He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters

 

 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 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 we read that, as Jesus and the disciples went, He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house.  And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word.  But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone?  Therefore tell her to help me."   And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.  But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."

 

  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."  Today's reading picks up after a passage in which Jesus taught the disciples to pray, giving us what we know as the Lord's Prayer, or the Our Father (see this reading for that passage).  Beelzebub is a "nickname," so to speak, meant to be derogatory, mocking the pagan god Baal, and Baal's many shrines whose names sounded similar.  This name, used by the Jews in derision, means "the Lord of the Flies."  Here, it is a direct reference to Satan. 

 

  Others, testing Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven.  My study Bible comments that a sign is never given to those whose motive is merely to test God (see Luke 4:9-12).  

 

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 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."  The finger of God 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."  The strong man is Satan, whom my study Bible says holds sway over the fallen human race, while the stronger is Christ (see 1 John 4:4).

 

 "He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters."  My study Bible comments that it is the work of Christ to gather the children of God, while those who scatter are in direct opposition to Him.  Those who work in opposition to Christ, it notes, are different from those who work in good faith toward His purpose but are not yet united to the Church (see Luke 9:46-50).  My study Bible quotes St. Seraphim of Sarov, who says that only "good deeds done for Christ's sake bring fruit," and so therefore deeds done for any other purpose, "even if they are good, are deeds that scatter abroad."  

 

It's interesting to look at the word translated as scatters in today's reading ("He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters").   This verb is σκορπίζω/skorpizo).   If we look up the etymology of this Greek word, we find that it comes from an ancient root that means to "penetrate" or to "pierce."  Apparently it suggests to us a force that works like a battering ram or catapult, which can penetrate and enter into a body of persons or other things, and so scatter and divide them, with an action of breaking apart.  The same word has a common root with the word for scorpion (σκορπίος/skorpios) whose tail penetrates and stings, and an animal that is, interestingly, a metaphor for demons, who "sting" and torment people.  So, looked at etymologically, this word suggests to us a weapon of war that divides and splits (and hence, scatters or disperses).  If this is the action of a tormenting, stinging demon that may make a person "beside himself," or create dissension within a body of people, then Christ's power here is suggestive of a far more powerful weapon of war than the demons possess.  Therefore if we consider these various meanings, what we have is suggestive not of a passive sort of force or entropy by which those who do not gather with Christ fail, but rather the scattering is the result of the much more powerful force of Christ.  Moreover, there's another interesting word which is translated as "gather," and that verb is συνάγω/synago.  This is the root of the word synagogue, meaning "assembly" in Greek.  This verb συνάγω/synago for "gathers" is again suggestive not of some more passive force from within those who gather, but rather it suggests there is one by whom they gather, one who leads and so gathers.  Clearly that leading and gathering force is Christ, just as it is the power of Christ that will divide and scatter those against Him.   Taken together, the Greek of the original text reveals to us more about the power of Christ and how it works.  That is, the stronger man whose power and force overcome the will and effort of other "strong men" who seek to rule or lead in opposition.  Christ has come into the world bringing a Kingdom which is a kingdom of love, in which we are taught to forgive, to pray for one another, even to love our enemies.  But in spiritual terms, Christ is the more powerful force that destroys the rule of His enemies, the devil and demons that torment human beings, penetrating and scattering and dividing their efforts -- while in Him is the greater power to lead and to gather together to Himself those who love Him.  Taking these words together we can understand the power in the original Greek text, the authority and divinity present in the teachings.  While we have discerned from many passages we have read in St. Luke's Gospel so far the spiritual battle which goes on unseen behind what we know of our world, today's reading puts it in sharper focus.  Jesus' words draw quite profoundly upon images of battle between kingdoms for the authority over one place, a stronger man decisively overcoming a strong man who thought his goods were secure.  It's interesting how the word for scorpion (a metaphorical image for a demon) somehow is linguistically linked to the greater scattering and piercing power of Christ.  Jesus now journeys toward Jerusalem and the Cross -- which was a weapon used in an attempt to defeat Him.  But through His power the Cross upon which He was crucified will become the most powerful and decisive weapon of them all -- a true battering ram for the gates of hell (the devil's power of death), for they shall not prevail over His Church (Matthew 16:18).

 

 

 

 

 

 

He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters

 

 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.

"When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.'  And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order.  Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first."

 

- Luke 11:14-26 

 

On Saturday we read that, it came to pass, as Jesus was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples."  So He said to them, "When you pray, say:  Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."  And He said to them, "Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him'; and he will answer from within and say, 'Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you'?  I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.  So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?  Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

 

 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."     Beelzebub (or Baʿal Zebub) was a name given to a pagan god (Baal or Ba'al, meaning Lord) which derided the god of the pagan worshipers.  Ba'al shrines or places of worship were frequently given names to denote a specific "Ba'al" for a place or a specific characteristic.  For example, Baʿal Ugarit was the name of the patron god of the city of Ugarit, or  Baʿal Shamem was "god of the heavens."  In this case Beelzebub is a rendering of a name coined by the Jews belittling this god of the pagans, and it means "Lord of the flies" or the dungheap.  Here in this criticism of Jesus this name is used as a direct reference to Satan.  A sign, my study Bible comments, is never given to those whose motive is merely to test God (see Luke 4:9-12). 

 

"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."  The finger of God 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."  My study Bible explains here that the strong man is Satan, who holds sway over the fallen human race.  The stronger than he is Christ (see 1 John 4:4).

