Jun 25
Submitted by on as 2023


Matthew 9:32-35


(32) As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil. (33) And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel. (34) But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils. (35) And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.


  Here a dumb (mute) mans was brought to Jesus, and it says he was possessed with a devil. When the devil was cast out the mute man spoke. They all marveled because hey had not seen such in Israel. BUT, and this is a big but, the Pharisees said He cast out devils by the prince of devils. Religious people are starting to not like what is happening and now starting to make certain accusations. Jesus continues on and goes to cities preaching the Kingdom and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

 

  In this passage it does not give specifics to how the devil was cast out but can assume as what we have seen in the pass, Jesus spoke with authority to the devil. Jesus also went on healing every sickness and disease. So in this short passage many miracles were performed.


 I do want to focus a little on the pharisees said. They said Jesus cast out devils by the prince of the devils. Jesus will address this in Matthew 12:25-30 in great detail during another devil being cast out.

 

(25) And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: (26) and if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? (27) And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. (28) But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. (29) Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house. (30) He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.

 

Jesus will talk more about this as we continue with our studies.


 This can almost apply to us today, If we are trying to serve both God Kingdom and the things of this world, we are doomed. Another good reason we do not see God manifested strong in our lives. We live in a divided kingdom we created for ourselves. We see our political leaders extremely divided among themselves. What about who we hang out with and allow us to be influenced by. Are we living divided lives, we act one way with certain people and then another way with others. Makes you think. If kids talk differently to their parents than they do with friends, they are divided inside themselves. If we talk to our pastors differently than our friends, we are divided inside ourselves. We can see in many instances our very own personal kingdom is divided. How can we stand and be fruitful for God if our own kingdom is divided. When we act differently depending on who we are with we are trying to live different lives. We do not live by core values that pertain to everyone. It will be hard for us then to speak with authority on the things of God when internally we are divided ourselves.


Luke 11:17  But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against an house falleth.

Mark 3:24  And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.


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COMMENTS


[ posted by Megan, 06/27/2023 04:31 PM ]

Great thoughts Mike, I have these verses highlighted in my Bible with some notations as I too focus on what Pharisees accused Jesus' of being. I don't think the Pharisees were threatened by Jesus and the miracles he was doing because they simply refused to even entertain the thought that He was their promised Messiah and He surely did not live up to any of their expectations. It was much easier for them to label Him the prince of demons than to accept the miracles they were seeing and hearing of because this man surely couldn't be the One...could He? Boy were they wrong. 
 
 
You've hit a lot on nails on the head with the divided parts, lots to think on and reflect on. I agree with you 100% and think there are some divisions I need to work through. Funny how we hold different standards for different things/people but are they really aligned with who we want to be in Christ? A lot of times no and that should be our signal that something has to change within us so that outwardly our lives can reflect a true representation of who we are in Christ. 

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[ posted by Cindy, 06/28/2023 09:00 AM ]

The pharisees are at the point they cannot deny the power Jesus has. These are the most educated and well read about the Torah, and all the oral history from time of Moses.  Most interesting to me is that the name "pharisee" means "separated one."
As a large and influential religious group,  they keep themself separate to study and teach the laws to the people they considered religiously unclean (the Jewish people).
So you have the Pharisee as the ones who are keeping the temple,  burning the incense,  praying and talking about the law of Moses, we are not told a lot about what if any 'miracles' they do to heal others, etc.   Jesus is performing miracle after miracle and  he was prob getting to rock start status.  What else could they do but slander Him?  Use the devil!  Blame it on being in cohorts with the devil!  The one group of people we would think who would see Him for who He was, are blinded by religious prejudice in my opinion.  No one had ever done the things on the scale that that was happening.  The devil can surely do also mighty things.  But the devil can't do them and claim it's for God's kingdom.  
Interesting that it says Jesus could read their minds..... so Jesus starts explaining their so called logic about their accusation. "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste..."  Was he letting the people know the accusations weren't sensible or logical?   v27 He is saying that you are accusing me of using Beelzebub to cast out demons, who are you using?   Think about how divided the pharisees were making Israel. And lastly, why would the devil cast out his own demons he sent to dwell in someone?  That is defeating yourself.  
Is Jesus correlating corruption of a city or home (that will eventually cause it it fail or fall) to that of our own body?  The division between flesh and spirit?  The corruption of sin?  
I also think about why or how the Pharisees could be so blinded by the thought of Jesus being the foretold coming of a savior.   Jealousy to their power over the people?  Jealousy their relationship  with God was not powerful enough to heal? Jesus gave all credit to the God they worshipped. 
Jesus is bring bringing peace and harmony with His message of the coming Kingdom of God. There is no harmony if you are in agreement with the Satan.  Even within ourselves and our lives. Think about that.

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[ posted by Cindy, 06/28/2023 09:30 AM ]

I did not mean to put agreement with 'the' Satan,  just there is no harmony if you are in agreement with satan.  

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