Luke 11:15 - Printer Friendly

ESV: But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons,”

NIV: But some of them said, 'By Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons.'

NASB: But some of them said, 'He casts out the demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.'

CSB: But some of them said, "He drives out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons."

NLT: but some of them said, 'No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan, the prince of demons.'

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

NKJV: But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.”

Jesus has just healed a demon-possessed man who was mute and blind (Luke 11:14; Matthew 12:22). Isaiah 35:5–6 specifically mentions such healings as coming from the Messiah. No other prophet was recorded healing a blind or mute person. In a stunning display of spiritual blindness, the legal experts who have come from Jerusalem to observe Jesus determine He must have driven out the demon by the power of Satan.

The word Beel is the same as "Baal," which means "lord." Beel-zebul was originally a Philistine god, the lord of the flies. Beelzebul is frequently confused with "Beel-zebub," which means "lord of filth." It's uncertain if these are two distinct gods or if Beelzebul is a later derivation. By claiming that Jesus uses Beelzebul to exorcise demons, the scribes from Jerusalem are at least accusing Jesus of witchcraft, if not Satan-worship.

Jesus points out the absurdity of Satan telling his own demons to leave a man when removing the demon would cause damage to his own domain (Luke 11:17–18). Some readers wonder if this is necessarily true. Could Satan "reassign" his demons to fool people into thinking he is benevolent? That would be contrary to his behavior of "seeking someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8). He does not need to give up ground to further his conquest.

Luke 11:14–20 is the first of several stories that describe the Pharisees' rejection of their Messiah and their coming judgment, in contrast to the disciples' acceptance and blessing (Luke 11:14–54). The scribes, or lawyers, of the Pharisees have come from Jerusalem (Matthew 12:24; Mark 3:22) and determine that Jesus expels demons through the power of Beelzebul—Satan. Jesus responds by explaining the true nature of demons and their relationship with humans. Matthew 12:22–30 and Mark 3:22–27 cover the same accusation, but they also go on to address blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31–32; Mark 3:28–30).

Jesus teaches the disciples how to pray and explains God's intent to give "good" to those who ask. He then exorcizes a demon and refutes the claim that His power is satanic. Jesus explains that unreasonable skeptics will only see the "sign of Jonah." He then criticizes the superficial legalism of the Pharisees. In response, they plot against Him.

In what some scholars refer to as "The Travelogue to Jerusalem" (Luke 9:51—19:27), Jesus prepares His disciples for His crucifixion and resurrection and the establishment of the church. The description begins with Christ teaching the disciples how to spread the news of the kingdom of God and reaffirming how they will be blessed, culminating in the Lord's Prayer (Luke 9:51—11:13). Luke 11 finishes with accounts of leaders who reject Jesus. The remainder of the travelogue gives a pattern of teaching on the kingdom of God, miracles, and explanations of salvation. Then Jesus enters Jerusalem to face the cross.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.