 

"He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters."  My study Bible comments that it is the work of Christ to gather the children of God, while those who scatter are in direct opposition to Him.  Those who work in opposition to Christ are different from those who work in good faith toward His purpose but are not yet united to the Church (see Luke 9:46-50).  Quoting from St. Seraphim of Sarov, my study Bible says that only "good deeds done for Christ's sake bring fruit," and therefore deeds done for any other purpose, "even if they are good, are deeds that scatter abroad."

"When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.'  And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order.  Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first."  The unclean spirit, according to my study Bible (citing the commentary of St. John Chrysostom) refers to the rebelliousness cast out of the Jews by the Old Testament prophets in order to prepare them to receive Christ.  Those who refuse to receive Him are left open to the wickedness of seven other spirits or demons

How do we think of Christ the stronger Man?  We're to understand from today's reading the "unseen battle" that goes on all the time, a spiritual battle for hearts and minds.  In the Orthodox tradition, it is understood that we, as human beings, may participate in what are called the energies of God.  That is, the ways that God dwells in the world and works in the world, the things of God that are shared with us, like the working of the Holy Spirit, also called the Spirit of God in the Gospels (Matthew 12:28).  We understand these energies also as grace, or God's mercy.  They are the ways that God shares His life with us, through which we may participate in that life.  This happens through prayer, through worship, through al the things we do in the name of our faith.  But in another sense, we can share also in energies that are called demonic.  This is not to give the demonic substance, for it is simply considered to be parasitical.  But, as Jesus puts it here, it is that which is in opposition to God, which works among us human beings in order to oppose God.  As Jesus says, He is the stronger man, and there is none that can oppose God, none that is stronger than God.  But that which is demonic can tempt us, keep us away from God, as the devil tries to do in Luke 4:1-13.  We can look at the activity of the demons in the Gospels and it all seems quite cruel and harmful to human beings, from the young boy with convulsions (Mark 9:22; Luke 9:42) to the demoniac tormented by a Legion of merciless demons, who must live among the tombs (Luke 8:26-38).   To participate in the activity of demons by actions such as cruelty, torment, mercilessness, or lies, deceptions, and manipulation (Revelation 22:14-17) is to participate in demonic energies; this is the the traditional way that spiritual warfare has been understood in the Church.   Whichever "way" we choose, we participate in those unseen forces of the strong man who rules this world, whom Christ came to displace.  It's also important to notice in today's reading that Jesus indicates we don't stand still or stay in one state when we choose one way, but without repentance, or change of mind, we continue down that road ("Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first").  One thing is clear, Jesus has called upon us to follow Him, to participate in His life and His energies, His mercy, so that the Holy Spirit may dwell in us as temples of God.  St. Paul writes, "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12).  Let us play our part allied with the stronger Man and His angels and saints, for we enter into a wide communion, a great cloud of witnesses, and we have been invited into this struggle by our Lord who wants us with Him.  Let us gather with Him.

 

 

 

 

But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you

 

 Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw.  And all the multitudes were amazed and said, "Could this be the Son of David?"  Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, "This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons."  But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them:  "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.  If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself.  How then will his kingdom stand?  And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out?  Therefore they shall be your judges.  But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.  Or how can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man?  And then he will plunder his house.  He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad. 

 

"Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.   Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, neither in this age or in the age to come." 

- Matthew 12:22-32 

 

Yesterday we read that when Jesus knew that the Pharisees began to plot how they could destroy Him, He withdrew from there.  And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all.  Yet He warned them not to make Him known, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:  "Behold!  My Servant whom I have chosen, My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased!  I will put My Spirit upon Him, and He will declare justice to the Gentiles.  He will not quarrel nor cry out, nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets.  A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench, till He sends forth justice to victory; and in His name Gentiles will trust." 

 

  Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw.  And all the multitudes were amazed and said, "Could this be the Son of David?"  Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, "This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons."  But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them:  "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.  If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself.  How then will his kingdom stand?  And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out?  Therefore they shall be your judges.  But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.  Or how can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man?  And then he will plunder his house.  He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad."  My study Bible explains that Beelzebub, which was another name for a form of Baal, was the prince of "the dung heap" or lord of "the flies."  This was a god worshiped by the Philistines (2 Kings 1:2-16).  Here, he is called the ruler of the demons.  The impossibility of demons fighting against themselves, my study Bible says, illustrates the irrational pride and envy of the Pharisees in their opposition to Jesus.  

"Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.   Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, neither in this age or in the age to come."   To blaspheme against the Holy Spirit means blasphemy against the divine activity of the Spirit.  That is, blasphemy against pure goodness.  A sin against the Son of Man is more easily forgiven, my study Bible says, because the Jews did not know much about Christ.  But blasphemy against the Spirit, whose divine activity these men know from the Old Testament, will not be forgiven, as it comes from a willful hardness of heart and a refusal to accept God's mercy.  My study Bible says that the Church Fathers are clear that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is not an "unforgivable sin"; nor does Jesus ever call it "unforgivable."  St. John Chrysostom teaches that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit would be forgivable if a person were to repent of it.  My study Bible claims that Jesus makes this declaration knowing that those who blaspheme the Spirit are calling pure, divine good "evil," and are beyond repentance by their own choice. 

