Ichabod, The Glory Has Departed: 03/23/19

Saturday, March 23, 2019

The Third Sunday in Lent, Oculi. Luke 11:14.
Jesus versus His Opponents

Norma A. Boeckler

Oculi Sunday, The Third Sunday in Lent, 2019

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship

Bethany Lutheran Church, 10 AM Central Daylight

The Hymn #175   When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual             Ephesians 5:1-9
The Gospel Luke 11:14-28
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #172:1-5   O Sacred Head

Jesus versus His Opponents

The Hymn #172:6-10 O Sacred Head

The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #151 Christ the Life

KJV Ephesians 5:1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; 2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. 3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; 4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them. 8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)

KJV Luke 11:14 And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered. 15 But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils. 16 And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven. 17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a houseagainst a house falleth. 18 If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub. 19 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges. 20 But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.

21 When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: 22 But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.

23 He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. 24 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. 25 And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. 26 Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.

27 And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. 28 But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

Norma A. Boeckler

Third Sunday in Lent

Lord God, heavenly Father, who hast sent Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to take upon Himself our flesh, that He might overcome the devil, and defend us poor sinners against the adversary: We give thanks unto Thee for Thy merciful help, and we beseech Thee to attend us with Thy grace in all temptations, to preserve us from carnal security, and by Thy Holy Spirit to keep us in Thy word and Thy fear, that unto the end we may be delivered from the enemy, and obtain eternal salvation, through the same, Thy beloved Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

Background for the Sermon
Most modern commentaries start with imbalance and wobbly into Never-never-land. The reason is the great divide in the 19th century, marked by F. Schleiermacher's faith without belief. The Halle University Biblical scholars began treating the Bible as just another book about religion, refusing to accept anything in the Scriptures that spoke of the divine or miraculous.

The only way to save the narrative is to make the Bible about that culture or to make it completely subjective - what does this mean to you?

This text deals with the divinity of Jesus, the opponents, and Satan. One ancient professor was asked if he believed that Satan exists. He said, "Giving the evil in this world, how can you deny it?"

When people realize how the elite of the world - these scandals are American, European, royal, super-rich, governmental, Roman Catholic - they will be sick with grief and revulsion. Much of it is based on actual Satanic worship, obsession with the occult, and a return to ancient, disgusting, pagan practices.

Perhaps the Christians in America will realize they are being seduced into paving the way to total destruction of Christianity, because so many "leaders" have been turned out by apostate schools that hate the Bible as revealed truth. Over 30 years ago, I was almost alone in leaving before ELCA was formed. The vast majority of captive ELCA clerg and laity shuffled toward soul-slaughter until 2009, when large numbers - even bishops - finally said "No" to the radicals. Yet 3.5 million remain, and their media darling is Nadia.

Jesus versus His Opponents

KJV Luke 11:14 And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered [GJ - marveled].

As we can see in the Gospel of John, so the Gospel of Luke shows the rapid increase of opposition as Jesus performed the miracles and spoke with divine certainty and power - not like the Scribes and Pharisees. Today that would be answering a question with "Scholars are divided." Or - "That is a graaaaaaay area of Scripture."

The people marveled at this miracle because Jesus took impossible cases and cured them. The opposition of unbelief is so great that the more God does, the more they deny it. For example, we know well how carefully preserved the text of the Bible is, Old Testament and New Testament. But the training in seminary is weak, and the vast majority of clergy have no trouble with the radicals gradually dropping verses out of the New Testament and using footnotes as subtle, little attacks. The Virgin Birth of Isaiah 7 is footnoted "or young woman." There it is, the greatest possible miracle in heaven or earth is a young woman will have a baby. The rationalists are happy and the rest do not care.

We had heating pipes in the new concrete floor of the new addition. However, the tipsy plumber drew them in such a way that they would never work. When that was pointed out, he said, "Satan did this."

Luther:

1. This is a beautiful Gospel from which we learn many different things, and in which nearly everything is set forth as to what Christ, his kingdom and his Gospel are: what they accomplish and how they fare in the world.

In the first place, like all the Gospels this one teaches us faith and love; for it presents Christ to us as a most loving Savior and Helper in every need and tells us that he who believes this is saved. For we see here that Christ had nothing to do with people who were healthy, but with a poor man who was greatly afflicted with many ills. He was blind, as Matthew says; also dumb and possessed with a demon, as Luke tells us here. Now all mutes are also deaf, so that in the Greek language deaf and dumb are one word.

