Matthew 12:27-29
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people[a] drive them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 28 [b](A)But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 [c]How can anyone enter a strong man’s house and steal his property, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.
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- 12:27 Besides pointing out the absurdity of the charge, Jesus asks how the work of Jewish exorcists (your own people) is to be interpreted. Are they, too, to be charged with collusion with Beelzebul? For an example of Jewish exorcism see Josephus, Antiquities 8:42–49.
- 12:28 The Q parallel (Lk 11:20) speaks of the “finger” rather than of the “spirit” of God. While the difference is probably due to Matthew’s editing, he retains the kingdom of God rather than changing it to his usual “kingdom of heaven.” Has come upon you: see Mt 4:17.
- 12:29 A short parable illustrates what Jesus is doing. The strong man is Satan, whom Jesus has tied up and whose house he is plundering. Jewish expectation was that Satan would be chained up in the last days (Rev 20:2); Jesus’ exorcisms indicate that those days have begun.
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