We see the Pharisees use a rather typical reaction to someone they feel is a threat to their power and authority.  They accuse Jesus of "playing for the other team," so to speak.  They cannot accept that He acts by the "hand" or "finger of God (the Spirit of God, as it says in the text), so they must accuse Him of working with demons.  In particular they name "Beelzebub," another name for a localized god Baal of the Old Testament.  Baal was an extremely commonly worshiped god in ancient times, and had names that varied throughout the Near and Middle East.  Here, as my study Bible says, he is seen as a demon, even the ruler of the demons (the name Baal means "lord").  But Jesus counteracts with a quite simple -- and important -- argument of His own.  How can He be working with demons by throwing out demons (exorcising them)?  Why would the demons act against their own?  As Jesus puts it, "If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself.  How then will his kingdom stand?"  Jesus frames exorcism as part of a spiritual warfare, framing it as one kingdom fighting against another.  "Or how can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man?  And then he will plunder his house."  He goes on to make it very clear that, in fact, He is the "stronger man" who works with the Spirit of God.  Moreover, it is His power that is truly authoritative.  So much so, that He will displace all others:  "He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad."  This notion of kingdom-against-kingdom is important, for in some sense this is how we understand the action of the Kingdom of God, that it is meant to displace the one called "the prince" (Ephesians 2:2) or "god" (2 Corinthians 4:4) or "ruler of this world" (John 12:31, 14:30, 16:11).  So it would seem that what is important is that we understand Christ's kingdom to be under a different ruler, with different aims, goals, and identity of those who would be its citizens.  In that framework, what we are to understand is that citizenship in Christ's kingdom involves a participation in His work, His "code," so to speak, His goals, and approved actions.  What that means is that when we participate in doing good, on Christ's terms, then we participate in His kingdom. When we pray, when we do charitable deeds, or fast in His name, we are acting in faith in Christ.  When we pray an hours service in our home, attend a liturgy, participate in the sacraments of the Church, we do much more than we're aware of in this "kingdom" battle, for the Spirit of God and God's own angels also facilitate what humans participate in.  We should remember that this is also called an "unseen warfare."  We do not need to conquer all the evil we see in a physical sense to be doing our part.  As St. Paul says, we each have our own role to play in the Body of Christ.  That sense of acting "in His name" is the same sense in which kingdoms, powers, countries act in the "name" of their own allegiance to a government or a ruler, as the case may be.  Doing evil things, on the other hand, means participating in this other "kingdom" that does not act for the good of human beings, and is against the God of love (1 John 4:8).  At this time, these are the things we really must consider.  Whose kingdom do we wish to support in this world?  In whose rule and judgment do we wish to participate?  How can we ourselves be part of the kingdom of God, and by this participation, strengthen it in the world?  As we look around ourselves and our world, let us simply think how important this choice, this participation in the work of the Holy Spirit is at this time.  For we are given these teaching by Christ for a reason, and maybe for just such a time.  Let us also remember what it is to blaspheme against the Holy Spirit, against pure goodness, and what it is on the contrary, to see to live and participate in God's mercy and goodness in this world, even if we also see what is evil.

 

 

 

 

 

 

He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters

 

 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 we read that Jesus entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house.  And she had a sister called Mary, who also sad at Jesus' feet and heard His word.  But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone?  Therefore tell her to help me."   And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.  But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."

 

  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."  Beelzebub was the name given to a pagan god (Ba'al, meaning Lord, usually attached to a name of a place where worship occurred).  This name may reflect derision by the Jews, characterizing him as "Lord of the Flies."  Here it is used as a direct reference to Satan, the ruler of the demons (see also verse 18).

 

 Others, testing Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven.  My study Bible comments that a sign is never given to those whose motive is merely to test God (see Luke 4:9-12).  

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."  My study Bible comments that the finger of God is the Holy Spirit (see Matthew 12:28).  Last Wednesday, the lectionary gave us the verses in chapter 11 just prior to today's section, in which Jesus teaches what we know as the Lord's Prayer to the disciples.  In Luke 11:13, just prior to today's passage, Jesus taught the disciples, "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

 

 "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."  My study Bible says that the strong man is Satan, who holds sway over the fallen human race, while the stronger is Christ (see 1 John 4:4).  

"He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters."  My study Bible comments that it is the work of Christ to gather the children of God, while those who scatter are in direct opposition to God.  Those who work in opposition to Christ are different from those who work in good faith toward God's purpose but are not yet united to the Church (see Luke 9:46-50, found in this reading and commentary).  My study Bible quotes St. Seraphim of Sarov, noting that only "good deeds done for Christ's sake bring fruit," and therefore deeds done for any other purpose, "even if they are good, are deeds that scatter abroad."

