to your own professions, your disciples cast out demons. If so, by whom are they doing
it?
22. St. Mark iii. 22; see Book III. ch. xxii.
23. See for example St. Luke xi. 22, 22.
24. St. Matt. xii. 25.
25. vv. 27-30.
But, secondly, beneath this logical argumentation lies deep and spiritual instruction,
closely connected with the late teaching during the festive days in Jerusalem. It is
directed against the flimsy, superstitious, and unspiritual views entertained by Israel,
alike of the Kingdom of evil and of that of God. For, if we ignore the moral aspect of
Satan and his kingdom, all degenerates into the absurdities and superstitions of the
Jewish view concerning demons and Satan, which are fully described in another
place.26 On the other hand, introduce the ideas of moral evil, of the concentration of its
power in a kingdom of which Satan is the representative and ruler , and of our own
inherent sinfulness, which makes us his subjects - and all becomes clear. Then, truly,
can Satan not cast out Satan - else how could his kingdom stand; then, also, is the
casting out of Satan only by 'God's Spirit,' or 'Finger:' and this i s the Kingdom of God.27
Nay, by their own admission, the casting out of Satan was part of the work of Messiah.28
29
Then had the Kingdom of God, indeed, come to them - for in this was the Kingdom of
God; and He was the God-sent Messiah, come not for the glory of Israel, nor for
anything outward or intellectual, but to engage in mortal conflict with moral evil, and with
Satan as its representative. In that contest Christ, as the Stronger, bindeth 'the strong
one,' spoils his house (divideth his spoil), and takes from him the armour in which his
strength lay ('he trusted') by taking away the power of sin.30 This is the work of the
Messiah - and, therefore also, no one can be indifferent towards Him, because all, being
by nature in a certain relation towards Satan, must, since the Messiah had commenced
His Work, occupy a definite relationship towards the Christ Who combats Satan.31 32
26. See the Appendix on Angelology and Demonology.
27. St. Matt. xii. 25-28.
28. Yalkut on Is. lx.
29. See Book II. ch. v. , and the Appendix to it, where the passage is given in full.
30. v. 29.
31. The reason of the difference between this and the somewhat similar passage, St.
Luke ix 50, is, that there the relationship is to the disciples , here to the Person of the
Christ.
32. v. 30.
It follows, that the work of the Christ is a moral contest waged through the Spirit of God,
in which, from their position, all must take a part. But it is conceivable that a man may
not only try to be passively, but even be actively on the enem y's side, and this not by
merely speaking against the Christ, which might be the outcome of ignorance or
unbelief, but by representing that as Satanic which was the object of His Coming.33