Jesus summons the scribes and corrects and warns them of their evil attacks against Him. Every Catholic man can grow in happiness by building the Virtue of Faith so he can love God more completely and by growing in the Virtue of Magnanimity so he can strive for greatness by serving Jesus Christ and His Holy Catholic Church.
Commentary
While the multitude marvel, recently arrived scribes from Jerusalem murmured among themselves, absurdly accusing Jesus of colluding with Beelzebul; “Beelzebul” was a derogatory term (“Lord of Dung”) Jews used for the false god of the Philistines, who, in reality, was Satan. With this slur, the scoffing scribes attempt to denigrate the Son of Man with a severe accusation which could be punished by stoning Him to death.
Knowing the scribes are uttering evil among the people to condemn Him, rather than allow them to cowardly hide behind their false accusations, Jesus brusquely summons and publicly confronts them. The scribes’ rejection of Jesus does the work of Satan, for they are siding with Satan instead of God, and ironically are actually guilty of the crime they have accused Jesus of having committed. Revealing the absurdity of their murmured charge, Jesus exposes their illogical accusation by pointing out that Satan does not attack Satan. Jesus further explains in a parable: Satan (strong man), who is powerful, guards those he has corrupted (his goods) by enticements to sin. Only Jesus has the divine knowledge and power to bind Satan and rescue the possessed.
Jesus bluntly warns the scribes of their own peril, confirming while God will forgive even insults against Him, He will not forgive those who remain in obstinate rebellion. Mysteriously revealing His divinity, Jesus warns the scribes that their accusations that He is possessed by Satan and cooperating with Satan are blasphemous and unforgivable; this is a blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Some, whose minds become so closed as to deny God or call Him evil, close themselves off to forgiveness, for the Holy Spirit will not make His home among those who reject Him; Jesus is offering the scribes the mercy of a warning so that they might repent and be forgiven.
Be awed by Jesus Christ
Be awed by Jesus’ masterful response to His accusers: Divine Knowledge, Jesus can see and has intimate knowledge of the Angelic Realm, including Satan and his demons, and also has knowledge of the unspoken thoughts of His accusers; with superior intellect, the Word, the perfection of Reason, uses irrefutable Logic (a part of Reason) to demolish the arguments of His hapless attackers, proving they actually condemn themselves with their faulty illogical argument; Divine Charity, Jesus Admonishes and Instructs the sinful scribes (Spiritual Works of Mercy) and uses Harsh and Humiliating action to seek to awaken them and Warn them of their sins.
Grow in Faith to love God more completely
Realize: Like the confused scribes, some Catholic men today are confused about Jesus; some stop practicing the faith, some dabble in the occult and superstition, some have doubts, and some have even come to deny God’s existence.
Believe: Reflect upon The 1st Commandment (CCC 2084-2141).
Pray: Almighty Father, help me build the Virtue of Faith so I can have an absolute belief in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I am preserved against doubt and idolatry, and I always love You with all my mind, all my heart, and all my strength.
Strive for greatness by serving Jesus
Realize: As a man seeks to imitate Jesus, the Perfect Man, he must strive to grow in virtue; the word “virtue” comes from the Latin root vir, meaning “man” or “hero.”
Believe: Reflect upon Virtue (CCC 1803-1845).
Pray: Jesus, Perfect Man, help me build the Virtue of Magnanimity (a part of Fortitude) so I reject the smallness of being enslaved to vice and sin, strive to grow in virtue, and do the great and heroic work of serving You and Your Holy Catholic Church.