Today's reading gives us Christ's words that speak of His power and authority, and its absolute sense especially in comparison to the demonic, or even to those things nominally good but done for reasons other than serving God.  In the reading from Wednesday, speaking after the return of the Seventy from their first apostolic mission, Jesus rejoiced that God the Father had seen fit to reveal things to "babes" which had been hidden from the "wise and prudent," and He said to the disciples that they had seen and heard what even "prophets and kings" had desired to see and hear, and had not.  But in the middle of these statements, He said of Himself, "All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him."  (See Luke 10:21-24.)  In that same reading, the Seventy rejoiced that even the demons were subject to them in Christ's name, and Jesus said, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven" (see Luke 10:17-20).  So, in today's reading, when Jesus is accused of casting out demons by the power of demons, He responds in this context with an image of an earthly war of kingdom against kingdom, to convey a spiritual reality. If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? is a reasonable question, for it implies for us a sense of authority that Satan cannot surpass.  Note that Jesus says, "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."  Again, it not only gives us an image of warfare, in which kingdoms and nations fight against one another, but it also asks us to consider what armor in which we trust can stand against Christ, against the finger of God?  That is, against the Holy Spirit at work in the world.  It seems to beg us to ask ourselves, what is the armor in which we trust in our lives?  Can money withstand the power of the Holy Spirit?  What is it that cannot pass away with certainty?  We can lay out all our plans, and we can trust in material goods to see us through life, but what can we do without the values and meanings that transcend all of that?  What do we do when shocking and surprising things happen to shake us up, and take away the things in which we placed all of our trust?  These things we see every day, and are too numerous to mention.  But Christ warns us many times about trusting to material goods alone to shore up our lives and our well-being (for example, Luke 12:13-21).  Many times we trust in the armor of the world to save us from uncertainty, but uncertainty is an inherent condition of life, and accepting this serves as food to consider what it is in which we may trust that transcends and supersedes the things which can't and don't last forever.  What do we take with us when we leave the world?  What remains with us if we lose what we think we have?  Even to be good stewards of our material goods requires of us a set of values capable of building our lives on good ground, and understanding what God asks of us, even finding the discernment to deal with the questions that blessings bring to us for how we are to use them.  St. Paul writes, "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows" (1 Timothy 6:10).  Note that he doesn't say this of money itself, but of the love of money.  That is, elevating the material to a place of armor in which one trusts even before Christ, the things one pursues at the expense of the love of God.  But if we put Christ first, this is the way to sort out and put in order how the rest of our lives must fall into place.  If we trust in the whole armor of God instead, then we are prepared for the varied currents of life, the changes our lives go through, the experiences through which we find what is real and timeless, and what is not.  It is also there we can find the wisdom to know what to do with our resources, what is good and truly valuable, and what is not.  Many people trust in wealth, possessions, friends, even family members, but they underestimate the misery and despair that is possible without a sense of relatedness to God.  Let us think about our armor, and what truly protects us through all things -- and in which we can truly trust.  Let us build our lives with Him.

 

 

 

 

He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters

 

 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. 

"When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.'  And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order.  Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first."

 

- Luke 11:14–26 

 

Yesterday we read that as Jesus was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples."  So He said to them, "When you pray, say:  Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.  Your kingdom come.  Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us day by day our daily bread.  And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.  And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." And He said to them, "Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him'; and he will answer from within and say, 'Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you'?  I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.  So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone?  Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"   

 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."  Beelzebub was a name for the pagan god Baal.  Throughout the Old Testament we can read the names of different Baal gods in various pagan regions and towns dedicated to them (1 Kings 1:18).  "Beelzebub" was a name given by the Jews to deride the god, meaning "the Lord of the Flies."  But here it is meant as a direct reference to Satan.

 

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.  My study Bible comments that a sign is never given to those whose motive is merely to test God (see Luke 4:9-12).  Jesus explicitly brings out the notion of spiritual warfare, of a host of spirits (led by Satan) who are against God.  Can Satan's kingdom stand if his house is divided and he is therefore at war with himself?  Moreover, if Christ is casting out demons by Beelzebub, how do the Jewish exorcists (your sons) cast out demons?  By what power?  If they accuse Him of casting out demons by demonic power, then their spiritual sons will be their judges.  The finger of God, my study Bible explains, 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."  The strong man in Christ's example is Satan, who holds sway over the fallen human race, my study Bible explains, while the stronger is Christ (see 1 John 4:4).  It is in this illustrated sense that Christ is also Deliverer, Savior, and Judge.

"He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters."  My study Bible comments that it is the work of Christ to gather the children of God, while those who scatter are in direct opposition to God.  Those who work in opposition to Christ are different from those who work in good faith toward God's purpose but are not yet united to the Church (see Luke 9:46-50).  My study Bible quotes St. Seraphim of Sarov, who comments that  only "good deeds done for Christ's sake bring fruit," and therefore deeds done for other purposes, "even if they are good, are deeds that scatter abroad."

"When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.'  And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order.  Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first."  My study Bible cites the commentary of St. John Chrysostom, who calls the unclean spirit a reference to the rebelliousness cast out of the Jews by the Old Testament prophets to prepare them to receive Christ.  Those who refuse to receive Him are left open to the wickedness of seven other spirits or demons.  We may also understand this teaching as one exhorting us to consider what it is to become a "temple of God," in whom the Holy Spirit dwells -- and the vigilance that becomes all the more necessary as a result (1 Corinthians 3:16).  It reminds us that salvation is not a one-time action, but asks of us an ongoing discipleship and awareness.

