Challenging the authority of Jesus

“But when the Pharisees heard [it], they said, This [fellow] doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.” Matthew 12:24

Interesting… When they can’t deny what He does… they challenge His authority. 

Talk about a re-direct.  Pulling the attention off of the action, they don’t actually deny that it was done but challenge how it was done.

Sound familiar?

People try to say “Science” did something… when science doesn’t actually do anything… but scientist do, and deny that God did it.

People say the medicine cured… when it only treated.  Never giving God the glory.

Here the Pharisees are in a scramble.  Aware that the miracles that followed Jesus were a confirmation of Who He was, they feared losing their place and nation (John 11:48) and so they tried to claim that Jesus didn’t come in the name of the Lord, but in the name of Beelzebub.

Confident that those who heard them and did not know the scriptures would trust their judgment they laid a snare for so many.

Have you ever found yourself in a position where you wanted a little recognition?  You wanted a bit of the glory?  And when you were describing “what the Lord was doing in your life” and someone replied, “Just like so-and-so” you got defensive and felt like it was getting pulled away from you?

If you have, and I know I have, you were lengthening the hem of your garments to make it appear you were more holy than you could actually ever be, on your own.

You were saying, “they do that by Beelzebub”, with the inference, “But I am the real deal.”

Are you?  Am I? Are we?

We need to check this at the gate.  We need to allow Jesus to do what He does with the authority that He has… so that… we might see greater demonstrations of the power of God in our lives.

SDG