ルカによる福音書11:14-23 Luke 11:14-23,
わたしに味方しない者はわたしに敵対し、わたしと一緒に集めない者は散らしている。 （ルカ11:23）
キリストは「わたしに味方しない者」という言葉を「わたしと一緒に集めない者」と言い換えておられます。これは、羊飼いが羊の群れを導くために、散り散りになりそうな羊を集めることを念頭に置いた言い方です。したがって、教会の働きに言葉をこの御言葉を当てはめますと、教会がキリストの救いを人々に宣べ伝えて人々を集める伝道の奉仕と、信じた人々を聖書の御言葉によって養い散り散りにならないようにする牧会の奉仕であることがわかります。つまり伝道と牧会という奉仕は、キリストの味方となってキリストと共に戦うことであるということです。
悪魔は、神様を信じる者たちを散り散りにして、それぞれの欲望のままに歩ませ、罪の力によって滅びに至らせるようとします。この悪魔の力が恐るべきものであることは、聖書が繰り返し教えているところです。たとえば、使徒ペトロはペトロの手紙一の5章8節と9節で次のように警告しています。「身を慎んで目を覚ましていなさい。あなたがたの敵である悪魔が、ほえたける獅子のように、だれかを食い尽くそうと探し回っています。信仰にしっかり踏みとどまって、悪魔に抵抗しなさい。あなたがたと信仰を同じくする兄弟たちも、この世で同じ苦しみに遭っているのです。それはあなたがたも知っているとおりです。」悪魔は、神様を信じる人々に、神様を信じない不信仰な思いやこの世の富や繁栄や権力が神様より大事だという思いを抱かせて、滅びの道へ進ませようと、虎視眈々と狙っています。ですから、キリストは主の祈りで「我らをこころみにあわせず、悪より救い出したまえ」と祈ることを教えてくださいました。神様の力によって悪魔に抵抗することを教えてくださったのです。
宗教改革者のカルヴァンも、この祈りについての解説の中で「神の霊の力こそサタンとの決戦を戦い抜く我が力である」と記しています。ここから、クリスチャンの戦いの本質は、悪魔との霊的な戦い、すなわち、祈りの戦いであることがわかります。宗教改革者のルターも、悪魔の働きが現実にあることを深く理解していた人でした。ルターは「悪魔は夜眠らない。悪魔は宴会をしない」と言ったそうです。つまり、人間が眠り、あるいは宴会を楽しんでいる最中にも、悪魔は付け入る隙を狙っていると言うのです。ですから、私たちは絶えず神様の助けと聖霊の導きを祈って、悪魔の攻撃に備えるようにいたしましょう。悪魔はいつも教会を破壊し、クリスチャンは堕落させ、イエス・キリストの名を辱めるために全力を尽くしています。これに対抗するには、祈りによって神様の聖霊の力を求める以外にはありません。 絶えずに祈って、神様の助けと聖霊の導きをいただいて、悪魔に打ち勝つ生活をしてまいりましょう。
（6月29日の説教より）
From today onwards, I would like to preach about the works and teachings of Jesus Christ through the Gospel of Luke. Today’s passage is where Christ teaches about “fighting against the devil.” Some may think that “fighting against the devil” is an outdated superstition. However, this is an important part of Christian teachings that must not be forgotten. Father TANAKA Noboru, the parish priest of the Catholic Church of Toshima in Tokyo’s Toshima Ward, is a highly educated scholar who has taught at Sophia University, Nanzan University in Nagoya, and the Tokyo Catholic Seminary. Father Tanaka has written an article titled “The Rite of Exorcism in the Catholic Church” in a collection of papers published by Nanzan University, which stands on the tradition of Catholicism. “Exorcism” means “to drive out demons.” When one hears the term “exorcism,” many people may think of the occult-like practices depicted in the old film “The Exorcist.” However, in the opening of his paper, Father Tanaka states that he is not researching this topic out of occult interest, as follows.
I studied applied chemistry at university and graduate school and worked as an engineer at a major chemical manufacturer. As someone with experience working and researching at both the laboratory level and in chemical plants, I have felt firsthand the usefulness of science and technology in society. However, even before entering seminary, I felt that science is not a panacea for true human happiness. I have always believed that true human salvation must encompass both material and spiritual aspects. In particular, for modern Japanese people who are materially wealthy, the question of how to confront spiritual hunger and thirst, especially confusion and deep suffering, remained a central concern during my time at the seminary. In this context, I became interested in the rite of exorcism, an ancient tradition of the Catholic Church for the spiritual and mental salvation of people. I would like to make it clear that my interest in exorcism and demonology is not based on psychic phenomena or occult interests. (Translated by MIYOSHI Akira. Same below.)
