The Bible Project Daily Podcast Satan's Defences Are Breached (Matthew 12: 22-30)
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Satan's Defences Are Breached (Matthew 12:22-30)
It is important to understand that in the 1st century eastern world it was not only mental and psychological illness which was ascribed to the influence of demons and devils; all illness was attributed to these malignant powers. Exorcism was very commonly practised; and was in many cases records show was seen to be effective.
There is nothing in that to be surprised at. I personally believe, even today, that sometimes physical illness can issue can still be entirely spiritual in nature, even amongst ourselves today anyone can stress themselves into having a headache, or can convince themselves that they have symptoms of an illness which then can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. When a person under such a belief is confronted with an exorcist in whom they had confidence, often the sickness can be dispelled, and a cure is the result. In such cases if a person who is convinced they was cured, they are cured in deed.
But what about Jesus, what did he do when there were demonic forces at play, how did Jesus deal with them, and was it any different that the practice of the Jewish exorcist his day. Let’s pick up the text in verse 22.
22 Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. 23 All the people were astonished and said, “Could this be the Son of David?” 24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.” 25 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 “Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house. (Matthew 12: 22-29)
In this instance Jesus is seen to cure a man who was blind, deaf and dumb and whose infirmity was attributed to demon-possession, and he heals him. The people were amazed. They began to wonder if this Jesus could be the Son of David, the long promised and long expected great Saviour and liberator. Any doubt or questions they had was due to the fact that Jesus was so unlike the picture of the Son of David in which they had been brought up to believe. /Here was no glorious prince with pomp and circumstance; there was no great warrior here rattling his swords and he had no conquering army with him. He did not call upon them to rise up again
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