Proclaiming The Good News
After all this had happened, Jesus journeyed through every city and village, proclaiming and announcing the good tidings of the Kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases traveled along, including Mary, who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had come out, Joanna, the wife of Chuza, the steward of Herod, Susanna, and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means. (Luke 8:1-3)
During this trip, Jesus entered a house, and again, a crowd gathered so that he and his disciples could not even eat a loaf of bread. And Jesus’ relatives, after hearing about this, went out to seize him by force; for they said, “He is beside himself.” But then, a blind and mute demon-possessed man was brought to Jesus, and Jesus healed him, thus causing the blind and mute man to speak and see. All the crowd was astonished at this and said, “Is not this the son of David?” (Mark 3:20-21, Matthew 12:22-23).
Pharisees Challenge Jesus
When the Pharisees heard this, they said, “This man does not drive out demons except by Beelzebul, the prince of demons; for he must be possessed.” But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said to them in a parable, “Every kingdom divided against itself is reduced to desolation. Every city or household divided against itself will not stand. And if the Accuser cast out demons by the Accuser, he has been divided against himself; how, therefore, will his kingdom stand and his end has come? And if I exorcise demons by Beelzebub, by what do your sons exorcise? Hence they will be your judges. But if I cast out demons by God’s Spirit, then the Kingdom of God has overtaken you.” (Matthew 12:24-28, Mark 3:22-26)
Jesus continued, “Or how can anyone enter the strong man’s house and steal his possessions if he does not first tie the strong man up? And then he can plunder his household. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. Hence I will tell you, every sin and blasphemy against men will be excused however they may blaspheme, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be excused. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be excused; but whoever speaks against the Spirit, the Holy one, it will not be excused, and is answerable for a transgression in this age and in the one that is coming.” Because they said, “He has an impure spirit.” (Matthew 12:29-32, Mark 3:27-30)
Jesus continued, “Either make out the tree to be good and its fruit good, or make out the tree to be rotten and its fruit rotten; for the tree is known by the fruit. You brood of vipers, how can you, being wicked, speak of good things? For the mouth speaks out of what overflows from the heart. The good man issues good things out of his good stores, and the wicked man issues wicked things out of his wicked stores. But I tell you that every idle word that men will speak, they will render an account of it on the day of judgment; for by your words you shall be vindicated, and by our words, you shall be condemned.” (Matthew 12: 33-37)
