The Pulpit Commentary — Luke — Volume 1 — Section 301

are dcrivorl frnm the realm of darknoea; now, of interpretrttion, which, while 1?enernlly show us thnt our suspicion is hnseloss by preserving tho traditional exposition of the somo splendid sigu of tl,e visible approval various details, supplies the connr.<lting of Heaven." thought between ver. 23 (" He that is not Ver. 18.-It Satan also be divided agailllt with me ie against me," etc.) ond the verses himself, how ahall his kingdom stand l be- which precede and follow. This, e.pp1tre11tly, oause ye say that I oast out devils through has never been done satisfactorily by any lleelmebub, 'l'hrougbout this argument Jesus commentator. Indeed, some, e.g. De Wett,;i e.esumes the existence of a kingdom of evil, aud Bleek, are frank enough to conl'esR th.~t nil nrmed and thoroughly org..nized to carry they abandon the attempt. In these seve 'l out its drend purposes. He-concedes, too, in verses Jesus draws two pictures, in wl1ich h, language which ndmite of no questioning, contrasts one of those expulsions of evi\ the existence of a chief of this evil oon- spirits which be works with that of a cure ferlerncy. Throughout his reply, the Master, worked by an exorcist. while carefully hen.ring in mind the ability Ver. 20.-But if I with the finger of God and skill of his enemies who had suggested oast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God this questioning to the people, addresses is oome upon you. Here Jesus points to a himself to the common sense of the mixed fact well kuown and thoroughly established. multitude who were present on this occasion. There was no question here; the most obsti- The argument is perfectly simple. It is not nate cases of possession had yielded to that thinkable that the prince of evil would fight " finger " he spoke of here ; the fiercest of age.inst himself, which he would be doing the, alas I (then) great company of the insane, if he put suoh mighty weapons into Jesus' at the bidding of that quiet, hu:nble Rabbi, hnnds. for ever shook off the spirit of :nadncss, iu Ver. 19.-lly whom do your sons oast whatever form of terrible possession it had them out 1 therefore shall they be your been dwelling in bis body. There was no judges. But he goes further in Jiis skilful question here; the only point raised by his line of argument. "I am not the only one," enemies-how had that quiet Rabbi clone s,lid Jesus," who claims to cast out devils. these strange, mighty works-Jesus had There nre those in the midst of you, your answered; and now draws a picture of one sons, who make a similar assertion. Have of these acts of bis. The " finger of God " they too entered into a league with this evil in St. Matthew, where the same or a angel? " A question has been raised re- similar disconrse is related, is calleJ the specting these professed exorcists of evil "Spirit of God." The expression is sbm_ge, spirits whom Jesus here styles" your sons." but is one not nnusual in e.ncient Hebrew Who were they ? Some, notably the older phraseology. So the Egyptian magi~ians pntristic expositors, have supposed that our said to P barao h, " T bis is the finger of Lord he1·e alluded to his own apostles, to God" (Exod. viii. 19). The ten co~1man<l- whom a measure of this power over unclean ments a.re ckscribcd !\S written on the two spirits was certainly given. Others, that tul>les of slone witll the "linger of Gou." they are identical with the "pupils of the "You have seen by what power the devils wise," disciples of the great rabbinical obey me ; yea, the kiugdom of Goel, for schools, snob as were presided over by the which you are waiting and looking, lo, it ie fa.moue doctors of the Talmud. This is quite come upon you." possible; but we have no proof the.t profes- Vers. 21, 22.-When a strong man armed sione.l exorcists were pupils in any of the keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace : known re.bbinice.l schools. It ie more likely but when a stronger than he shall come foat by this geneml term Jesus e.lluded to upon him, and overcome him, he ta.keth from the exorcists. 'I'hese were, at this period of him all his armour wherein he trusted, and Jewish history, numerous. They are alluded clivideth his spoils. The exegesis is easy to in Acts xix. 13; by Josephus (' Ant.,' viii. here. The strong man is the devil ; his palace 2, 5); mention of them is also speoie.lly is the world; his goods especially here the made in the Talmud, which even describes poor possessed; the stronger than he is Jesus something of their mode of procedw-e. Our himself, who, as be pninls this feature in Lord seems to affirm in some coses, to e. the picture, is tbiuking of the scenes of the ccrlt1iu extent, tile efficacy of the power of temptation, when in good earnest he over- these exorcists. "Tbeso, Jews like your- came bis ghostly adversary, then he took solves," argued Jesus," some of them, you from him 1111 his armour wherein he trust~d, know, belon!(ing to your own Pharisee nnd now be, the Conqueror, divid.dh his sect,-those, l111ve in certRiu cetses apparently spoils, among which _a.re these u11h,ippy driven out the evil apirit of iusn.nity: you possessed ones now berng rescued from the do not e.ccuse them, do you, of working power of their tormentor. with an ovil augol?" G,,dot, in the next Ver. 23.-He that is not with me is ag!UllSt 1uvon verses, h11s suggootml a now line me; and he that gatbereth no~ with ma  TITE GOSrEL AmonmNG TO ST. LURE. [en. XI. 1-o4.