And if a kingdom has become divided against itself, that kingdom cannot subsist.
Religious teachers from Jerusalem had just claimed that Jesus drove out demons by the ruler of the demons. Instead of ignoring the charge, He called His accusers over and gave a picture anyone could test: a kingdom split in two falls.
The Lord did not shout His critics down. He took their claim seriously enough to expose it. His answer came in short word-pictures shaped as questions.
These learned scribes had standing, so their opinions carried weight with the people. The Lord showed that they lacked even ordinary wisdom. He set this out in "parables," or pointed comparisons put in the form of questions. "How," He said, "can Satan cast out Satan?" The prince of the demons is a liar and a murderer (John 8:44), and his purpose is to rob and kill and destroy. They had watched merciful rescues from the power of demons. So how could Beelzebub be behind them? The prince of darkness could not be the agent of such works of light.
The principle covers a city and a household too. It also cuts against the scribes on their own beliefs. They expected Satan's realm to last until Messiah came to end it.
Whether for kingdom, city, or house, to be divided against itself is ruin. So if Satan casts out Satan, as they said, he is divided against himself: how then shall his kingdom stand? But no Jew doubted for a moment that it would continue until Messiah came in power and glory to judge and destroy it. So their argument refutes itself as inconsistent and false.
The accusation was not honest confusion. The scribes could see real power at work. Admitting where it came from would have cost them everything.
The scribes who had come down from Jerusalem said, "He has Beelzebub, and by the prince of the demons He casts out demons." The enemy filled and guided them. They knew well that this was no madman, but a real power casting out demons. Their malice credited this to Satan, in an effort to explain away, weaken and blacken what they could not deny. They admitted the power that dealt with Satan, in mercy to man. But if they admitted it came from God, their religious importance, their occupation and their income were gone.
Evil does quarrel with itself. But nothing of that kind had happened here.
There might well be division and discord in many ways. In fact evil is always discordant like this, since truth and goodness are the only perfect unity. But with these men, freed from demons, no one even hinted that one form of evil had fought another. No one suggested that one evil had given way to another. No — they admitted that Satan's power was broken and gone. Satan really was cast out. So Satan had not done this. To say he had would be to confuse good with evil, and lose the power of discernment altogether.
The Lord then gave the true account of what was happening. It is good news for anyone still held.
The compassionate Saviour stooped to reason with His evil critics… The true position was this. Satan, the strong one, had long kept his captives in peace. Now a Stronger had come, with power to overcome him and divide the spoils… He has met the enemy in his last stronghold — death — and has conquered him, putting away sin as He did so. Every child of Adam may be set free from Satan's slavery at once by appealing to the Saviour's grace.
Just before this He had called twelve men to Himself to share His work. Now He calls His enemies to Himself as well.
This terrible charge seals their doom. And yet with what perfect calm and grace the Lord meets this wickedness. On the mountain the Lord had just called the Twelve to Himself, to join them with Himself in blessing. Now He calls His enemies to Him to pronounce their doom. Solemn thought! The One who calls in grace will call in judgment… "Man can see nothing in the activity of divine goodness but madness and the work of the devil." (J.N.D.)
- Charge. The scribes could not deny the power. So they blamed the prince of the demons — malice dressed as explanation, guarding their standing and their income.
- Collapse. Kingdom, city or house — anything divided against itself falls. A Satan attacking Satan would be ending his own realm, the very realm his accusers expected to last.
- Confusion. The men were truly freed, not handed from one evil to another. Calling that work satanic confuses good with evil and destroys discernment.
- Conqueror. The truth is the opposite. A Stronger has bound the strong man. He met the enemy in death and now sets the captives free.
- Consequence. The One who called twelve to Himself in blessing calls His accusers to Himself too. The same voice that calls in grace will one day call in judgment.
And if a house has become divided against itself, that house cannot subsist.
The scribes could not deny that demons left people at Jesus' word. So they said His power came from Satan. Jesus answers with a truth everyone already knew: a household at war with itself falls apart. That simple fact left them with no reply.
The scribes were not confused. They knew real power when they saw it. Admitting where it came from would have cost them too much.
The enemy filled and guided them. They knew well that this was no case of a madman, but of a real power which cast out demons. Out of malice they blamed it on Satan, trying to explain away, weaken, and smear what they could not deny. They admitted that this power dealt with Satan, in mercy to man. But if they admitted it came from God, their religious importance, their job, and their income were gone.
The Lord answers with a rule no one argues with. Division kills a group from the inside, whatever its size.
Besides, as the Lord went on to point out, such a policy would mean self-destruction for Satan. All worldly experience proves that division and rival factions break a community apart. Everyone agrees that union is strength. A kingdom divided against itself cannot survive, and neither can a household. The words of the scribes implied that Satan had risen up against himself. If so, he could not continue. He would have to destroy himself.
Their own beliefs about Satan's kingdom made the charge collapse.
Whether for kingdom, city, or house, to divide against itself is ruin. If Satan therefore casts out Satan, as they said, he is divided against himself: how then can his kingdom stand? But no Jew doubted for a moment that his kingdom would last until Messiah came in power and glory to judge and destroy it. So such a plea refutes itself as inconsistent and false.
If the enemy is not tearing down his own house, then someone stronger has entered it.
The compassionate Saviour stooped to reason with His evil critics… Here was the true position. Satan, 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. This One stronger than Satan is the victorious Son of God. He has met the enemy in his last stronghold — death — and has defeated him, putting away sin at the same time. Every child of Adam can be set free from slavery to Satan at once by appealing to the Saviour's grace.
The Lord does not stop at logic. He now names their charge for what it is.
This terrible charge seals their doom. And yet with what perfect calm and grace the Lord meets this wickedness. On the mountain the Lord had just called the twelve disciples to Himself, to share with Him in blessing. Now He calls His enemies to Him to pronounce their doom. Solemn thought! The One who calls in grace will call in judgment. The Lord shows that their charge was not only ignorant folly, but deliberate blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Jesus cast out demons in the power of the Holy Spirit. So to credit His power to the devil was to call the Holy Spirit a demon.
Jesus aimed the saying at Satan's kingdom. But the rule is general. Writers apply it to groups of believers too.
A home divided against itself cannot stand. In the same way, a company of believers divided in loyalties and activities cannot make progress. The truth about the body of Christ teaches that all believers need each other. Where that truth guides believers, there will be growth.
- Charge — The scribes admitted the power but blamed it on Satan. Owning it as God's work would have cost them their standing and their income.
- Absurdity — Division ruins any kingdom or household. A Satan fighting Satan would only be destroying himself.
- Self-refuting — They believed Satan's rule lasts until Messiah ends it. Their own explanation denied what they taught.
- Stronger — One stronger than the strong man had entered his house. Every captive can still appeal to Him for freedom.
- Solemn — What starts as folly ends as blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. The One who calls people in grace will also call them in judgment.