One of the most understated verses in the entire Bible is surely found in Matthew chapter 12 verse 28: “But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you” (Matthew 12:28).
I’m particularly interested in the second half of the verse: “...the kingdom of God has come upon you." Take in these words, inscribe them into your heart and soul, for these are words of comfort: “the kingdom of God has come upon you."
It’s hard for us to grasp or accept this Truth isn’t it? There’s so much suffering, evil, death, pain, and despair all around us. And it must have been equally astonishing and puzzling for the Jewish ear to hear these words: God, silent, no prophets for over 400 years, and then comes Jesus: “...the kingdom of God has come upon you.”
What brought on these words was a confrontation between Jesus and his opponents, the Pharisees. Jesus had just healed a demoniac man who was blind and mute (12:22). Jesus restored his sight and speech.
His adversaries were stunned: from where did he get such power? They accused him of being a sorcerer, in league with the devil, Beelzebul, the “prince of demons” (12:24).
But Jesus’ response is comprehensive.
Verse 25: “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand.” In other words, healing is not something that Satan does, because healing restores faith in the goodness of God. So, why would Jesus heal someone if he wants us to doubt the goodness of God?
Verse 27: “And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out?” Translation: if previous prophets to Israel - “your sons”, as Jesus calls them - brought healing, why not Jesus? What excluded him from being a “son” of Israel?
But the most compelling response that Jesus gives is not a rejection of his adversaries, but an affirmation of the Holy Spirit as the source of his power: “But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” (12:28).
The Spirit of God is the source of good works. This was the case for Jesus, and it is the case for us too. The Holy Spirit indwells us, and grows us into “good” trees that bear “good” fruit. The Holy Spirit is a “good treasure” that “brings forth good” (12:33, 35).
Jesus healed the demoniac by the power of the Spirit of God. And this same Spirit, the Holy Spirit, is also knocking on the doors of our hearts and lives, offering us total healing: from ourselves, from the world, from the devil.
Perhaps it’s hard for us to believe that. Are we men and women of faith, or have we given up, or rather, have we given in to an age of enlightened minds and impoverished spirits? Does our rational thinking lead us to conclude that everything in this world has a “natural” explanation, or is God still Master of his creation?
The people in this narrative “marveled”, they were “amazed” at the works of Jesus (12:23). He healed with an authority that demanded an “alternative explanation.”1
Matthew challenges us to see Jesus as the Son of God, who by the Spirit of God has control over the created order. Indeed, this is what makes Jesus greater than the prophet Jonah, and wiser than King Solomon (12:41-42).
Matthew also challenges us to see the kingdom of God present whenever “good fruits” are evident. These fruits are a sign, a foretaste, if you will, of the complete restoration and healing that we will see and experience when Jesus returns. So brothers and sisters, let us take heart.
May God have mercy on us and give us faith to believe. May he give us eyes to see, and may he give us the boldness to proclaim with our mouths the kingdom of God come upon us.
Thanks be to God.
Amen ✠
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I’m particularly interested in the second half of the verse: “...the kingdom of God has come upon you." Take in these words, inscribe them into your heart and soul, for these are words of comfort: “the kingdom of God has come upon you."
It’s hard for us to grasp or accept this Truth isn’t it? There’s so much suffering, evil, death, pain, and despair all around us. And it must have been equally astonishing and puzzling for the Jewish ear to hear these words: God, silent, no prophets for over 400 years, and then comes Jesus: “...the kingdom of God has come upon you.”
What brought on these words was a confrontation between Jesus and his opponents, the Pharisees. Jesus had just healed a demoniac man who was blind and mute (12:22). Jesus restored his sight and speech.
His adversaries were stunned: from where did he get such power? They accused him of being a sorcerer, in league with the devil, Beelzebul, the “prince of demons” (12:24).
But Jesus’ response is comprehensive.
Verse 25: “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand.” In other words, healing is not something that Satan does, because healing restores faith in the goodness of God. So, why would Jesus heal someone if he wants us to doubt the goodness of God?
Verse 27: “And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out?” Translation: if previous prophets to Israel - “your sons”, as Jesus calls them - brought healing, why not Jesus? What excluded him from being a “son” of Israel?
But the most compelling response that Jesus gives is not a rejection of his adversaries, but an affirmation of the Holy Spirit as the source of his power: “But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” (12:28).
The Spirit of God is the source of good works. This was the case for Jesus, and it is the case for us too. The Holy Spirit indwells us, and grows us into “good” trees that bear “good” fruit. The Holy Spirit is a “good treasure” that “brings forth good” (12:33, 35).
Jesus healed the demoniac by the power of the Spirit of God. And this same Spirit, the Holy Spirit, is also knocking on the doors of our hearts and lives, offering us total healing: from ourselves, from the world, from the devil.
Perhaps it’s hard for us to believe that. Are we men and women of faith, or have we given up, or rather, have we given in to an age of enlightened minds and impoverished spirits? Does our rational thinking lead us to conclude that everything in this world has a “natural” explanation, or is God still Master of his creation?
The people in this narrative “marveled”, they were “amazed” at the works of Jesus (12:23). He healed with an authority that demanded an “alternative explanation.”1
Matthew challenges us to see Jesus as the Son of God, who by the Spirit of God has control over the created order. Indeed, this is what makes Jesus greater than the prophet Jonah, and wiser than King Solomon (12:41-42).
Matthew also challenges us to see the kingdom of God present whenever “good fruits” are evident. These fruits are a sign, a foretaste, if you will, of the complete restoration and healing that we will see and experience when Jesus returns. So brothers and sisters, let us take heart.
May God have mercy on us and give us faith to believe. May he give us eyes to see, and may he give us the boldness to proclaim with our mouths the kingdom of God come upon us.
Thanks be to God.
Amen ✠
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1 R. T. France, The Gospel according to Matthew. An Introduction and Commentary. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1985), 207.
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