Bradley Tibbs
Nov15, 2000
Dr. Lyons
BL425
A
Divided Kingdom
He knew what they were thinking and
said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or
house divided against itself will stand. If
Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand? If I cast out demons by Beelsebul, by whom do your
own exorcists cast them out? Therefore they
will be your judges. But if it is by the
Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you. Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and
plunder his property, without first tying up the strong man? Then indeed the house can be plundered. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever
does not gather with me scatters. (Matthew
12:25-30)
The
illustration of the divided kingdom and the strong man is used in all the synoptic
gospels: Matthew 12:25-30, Mark 3:23-27, and Luke 11:17-23.
Jesus is responding to the accusation of the Pharisees (the scribes in Mark and
“some of them [in the crowds]” in Luke) that Jesus casts out demons by the
authority of the ruler of demons himself. Mark
is the only Gospel which calls this illustration a “parable.” Matthew and Luke say Jesus “knew what they
were thinking and said to them…” Jesus’
sovereign is evident in his knowledge of their thoughts.
In Matthew, he refutes the Pharisee’s accusation in three pronouncements. Most of the sayings that Matthew uses in verses
25b to 37 were circulated as individual sayings and had their own meanings before Matthew
formed them together in this illustration (New Interpreter’s Bible 285). Following
this passage Jesus, in Matthew and Mark, tells of the unpardonable sin. It corresponds with the verses immediately
preceding regarding gathering with Jesus or scattering against his cause. One is either in step with the Spirit or
blasphemes against it. There is no
neutrality.
Exegesis
“…no
city or house divided against itself will stand.”
City and house indicate units of organization or power (Hill 216). If an organized unit is divided against itself, it
will soon come to an end. If Jesus had
authority by Satan, why would he be working against him by driving the demons out of
people? Point number two: if Jesus is driving
out demons because of power from Satan, how is it that the Pharisee’s own exorcists
cast them out? Thus the Pharisees have no
better credentials here than Jesus. In point
number three, Jesus shifts to a christological logic.
If it is by the Spirit of God that he drives them out, the Kingdom of God has come. Matthew changed Q’s use of the
anthropomorphism, “finger of God” to the eschatological presence of the
“spirit of God.” The
eschatological theme is further developed in the proceeding remarks about the binding of
Satan and taking from him what belongs to God. Jesus
asks the rhetorical question, “How can one enter a strong man’s house and
plunder his property without first tying up the strong man?” The strong man is Satan. Though Satan has exercised his power over some
people, Jesus, who is working to gather these people back, must first bind Satan. It reinforces the illogical accusation that the
Pharisees made at the beginning of the passage—Jesus does not work in the name of
Satan, rather he is taking away from Satan what rightfully is God’s.
“Whoever
is not with me is against me…” This
complements what we see Jesus saying in Mark 9:40 regarding the non-disciple who is
casting out demons in Jesus’ name, “Whoever is not against me is for me.” There are two sides of the line: those who are at
work with Jesus and those who work against him. It’s
a strong call to discipleship. Jesus
explains, “whoever does not gather with me scatters.” Imagery of the sheep and the shepherd are
conjured: if the sheep are not being gathered, they will scatter. Either we get actively involved in the life of
following Jesus and help him gather, or we work against him. Whether we are active or passive in our
disobedience, if we’re permitting the work of the enemy to be done, we are on the
enemy’s side.
Application
If
we take Matthew’s gospel seriously, we have to realize that Christianity is more than
just personal relationship and the church is more than a support group for believers. There is a missional task of the church to make
disciples. If people are not serving Jesus,
they are living in blasphemy against him, denying his sovereign power. Denying the power of Jesus in the midst of the
great works that he is doing is as illogical as the Pharisee’s charge that Jesus was
possessed by Satan.
Hagner, Donald A. Word Biblical Commentary; the Gospel of Matthew
1-13. Vol 33a Dallas:
Word
Incorporated, 1993.
Hill, David. The New Century Bible Commentary; Gospel of Matthew
Grand Rapids, Mich.:
Eerdmans, 1981, c1972.
Hultgren, Arland J. The Parables of Jesus. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 2000.
Manson, T.W. The Sayings of Jesus. London: SCM Press Ltd., 1949.
Mounce, Robert H. New
International Bible Commentary; Matthew. Peabody,
Mass. : Hendrickson
New Revised Standard Version of the
Bible.
Schweizer, Eduard. The Good News According to Matthew. Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1975.
The New Interpreter's Bible. Vol 8. Nashville,
Tenn. : Abingdon, 1995.