It's interesting that today's reading speaks about spiritual battle, about the "competition" constantly being waged in this world between the forces of Christ (the stronger man) and Satan (the strong man).  We accept that Christ has come as Savior and Liberator, the One who will deliver us from the evil one.  And yet, we are still intrigued with the composition of the text, in which it was in yesterday's reading that Christ taught His disciples to pray to "our Father in heaven."  If we recall, it was in the prayer (see yesterday's reading, above) in which we are taught to pray, "deliver us from the evil one."  Here, in today's reading which involves an exorcism by Christ and then accusations that He is working by the power of demons, we are given a taste of Christ's clear teaching about forces for good and evil in this world.  These aren't by any means equal forces, for He is clearly the "stronger man" while Satan is the "strong man" who has so many bound in the world.  But Christ is our Liberator, for He has the power to overcome him, take away his armor, and divide his spoils.  This language would make perfect sense to one familiar with first century warfare (as indeed, it makes sense to many in today's world), but Christ is speaking of spiritual warfare, a war that goes on unseen and yet felt today in the world.  It is a battle for souls, and hearts and minds, and our prayers become a first source of strength and armor and weapons for the battle, for it is through our prayers that we are prepared, disciplined, and trained -- and hence we get another marvelous reason for the construction of the Gospel:  yesterday's reading has prepared us for the events we read of in today's reading.  Jesus taught us a universal prayer for all Christians to pray for all the world -- on behalf of the world, for all the world, and for ourselves -- but we see that it isn't just a simple prayer, it's a weapon for the battle.  It is a prayer for the kingdom of God to be manifest in this world.  It constitutes an alignment with the "stronger man," so that we are fully arrayed for battle and we have declared whose side we're on, whose troops we form, whose battlements we stand behind.  So often we are tempted to think of faith as simply intellectual abstraction, a kind of philosophical divide that purveys questions of ideology or of competing systems of rules and regulations, of varied outlooks upon life and what it is to be a human being under various deities or belief systems.  But Christ phrases this spiritual condition of the world in completely different terms, and takes us away from abstractions such as a simple set of competing ideas. He makes it quite clear that this battle is essential, and most of all that it is in fact waged within us, and that it affects us human beings not just on the surface or in terms of  beliefs and concepts, but rather from the inside out.  It determines the conditions of the places we feel at home in the world, where we belong, and to what do we have our allegiance.  His actions in the world and His teachings make it very clear that the battle isn't just about ideas, but rather the very things that make life worth living, or not.  The demons in the Bible oppress and afflict, they give pain.  In fact the very word in the Greek text which is translated as "the evil one" is πονηρός/poneros, whose root πόνος/ponos literally means "pain."  The word could easily be translated as "the painful one" (as in the one who brings pain).  We are not talking about abstract ideas or slogans or theories, but rather conditions of living that affect the entirety of one's life, as so many have experienced and understood.  A spiritual reality forms the background and basis for our lives, unseen as it may be, but it has been shared and understood by so many throughout so much of the history we know -- and it equally remains a mystery in which we may participate as well, should we continue to "ask" and "seek" and "knock" as Christ advised also in yesterday's reading (see above).  So let us take the story in today's reading to heart, and especially in the context of the teaching by Christ of the Lord's Prayer and the comments that followed in yesterday's reading.  For we do not have a complete sense of Christ's work on our behalf without each one and without the understanding He seeks to teach.  Let us take seriously the thought that so much depends upon what path we're on, and what and whom we choose to follow, in whom we place our trust.

 

Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother

 

 And they went into a house.  Then the multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread.  But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, "He is out of His mind."  And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, "He has Beelzebub," and, "By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons."  So He called them to Himself and said to them in parables:  "How can Satan cast out Satan?  If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.  And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.  And if Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he cannot stand, but has an end.  No one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man.  And then he will plunder his house.

"Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation" -- because they said, "He has an unclean spirit."

Then His brothers and His mother came, and standing outside they sent to Him, calling Him.  And a multitude was sitting around Him; and they said to Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are outside seeking You."  But He answered them, saying, "Who is My mother, or My brothers?"  And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, "Here are My mother and My brothers!  For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother."

 

- Mark 3:19b-35 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus then withdrew with His disciples to the sea.  And a great multitude from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea and Jerusalem and Idumea and beyond the Jordan; and those from Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they heard how many things He was doing, came to Him.  So He told His disciples that a small boat should be kept ready for Him because of the multitude, lest they should crush Him.  For He healed many, so that as many as had afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him.  And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him, fell down before Him and cried out, saying, "You are the Son of God."  But He sternly warned them that they should not make Him known.  And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted.  And they came to Him.   Then He appointed the twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons:  Simon, to whom He gave the name Peter; James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom He gave the name Boanerges, that is, "Sons of Thunder"; Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananite; and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.  

 

 And they went into a house.  Then the multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread.  But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, "He is out of His mind."  And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, "He has Beelzebub," and, "By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons."  So He called them to Himself and said to them in parables:  "How can Satan cast out Satan?  If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.  And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.  And if Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he cannot stand, but has an end.  No one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man.  And then he will plunder his house."  Beelzebub was a corrupted version of a name for the god Baal, worshiped by the Philistines (2 Kings 1:2-16).  In fact, Baal meant "Lord" and was used for a number of pagan gods; but this name Beelzebub, used among the Jews, meant prince of "the dung heap" or lord of "the flies."  Here he is called ruler of the demons.  My study Bible says that the impossibility of demons fighting against themselves illustrates the irrational pride and envy of the scribes from Jerusalem in their opposition to Jesus.   Jesus uses simple logic with them:  how could he work to cast out the demonic if he were working through the power of the leader of demons?  How can Satan cast out Satan?  Christ must be the stronger man who binds the strong man (Satan) and can then plunder his goods; that is, Christ can set free those held captive by Satan.  It is Christ who can plunder his house, taking faithful human beings as His own.

 

 "Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation" -- because they said, "He has an unclean spirit."  My study Bible defines blasphemy against the Holy Spirit as blasphemy against the divine activity of the Spirit; that is, blasphemy against pure goodness.  Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, whose divine activity these scribes knew from the Old Testament Scriptures in which they are experts, will not be forgiven because it comes from a willful hardness of heart, and a refusal to accept God's mercy -- especially the mercy in action of Christ's works of liberating those held captive by demons.  My study Bible also adds that the patristic writers are clear that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is not an "unforgivable sin," nor does Jesus call this sin "unforgivable."  St. John Chrysostom teaches that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit would be forgivable if a person were to repent of it.  Jesus makes His declaration here knowing that those who blaspheme the Spirit are calling pure, divine goodness "evil,' and are beyond repentance through their own choice.

