Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, ‘He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons.’ And he called them to him, and spoke to them in parables, ‘How can Satan cast out Satan?’”
NL Daily Devotion for Saturday, January 18, 2020
by R. Fergus Moir, Clergy Stuff
A house divided against itself cannot stand. This concept is so widely quoted that I wonder how many people realize it’s actually from the Bible. It originates from critics of Jesus hoping to cast doubt on his ability to cast out demons by claiming it is demonic power that allows him to do this. Jesus points out the flaw in their logic to show that it is only God’s power that can cast out Satan.
Some people want to use this idea to demand allegiance to dictatorial powers like our current American governmental regime. They claim that if we don’t all agree with what a small subset of people believe, we are destined to collapse as a nation. That is not at all what this passage is about. Our country’s current state of being “divided against itself,” is a product of intolerance, fear, and a pathological drive for self-preservation at all costs. Those things are from the kingdom of Satan. And we know that Satan cannot cast out Satan.
The only solution to our current polarization is to embody the Christ-like qualities of radical welcome and acceptance. Because in God’s rule, diversity of ideas, opinions, and humanity as a whole is embraced as beautiful and in God’s image.
Gracious God, empower me to set aside fear and self-centeredness, that I might be a uniting force in the world. Amen.
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