“…a house divided against itself falls.” Luke 11:17. Jesus is giving an answer to those who were accusing Him of using Satan’s power to cast out demons 11:15). He is also answering those who were testing Him, demanding from Him more signs “…from heaven.” (11:16). One group aligning Him with the devil by what He was doing and the other group demanding more proof (signs) that He was from heaven. Here is the question:
How does His answer in 11:17 correct both groups?
The fact that Jesus is teaching both groups is amazing to start with. He desires for all to come into God’s Kingdom whether they are a Pharisee, a publican, or someone in between. The invitation is for everyone, this is grace; but the condition remains singular; through faith in Christ.
The Pharisees were seeking to discredit Jesus because the crowds were flocking to Him and not to them. They were jealous and envious of Jesus. They could not deny the power He demonstrated in overcoming the demons and casting them out, and of healing people who suffered from various diseases. So they sought to justify their own position of not following Jesus from their sin of jealousy and envy. Jesus points out the flaw in their reasoning with the obvious question; How could the devil advance his own kingdom of darkness, destruction, and deception by defeating himself and overpowering his own agents? No way. His kingdom would collapse with that kind of disunity and confusion.
The second group has the same problem but from a different perspective. The second group wants to recognize that Jesus is who He claims to be, but needs more proof…they demand a sign from heaven. In their demand, Jesus hears again the old temptation of doubting God’s word and way and formulating another way to accomplish the same result, getting people to follow. Adam and Eve fell for this, but Jesus did not. He resisted this temptation in the wilderness, “turn these stones into bread… jump off the Temple, His angels will catch you…”
If Jesus would have responded to the crowd, rather than listening to His Father, He would not have been able to do anything. In John 5:19 Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.” Following the demands of the crowd rather than His Father would have divided His Kingdom for God’s way into the Kingdom is through faith, not signs or proof.
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