Then His brothers and His mother came, and standing outside they sent to Him, calling Him.  And a multitude was sitting around Him; and they said to Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are outside seeking You."  But He answered them, saying, "Who is My mother, or My brothers?"  And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, "Here are My mother and My brothers!  For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother."  My study Bible tells us that Christ's relatives have not yet understood His identity and mission.  He points to a spiritual family based on obedience to the will of God.  My study Bible also notes that in Jewish usage, brother can indicate any number of relations.  Abram called his nephew Lot "brother" (Genesis 14:14); Boaz spoke of his cousin Elimelech as his "brother" (Ruth 4:3); and Joab called his cousin Amasa "brother" (2 Samuel 20:9).   Christ's brothers mentioned here are either stepbrothers (that is, sons of Joseph by a previous marriage) or cousins.  Christ had no blood brothers, as Mary had only one Son, Jesus.  In John's Gospel, Jesus commits His mother to the care of His disciple John at the Cross (John 19:25-27), which would have been unthinkable if Mary had other children to care for her.

It's interesting that just as we're told Christ's fame has spread throughout all the territories of Israel (that is, Galilee, Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan, and even among the Jews of the Gentile regions of Tyre and Sidon -- see yesterday's reading, above), so at this time we begin reading about opposition to Jesus' ministry.  We first read about the scribes who've come from Jerusalem.  Allies of the Pharisees, they accuse Jesus here of working through the power of Beelzebub, whom they call the ruler of the demons, whom Jesus names as Satan.  This is opposition indeed, as Jesus teaches them that they are blaspheming the Holy Spirit at work in their midst to heal those who are demon-possessed.  Since we're told that Jesus and the disciples "went into a house" and that the multitude was so great "they could not so much as eat bread," we can conclude easily that the accusations of the scribes stem from envy and jealousy.  For elsewhere Mark reports Jesus' teaching that it is their positions that truly mean the most to them:  "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation" (Mark 12:38-40).   So within the religious establishment, vehement opposition is coming to Christ, the Son, the One whom we call Messiah.   Would we not expect something different if we were writing this story ourselves?   Would we not have a sort of  "magical thinking" that of course the Prince of Peace would be embraced and accepted, particularly by those who longed for this day, who were experts in the Scripture, who considered themselves the true sons of Abraham and Moses?  Yet, that is not the story of the coming of Christ into our world as the human Jesus.  And then there is the story of His family.  They have likely come just because of Christ's overwhelming renown at this point, the multitudes who come to see Him, and knowing of the religious authorities' opposition to Him.  Perhaps they are greatly concerned that they need to bring Him home for His own good, for the fuss the family may be dealing with.  We know that His mother has always understood her Son in accordance with the announcement of Gabriel (Luke 1:26-38) and the prophecy of Simeon (Luke 2:25-35).  Perhaps after all, she is reminded of Simeon's prophecy that a sword would pierce her own heart.  We know that she confidently encouraged the first sign in John's Gospel (John 2:1-12).  But would she know all the tumultuous unfolding of this ministry?  That was in the hands of God -- and there in this thought comes Jesus for us all.  For the expectations of the world for the One whom Gabriel said would be called "the Son of the Highest," whom the "Lord God" would "give the throne of His father David,"  Who "will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end" are quite impossibly different from the actual fullness in the unfolding of these words, in the ways that we are taught to understand them, and in the persecution of the Son as Isaiah's Suffering Servant (see Isaiah 53).  For Christ's mission into the world is one that exposes the world's own flaws, its rejection of the purely good, our own envy and jealousy, our failure to accept truths we don't want to hear, our own limited ability to accept God's will when we don't like it.  For here is where Jesus comes in to teach us all, to say that "whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother."   This is not a rejection of His natural mother and of His extended family, but it is the final word, the bottom line.  Even Peter will be in for a strong rebuke when Peter denies that Christ should suffer or die (Matthew 16:21-23).  We don't like it when God's plans don't conform to our expectations of what is right and good.  But God's plans are more than the kind of plans that we make for life, for God's plan reveals us to ourselves.  God's plan will show to us that we need repentance and change from selfishness, to embrace what love is and teaches, and that we need to learn God's ways for ourselves, to become "like God" as we follow Christ's commands.  Jesus comes into the world, and His highest loyalty is to God, not to our fantasies and desires and not to our delusions about ourselves and the world.  For this is what love is and does:  love "suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never fails" whereas we know only "in part," and so we look to the One who comes to bring us to the fullness of perfection, and for whom we meanwhile abide in faith, hope, and love -- love being the greatest of these (1 Corinthians 13).   Let us look to His love, and place our faith and hope where it firmly belongs, for everything else will someday fail.

 

 

 

Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother

 

 And they went into a house.  Then the multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread.  But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, "He is out of His mind."  And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, "He has Beelzebub," and, "By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons."  So He called them to Himself and said to them in parables:  "How can Satan cast out Satan?  If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.  And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.  And if Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he cannot stand, but has an end.  No one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man.  And then he will plunder his house.

"Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation" -- because they said, "He has an unclean spirit."

Then His brothers and His mother came, and standing outside they sent to Him, calling Him.  And a multitude was sitting around Him; and they said to Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are outside seeking You."  But He answered them, saying, "Who is My mother, or My brothers?"  And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, "Here are My mother and My brothers!  For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother."

 

- Mark 3:19b–35 

 

Yesterday we read that, at this point in Jesus' ministry (having had important disputes with religious leaders), He withdrew with His disciples to the sea.  And a great multitude from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea and Jerusalem and Idumea and beyond the Jordan; and those from Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they heard how many things He was doing, came to Him.  So He told His disciples that a small boat should be kept ready for Him because of the multitude, lest they should crush Him.  For He healed many, so that as many as had afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him.  And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him, fell down before Him and cried out, saying, "You are the Son of God."  But He sternly warned them that they should not make Him known.  And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted.  And they came to Him.  Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons:  Simon, to whom He gave the name Peter; James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom He gave the name Boanerges, that is, "Sons of Thunder"; Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananite; and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.   