By this act Christ draws us to himself, leads us to look to him for every blessing, and to go to him in every time of need. He does this that we also, according to the nature of love, should do unto others as he does unto us.

15 But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils.

People have to realize that unfaith answers divine work and faith with hatred, slander, and all kinds of personal attacks. Not only do those unbelievers attack, but they enjoy their work and are not satisfied until they have done everything possible to inflict pain.

Margaret Thatcher said, far more eloquently than my paraphrase, "When my opponents have attacked me and my family in the most personal way, I am happy, because then I know they have no legitimate arguments left."

In David Scaer's new book, Surviving the Storms, he attacks the living and the dead for teaching Justification by Faith, although he cannot form a sensible argument in favor of Objective Justification (without faith). He seems to pit the health of Holy Mother Missouri against the toxins of Dr. Walter A. Maier I, II, and III.

The opponents here were saying, Jesus is able to cast out devils because He is in league with the Chief of Devils. The Lord of Flies (Beelzebub) refers to dung since the two go together, dung and flies.

Luther - Three Kinds of Hearers:

2. Secondly, it is here demonstrated how Christ and his Gospel fare in the world, namely, that there are three kinds of hearers. Some marvel at him; these are pious and true Christians, who consider this deed so great that they are amazed at it. Some blaspheme the Gospel; these are the Pharisees and scribes, who were vexed because they could not do the like, and were worried lest the people should hold Christ in higher esteem than themselves. Some tempt him, like Herod desired a sign after his own heart, that they may make sport of it. But he answers both parties; at first, the blasphemers in this Gospel, and later on the tempters, saying that no sign shall be given this wicked generation except the sign of the prophet Jonah, of which we read in the verses following. He answers the blasphemers in a friendly way and argues five points with them.

This accusation of being in league with Satan should remind us that Satan is derived from "the opposer." The big shock for seminary graduates comes from being congratulated and blessed for years, only to find out what opposition is in the first parish.

The Word of God provokes two kinds of reactions in the pew. Believers love to hear the Gospel and the wonders of God's work. Disguised unbelievers blaze up, their eyes aglow, filled with hatred for what they have heard, but converting it to something the pastor is wearing, something about his family, the flowers, anything that works to punish and subdue the Word.

16 And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven.

Demanding a miracle can be idle curiosity, but it is certainly not faith. Many have been trained - through Cho and other fakes - that they have a right to claim a long list of things from God, even though that comes from the occult. Cho's book, The Fifth Dimension, shouts this message - not being servants of the Word but God's individual bosses.

This can be be a subtle temptation for anyone, whether we say trial or temptation. We can imagine, "God will prove His power to me if He does this one, simple thing." The opposite is true - we should pray for all our needs and trust that God will provide in the way that will serve His will, something so complicated that no one can imagine it or give Him advice about it.

Flash Mobs

Flash Mobs prove God's work among us. As some realize, a flash mob is an event videotaped where one person begins to dance or sing a few notes in a public place. Sometimes one instrument will play. Little by little, others join in the activity. The crowd grows and so do the numbers of participant. At some point the crowd realizes this is a carefully rehearsed group of skilled people. I was bamboozled by some dancing to "Do Re Mi" in a train station. Finally I saw dozens of kids running down the stairs and stopping to dance a little. "This was planned!" With musical instruments, every single person has to play the right notes in the right way for the composition to be better than the boys band in The Music Man. So we can look back at events in our lives and see that everything led up to this place where we can use God's gifts for His Kingdom, especially when we have faced many reverses, opposition, and open hatred.

As Jesus showed in His temptations, demanding from God is tempting Him.

17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth. 18 If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub.

If Jesus is driving out demons through the power of Beelzebub, then Satan's kingdom is divided and must collapse. The oncologist asked about ancient history at our last visit, especially concerning the Ides of March, which we were approaching. I pointed out how Julius Caesar took on the role of Emperor. After that time, when one emperor was deposed or assassinated, his family was also wiped out. The same was done in advance with Ottoman Muslims. A reign began with death, to prevent division.

