3.
We see here in this story
that Luke in his writing is making another point in demonstrating who Jesus is
to his readers by explaining how that the miraculous works that Jesus performed
could not be denied by those who witnessed them. Even those not disposed to Jesus or His
teaching were found in the position of not being able to deny the incredible
wonders that He performed. Now, they
must explain them. Thus, Luke is
indicating that people are forced to make a decision for or against Jesus
because of the great works that He performs.
Even today, everyone who hears the gospel of the good news of Jesus is
likewise forced to make a choice about who Jesus is.
2.4.
Darrell Bock has written to
the effect that in this spiritual war that we as people are in on this earth
there is no Switzerland ( known for being a neutral country in all wars ), but
rather everyone must choose sides, choose to accept Jesus or choose to reject
Him and align themselves with God’s enemies who are destined for eternal
destruction.
2.5.
When a man who is both deaf
and dumb is made to hear and speak by the mere word of Jesus, the people on
this day have no other observation that they can make but that a tremendous
miracle has occurred in their presence.
They are now left with the question of what they shall do with Jesus.
2.6.
We see here that there were
a variety of responses by the people who had heard and seen this incredible and
undeniable miracle performed by Jesus on this day.
2.6.1. Some may have come to believe in Jesus and place their faith in Him,
however we aren’t told that this was the case.
2.6.2. Some surely were undecided about Jesus but curious, and I would call
them “seekers.”
2.6.3. Some refused to accept that Jesus and His ministry might be from heaven
and they were saying that Jesus surely performed this miracle by the power of
the ruler of the demons.
2.6.3.1. This accusation of a demonic source of Jesus’ miracles has been made on
at least two other occasions in the gospel accounts (see Matt. 9:32-34 and
12:22-37).
2.6.4. Others saw the miracle performed right before their eyes but they want
Jesus to show them some sign in the heavens that they might believe in Him.
2.6.4.1. What further sign could they need than this miracle? These ones were putting the Lord to the test
by demanding a sign in order to believe.
2.7.
We see four things being
pointed out by Jesus in His defense of Himself to those who were thinking
and saying that He must be casting out demons by the power of the ruler of the
demons:
2.7.1. First of all, in
Jesus’ defense of Himself to these people we see that for those who are seeking
a sign in the heavens from Him, He instead gives them a sign of His omniscience
and wisdom for it says that He knew their thoughts and spoke to their thoughts.
2.7.1.1. We tend not to focus too much on this aspect of Jesus’ revelation of
Himself to mankind in the gospels, but Jesus was constantly revealing His
omniscience by knowing the thoughts of the people around Him.
2.7.1.2. Whenever the gospels state that Jesus knew people’s thoughts,
controversy ensues.
2.7.2. Secondly, Jesus
explains to the people that if He did these exorcisms by the power of the ruler
of the demons, then so must their sons do these same things by this power.
2.7.2.1. This is to say that if the people are to condemn His exorcism as
demonic in origin then so must every other exorcism performed by the people’s
sons be viewed. The problem however in
interpretation here is explaining who Jesus is referring to as their sons, and
the two most common views for this are:
2.7.2.1.1.
Jesus is referring to the
Jewish exorcists in His day as their sons.
2.7.2.1.1.1.
This may be the reference
the problem with Jesus making this meaning is then that the people might assume
that Jesus is stating the legitimacy of the Jewish exorcisms, and Jesus
wouldn’t want this assumption to be made.
2.7.2.1.2.
Jesus is referring to His
disciples as their sons for His disciples had through His authority also cast
out demons.
2.7.2.1.2.1.
This view is probably
correct. Jesus would then be arguing by
placing the Jews in the position of declaring all of the miraculous works
currently being performed by Jesus’ disciples as being demonic in origin. The Jews perhaps did not want to speak
against all of Jesus’ disciples because of the popularity among the masses of
Jesus’ many followers.
2.7.3. Secondly, in defense
of Himself, Jesus tells the people how that it is illogical to consider that
Jesus’ wonderful miracles which He performed were accomplished through the
power of Satan.
2.7.3.1. First though, let me point out that the people’s assertion implies that
the Jews realized that there is a spiritual war that is being fought upon the
earth. There is a God and there is a
fallen creature in rebellion against the Lord, namely, Satan.
2.7.3.2. Secondly, in the people’s assertion it is also implied that the people
believed that Satan was a fallen creature who was bent upon the destruction and
misery of mankind and that he also was an agent in bringing about death and
disease on the earth. It therefore
though is illogical for them to consider the wonderful miracles of healing and
restoration of life performed by Jesus to have come about by the power of
Satan.
2.7.3.2.1.
By the way, many people who
have rejected the Lord in the their life find themselves going through all
kinds of difficulties and tragedies, and they need to realize the sober truth
that if a person refuses to submit their lives in obedience to Jesus that they
will eventually find themselves dealing with the Devil and the calamity that he
seeks to bring in their life. If you are
in Christ you are under God’s protection and Satan has no power or authority
over your life but those things that the Lord allows him to have.
