Matthew 12:25Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The Pharisees previously charged Jesus with expelling demons by the authority of Beelzebub. At that moment, He chose not to confront them, allowing them an opportunity to recognize His divine power displayed through His miraculous works and the profound wisdom of His teachings. However, as they persisted in their accusations against Him, He ultimately responded to their claims. First, He demonstrated His divinity by unveiling their innermost thoughts, and second, by effortlessly casting out demons. Regardless of the brazen nature of their allegations, which stems from envy and a disregard for truth, Christ chose not to dismiss their slander but rather defended Himself with His characteristic gentleness.

Through the disclosure of their innermost thoughts, the Lord illustrates His divinity. He vindicates Himself in relation to them by using common illustrations, exposing their foolishness.

The crowds were amazed and acknowledged that the one who did such miraculous works was indeed the Son of David; however, the Pharisees claimed that these acts of God were due to the authority of demons. The Lord responded not to their spoken words, but to their innermost thoughts, aiming to encourage belief in Him who understands the hidden mysteries of the heart.

They conversed among themselves, troubled by the crowd, yet He revealed the hidden thoughts of their hearts, thereby demonstrating His divinity. Observe that although He had faced similar accusations in the past, He chose not to rebuke them, granting them the chance to acknowledge His authority through numerous miracles and teachings. However, when they persisted in their erroneous beliefs without correction, He pointed out their folly. He addressed them gently, instructing us to confront those who err with humility. He frames His admonition using familiar examples of power—strong, average, and weak—arguing that anything that turns against itself is destined for destruction. For every kingdom divided against itself will become desolate; individuals who find themselves in discord will oppose each other. Likewise, any city or household divided cannot endure.

The law originates from God, and the promise of the kingdom of Israel is rooted in the law, along with Christ’s birth and His advent. If the kingdom established by the law becomes fragmented, it will inevitably face desolation. Division leads to the destruction of all authority, and the strength of a kingdom that is divided against itself will vanish. Consequently, Israel lost the kingdom under the law, as the people of the law opposed the fulfillment of that law in Christ. Similarly, a house or city that is divided cannot endure. Here, the reference to a city signifies Jerusalem, which was honored by the rule of the Gentiles. After vehemently turning against its Lord and expelling His apostles alongside the faithful, it could no longer withstand the repercussions of the departing factions, thus foreshadowing the city's imminent fall due to this disunity.

The Lord teaches that a kingdom, city, or household that is divided against itself cannot endure. This can be interpreted as a reference to the kingdom that the Jewish people held under Jeroboam, a servant of Solomon, which was left desolate before the division took place. It indicates that the Jews would completely lose Jerusalem, which faced animosity from Samaria, as well as their temple, which stood in opposition to the golden calves and the various idol worship. Thus, He urges them to pursue a kingdom that is indivisible—specifically, the eternal and heavenly Jerusalem, the spiritual city that remains steadfast and unshakeable. This true house of God is forever protected, as it is safeguarded by the Son of God, and no external force can ever threaten it.

Question. You mentioned, dear Father, that when a community is split in its views, those who are unworthy benefit from the goodness provided for the righteous. How can the Scriptures be fulfilled, which declare, Every kingdom divided against itself shall not endure (Matt. 12:25); for see, the city is in division, yet for the sake of the virtuous citizens, it remains whole? Reply. Division occurs when both factions are drawn into wickedness, and thus it is fulfilled: it cannot endure. It is clear that standing firm in goodness does not lead to division, for the Apostolic teaching is unified. The Apostle states, If the unbelieving one departs, let him depart (1 Cor. 7:15). Should we conclude that this means the Church is divided and will not remain? Certainly not!

Jesus, perceiving their intentions, spoke to them. This dialogue illustrates that the Pharisees not only voiced their thoughts, but they also harbored them. Yet, since their malice was concealed, how could it detract from the majesty of Christ? It cannot. The individual who schemes malevolently ultimately harms their own soul rather than affecting someone else. Consider the compassion of Christ. Had the Pharisees articulated their thoughts and He responded in disagreement, we might argue that He thwarted their wicked plans with His words.

But JESUS, aware of their thoughts, addressed them, stating that any kingdom divided within itself will ultimately fall, and any city or household divided against itself will not endure. If I, possessing a demon, am casting out other demons through that same spirit, it indicates a conflict among them, a struggle where they oppose one another; in that case, their authority has been destroyed and diminished.

In response to the accusation, the Pharisees refrained from openly asserting that Jesus expelled demons through the spirit of Beelzebub (Satan); instead, they attempted to insinuate this notion to the crowd without His awareness. However, Jesus confronted them directly, countering their false claims and showcasing His omniscience, a divine characteristic of His nature. He initiates His rebuttal with illustrations that are easily comprehensible, compelling His adversaries to recognize their folly. He explains that any community—whether it be a kingdom, a city, or a household—remains strong only through the unity of its members. When discord, conflict, and division emerge among the members, creating factions that oppose one another, the strength of their unity diminishes, leading to the inevitable disintegration of the community itself.

Understanding their thoughts serves as evidence of Christ's divinity, for only God possesses the insight into hidden thoughts and motives (Ps. 7:10, Jer. 17:10). The Lord highlights the illogical nature of the Pharisees' reasoning concerning His miraculous deeds by drawing attention to a truth observable in the lives of entire kingdoms, cities, and families. A kingdom, city, or family that does not enjoy unity and peace among its members but rather exists in conflict and hostility will inevitably collapse and become desolate. This principle applies equally to the kingdom of Beelzebub or Satan (the term Satan signifies adversary, supporter, hater, and connects both to malevolent spirits and to their leader, the prince of demons).

In response to the false accusations that fundamentally challenged the most compelling evidence of Jesus Christ's divine mission—His miracles (John 5:36)—He vigorously opposed them. Aware of the hidden intentions of His adversaries, He sought to dismantle their fabricated interpretations of these wonders by first pointing to what is universally acknowledged: Every kingdom divided against itself shall become desolate, and every town or house divided against itself shall become void; and if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall his kingdom stand? This internal inconsistency in the Pharisees’ reasoning, which posited that evil spirits were turning against one another rather than uniting in strength, made their accusations appear absurd and reckless.