Luther did not satisfy his opponents. They grew in number as the Reformation progressed. The Zwingli and Calvin followers first acted as if they were in harmony with Luther, but they worked against the Reformation and Biblical understanding - chiefly the Spirit at work in the Word, with its implications. The followers of Zwingli and Calvin featured their rationalistic approach - the Word had to be reasonable, appealing, and germane.

The blessings of the Reformation have continued, but so has the opposition. Now the "conservative" Lutheran leaders have the same attitude as Zwingli and Calvin, as shown by their contempt for the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. Naturally, the Lutheran kingdoms are collapsing from the division.

19 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges. 20 But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.

The Jewish religious leaders healed people, so they say, so if they did so, did the Lord of the Flies work with them, too? People without faith will attack and keep that attack going, without regard to the truth. Many times they will open up an avenue for a quick rebuttal.

A lot can be said for anger. An angry opponent is thinking, and that thinking should revolve around what the Word says. If we can keep on that topic, the Word will do its work, either in hardening and blinding, or in converting and enlightening.

Some may be convinced by the Word because they hear the fight, first-hand or second-hand. Man's own logic is not strong enough or in harmony with the Word.

Jesus said, "It is either the devils' kingdom or God's Kingdom." That is actually the Two Kingdom language of Luther. Confused experts call the spiritual regiment and the material regiment the Two Kingdoms. Not so. Both distinctions are important, and the Two Kingdoms are especially so.

When we are in God's Kingdom through faith and His grace, what we do honors God. The tiniest baby believer, in cooing and smiling, is glorifying God.

Satan does not rage against his own kingdom but against God's. His time is growing shorter, so he wants to pull in as many Christians as possible. He may have 1,000 arts in doing this, but the Word of God has 100,000 arts.

The Stronger Man

This is one of those parables that makes no sense at first, but is remarkably clear with a little explanation. The strong man is easy to picture, because that is the history of the world. Many strong kingdoms have been overthrown by stronger opponents. The Battle of Hastings in 1066 AD pitted the invaders against the resident King Harold. He is now called Harold the Usurper, who lost to William the Conqueror, my French kin, the stronger man.

The strong man in this parable is Satan, who ruled over earth after the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the garden, endlessly pursuing those two orchard thieves and their descendants until hardly anything was left of Israel. It was just a stump with a green branch growing from it. Satan's kingdom on earth was filled with wealth and power and the most evil activities imagined.

But a stronger Man came along - Jesus. He defeated Satan with the divine power of Redemption - paying the price for our sins. If you like political intrigue, this is the highest form. Jesus let Himself be captured, tortured, and killed - though He loved life - because He needed to fulfill the Words of Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53.

As I said before, I have challenged my Old Testament students to read those passages and see if they are not exactly what happened in the Passion of Christ. They are startled by the phrase by phrase fulfillment of those two passages.

Those accounts - plus others - are the Gospel. The Gospel is not about us or me, but about Christ. That is the objective truth, that God accomplished this through His Son. This Gospel message of Christ releasing us from sin is the efficacious power to create faith and to sustain faith in the Savior.

If everyone on earth is forgiven, then everyone is in God's Kingdom. But that is not so. The New Testament teaches us repeatedly that being "in Christ" is the same as believing in Him.

So when tempted, even though we are weak and sinful, we remain in the Kingdom of Jesus, and the stronger One keeps us from being captured by Satan.

This has great rewards, but not the kind Cho, Schuller, and other clowns promise. Christ took away Satan's weapons and wealth, so that heaven and earth belong to believers.

Some might say, "Does that include a 25 year-old Lincoln that smokes like a diesel bus?" Yes, God gives us the means and the skills to do everything we need to do to expand His Kingdom, which is His work alone.

For example, we are giving away over 100 Lutheran works that would have been heavenly to own in seminary and graduate school, so many titles that there is something for everyone, including animal books.

God gives us the people, skills, and avenues to accomplish a lot while the apostates sit on endowments of tens of millions of dollars and still fail in the basics. For example, one of the oldest seminaries in America, Episcopalian, has $60 million in endowments and almost no students, a faculty known for strife.

In Our Lives

The Stronger Man is important to remember and trust in all our struggles. Trust in Him lays hold of the divine power which no one can defeat even when they imagine they have won.

