Luke 11:19

Luke 11:19, in plain English

Jesus fires back: 'Your own people cast out demons too. Are they also working for Satan?' He shows the glaring double standard -- what's evil when Jesus does it is fine when their guys do it.

Why it's here

Jewish exorcists existed in Jesus' day. His critics were okay with those exorcisms but suddenly had a problem when Jesus did it better. Hypocrisy at its finest.

Who's speaking

Jesus turns the accusation back on the accusers, exposing their inconsistency.

Where it sits in the story

Jesus is a master debater. He takes their own logic and shows how it condemns them. If exorcism proves someone is demonic, then their own people are demonic too.

The scholarly reading

Jesus turns the argument on the accusers: Jewish exorcists ('your sons') also performed exorcisms. If Jesus uses Beelzebul, by what power do they operate? Their own practitioners become their judges (kritai).

Language and setting

Jewish exorcism was practiced in the Second Temple period (cf. Acts 19:13, Josephus' Antiquities). Jesus' point creates an awkward dilemma: condemning His exorcisms logically condemns their own.

Voice

Jesus exposes the double standard in the accusation by referencing Jewish exorcists His opponents already accept.

Significance

Jesus catches them in a logical trap. They can't condemn His exorcisms without condemning their own exorcists. Their own people will judge them for the inconsistency.

17Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste, and a house divided against a house will fall.

18If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? After all, you say that I drive out demons by Beelzebul.

19And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons drive them out? So then, they will be your judges.

20But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

21When a strong man, fully armed, guards his house, his possessions are secure.

Read all of Luke 11 — The disciples ask for a prayer, and Jesus gives them words that have echoed for two thousand years. Then he warns against empty religion.