Feb. 16, 2010 – Matthew 12-12:32

A couple of different things.  First, the Pharisees were so concentrated on the law that they always missed the point.  Jesus wants us to go beyond the law.  The law is made for those that need it in order to stay going in the right direction.  The Sabbath was made for man because he needs to be told what to do.  If we desire only to do God’s will and worship him always, we have outgrown the law and it doesn’t apply to us because we no longer need it. 

Put it this way, I don’t need a law that says I should not kill my wife.  I have no desire to do so.  I do need a law that says I need to get to work on time because if I could get away with coming late I would.  My desires are still out of order.  Once our desires are in order, the law is obsolete.  Until then, we need the law to help guide us. 

Second, did the Pharisees really believe what they were saying or were they just that blinded by their own greed.  Driving out demons by the power of demons.  That doesn’t make any sense at all.  That is almost like saying the only way I can control my urges is by indulging in them.  That only makes the urges stronger next time.  Yet we hear this strategy when people talk about their sexual urges.  Fighting urges by indulging them is like trying to exorcise demons with the help of demons.  You are only making it worse.  You are not freeing yourself, you are becoming even more trapped, more enslaved.