Several of my Biblical students have suffered from horrible health problems, self-caused or developed in life. The most afflicted are the best writers and most faithful in doing their work. Their spiritual insights are striking because they have been through so much. They are testimonies about how God's power is made known, to show His grace is sufficient.

I am pleased to know that many of my students agree about the success salesmen being frauds.

Remaining Faithful

This analogy is very good to remember. The person who has expelled his demons has to expect them to come back with reinforcements. If the abode is unguarded, lacking the Holy Spirit in the Word, it is easily occupied again. Everything is worse than before. This is a good warning for all, because many have told me about years they have gone without the Gospel until they left lukewarmness - or being lost - behind.

Luke knew Mary, and this is placed as a warning about the future. Blessed are they - rather - that hear the Word and keep it. Ignoring this warning, the Medieval Church replaced Jesus with Mary to a large extent.

Norma A. Boeckler

Christ's Defense against the Blasphemers - Oculi Sunday - Luke 11:14-23

OCULI. THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT

TEXT: Luke 11:14-23. And he was casting out a demon that was dumb. And it came to pass, when the demon was gone out, the dumb man spake; and the multitudes marveled. But some of them said, By Beelzebub the prince of the demons casteth he out demons. And others trying him, sought of him a sign from heaven.

But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth. And if Satan also is divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out demons by Beelzebub. And if I by Beelzebub cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges. But if I by the finger of God cast out demons, then is the kingdom of God come upon you. When the strong man fully armed guardeth his own court, his goods are in peace: but when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him his whole armor wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.

I. CHRIST’S DEFENSE AGAINST HIS BLASPHEMERS.

1. This is a beautiful Gospel from which we learn many different things, and in which nearly everything is set forth as to what Christ, his kingdom and his Gospel are: what they accomplish and how they fare in the world.

In the first place, like all the Gospels this one teaches us faith and love; for it presents Christ to us as a most loving Savior and Helper in every need and tells us that he who believes this is saved. For we see here that Christ had nothing to do with people who were healthy, but with a poor man who was greatly afflicted with many ills. He was blind, as Matthew says; also dumb and possessed with a demon, as Luke tells us here. Now all mutes are also deaf, so that in the Greek language deaf and dumb are one word.

By this act Christ draws us to himself, leads us to look to him for every blessing, and to go to him in every time of need. He does this that we also, according to the nature of love, should do unto others as he does unto us.

This is the universal and the most precious doctrine of this Gospel and of all the Gospels throughout the church year. This poor man, however, did not come to Christ without the Word; for those who brought him to Christ must have heard his love preached and were moved thereby to trust in him.

We learn therefore that faith comes through the Word; but more of this elsewhere.

2. Secondly, it is here demonstrated how Christ and his Gospel fare in the world, namely, that there are three kinds of hearers. Some marvel at him; these are pious and true Christians, who consider this deed so great that they are amazed at it. Some blaspheme the Gospel; these are the Pharisees and scribes, who were vexed because they could not do the like, and were worried lest the people should hold Christ in higher esteem than themselves. Some tempt him, like Herod desired a sign after his own heart, that they may make sport of it. But he answers both parties; at first, the blasphemers in this Gospel, and later on the tempters, saying that no sign shall be given this wicked generation except the sign of the prophet Jonah, of which we read in the verses following. He answers the blasphemers in a friendly way and argues five points with them.

3. In the first place, with honest and reasonable arguments he concludes from two comparisons that one devil cannot cast out another; for if that were so, the devils would be divided among themselves and Satan’s kingdom would indeed not stand. For nature teaches that if a kingdom is divided against itself and its citizens drive out each other, it is not necessary to go to war against it, for it will come to ruin soon enough of itself. Likewise a house divided against itself needs no other destruction.

Even the heathen author Sallust, teaching only from the light of nature and experience, says: “Great wealth passes away through discord, but through concord small means become large.” If now the devils were divided among themselves to such a degree that one should drive out the other, Satan’s dominion would be at an end, and we would have rest from his attacks.

4. What then were these blasphemers able to say to such clear arguments?

They were put to silence, but their hearts were hardened, so that they did not heed his words. A hardened heart will not be instructed, no matter how plainly and clearly the truth is presented; but the faith of the righteous is strengthened when they see that the ground of their faith is right and good.