2.7.3.3. Jesus’ argument is that if He is casting out demons by the power of the
ruler of the demons then Satan’s kingdom is a divided kingdom. This does not pass the test of logic from the
scriptures for if Satan’s kingdom were divided in this way then the work of God
upon the earth would not be hindered in the great way that it always is. Satan must rule with complete authority over
the demonic realm.
2.7.4. Third, Jesus tells
the people that He casts out the demons because He is the ‘strongman’
and binds the ruler of the demons,
Satan. This speaks of the fact that
Satan is really a defeated foe and that Jesus is always able to overpower him.
3. VS 11:23 - “23 “He who is not with Me is against
Me; and he who does not gather with Me, scatters.” - Jesus tells the people that
the person who is not with Him is against Him
3.1.
As was mentioned, when we
hear the gospel and learn about the things that Jesus said and did, we have to
make a decision regarding Him, whether we will believe in Him or not. To not choose to believe in and accept Jesus
is to be against Him, there is no neutral ground you can take.
3.2.
For a person to attribute
the incredible works that He performed to anything but God is to blasphemy the
Holy Spirit, and Jesus taught in Mark 3:27-28 that all manner of sins might be
forgiven people with the exception of blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.
3.3.
Have you made a decision to
place your faith in Jesus as the only begotten Son of God? Today, you too are forced to make a decision
regarding Jesus, and to not make a decision to receive Him is to make a
decision to reject Him.
4. VS 11:24-26 - “24 “When the unclean spirit goes out
of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and not finding any,
it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ 25 “And when
it comes, it finds it swept and put in order. 26 “Then it goes and
takes along seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in
and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.”” - Jesus tells the people that
when an unclean spirit goes out of a man that it will return and when it
returns it will bring along seven other spirits more evil than itself
4.1.
This story taught by Jesus
brings before our minds a person out of whom Jesus had cast an evil
spirit. However, after the spirit had
left the person the person had not embraced the Lord, the One who had cast out
the spirit. Instead of gathering with
Jesus the person tried to remain neutral towards Jesus. Then, a while later the spirit returns to the
person however because the Lord does not dwell in this person’s life now the
unclean spirit is able to enter back in.
However, this time the spirit brings with him seven more spirits who are
more evil than himself, and the end result for the man is that he is now in a
much worse state of demonization than he was before.
4.2.
Rejecting Jesus has huge and
tragic consequences. The sad reality is
that whenever a person chooses not to make a decision for Jesus he experiences
a hardening of his heart towards the Lord.
This hardening of the heart makes the person even harder to reach for
the Lord..
4.3.
The number ‘seven’
designating the number of demons may symbolize completeness of possession.
5. VS 11:27-28 - “27 While Jesus was saying these
things, one of the women in the crowd raised her voice and said to Him,
“Blessed is the womb that bore You and the breasts at which You nursed.” 28
But He said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God
and observe it.”” - A woman in the crowd cries out that Jesus’
mother is blessed but Jesus rebuffs her telling her that the person who is
blessed is the one who hears God’s word and observes or obeys it
5.1.
This is a very unusual
occurrence that happens to Jesus on this day.
In Jewish culture, women were not to speak out in this way but rather
hold their peace. However, we se here
that this woman is so moved emotionally that she cannot contain herself, and
thus she speaks out in this way. With
her emotions at a fever pitch this woman cries out that the womb which bore
Jesus and the breasts which nursed Him were blessed.
5.2.
To make a point about what
constitutes true blessing, Jesus says to this woman that it is rather the case
that those who hear God’s word and observe it are blessed. You see, Jesus says this because He was
concerned more than anything that people would come to have faith in Him.
5.3.
These verses bring out on
interesting point. Many people have had
an emotional experience with the Lord.
However, it is not an emotional experience with Jesus that in the end
makes any real difference in a person’s life.
What does make a difference is when a person makes a commitment of his
life to Jesus and commits himself to love, obey, and serve the Lord with all of
his heart, and, most importantly when he then follows through with that
commitment. Jesus brought this truth out
very clearly in Matt. 7:20-23, “20 “So
then, you will know them by their fruits. 21 “Not everyone who says
to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will
of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 “Many will say
to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your
name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 “And
then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart
from Me, you who practice
lawlessness.’”
5.4.
Those in the church who
would elevate Mary to a status not deserving of humankind, such as sinlessness,
have a problem with these verses because when opportunity presented itself
Jesus chose not to speak a blessing upon His mother on this occasion.
6. VS 11:29-32 - “29 As the crowds were increasing, He
began to say, “This generation is a wicked generation; it seeks for a sign, and
yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah. 30 “For
just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this
generation. 31 “The Queen of the South will rise up with the men of
this generation at the judgment and condemn them, because she came from the
ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater
than Solomon is here. 32 “The men of
6.1.
Jesus was not impressed with
great crowds of people who were thronging around Him (though His disciples were
impressed) because He knew what was in the heart of all men. He knew that the masses of people loved the
darkness more than the light and thus they rejected Him and refused to have Him
rule over their lives. This is what the
apostle John wrote in his gospel, John 3:19-21, about why people in his day
rejected Jesus, “19
“This is the
judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness
rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 “For everyone
who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his
deeds will be exposed. 21 “But he who practices the truth comes to
the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.””
