11:14–16 Jesus expels a demon from a man, one that had rendered the man mute. When the demon is cast out, the man is able to speak, which is concrete evidence that the demon has been removed (cf. 7:22). The people react in astonishment to this amazing display of power, but their amazement does not necessarily indicate a positive response (cf. 4:22).141 Interestingly, those opposed to Jesus do not argue that his miracles are fake or inauthentic. They cannot deny that miracles have been occurring. Instead, they argue that the expelling of demons is energized by Beelzebul, ruler of the demons. “Beelzebul” probably means “lord of the flies” and can be traced back to Baal worship; here it is simply another name for Satan. The opponents of Jesus contend that these miracles must be interpreted properly. Perhaps they appeal to Deuteronomy 13:1–5. There Moses refers to a prophet who performs a sign and wonder in support of following other gods. The sign and wonder is genuine, but the Lord allows such to test Israel to see if they are truly devoted to the Lord. The person who performs such a sign or wonder is to be put to death. By following this line of argument, Jesus’ adversaries do not dispute his signs and wonders but assign them to an evil source, arguing that the Lord is testing Israel by allowing a false prophet in their midst. Others, it seems, are unsure of what to make of Jesus. They want him to perform an irrefutable sign from heaven to establish his credentials (cf. Mark 8:11; John 6:30–31). Paul says elsewhere that one of the reasons many Jews do not believe is that they demand signs instead of putting their trust in the crucified Christ (1 Cor. 1:21–22).

11:17–18 Perhaps Jesus does not hear the objections raised against him, but, as we have seen elsewhere, he knows their objections (cf. Luke 5:22; 6:8). He proceeds to dismantle their claims with an array of logical and biblical arguments. He argues that it does not make sense for Satan to attack himself, since such an action is inherently self-destructive. Satan is evil and does not think rightly about truth and reality, but he is committed to one thing: increasing his power. If Satan turns against himself, his rule and authority will collapse. Thus there are no grounds for saying that Jesus expels demons by the power of Beelzebul.

11:19 The complete implausibility of attributing Jesus’ actions to Satan continues. Jesus argues that such a charge is internally contradictory. After all, some of their own sons, that is, their own disciples, are also casting out demons (cf. 9:49).142 And they are not claiming in these cases that the expulsions are satanically inspired. On what grounds are they saying in one instance that the expulsion is Satanic and in another instance that it is from God? Their very own disciples would judge their argument to be special pleading.

11:20 In fact, Jesus contends, the casting out of demons should be interpreted differently. He is expelling demons by God’s finger. Matthew in the parallel says they are cast out by the Holy Spirit (Matt. 12:28), and it is fascinating that Luke does not include that phrase, since elsewhere he emphasizes the work of the Spirit. Still, there are reasons for the inclusion of the phrase “the finger of God.” It is probably an allusion to Exodus, in which Pharaoh’s magicians are able to do some miracles by their “secret arts” (Ex. 7:11, 22; 8:7). We recall from the discussion of Deuteronomy 13:1–5 (cf. comment 11:14–16) that the religious leaders are probably saying something similar about Jesus, claiming he is performing signs and wonders from an evil and demonic source. But the magicians in Egypt could not keep up with the signs and wonders of Moses and Aaron, and when they could not replicate them, they acknowledged that the signs and wonders of Moses and Aaron were “the finger of God” (Ex. 8:19). The “finger of God” signifies a clear and definitive work of God (cf. Ex. 31:18; Deut. 9:10). Thus Jesus is saying to his adversaries that the dramatic work of expelling demons is not a sign that he is aligned with Satan. Instead, it is a definitive sign of the coming of the kingdom of God in his ministry (cf. Luke 10:9; 17:21). Other people expel demons (cf. 9:49–50; 11:19), but the remarkable and distinctive signs in Jesus’ ministry set him apart from all others, signaling that God’s covenant promises to his people are being fulfilled.

11:21–23 Another illustration is provided so that Jesus’ opponents perceive the truth of what is happening. A strong person who is fully armed and equipped finds that his home, or possibly his palace, is at peace. No worries afflict him because of his military strength (cf. Isa. 49:24). But when a stronger person arrives on the scene and conquers him, he removes the weapons and armor the strong man had relied upon and takes the spoils from his victory. The point of the story is obvious. The strong man is Satan, and Jesus is the one who is even stronger. Satan’s hold on his possessions was secure, and no one was able to dislodge him. But Jesus as the stronger man has conquered Satan (cf. Col. 2:15), celebrating the spoils of victory. The reference to spoils may allude to Isaiah 53:12, in which the vindicated servant enjoys the spoils of his triumph. One indication of that victory is the freeing of people from demons. Our comment on 9:50 noted that it seems to contradict Luke 11:23, but we are reminded that proverbial statements must be interpreted in context. Here Jesus addresses those who attribute his work to Satan, and thus they are clearly not with Jesus! Instead of gathering and preserving the people of God, they scatter them like false shepherds and false leaders (cf. Ezek. 34:5–6).

11:24–26 It is difficult to discern the significance of these verses. It seems unlikely that they apply to the man freed from a demon. It makes more sense if Jesus continues to address his opponents, and the parallel in Matthew fits with this understanding as well. Hence we should interpret what is said here parabolically instead of literally. Unclean spirits are demons, and when they are evicted from a person, they seek rest. We think of the demons longing to be sent into the pigs (Luke 8:32). If they find no rest, they return to their original home. The home is ordered and clean, and the demon proceeds to bring with it seven other evil spirits to dwell in the person—and thus the condition of the person is far worse than it was before. We find similar teaching in Hebrews 6:4–6, where we are told that those who apostatize are unable to repent and return. In 2 Peter 2:20 those who turn away from the knowledge of Christ find that “the last state for them has become worse than the first” (AT). The key to these verses is the final saying about the last state as being worse. The parable then applies to Jesus’ adversaries: upon seeing his signs and wonders, they have an opportunity to see who Jesus truly is, to repent and turn to God. But when they do not respond, it as if seven more evil demons enter them. They have gotten to the point at which they label the work of Jesus as satanic. Reclaiming them now will be impossible.