And for the sake of such we must answer those whose hearts are hardened, and put them to silence. Even though they will not be converted nor keep silence still it serves to reveal their hardened hearts, for the longer they talk the more foolish they become, and they are caught in their folly, and their cause is robbed of the appearance of being right and good, as Solomon also says in Proverbs 26:5: “Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.” That is, answer him according to his folly that his folly may be put to shame for the sake of others, that they may not follow him and be deceived, thinking that he is right. Otherwise, where no such condition exists, it is better to keep silent, as Solomon also says in the same chapter, verse 4 “Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.”

5. Nor could they say here that the devils only pretended to be divided among themselves and to yield to one another in order to deceive the people, for it is publicly seen how they resist and contend, cry and rave, tear and rage, when they see that Christ means to expel them. It is then clearly seen that they are opposed to Christ and his Spirit, and they are not united with him, to whom they must yield so unwillingly. Therefore it is only a flagrant blasphemous lie, in which they are caught and put to shame, by which they try in venomous hate to give the devil credit for a work of God. From this we learn not to be surprised when our doctrine and life are blasphemed and stubborn hearts will not be convinced nor converted, although they are overwhelmed, as it were, with tangible truth and completely put to silence. It is enough that through our arguments their obstinate folly is revealed, acknowledged and made harmless to pious people, so that the latter may not be misled by its fine pretension. They may then go whither they will, they have condemned themselves as St. Paul says, Titus 3:11.

6. In the second place, he replies with a public example and a similar work, when he says: “By whom do your sons cast them out?” As if he would say: “Is this not simple idiocy? Just what you praise in your sons, you condemn in me. Because your sons do it, it is of God; but because I do it, it must be of the devil.” So it is in this world. What Christ does, is of the devil; if some one else did it, it would be all right. Thus the tyrants and enemies of the Gospel do now, when they condemn in us what they themselves do, confess and teach; but they must proceed thus in order that their judgment may be publicly approved, when they are condemned by all justice. The sons, of whom Christ here says that they drive out devils, were, I think, certain exorcists among the people, for God, from the beginning, had given this people manifold spiritual gifts and he calls them their “sons,” as though to say: I am the Son of God and must be called a child of the devil, while those who are your sons, begotten by you, do the same things and are not to be considered children of the devil.

7. “Therefore shall they be your judges,” that is, I appeal to them. They will be forced to decide that you wrongfully blaspheme me, and thus condemn yourselves. For if one devil does not drive out another then some other power must do it that is neither satanic nor human, but divine. Hence the words: “But if I by the finger of God cast out demons, then is the kingdom of God come upon you.” This finger of God is called in Matthew 12:28 the Holy Ghost, for the words read thus: “But if I by the Spirit of God cast out demons,” etc. In short, Christ means to say: If the kingdom of God is to come unto you, the devil must be driven out, for his kingdom is against God’s kingdom, as you yourselves must confess.

But demon is not driven out by demon, much less by men or the power of men, but alone by the Spirit and power of God.

8. From this follows that where the finger of God does not cast out the devil, there the devil’s kingdom still exists; where Satan’s kingdom still exists, there the kingdom of God cannot be. The unavoidable conclusion then is that, as long as the Holy Spirit does not enter our hearts, we are not only incapable of any good, but are of necessity in the kingdom of Satan.

And if we are in his kingdom, then we can do nothing but that which pleases him, else it could not be called his kingdom. As St. Paul says to Timothy: “The people are taken captive in the snares of the devil unto his will” 2 Timothy 2:26. How could Satan suffer one of his people to take a notion to do something against, and not for, his kingdom? Oh, it is a striking, terrible and powerful statement that Christ here admits such a dominion, which we cannot escape except by the power of God; and that the kingdom of God can not come to us until that kingdom is driven out by divine, heavenly power.

9. This truth is proved in the case of this poor man, who was bodily possessed of the devil. Tell me, what could he and all mankind do to free him from the devil? Without a doubt, nothing. He had to do and suffer just as his master the devil willed, until Christ came, with the power of God.

Now then, if he could not free himself from the devil as to his body, how could he, by his own power, deliver his soul from Satan’s spiritual dominion? Especially is this the case since the soul, because possessed of sin, is the cause of all bodily possession as a punishment, and sins are more difficult to remove than the punishment of them, and the soul is always more firmly possessed than the body. This is proved by the fact that the devil permits the body to have its natural powers and functions; but he robs the soul of reason, judgment, sense, understanding, and all its powers, as you readily see in the case of this possessed man.

