And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?
The verse records Jesus healing a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute so that he both spoke and saw. The amazed people judged Him by those gracious works, which were an undeniable manifestation of God's power that no man could do and could not be explained away by natural causes or another agency. In asking whether He was David's son they were asking whether He was the promised Messiah, the title sufferers also used when calling on Him for help, though that cry remained an incomplete response since Israel as a whole failed to recognize Him. The Pharisees answered that stirring question by charging that He cast out devils only by Beelzebub the prince of devils, thus speaking of the Son of God as a mere man in league with hell. That deliberate attributing of God's holy power to satanic agencies was the sin against the Holy Ghost, unpardonable in this world and the world to come, while speaking against Jesus Himself without discerning His divine character may be forgiven when the soul repents and believes, because wilfully calling the Spirit satanic cuts off the channel by which God works upon the heart so that repentance and faith cannot come.
Miracle and People's Question
The amazement records a healing of a man possessed by a demon who was blind and mute, so that after Jesus touched him he both spoke and saw, and this was the second time such a healing had been given. The people judged Him by the gracious works they had witnessed before their eyes. Those healings were a manifestation of the power of God, works which no man had done or could do, which could not be evaded or attributed to natural causes or to any other agency, and His mighty works and words convicted those who saw and heard of His identity.
Their astonished question whether this was the Son of David was an asking whether He was the promised Messiah. Son of David was also the title people used when calling upon Him for help. Yet that cry did not amount to recognition of Him as the Messiah, for Israel as a whole failed to recognize Him. It stands as one incomplete response alongside the desire of the multitude fed at Bethsaida to proclaim Him king of Israel and the readiness of many to accept Him as a prophet without believing Him to be the Christ.
It belongs to a time when Jesus spent entire nights in prayer and days thronged by great companies with not even time to eat, wearing Himself out by incessant labor. The amazement of the people and the tumult made by His words and works reached His brothers.
Pharisees' Charge and Judgment
The Pharisees answered the people's amazed question by reiterating the charge that He casts out devils only by Beelzebub the prince of devils. In unbelief they spoke of the Son of God as a mere human being and used their talent of speech to abuse the Redeemer, attributing His works to the devil and charging Christ with being in league with hell.
Their accusation rejected clear evidence of God's power manifested before them in works which no man had done or could do and which could not be evaded or attributed to natural causes, and it exposed their sinful purposes. Stubborn, sullen and ironhearted, they determined to close their eyes to all evidence. This deliberate attribution of God's holy power to satanic agencies was the sin against the Holy Ghost, the unpardonable sin with no forgiveness in this world or the world to come. Their words are recorded in the books of heaven.
Speaking against Jesus Himself without discerning His divine character may be forgiven when the soul repents and believes and guilt is washed away in His blood. But wilfully calling the Spirit satanic cuts off the channel by which God communicates with men, since it is by the Spirit that God works upon the heart. Rejecting the work of the Holy Spirit places the soul where repentance and faith cannot come, cutting the soul off from the fountain of blessing. When the Spirit is finally rejected there is nothing more God can do for the soul.
Warning and Wider Application
The healing of the blind and mute demoniac was Christ's own work under His commission from heaven, to speak to those who would hear and to help those who would be helped by relieving the afflicted. If Jerusalem had received the truth He brought, the city would have become a great missionary center, backslidden Israel would have been converted, and a vast army would have been gathered for the Lord. But the leaders of the people refused to unite with Him and would not cooperate with Him in relieving the afflicted, keeping up bitter opposition to His great and wonderful work.
That opposition shows what happens as soon as a man separates from God so that his heart is no longer under the subduing power of the Holy Spirit. Then the attributes of Satan are revealed in him, and he begins to oppress his fellow men, with an influence going forth from him contrary to truth and justice and righteousness. The same spirit is manifested when one institution desires to control all others and when men entrusted with weighty responsibilities yet having no living connection with God do despite to the Holy Spirit. In this they indulge the very same spirit as Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, persisting in the same course after warnings from God have come again and again.
The amazement of the people and His bold statements and denunciation of the scribes and Pharisees filled His brothers with astonishment, dismay, alarm, indignation, and a keen sense of reproach through relation to Him. While some friends concluded that His reason was becoming unsettled, His brothers decided He must be persuaded or constrained to cease that manner of labor and be more prudent. They induced Mary to unite with them to prevail upon Him through His love for her.
It is always safe to be meek and lowly and tenderhearted, and at the same time to be as firm as a rock to the teachings of Christ. His words of instruction are to be strictly heeded, with not one word lost sight of, because the truth will abide forever. No trust is to be placed in any lie or pretense, and to do so is done at the loss of eternal life. Straight paths are to be made for the feet, lest the lame be turned out of the way, and those who mislead the lame from safe paths are held accountable for it. To turn from His counsel is to set at naught the counsel of the One whose words are life eternal, for words of deception originating with the father of lies.
