Seeing is (not necessarily) believing: a reflection for Day 7 of Lent

 


“…some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.” Others, to test him, kept demanding from him a sign from heaven.” (Luke 11.15-16)

     Jesus and the disciples continue to journey towards Jerusalem.  The number of people thronging around Jesus is increasing (Lk. 11.14, 29; 12.1), and so is the tension between Jesus and the obstinate members of “his generation” (cf. Lk. 11.29-32, 45-52).  Once again, people “test” Jesus (11.16; cf. 10.25).  This is the Greek verb peirazo, which means “to test, to put on trial”.  This is the same verb from Lk. 4.2, where the Devil “tempted” Jesus for 40 days.  The nominal form – peirasmos – is found at the end of the Lord’s Prayer (“do not lead us into ‘temptation’”; Lk. 11.4; cf. 4.13).  These words denote not only the “temptation” to do wrong, but also the “testing” of one’s character and convictions, whether genuinely or cynically.  Indeed, there seems to be something cynical, even “demonic”, about the “tests” that people are putting Jesus through, as Jesus “knows what they are thinking” (Lk. 11.17), which implies that his opponents’ words are smoke-screens for their real agenda – to show Jesus to be a charlatan, a false prophet.  Jesus’ program of healing does not conform to their idea of the kingdom of God; therefore, they seek to expose Jesus as a fraud (cf. Lk. 7.18-35).  These people demand “a sign from heaven” (11.16), i.e. proof that Jesus has been sent by God (cf. Lk. 10.16).  Jesus responds that “no sign will be given to his generation except the sign of Jonah” (11.29-30, 32).

     This latest clash between Jesus and his opponents occurs in the context of Jesus’ exorcism of a mute demon (11.14).  Some witnesses of this event accused Jesus of “casting out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons” (11.15).  These “skeptics” attribute Jesus’ healing power to Satan.  Jesus responds by pointing out the absurdity of “Satan being divided against himself” (11.18).  Jesus then points to the only other alternative: if his power to cast out demons does not come from Satan – since he is deploying it “to attack, overpower, and plunder the ‘strong man’” (11.21-22) – then it stands to reason that he can only cast them out “by the finger of God”.  In other words, Jesus’ exorcisms are a clear “sign” that the kingdom of God “has come upon his generation” (11.20).

     Clear, that is, to someone who can “see”.  Ironically, the more healings Jesus performs, the more his opponents fail to perceive in those very healings the presence of the kingdom of God.  They are so obsessed with the idea of a violent Messiah who will destroy their occupiers, that they remain “blind” both to the kingdom present among them (cf. Lk. 17.20-21; 12.54-56) and to the identity of the one who makes the kingdom a reality.  Indeed, their blindness is dangerous – Jesus says “Your eye is the lamp of your body…if your eye is unhealthy, your body is full of darkness.  Therefore consider whether the light in you is not darkness…” (Lk. 11.34-35).  Again, failing to recognize the power of God at work in the healings of Jesus in one thing; attributing that power to Satan is a different kind of obtuseness altogether, one which carries ominous consequences… (cf. Lk. 12.10).  This episode reminds us that Jesus is waging war with dark, unseen forces who have enslaved many members of God’s people, people that Jesus has come to liberate (cf. Lk. 4.16-19).  Sadly, there were members of God’s people who refused the freedom that Jesus was offering them, insisting on the kind of freedom they thought they needed…

     Again, what do we want?  What are we asking God for?  Do we recognize the gifts that God has given us?  Or are we too focused on what we think is best for us?  May God grant us to “see” the evidence of his goodness in our lives and the grace to desire his kingdom above all else.  Amen.

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