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Miracles of Jesus #29

 Miracle #29

The story of Jesus healing the blind and mute man (possessed) is found in

 Luke 11:14-23, Matthew 12:22-23.

The Story:

The man brought to Jesus: Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute (Matthew includes both afflictions; Luke mentions only mute)

The healing: Jesus drove out the demon, and when the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke (Matthew adds: and saw)

The crowd's amazement: The crowd was amazed and said, "Could this be the Son of David?" (Matthew). Luke says: the people were amazed

The Pharisees' accusation: But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons"

Jesus knew their thoughts: Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them

The divided kingdom argument: "Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand"

Satan's kingdom logic: "If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand?"

The counter-question: "And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges"

The kingdom of God: "But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you" (Luke: "by the finger of God")

The strong man parable: "Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man's house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house"

No neutrality: "Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters"

Significance:

  • The man suffered from three afflictions: demon possession, blindness, and muteness
  • This was a triple miracle: exorcism, restoration of sight, and restoration of speech
  • The healing was immediate and complete—he could both see and speak
  • The crowd's question "Could this be the Son of David?" shows messianic expectation
  • They were beginning to recognize Jesus as the promised Messiah
  • "Son of David" was a clear messianic title
  • The Pharisees couldn't deny the miracle, so they attacked its source
  • They attributed Jesus's power to Beelzebul (a name for Satan, meaning "lord of the flies")
  • This was blasphemy—calling the Holy Spirit's work satanic
  • Jesus responded with logical arguments:
  • Divided kingdom: Satan wouldn't cast out his own demons—it would destroy his kingdom
  • Your own exorcists: Jewish exorcists also cast out demons—were they using Satan's power too?
  • Kingdom evidence: If Jesus cast out demons by God's Spirit, God's kingdom had arrived
  • Strong man: Jesus was binding Satan (the strong man) and plundering his house (freeing captives)
  • "By the Spirit of God" (Matthew) and "by the finger of God" (Luke) both indicate divine power
  • "Finger of God" echoes Exodus 8:19 when Egyptian magicians recognized God's power
  • Jesus's exorcisms were evidence that God's kingdom was breaking into Satan's domain
  • The strong man parable shows Jesus's superior power over Satan
  • Satan must first be bound before his captives can be freed
  • Jesus was doing exactly that—binding the strong man and releasing prisoners
  • "Whoever is not with me is against me" shows there is no neutral ground
  • This confrontation set the stage for Jesus's teaching on the unforgivable sin (blasphemy against the Holy Spirit)
  • The Pharisees were dangerously close to—or had crossed—that line
  • Jesus's comprehensive healing power—addressing multiple afflictions at once
  • That demonic possession can cause physical disabilities
  • The crowd's growing recognition of Jesus as Messiah
  • The religious leaders' hardened opposition despite clear evidence
  • The danger of attributing God's work to Satan
  • Jesus's logical defense of his ministry
  • That his exorcisms proved God's kingdom had arrived
  • Satan's kingdom is being defeated by Jesus's ministry
  • There is no neutrality regarding Jesus—we're either with him or against him
  • The spiritual battle between God's kingdom and Satan's kingdom
  • That Jesus has authority to bind Satan and free his captives

This story powerfully illustrates:

The healing of the blind and mute man (possessed) is significant not just for the miracle itself, but for the confrontation it provoked. It forced people to decide: Is Jesus working by God's power or Satan's? The Pharisees' accusation revealed their spiritual blindness—they could see the miracle but refused to acknowledge its divine source. Jesus's response established that his exorcisms were proof that God's kingdom had come, and that he was actively defeating Satan's power. This account challenges everyone to choose sides—there is no middle ground when it comes to Jesus.

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