The verse records Jesus healing a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute so that he both spoke and saw. The amazed people judged Him by those gracious works, which were an undeniable manifestation of God's power that no man could do and could not be explained away by natural causes or another agency. In asking whether He was David's son they were asking whether He was the promised Messiah, the title sufferers also used when calling on Him for help, though that cry remained an incomplete response since Israel as a whole failed to recognize Him. The Pharisees answered that stirring question by charging that He cast out devils only by Beelzebub the prince of devils, thus speaking of the Son of God as a mere man in league with hell. That deliberate attributing of God's holy power to satanic agencies was the sin against the Holy Ghost, unpardonable in this world and the world to come, while speaking against Jesus Himself without discerning His divine character may be forgiven when the soul repents and believes, because wilfully calling the Spirit satanic cuts off the channel by which God works upon the heart so that repentance and faith cannot come.
Miracle and People's Question
The amazement records a healing of a man possessed by a demon who was blind and mute, so that after Jesus touched him he both spoke and saw, and this was the second time such a healing had been given. The people judged Him by the gracious works they had witnessed before their eyes. Those healings were a manifestation of the power of God, works which no man had done or could do, which could not be evaded or attributed to natural causes or to any other agency, and His mighty works and words convicted those who saw and heard of His identity.
Their astonished question whether this was the Son of David was an asking whether He was the promised Messiah. Son of David was also the title people used when calling upon Him for help. Yet that cry did not amount to recognition of Him as the Messiah, for Israel as a whole failed to recognize Him. It stands as one incomplete response alongside the desire of the multitude fed at Bethsaida to proclaim Him king of Israel and the readiness of many to accept Him as a prophet without believing Him to be the Christ.
It belongs to a time when Jesus spent entire nights in prayer and days thronged by great companies with not even time to eat, wearing Himself out by incessant labor. The amazement of the people and the tumult made by His words and works reached His brothers.
Pharisees' Charge and Judgment
The Pharisees answered the people's amazed question by reiterating the charge that He casts out devils only by Beelzebub the prince of devils. In unbelief they spoke of the Son of God as a mere human being and used their talent of speech to abuse the Redeemer, attributing His works to the devil and charging Christ with being in league with hell.
Their accusation rejected clear evidence of God's power manifested before them in works which no man had done or could do and which could not be evaded or attributed to natural causes, and it exposed their sinful purposes. Stubborn, sullen and ironhearted, they determined to close their eyes to all evidence. This deliberate attribution of God's holy power to satanic agencies was the sin against the Holy Ghost, the unpardonable sin with no forgiveness in this world or the world to come. Their words are recorded in the books of heaven.
Speaking against Jesus Himself without discerning His divine character may be forgiven when the soul repents and believes and guilt is washed away in His blood. But wilfully calling the Spirit satanic cuts off the channel by which God communicates with men, since it is by the Spirit that God works upon the heart. Rejecting the work of the Holy Spirit places the soul where repentance and faith cannot come, cutting the soul off from the fountain of blessing. When the Spirit is finally rejected there is nothing more God can do for the soul.
Warning and Wider Application
The healing of the blind and mute demoniac was Christ's own work under His commission from heaven, to speak to those who would hear and to help those who would be helped by relieving the afflicted. If Jerusalem had received the truth He brought, the city would have become a great missionary center, backslidden Israel would have been converted, and a vast army would have been gathered for the Lord. But the leaders of the people refused to unite with Him and would not cooperate with Him in relieving the afflicted, keeping up bitter opposition to His great and wonderful work.
That opposition shows what happens as soon as a man separates from God so that his heart is no longer under the subduing power of the Holy Spirit. Then the attributes of Satan are revealed in him, and he begins to oppress his fellow men, with an influence going forth from him contrary to truth and justice and righteousness. The same spirit is manifested when one institution desires to control all others and when men entrusted with weighty responsibilities yet having no living connection with God do despite to the Holy Spirit. In this they indulge the very same spirit as Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, persisting in the same course after warnings from God have come again and again.
The amazement of the people and His bold statements and denunciation of the scribes and Pharisees filled His brothers with astonishment, dismay, alarm, indignation, and a keen sense of reproach through relation to Him. While some friends concluded that His reason was becoming unsettled, His brothers decided He must be persuaded or constrained to cease that manner of labor and be more prudent. They induced Mary to unite with them to prevail upon Him through His love for her.
It is always safe to be meek and lowly and tenderhearted, and at the same time to be as firm as a rock to the teachings of Christ. His words of instruction are to be strictly heeded, with not one word lost sight of, because the truth will abide forever. No trust is to be placed in any lie or pretense, and to do so is done at the loss of eternal life. Straight paths are to be made for the feet, lest the lame be turned out of the way, and those who mislead the lame from safe paths are held accountable for it. To turn from His counsel is to set at naught the counsel of the One whose words are life eternal, for words of deception originating with the father of lies.