In this lengthy paper of over 100 pages, Father TANAKA meticulously discusses how the Catholic Church has positioned the battle against the devil and demons in its traditions from ancient times to the present day. He also refers to its relationship to Japanese religious views and psychiatry. Then, he concludes his paper as follows.
We must never forget that true healing for human beings, regardless of the era or society, is brought about not only by physical means but also by the spiritual gifts granted through faith. It is important to remember that the church still recognises the existence of spiritual beings, and in particular, clearly acknowledges the existence of numerous demons and the devil, who can be said to be the sum total of demons. For this reason, we are urged to pray constantly, to protect ourselves from their influence, to protect others, and to protect the world, so that the grace of sanctification may be realised.
As a Protestant pastor, I do not agree with all the teachings of the Catholic Church. However, I cannot help but say, “That is exactly right!” regarding the conclusion of Father TANAKA’s statement. In fact, one of the reasons why evangelism is not progressing and church communities are not being formed in many Protestant churches today is because they have forgotten to fight against the devil and to pray sincerely to God to protect people and the church from the devil’s work, isn’t it?
In today’s Bible passage, it is recorded that when Christ cast out a demon from a man who was tormented by it, those who opposed Christ said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons.” There are several theories about the origin of the name Beelzebul, and the exact meaning is unclear. “Beel” likely comes from the Hebrew word “baal,” meaning “master.” As for “zebul,” there are various theories, such as it meaning “house,” “ruler,” or “enemy.” In any case, it is clear that Beelzebul, as mentioned in verse 15, refers to “the prince of demons,” i.e., the devil. Those who refused to acknowledge Christ’s authority accused and slandered him, saying, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons.”
The Gospel of Luke does not specify who these people were who accused and slandered Christ. According to Mark 3:22, which is believed to describe the same event, they were “the scribes who came down from Jerusalem.” According to Matthew 12:24, they were “the Pharisees.” The scribes and Pharisees were jealous of Christ’s popularity and eventually sought to kill him. Therefore, it is not surprising that they refused to acknowledge his authority as the Messiah, even though he performed the miracle of casting out demons. The statement, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons,” essentially means that Jesus Christ possesses the power of the prince of demons. This is a severe accusation and slander implying that Jesus Christ is equal to the devil. Furthermore, these people believed that simply casting out demons was not sufficient proof that Jesus was the true Messiah sent by God. As mentioned in verse 16, “others, to test him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven.” In other words, there were also those who demanded that Jesus perform another miracle besides this one.
However, Christ responded to these ignorant and malicious people with a logical and well-reasoned rebuttal. As stated in verses 17 and 18, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul.” Satan refers to the devil. The Bible teaches that the devil’s power, which leads human beings to rebel against God and bring about destruction, has been at work throughout human history since the time of Adam and Eve, the ancestors of all human beings. Adam and Eve committed the sin of disobeying God’s command. And their descendants, human beings, as well as the people of Israel, who were chosen by God for salvation, have also been tempted by the devil and have repeatedly committed sins against God. This is something that even the Jews who harbored ill will toward Christ should have known well through the Bible. Therefore, Christ says, “Is it possible for such a powerful devil to drive out demons from people who are dominated by demons by fighting among themselves? It is impossible!” If the devil were such a foolish being that it would fight among themselves, the devil’s dominion, which has continued to tempt human beings and the people of Israel, God’s chosen people, to the path of destruction, would have already collapsed and been destroyed. However, since the devil’s rule has not self-destructed and collapsed, it is impossible for the devil, who is the prince of the demons, to drive out demons from those who are dominated by them. “If the devil is fighting among themselves, how can his kingdom stand?” That is what it means.
