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Observe here, 1. How truly our Lord's words were verified, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, Joh_4:34 : for he and his apostles going into an house to refresh themselves in their hunger, the people pressed upon him so fast to hear the word that he regards not the satisfying of his hunger, but applies himself to instruct the people.
Lord! how exemplary was thy zeal and diligence in preaching the everlasting gospel to a lost world! As it is instructive to, may it be imitated and followed by, all thy ambassadors.
Observe, 2. The rash censure of our Saviour's friends, that is, his kinsmen, concerning this action, in neglecting to eat bread, and suffering the multitude thus unseasonably to press upon him.
They conclude, he is beside himself, out of his right mind; and accordingly went out to lay hold upon him.
Learn hence, (1.) That the forward zeal and diligence of Christ and his ministers in preaching the gospel, is accounted madness and frenzy by a blind world. But they may say with the apostle, If we be beside ourselves it is to God, 2Co_5:13. But who were persons that thus looked upon our Saviour as beside himself? Verily his own kindred and relations according to the flesh.
Learn hence, (2.) That oft-times the servants of God meet with the strongest temptations from, and are most discouraged and molested by, such as are their nearest relations by blood or alliance. This is a great trial, to find our relations setting us back, instead of helping us forward, in the ways of religion; but we must bear it patiently, knowing, that not only others of God's children, but Jesus Christ, his own and only son, did experience this trial.
Observe, 3. The malicious and wicked slander which the scribes endeavoured to fix on our blessed Saviour; namely, that he was possessed by the devil, and by a familiarity with him, and help from him, cast forth devils out of others.
Good God! how was thine own and only Son, the holy and innocent Jesus, censured, slandered, and falsely accused of the worst of crimes: of gluttony, of blasphemy, of sorcery! Can any of thy children expect freedom from the persecution of the tongue, when innocency itself could not protect thy holy Son from slander and false accusation?
Observe, 4. Our Saviour's answer, and just apology for himself, in which are contained, (1.) A confutation of their calumny and slander.
(2.) A reprehension of the scribes for the same. To confute this slander, our Saviour, by several arguments, shows how absurd and unlikely it is that the devil should cast out himself, and any way seek to oppose and destroy his own kingdom. As if our Saviour had said, "Is it likely that Satan would lend me his power to use it against himself? Surely Satan will do nothing to weaken his own interest, or shake the pillars of his own kingdom. Now if I have received any power from Satan, for destroying him and kingdom, then is Satan like a family divided within itself, and like a kingdom divided against itself, which can never stand, but be brought to desolation."
Our Saviour having sufficiently shown that he did not work his miracles by the power of the devil, he next informs them from whence he had that power, even from God himself; and accordingly he compares Satan to a strong man well armed, with weapons to defend his house; and he compares himself, clothed with divine power, to one that is stronger than the strong man.
So that the argument runs thus: The devil is very strong and powerful, and there is no power but God's only that is stronger than his. If then, says Christ, I were not assisted with a divine power, I could never cast out this strong man, who reigns in the bodies and souls of men as in this house, for it must be a stronger than the strong man that shall bind Satan; and who is he but the God of strength?--
Learn hence, That Christ's divine power only is superior to Satan's strength. He only can vanquish and overrule him at his pleasure, and drive him out of that possession which he holds either in the bodies or in the souls of men.
Observe, 5. The charge which our Saviour brings against the scribes and Pharisees' blaspheming his divine power in working miracles. He charges them of sinning the unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost. All sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven, but he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost, hath never forgiveness.
As if Christ had said, "All the reproaches which you cast upon me as man are pardonable; as when you check me with the poverty and meanness of my birth, when you censure me for a wine-bibber, a glutton, a friend and companion of sinners, and the like unjust crimes. But when you blaspheme that divine power by which all my miracles are wrought, and, contrary to the conviction of your own enlightened minds, maliciously ascribe all my miracles to the power of the Holy Ghost, this makes your condition not only dangerous but desperate, because you resist the last remedy, and oppose the best means for your conviction. For what can be done more to convince you that I am the true and promised Messiah, than to work so many miracles before your eyes to that purpose?
Now, if when you see these you will say, it is not the Spirit of God that works these, but the power of the devil: as if Satan would conspire against himself, and seek the ruin of his own kingdom; there is no way or means lift to convince you, but you will continue in your obstinacy, and malicious opposition to truth, to your unutterable and inevitable condemnation.