Beelzebul in Baltimore?

This post is an assigned response to Paul Louis Metzger’s post, Baltimore and Beyond: Cities that Wait for the Storm Cloud to Blow Over May Blow Up about dealing with the racialized economic structures in many large cities.

Dr. Metzger quotes at length from then-Republican Senate candidate Abraham Lincoln’s “House Divided” speech in his failed campaign against the Democrat Stephen A. Douglas regarding the problem of America's division over the issue of slavery. Lincoln quoted the Bible, Matthew 12:25, “A house divided against itself cannot stand” to make the point that being half slave and half free would not allow the United States to long survive. Lincoln’s conclusion is interesting in that he doesn’t predict the fall of the Union but for the issue to be decided one way or the other. He wasn’t reading off of the establishment's political teleprompter at the time. He lost the senate campaign but won the next presidential election. Perhaps his theology of the Union was galvanized in this early speech that would give him the iron will to fight a very long and devastating war to preserve the union.

Let’s look a bit closer at the passage Lincoln and Metzger referenced.

But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.” Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? (Matthew 12:24-27)

In context, the Pharisees were annoyed because Jesus kept healing the sick and delivering the demon-oppressed, and often it was on the Sabbath. People were now giving voice to the idea that Jesus might be the messianic “Son of David.” Since the Pharisees couldn’t dispute the historicity of the miracles (they could see the dramatic results for themselves) they had to contest the source of Jesus’ power. They demonized him—literally. Beelzebul, meant “Baal the lord” a name that originally had been changed to “Beelzebub” referring to “the Lord of the flies”, but had come to be a nickname for the source of personal evil, the accuser, Satan. As R. Kent Hughes comments,

“The heart of the Pharisees and scribes was so hard they said in essence, ‘Yes, Jesus has done a miracle, but only because he is in league with Satan, the Lord of the flies, the God of dung and carrion.’ It was a calculated blasphemy of immense perversity.” (Hughes, Luke: That You May Know the Truth Vol. 1, 426)

This verse makes me think because sometimes being single-minded as individuals can produce a divided household, divided city, or divided nation. Jesus uses this argument not to defend the unity of Satan’s kingdom but simply to point out that it would be a stupid strategy for Satan to use. Ultimately Satan’s kingdom is divided and the kingdom of God is not. So how do we move from our individual wholeheartedness and move toward a greater unity that befits the kingdom of heaven?

What if all our particular callings are supposed to fit together to form one complete multi-faceted gem through which the nations enter? If this is to happen we must learn to give space for the passions which God has placed in the hearts of others. We can and should remain energetic and enduring in whatever lentil field the Lord has placed us (2 Sam. 23:11-12) even if not glamorous. At the same time, we can extend care, respect, and much-needed encouragement to others in their respective fields. Isaiah 5 says that the rich add field to field until they dwell alone in the land. What if we did the opposite, giving away fields until we dwell together with our brothers and sisters in the land of promise?

Israel had its share of inter-tribal conflict and misunderstanding. Some conflicts were unavoidable (Judges 19-20 War against the Benjaminites) where righteous action needed to be taken, while others were not and could be resolved through gracious speech and merciful listening (Joshua 22's Altar of Witness). My point here is that there are some convictions that divide and will always divide. But much division comes from fear and misunderstanding and needs to be worked through. Often such fear can arise when we sense we are losing power and control through the advocacy efforts of others. But there is nothing to fear from the pursuit of justice so why do we get uptight?

So how do we advocate for others instead of being apathetic or even resistant to their efforts? How do we support and encourage the work of others without becoming ineffective in our own fields? Well for starters, let's stop rebuking or demonizing those who are doing the work of God outside of our control (Luke 9:49-50).

In John 8:49-51 we see Jesus answering this charge,

Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.”

We need to seek to glorify God in all areas of our lives and communities. Metzger challenges us to consider those structural injustices that we at best often fail to notice and at worse seem to support.

Do we believe Jesus is who he said he was? There is no escaping his claims. Do we take his social justice commands seriously? We can't be neutral or undecided.

“Given the massive claims of Jesus, neutrality is a self-deceiving ruse. His claims are so great that protestations of neutrality are in fact declarations of disbelief. Further, no one’s life is neutral in its effects.” (Hughes, Luke, 429)

Is it possible that justice claims are that clear?

Beelzebul may be at work in Baltimore...but it is not in the way that we might think. Jesus was for everyone, and we should be as well. It may not be our context or experience but we should consider how we can carry one another's burdens (Gal. 6:2),