Next, Christ clearly revealed the contradiction in the words of those who accused and slandered him using different words. In verse 19, Christ says, “And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges.” In fact, there are records that miracles of driving out demons were performed not only by Christ but also by the Jews. In the New Testament era, there was a Jewish historian named Josephus. In his book Antiquities of the Jews, Josephus clearly records that King Solomon, famous as the king of Israel, performed miracles of casting out demons, and that such miracles were also widely practised by the Jews during Josephus’ time. Not only Christ, but the Jews themselves also performed miracles of casting out demons, and since the roots of these miracles were traced back to King Solomon in the Old Testament, if one were to attribute Christ’s casting out demons to the prince of demons, then the miracles performed by the Jews would also have to be attributed to the prince of demons. Therefore, those who accused and slandered Christ were essentially attacking their own people, the Jews. Christ sharply pointed this out.
In this way, after pointing out the contradictions of those who accused and slandered him, Christ declared that himslf was the Messiah sent by God, performing the works of God. As stated in verse 20, he declared, “But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” “The finger of God” refers to the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God. Since the claims of those who opposed Christ were contradictory, it is clear that Christ was casting out demons not by the power of the prince of the devil, but by the power of the Holy Spirit, who is “the finger of God.” And if that is the case, then “the kingdom of God,” that is, God’s rule, has come upon “you,” i.e., this world. The miracle of Christ casting out demons is a testimony to the joyful news that God’s rule has begun on earth.
God’s rule began when Christ triumphed over the power of the devil. Christ expressed this in the parable in verses 21-22 as follows.
“When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil.”
This parable may be a little difficult to understand. The “strong man” in the first part of the parable actually refers to the devil. Some may think that “guards” and “safe” are positive metaphors. However, the metaphors, “a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace” and “his goods are safe” represent the devil’s dominion over the world, using demons to control people’s hearts. The “one stronger than he” refers to Christ. Christ’s act of freeing those possessed by demons through the Holy Spirit is likened to “one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him.” What Christ did was not to drive out demons through the power of the devil, but to demonstrate victory over the devil through the power of God’s Holy Spirit.
At the beginning of his works as the Messiah, Christ triumphed over the devil in the wilderness temptation. As recorded in Matthew chapter 4, when the devil tempted Christ, saying, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread,” Christ replied, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Then the devil showed Christ a vision of standing on the edge of the roof the temple in Jerusalem, and quoted from the Old Testament, saying, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” Christ replied, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Then the devil showed Christ all the kingdoms of the world and their glory and said, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” But Christ said, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’” Thus, he rejected the devil’s temptation. And by dying on the cross and rising again in a body of eternal life, Christ completely defeated the devil. “When one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil,” means Christ’s complete victory over the devil.
The last verse of today’s Bible passage, verse 23, records Christ’s words, “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” In these words, Christ replaces the phrase “whoever is not with me” with the phrase “whoever does not gather with me.” “Whoever does not gather with me” is an expression that comes to mind when a shepherd gathers sheep that are about to scatter in order to lead them. Therefore, when we apply this passage to the work of the church, we see that the church’s mission is twofold: first, to preach the gospel of Christ’s salvation and gather people into the church through evangelism; and second, to nurture those who have believed in Christ through the word of God and prevent them from scattering through pastoral care. In other words, evangelism and pastoral care are acts of standing with Christ and fighting with him.
The devil seeks to scatter those who believe in God, allowing them to walk according to their own desires and leading them to destruction through the power of sin. The Bible repeatedly teaches us that the power of the devil is to be feared. For example, the Apostle Peter warns us in 1 Peter 5:8-9 as follows.
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.
The devil is watching intently, seeking to lead those who believe in God into destruction by leading them to unbelief and making them think that worldly wealth, prosperity, and power are more important than God. Therefore, Christ taught us to pray in the Lord’s Prayer, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” He taught us to resist the devil by the power of God.
The Reformer John Calvin also wrote in his explanation on this prayer, “the Spirit of God is our strength in waging the contest with Satan” (Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 3, Chapter 20, Section 46). From this, we can see that the essence of the Christian’s battle is a spiritual battle against the devil, that is, a battle of prayer. The Reformer Martin Luther was also a man who deeply understood the reality of the devil’s work. Luther is said to have remarked, “The devil does not sleep at night. The devil does not attend banquets.” In other words, even while humans are sleeping or enjoying a feast, the devil is seeking an opportunity to strike. Therefore, let us constantly pray for God’s help and the guidance of the Holy Spirit to prepare ourselves against the devil’s attacks. The devil is always striving to destroy the church, corrupt Christians, and bring dishonor to the name of Jesus Christ. The only way to counter this is to seek the power of the Holy Spirit through prayer. Let us pray without ceasing, receive God’s help and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and live a life that overcomes the devil.