Matthew 9:32-35 - It is by the prince of demons

9:32-34

This series of healings closes with a mute man being enabled to speak. It also says that he was demon-possessed. The casting out of the demon was the key to the man’s healing. There are cases where demonic activity is the root of the matter, and that is still the case today. However, there are cases where demonic activity is not the root of the matter. So we have had Jesus setting a variety of people free from various things, from sicknesses and from demon possession. The crowds were amazed and delighted. The Pharisees had a rather different reaction. They said it is only because Jesus had the power of the prince of demons that He could drive out demons. Now, just think for a moment. This is the Son of God, and they are accusing Him of using demonic power! Their thinking was seriously warped, and that is what happens when we become obsessed with protecting ourselves.

9:35

This verse gives a brief, but complete, summary of the ministry of Jesus. He went through all the towns and villages. He taught in their synagogues. He proclaimed the good news of the kingdom, ie the rule of God. He healed every disease and sickness. Teaching and healing went together in the ministry of Jesus, yet we seem insistent on separating them. There will be good Bible teaching churches, but not much, if anything, in the way of healings. There will be churches that focus on healings but whose teaching is limited. Neither is following a Biblical pattern.