10. He answers them in the third place, by a comparison taken from life, namely that of a strong man overcome by one stronger, and robbed of all his armor and goods etc. By this he testifies also that no one but God can overcome the devil, so that again no man can boast of being able of himself to drive out either sin or the devil. Notice how he pictures the devil! He calls him a mighty giant who guards his court and home, that is, the devil not only possesses the world as his own domain, but he has garrisoned and fortified it, so that no one can take it from him. He rules it also with undisputed sway, so that it does whatever he commands. Just as little as a house or court may withstand or contend against the tyrant who is its master, can man’s free will and natural powers oppose sin and Satan, that is, not at all; but they are subject to them. And as that house must be conquered by a stronger man and thus wrested from the tyrant, so must man also be ransomed through Christ and wrested from Satan. We see again, therefore, that our works and righteousness contribute absolutely nothing toward our salvation; it is effected alone by the grace of God.

11. He answers them fourthly, with pointed proverbs and teachings, as: “He that is not with me is against me,” and, “He that gathereth not with me, scattereth.” “The devil is not with me for I drive him out, hence he must of necessity be against me.” But this saying does not apply to the devil alone, but also to the blasphemers whom he here convicts and condemns, as being against him since they are not for him. “To be with Christ” is to have the same mind and purpose as Christ, that is, to believe in Christ that his works save us and not our own, for this is what Christ holds and teaches. But “to gather with Christ” is to do good out of love to him, and to become rich in good works. He that does not believe is, by his own free will, not with Christ but against him, because he depends upon his own works. Therefore, he that does not love, does not gather with Christ, but by fruitless works becomes only more sinful and drifts farther and farther from the faith.

12. In the fifth place, he answers with a threat, namely, that the last state always is worse than the first. Therefore we should take heed that we not only refrain from blaspheming the Gospel and Christ, who does such great things for us and drives the devil out of us; but with zeal and fear hold fast to them, in order that we may not become possessed of seven worse devils whereas one possessed us before. For thus it was with the Jews, who had never been so wicked as while the Gospel was being preached to them. So also under the papacy, we have become seven times, (that is, many times) worse heathen under the name of Christ than we ever had been before as St. Peter says: “The last state is become worse with them than the first.” 2 Peter 2:20. And if we neglect the great light which we now have, it will come to pass in our case also, that we shall become worse than we were before, for the devil does not slumber. This should be sufficient warning.

13. Finally, when the woman cries out to Christ and praises him, saying, “Blessed is the mother that bore such a son,” etc., he opposes her carnal worship and takes occasion to teach all of us the substance of this Gospel, namely, that we should not go gaping after the works or merits of the saints but rather see to it that we hear and keep the Word of God. For it does not concern or profit us in the least to know how holy and honorable the mother of this child might be, nor how noble this Son of hers may be; but rather what this Son has done for us, namely that, by grace, without any merit or worthiness on our part, he has redeemed us from the devil.

This fact is proclaimed to us through the Word of God, and this we are to hear and hold in firm faith; then shall we too be blessed like this mother and her child.

Although such a Word and work will be blasphemed, we should suffer it and give an answer with meekness, as St. Peter teaches, for the improvement of others.

II. THE ALLEGORICAL OR SPIRITUAL MEANING OF THIS GOSPEL.

14. This dumb, deaf, blind, and demon-possessed man represents all the children of Adam, who through the flesh are possessed of Satan in original sin, so that they must be his slaves and do according to his will. Hence they are also blind, that is, they do not see God. They are deaf, for they do not hear God’s Word, and are not obedient or submissive to it. They are also dumb, for they do not give him one word of thanks or praise, nor do they preach and proclaim Christ and the grace of God. But they are all too talkative about the teachings of the devil and the opinions of men. In these things they see only too well and are wiser than the children of light in their undertakings, opinions, and desires. In these things they hear with both ears and readily adopt the suggestions of flesh and blood. So then, whatever we do, in word and deed, as to both body and soul, is of the devil, whether it be externally good or bad, and must be redeemed through the work of God. We are in his kingdom and therefore we acknowledge him, see, hear, and follow him and praise and proclaim his name. All this takes place through the Spirit of God in his Word, which casts out the devil and his kingdom.

