Imagine a firefighter arriving at a burning house—sirens blaring, hose in hand, rushing in to save lives. But then someone from the crowd shouts, “He started the fire himself!” The accusation would be shocking, absurd, and offensive. Yet this is exactly the kind of charge the religious leaders make against Jesus in this passage. Though He’s healing the sick, casting out demons, and calling sinners to repentance—all through the power of the Holy Spirit—they claim He’s doing it by the power of Satan. This wasn’t a misunderstanding; it was a willful, calculated rejection of God’s work. And Jesus responds with some of the most sobering words recorded in the Gospels—a warning not only for them, but for us as well.

Jesus exposes the illogic of their claim: how could Satan cast out Satan? A kingdom divided cannot stand. Far from being in league wi ...