To counter this false accusation, Christ presented two arguments: first, if He was casting out demons through Beelzebub's power, it would mean that Satan was working against himself, which is ludicrous, as such a scenario could not support the existence of Satan’s kingdom (25-26); second, if the Pharisees claimed that He drove out demons by Beelzebub, they must also account for the exorcisms performed by their own followers, which they have failed and would fail to do (27). The Lord then clarified the nature of His miracles, emphasizing that He performs these acts through the Holy Spirit—in scripture described figuratively as the finger of God (v. 20)—indicating to those witnessing these events that the reign of Satan, who had previously tormented humanity, was ending and the Kingdom of God had now arrived (28). Verse 29 underscores the necessity of this conclusion: if those enslaved by Satan are liberated, it implies that the mightier One, the Messiah, has come to confront and subdue the strong man, Satan, and is actively reclaiming his spoils. Following this, Christ declared: ‘Whoever is not with Me is against Me, and whoever does not gather with Me wastes away.’ The imagery here, particularly in the latter part, evokes a harvest. If we view this statement as part of the rebuttal against the Pharisees’ accusations that He casts out demons through Beelzebub, it suggests an absolute divide between Beelzebub and Christ—there can be no neutral stance concerning Christ; one is either with Him or against Him. On the other hand, if this verse is linked not to what precedes it, but instead to what follows, it serves as a caution and a warning to those wavering between adhering to the Pharisees or siding with Christ.
THEOSIS