 

 And they went into a house.  Then the multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread.  But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, "He is out of His mind."  Mark's Gospel points out to us that at this significant time in Christ's ministry, in which He has just appointed the Twelve who will be sent out as apostles, and at which time His popular following among all the regions of Israel has attracted intense scrutiny and criticism by religious leaders, there are members of Christ's extended family who also want to "tame" what is happening, and state that He is beside Himself.  I have read opinions that this is possibly because of all of the attention, and certainly the negative and condemning scrutiny of the scribes and Pharisees, that Jesus is drawing toward Himself.  They may be attempting to make excuses for Him as they seek to curb what is happening.  Possibly these are members of His family and clan who simply cannot comprehend why He is not the humble carpenter of Nazareth that they knew, and this Man who now draws so much attention really does seem "out of His mind."  It puts us in mind of the rejection by His townsfolk in Nazareth (Luke 4:16-30), who were incensed at His preaching.

And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, "He has Beelzebub," and, "By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons."  So He called them to Himself and said to them in parables:  "How can Satan cast out Satan?  If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.  And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.  And if Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he cannot stand, but has an end.  No one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man.  And then he will plunder his house."  Beelzebub was a name for Baal used by the Jews.  Baal was a god worshiped by the Philistines (2 Kings 1:2-16).  There are disputes as to what the name means.  Some explain it as a kind of ridiculing parody of the names used for Baal in the Philistines' worship of the god, and meaning prince of "the dung heap" or lord of "the flies."  Here, the scribes call this god the ruler of the demons.  My study Bible explains that the impossibility of demons fighting against themselves illustrates the irrational pride and envy of the Pharisees in their opposition to the Holy Spirit.  In an interesting commentary on this passage, St. Augustine states that it is righteous justice that Christ is the "stronger man" who plunders the house of the strong man, Satan, and liberates his goods from bondage to him; that is, those who are enslaved to sin.  Jesus is the One who turns the weapons of demonic power back against the devil, by binding the "strong man" Satan himself. 

"Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation" -- because they said, "He has an unclean spirit."  My study Bible comments that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is blasphemy against the divine activity of the Spirit, blasphemy against pure goodness.  A sin against the Son of Man is more easily forgiven, it says, because the Jews did not know much about Christ.  But blasphemy against the Spirit, whose divine activity was known through the Old Testament Scriptures, will not be forgiven, as it comes from a willful hardness of heart and a refusal to accept God's mercy.  This is a kind of willful blindness meant in order to simply condemn.  My study Bible adds that the patristic writers are clear that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is not an "unforgivable sin" -- nor does Jesus call this sin "unforgivable."  St. John Chrysostom says that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit would be forgivable if a person were to repent of it.  Jesus is making this declaration knowing that those who blaspheme the Spirit here are calling pure, divine goodness "evil," and by their own choice they are beyond repentance.

Then His brothers and His mother came, and standing outside they sent to Him, calling Him.  And a multitude was sitting around Him; and they said to Him, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are outside seeking You."  But He answered them, saying, "Who is My mother, or My brothers?"  And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, "Here are My mother and My brothers!  For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother."  Perhaps this is another mission undertaken at the behest of extended family, to speak with Christ about His ministry.  Certainly we know His mother's understanding of His identity, but it is the public attention and negative scrutiny and hostility by religious authorities that seems to trouble the family.  My study Bible comments that Christ's relatives have not yet understood His identity and mission.  He points to a spiritual family based on obedience to the will of God the Father.  

 

 Many people seem to feel that success must come easily and quickly, so long as one is "doing the right thing."  But this is far from true, and life usually holds the opposite expectation -- that success is a product of hard work, rebounding and trying again after failures, struggle, and persistence.  It also takes a lot of creativity, a willingness to think about things in new ways, and quite often what most people call luck.  (In my estimation, a prayer life can be remarkably "lucky" to the eyes of those who don't understand it.)  But if we look at Jesus, the picture of "instant success" disappears for one that is quite different.  Possibly in this case, what we really need to do is start to think outside the box, to be creative enough in our understanding to grasp how Jesus' mission is a success even when it seems to be failing, when there is opposition, when His relatives think He is out of His mind, and even -- and most especially then -- when He goes to the Cross and experiences human death.  Because what Jesus really teaches us is that all of our ideas of success have to take second place to God's idea of what makes us a success.  In today's reading, He says that "whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother."  We might especially remember that when Jesus first tells the disciples that He will suffer and be killed, St. Peter, the rock of faith, rebuked Christ.  We might assume Peter was speaking on behalf of all of the disciples, as is often the case.  But Jesus' response was to rebuke Peter before the rest of the disciples, saying, "Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."  (See Mark 8:31-33.)   What is a success in the sight of God does not necessarily correspond to our idea of success at all.  St. Paul writes to the Corinthians regarding himself and his fellow apostles:  "For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored! To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless.  And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure;  being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now" (1 Corinthians 4:9-13).  Moreover, in the traditional Christian view, and as we are repeatedly taught by Christ in the Gospels, it is humility that is the chief virtue that leads to all others.  These lessons come frequently to the disciples when they are debating one another about "who will be greatest."  See, for example, Luke 22:24-27, a dispute that takes place at the Last Supper.  A clear definition of success would simply be a mission completed to the last detail.  But often, we can't know the outcome of that success, the longterm effect, or even what the real planner of the mission had in mind.  And so it is with our lives.  So often we think of success in terms of what the rest of the world might say about what we do; and yet, success is also measured in terms that don't have price tags or bottom lines attached to them, like caring for an elderly parent, helping someone out who needs it, or using compassion the way that we see Christ do.  Most often, prayer is indispensable for coming to terms with a measure of true success.  No one will be a greater cheerleader for a true measure of success than what we find in our prayer lives, in the context of a worship service that helps us to see more clearly than when all the pressure is on and everything struggles within us, or a good pastor who can truly help us to find the right path.  Sometimes success is simply a matter of needing a redefinition, remembering where our bedrock of reality really lies.  And that is on the rock of our salvation (see Matthew 7:24-27).  For we all have a mission that lasts a lifetime, that asks us to keep on trying, and holds a world of learning and starts and failures all along the way.  That is Christ's mission of love to us.