15. The Jews called the chief of the devils Beelzebub. The Hebrew word “sebub” means a fly; “baal” or “beel,” a man or ruler, as a householder.

When the two words form a combination, they mean an arch-fly or chieffly, or, in plain German “Fliegenkoenig oder grosse Hummel,” that is, kingfly or the great drone. They gave Satan this contemptuous epithet as though they were entirely free from him, secure against him, and lords over him. That is the way all conceited, corrupt hypocrites do; they imagine they are so pure and holy, that the devil is a helpless, feeble fly compared with them, and that they do not need the grace of Christ nor the Word of God.

Still they think he is strong enough for others, yet, that whatever godfearing people teach and do must be the devil’s own work, and they consider it such a trifling thing as though it were a dead fly. The devil can well endure such contempt, for by it he is placed above the true God in their hearts.

16. The tyrant in the court or palace is the devil, as I said before. He is in peace, however, as long as God’s Word and finger do not oppose him, and just like this deaf-mute, his people do whatever he wishes, for they know no better. His weapons and armor are the carnal conceit, doctrines and traditions of men, by which he terrifies the conscience and protects himself.

17. But when the stronger man, the Gospel, comes, peace flees, and he rages like a madman, for he resents being condemned, unmasked, punished, and publicly branded. Then he gathers up his armor, the powerful, wise, rich and holy people, and sets them all to attacking God’s Word, as we see in the persecution of the teachers of the Gospel. Such rage and persecution signify that the devil retires very unwillingly and raves in his whole body; for as he acts in the body and its members when he must depart, so he also behaves in the whole world, resisting with all his power when he is to give place to the Gospel; but it is all in vain, he must be expelled.

18. For a Stronger One, that is, Christ, comes and overpowers him and takes away his whole armor, that is, he converts some of those same persecutors, and to that extent makes him weaker, and his own kingdom stronger. He divides the spoils too, that is, those he converts he uses for various offices, graces, and works in Christendom, of which Paul writes in Romans 12:6. He is also in the court yard or ante-room of the palace, for the devil’s kingdom consists in outward appearances and pretences of wisdom, holiness, and strength; but when it is captured by the Gospel it is found to consist of pure folly, sin and weakness.

19. The text continues, “When the unclean spirit has gone out, he wanders through dry places, seeking rest,” etc. This means as much as the saying, “The devil never takes a vacation” and “The devil never sleeps,” for he is seeking how he may devour man. “Dry places” are not the hearts of the ungodly, for in such he rests and dwells like a mighty tyrant, as the Gospel here says; but there are dry and waste places here and there in the country where no people live, as forests and wildernesses. To these he flees in wicked rage because he is driven out. You will remember that the devil found Christ in the wilderness. Now, in Judea, there is not much water, hence we read that it contains many and wastes. In other countries, however, as in our own, which are well watered, the devils stay in rivers and lakes, and there they sometimes drown those who bathe or sail upon them. Furthermore, at some places there are water spirits, who entice the children from the shores into the water and drown them. These are all devils.

20. That he comes again and finds the house swept and garnished (Matthew adds “empty”) signifies that the man is sanctified and adorned with beautiful spiritual gifts, and that the evil spirit clearly sees that he can do nothing there with his familiar tricks, for he is too well known. Thus when the worship of idols was driven from the heathen, he never attacked the world with that device again. But what did he do then? He tried something else, went out, took with him seven spirits, more evil than himself, and entered in with them and dwelt there, and the last state of that man was worse than the first. So he has dealt with us. When Christ had become known in the world and the devil’s former kingdom with its idol worship had been destroyed, he adopted another plan and attacked us with heresy and introduced and established the papacy, in which Christ was entirely forgotten, and men became worse heathen under the name of Christ than before he was preached, as we can see now with our own eyes.

Such also was the lot of the Jews after the destruction of Jerusalem, and of the Greeks under the Turks. And so all will fare, who at first hear the Word of God and afterwards become secure and weary of it. St. Matthew says, in Matthew 12:14, that Satan finds the house empty. And in Matthew 13:25, he sowed tares among the wheat, by night, while men slept. Therefore it is necessary for us to watch as the apostles always admonish us, especially St. Peter in 1 Peter 5:3: “Brethren, be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour”; for wherever he overthrows faith, he easily restores again all former vices.