In this weekend’s Gospel, the scribes accuse Jesus of being possessed by Satan (Mark 3:22), and by Satan’s power drives Satan out of those possessed. Such a charge is, of course, false, but it is helpful for us to see how, so that we, unlike the scribes in our Gospel passage, don’t cut ourselves off from repentance for our sins and their forgiveness by God.
Jesus asks the scribes, How can Satan drive out Satan (3:23)? To drive out, or expel, is to act on something with force. Since anything someone does to himself is done of his own accord, no one has the power to force or expel himself.
If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand; that is the end of him. But no one can enter a strong man’s house to plunder his property unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house (3:24-27).
Jesus makes a shrewd argument. Every system of authority divided against itself does not stand (kingdom; household). Then Jesus shows by means of logical fallacy how Satan cannot drive out Satan: either Satan has authorized Jesus to cast out Satan (option 1), or Satan has not authorized Jesus to do so (option 2). If option 1, then Satan is divided against Satan and his kingdom cannot stand, which is absurd. But if option 2 is the case, then it is as if Jesus has tied up a strong man to plunder his property.
Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies that people utter will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the holy Spirit will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting sin.” For they had said, “He has an unclean spirit” (3:28-30).
Jesus issues us a warning: let us not cut ourselves off from Him and forgiveness in general by claiming He is in Satan’s party. On the contrary, let us embrace Jesus as the One who has come to plunder Satan’s kingdom/household and save us from sin. Let us commit anew to being faithful followers of Jesus, repent of our sins, and receive His forgiveness and grace. As St. Augustine says: “Impenitence itself is the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit which has no remission…not because there is a blasphemy, which cannot be remitted, since even this might be remitted through a right repentance” (Aquinas. Catena Aurea: Gospel of Mark).
David J. Conrad
Jesus asks the scribes, How can Satan drive out Satan (3:23)? To drive out, or expel, is to act on something with force. Since anything someone does to himself is done of his own accord, no one has the power to force or expel himself.
If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand; that is the end of him. But no one can enter a strong man’s house to plunder his property unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house (3:24-27).
Jesus makes a shrewd argument. Every system of authority divided against itself does not stand (kingdom; household). Then Jesus shows by means of logical fallacy how Satan cannot drive out Satan: either Satan has authorized Jesus to cast out Satan (option 1), or Satan has not authorized Jesus to do so (option 2). If option 1, then Satan is divided against Satan and his kingdom cannot stand, which is absurd. But if option 2 is the case, then it is as if Jesus has tied up a strong man to plunder his property.
Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies that people utter will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the holy Spirit will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting sin.” For they had said, “He has an unclean spirit” (3:28-30).
Jesus issues us a warning: let us not cut ourselves off from Him and forgiveness in general by claiming He is in Satan’s party. On the contrary, let us embrace Jesus as the One who has come to plunder Satan’s kingdom/household and save us from sin. Let us commit anew to being faithful followers of Jesus, repent of our sins, and receive His forgiveness and grace. As St. Augustine says: “Impenitence itself is the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit which has no remission…not because there is a blasphemy, which cannot be remitted, since even this might be remitted through a right repentance” (Aquinas. Catena Aurea: Gospel of Mark).
David J. Conrad
RSS Feed