He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters

 

 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 we read that as Jesus and the disciples went toward Jerusalem, they entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house.  And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word.  But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone?  Therefore tell her to help me."  And Jesus' answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.  But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her." 

 

 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."  Beelzebub is a derisive name for a pagan god worshiped by the Philistines, a twist in pronunciation rendering it "Lord of the Flies."  Here, this name specifically refers to Satan.  

Others, testing Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven.  My study Bible comments here that a sign is never given to those whose motive is merely to test God (see Luke 4:9-12).  

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."  Jesus gives a quite rational answer, which illuminates the idea that there is a spiritual war going on in what is often called the "unseen world" of the bodiless beings such as angels.  Why would Satan cast out his own demonic allies?  When Jesus asks, "And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out?" He is referring to the Jewish tradition of exorcism.  In Matthew 12:24, they are Pharisees who bring this charge against Jesus.  What He's saying is that if they want to ascribe demonic influence to exorcism, then their own tradition (and those who perform exorcisms in that tradition) witness against them.

"But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you."  The finger of God refers to 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."  The strong man to whom Jesus refers is Satan, whom my study Bible says holds sway over the fallen human race.  But the stronger is Christ (see 1 John 4:4).  

"He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters."  My study Bible says that it is the work of Christ to gather the children of God, while those who scatter are in direct opposition to Him.  Those who work in opposition to Christ, it notes, are different from those who work in good faith toward Christ's purpose but are not yet united to the Church (see Luke 9:46-50).  My study Bible quotes St. Seraphim of Sarov, who writes that only "good deeds done for Christ's sake bring fruit."  Deeds done for any other purpose, "even if they are good, are deeds that scatter abroad."

How are we to understand our faith?  Particularly in light of what is indicated in today's passage, that there is an invisible spiritual battle going on between angelic forces loyal to Christ, and those in rebellion (the demons).  In a modern context, most people go about their lives without any consideration of such possible realities, but it is, nevertheless, part and parcel of the framework of the Bible and of the ancient world into which Christ was born.  This "unseen" reality remains a part of the understanding of the Church.  Certainly there are many people who believe that angels are around us, doing unseen spiritual works.  The demonic is another kind of story altogether, as well as the subject of widely varied commercial exploits and fantasies.  As we know from the New Testament Scriptures, exorcism was a frequent part of Christ's healing ministry, as well as the early Church.  In today's text, Jesus refers to the exorcism that was already part of Jewish religious tradition.  Jesus gives us a picture of the struggle between two warring spiritual powers.  But this is by no means whatsoever an equal battle.  There is the "strong man," Satan, also called the prince or ruler of this world (see John 12:31;14:30;16:11).  But Christ calls Himself the "stronger man," indicating that His power and authority -- extended through the Church -- is greater than that of the demonic powers.  Jesus says, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 14:9).  This extends to His authority within the unseen world (Luke 4:36) and He extends His power to others (Luke 10:17).  The Church still continues to perform exorcisms, and Baptism remains a sacrament in which we renounce the powers and works of this "strong man."   Jesus speaks absolutely and unequivocally about His power and authority, unrecognized by those to whom He speaks (and who accuse Him of working through the power of Satan).  As incarnate human being, He is without obvious material power, worldly authority, or the power of a state or an army.  But as Christ, He is One who asserts spiritual authority, recognizable only through faith.  Indeed, it is the power of faith that allies us with Christ, the "stronger man."  In a popular movie from 1995 (The Usual Suspects), a master criminal declares, "The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he did not exist."  This was a memorable line in the film, but its sentiment wasn't original.  It has been repeated frequently (in works such as The Master and Margarita, for example, a satirical fantasy written under Stalin's rule).  But the key to understanding our place in the midst of such spiritual struggle is really our faith, and our greatest weapon is prayer.  In the context of today's reading, the lectionary has skipped over the beginning of chapter 11, as it was given earlier, in preparation for the commemoration of Christ's Ascension.  In the verses between today's reading and yesterday's, Jesus gave to the disciples the Lord's Prayer, which begins with the words "Our Father in heaven."   It is important to remember that it is through faith and prayer that we bind ourselves to the power of Christ, and play our role in this struggle.  Forget about fantasies and imaginary representations which appear in popular media.  It is faith and prayer, and all the aspects of worship available to us in the practices and sacraments of the Church, through which we engage in this "invisible" battle, and choose to ally with the One who scatters His opponents.  It is through such practices, also, that we grow in spiritual wisdom and insight into such matters.  Our resistance to temptation of all kinds is the mirror of Christ's denial of the devil (Luke 4:1-13); it is a life prayerfully and faithfully lived that is our part in this struggle.  Take refuge in the prayer He taught us, to Our Father in heaven, whose divine will and kingdom we pray be done on earth as it is in heaven.  This is where we start as His disciples, where we continue, and the true way we meet our challenges.  Our real mission is to seek the kingdom of God (Luke 12:31).