Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls

And He was casting out a demon, and it was mute. So it was when the demon had gone out, that the mute spoke; and the multitudes marveled. But some of them said, "He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons." Others, testing Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven. But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls. If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? Because you say I cast out demons by Beelzebub. And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils. He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters."

- Luke 11:14-23

Yesterday's lectionary reading was the story of Martha and Mary: Martha was busy with serving as Jesus was in her house, with all the duties of hospitality -- while Mary sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word. Martha complained to Jesus that her sister was not helping her. Jesus told her that she was distracted and worried about many things . . . "but one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her." See Martha and Mary - the Good Part, the One Thing Needed. The lectionary then skips a passage in Luke in which Jesus teaches the disciples how to pray when they ask Him to do so, and then speaks about prayer. For those readings, see Our Father - The Lord's Prayer and Consider the lilies. (These passages were given earlier in preparation for Ascension Day.)

And He was casting out a demon, and it was mute. So it was when the demon had gone out, that the mute spoke; and the multitudes marveled. But some of them said, "He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons." Others, testing Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven. By now we know Jesus' fame and reputation for having done spectacular signs of healing and casting out demons has grow greatly. Of course, the idea that the "mute speak" is one of the predictions of the Messiah, as given in Scripture. Here, there is a question of the origins of Jesus' power. Where does it come from? Beelzebub was a pagan god, my study bible says, "derided by Jews as 'The Lord of the Flies.' Here it is a direct reference to Satan." A sign from heaven -- such as some spectacular appearance rather than the signs of healing Jesus does -- is a demand for proof of Messiahship. As my study bible says, this is a demand for the validation of Jesus' authority. Jesus refused such temptations already in the wilderness, just before He began His public ministry, and He refuses here as well.

But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls." A point well-made, that is reasonable. How can a house stand when it is divided against itself? In this case, we can think of a house as a dynasty, like the house of a great king -- with all the things that are a part of such a "house" and its retinue and power. How can it stand or function if it is divided against itself? What happens to power when it is divided and not made single in strength?

"If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? Because you say I cast out demons by Beelzebub. And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges." So how does Satan cast out the demons that do his work - his own demons? How can his kingdom be strengthened that way? And if He casts out demons by Beelzebub, then what of the exorcisms that are already a part of Jewish tradition? How do those work? Therefore, the ones who cast out the demons in their own tradition will judge the words of accusation here by those who deny the power of exorcism and its origins. This is a very clever argument, and we see Jesus here at His scrappy best. This is the One who will fight for the kingdom, and doesn't pull His punches -- or His insights.

"But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you." He's exhorting them in every way He can to think about what is happening before them, and what they are saying and doing. "The finger of God," says my study bible, is the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:28).

"When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils." How does the strong man invade another's house or kingdom, and take His spoils? The "ruler of this world" or the "Lord of the flies" may be powerful, and keep vulnerable human beings burdened and bound by demonic power, but there is One who is stronger than this strongman -- and He invades his house, takes away all his armor, and divides his spoils. So it is with Christ and the kingdom: it is the stronger, and it "breaks through" into our world in all manner of healing and power and signs of God's presence. He is here to claim this world for the kingdom -- just as He has just taught His disciples to pray "Thy kingdom come."

"He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters." This is a seeming contradiction, my study bible points out, to an earlier statement in Luke's Gospel, chapter 9 ("He who is not against us is on our side") -- but it points out that the emphasis here is on gathering and scattering. That is, whoever is engaged in the work of the kingdom, this great house of the Son, is gathering. But others that do not, and do not in some sense produce the fruit of this house of the kingdom, will scatter -- because it is the house of the stronger man. In the spiritual battle alluded to here, the "stronger man's" is the house that one would wish to side with. It is the house that will gather and stand, and its enemies will scatter. Each person, my study bible says, does one or the other.

So let's think about this choice that we make, to gather or to scatter. The word for gather is the same as the root for the word "synagogue" in the Greek -- to gather together or to assemble. But to scatter is to be dispersed, as a flock of sheep may be scattered, and each one is then "lost." So the sense here is of a great house, under whose "roof" we may gather and align ourselves. It is this house that will ultimately stand and grow, and it is this house with which we wish to be aligned in our hearts. This is the great house of the kingdom that "breaks through" into our world, and builds its fruit, and increases. How do you build that strength in your heart? What is your contribution to it, and when you "gather" to it in prayer or work or intention, what strength do you find in that? Tomorrow we all celebrate the feast of Pentecost, the great "breaking in" to the world of the kingdom, poured out upon all of us. Shall we gather with that Spirit? It is there for each of us and calls each of us to vocation in this House, each in our own way - to gather or to scatter with our response. How are you called to this great gathering of the kingdom?