6.2.
The people in Jesus’ day saw
Him do incredible miraculous works of the type that had never before been done
by any mortal, and yet many in response asked Him to show them some sort of a
sign that they might believe in Him.
They had seen all the proof that they could have needed to have genuine
saving faith in Him and really there was no sign that Jesus could have
performed that would have caused them to believe.
6.3.
Jesus tells the people that
it is wickedness and a wicked people that asks for a sign. When people ask a sign from the Lord that
they might believe in Him, having rejected the testimony of His works found in
the scriptures, then they are really putting the Lord to the test.
6.4.
Intrestingly, Jesus does
promise a sign to anyone who is willing to investigate. He calls this the sign of Jonah. This sign is not explained her but elsewhere
in the gospels we see that Jesus explains this sing being that just as Jonah
was in the belly of the fish for three days so the Son of Man will be in the
heart of the earth for three days before rising from the dead.
6.5.
Many have said that it takes
“blind faith” in order to become a Christian, however the fact is that
this is completely untrue. The word of
God is a testimony to the great things that the Lord has done and when a person
chooses to become a Christian he/she is placing his/her faith in that record of
God’s incredible works which is contained in the Bible. The Bible doesn’t tell us everything that God
has done in history, nor all of the things that Jesus did in His life, however
it contains more than enough evidence to elicit genuine saving faith in
people. After His resurrection, Jesus
began to appear to His disciples, and on one occasion He came to them and yet
doubting Thomas was not with them. Then,
when Jesus appeared the next time Thomas was with them and Jesus allowed Thomas
to see and feel His crucifixion wounds.
Finally, in John 20:29-33 Jesus said the following words to Thomas
followed by John’s commentary that what he (John) had written in his gospel was
written in order that people might by reading his gospel come to have faith in
Jesus, “29 Jesus said to him, “Because you
have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet
believed.” 30 Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in
the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but
these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the
Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.”
6.6.
Jesus uses the example of
two different Gentile groups here, the people of Ninevah and the Queen of
Sheba, to shame the Jews in His day.
Through the ministry of God’s people both of these Gentile groups had
followed the Lord and acted in obedience to the Lord. However, in contrast the people (in
particular Jews) of Jesus’ generation had had a greater opportunity to know
God’s ways because of having seen and heard Jesus, and yet they had rejected
the Lord.
6.6.1. Ninevites.
6.6.1.1. Jesus says here that Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites and it is not
completely clear what is meant by this.
It could be that Jonah was a sign because he had been swallowed by the
whale and told his story to the people as he preached to them to repent. However, more than likely Jesus is referring
to the preaching of Jonah to the people to repent as the sign for he told them
that God’s judgment was soon to fall upon them if they did not repent.
6.6.1.2. What is important here is that at the preaching of Jonah the people of
Ninevah repented. The people of Jesus’
day had all kinds of opportunity to hear and see Him, or least to hear about
Him from others, and yet with such great opportunity they chose to reject
Him. Therefore, they shall suffer great
punishment for eternity because their sin of rejecting Jesus was made with a
great amount of light.
6.6.1.3. Note that it is implied both with this story of Jonah and the Ninevites
as well as the Queen of Sheba that the saints will take a part in the Great
White Throne Judgment of the Lord against non-believers. The saints will testify of the culpability of
those who are being judged before the throne of Jesus. All those who appear before this Great White
Throne Judgment Seat of Jesus are unbelievers and they will spend eternity in
hell (see Rev. chapter 20).
6.6.1.4. The thought that Jesus brings out that believing Gentiles will judge
unbelieving Jews in the coming judgment must have been unpalatable to the Jews
listening to Jesus on this day.
6.6.2. Queen of
6.6.2.1. In 1 Kings chapter 10 we read the story of the Queen of
6.6.2.2. The people of Jesus’ day didn’t have to travel across the earth by
camel to hear or see Jesus, He was living right among them. Some sincerely sought Jesus out and as a
result came to have faith in Him, however most did not care to know whether or
not Jesus’ ministry was from God or not and thus did not take advantage of their
opportunity to seek Jesus out. Many who
sought Jesus out did not come with honest and sincere hearts but instead came
with their own preconceptions and preferences.
Seeing and hearing Jesus did not bring about the result the Lord desired
in their life, for they did not come to have faith in Him.
7. CONCLUSIONS:
7.1.
As we consider the events of
this story, we remember that seeing and hearing Jesus, as well as reading the
scripture accounts of Him, bring people to have to make a decision about
Jesus. Will they place their faith in
Him and choose to obey Him, or will they reject Him. There is no neutral ground, and a decision
not to accept Jesus is a decision to reject Him.
7.1.1. Have you decided for Jesus? Have
you surrendered your life to do His will?
Have you placed your faith in Him as your Lord and Savior? If not, I encourage you today to surrender
your life to Jesus.
7.1.2. If you surrendered your life to the Lord in the past but have wandered
away from Him and from walking in obedience to His will and commandments for
your life, I encourage you today to surrender your life afresh to Jesus in
faith.