CHAPTER VI

THE BEELZEBUL CONTROVERSY

THERE

THE OCCASION OF THE SAME

HERE are three cases of possession whose intrinsic relations, historical, medical, and theological, set

them apart as a special group.

1. The dumb demoniac.

These are

2. The blind and dumb demoniac.

3. The epileptic idiot.

The healing of those three produced an astounding effect; being in each case as follows:

1. They wondered, saying, It was never so seen in Israel. Matt. ix. 33.

2. They were amazed and said, Is not this the son of David? Matt. xii. 23.

43.

3. They were all amazed at the majesty of God. Luke ix.

Compare with this emotion, that aroused by the three raisings from the dead. In connection with the daughter of Jairus, the son of the widow of Nain, and Lazarus, we read respectively—

1. They were astonished with a great astonishment. Mark v. 42.

2. There came a fear on all, and they glorified God. Luke vii. 16.

3. Caiaphas said, It is expedient that one man die. John xi. 50.

The comparison is instructive; because it suggests that the people regarded the cure of those demoniacs as a task rivalling the raising of the dead. The sensation produced on those occasions is wholly unique. Instances of a similar feeling are to be found occasionally; but only as the product of cumulative causes. The healing of the paralytic is accompanied with the forgiveness of sins; and the cure of the Gerasene is connected with the destruction of the swine. So in other cases, where there is a great astonishment, the antecedent is not single but composite. The foregoing point is worthy of consideration.

That brings us back to the diagnosis of these three cases of possession

1. Idiocy, with deafness and dumbness.

2. Idiocy, with deafness, dumbness, and blind

ness.

3. Idiocy, with deafness, dumbness, and epileptic

seizures.

There is an undoubted increase in the severity of these cases, as in the admiration of the multitudes. There is likewise a change in the attitude of the enemies of Christ

1. They said, He casteth out demons in the prince of demons. Matt. ix. 34.

2. They said, He has Beelzebul, and in the prince of demons casteth out demons. Mark iii. 22.

3. They (with the

God. Luke ix. 43.

others) were all amazed at the majesty of

Here then we have the beginning, the culmination, and the sequel of the Beelzebul controversy. We soon discover how this personage comes into view.

These three demoniacs suffered from idiocy, with deafness, dumbness, and other sensory defects. The exorcist, charged with his superstitious lore, has to study his cases for their appropriate treatment. The dumbness is immaterial to him; because, per se, it offers no bar to his operations. But the deafness shut one door of access to the demon. Adjurations were quite useless. The deafness had virtually rendered the demon curse-proof. But other avenues of approach remained for attacking the loathly tenant; provided that the other organs of sense were comparatively sound. But idiocy involves many and grave defects; in advanced cases such as these were. Was the sense of smell greatly impaired ? Then the most cunning fumigations were naught. Was the sense of taste much disordered? Then the most odious concoctions

were irrelevant. Was the sense of sight grievously

defective?

worthless.

Then the most startling exhibitions were Was cutaneous sensation much below normal? Then the severest inflictions were out of place. The foul spirit was sheltered under the very possessed. The exorcist was

sense-defects of the

baffled at every turn.

His resources were completely

exhausted.

The case was hopelessly incurable!

The

The

hapless demoniac was abandoned to his malignant demon! That then was the condition of those three. They were wholly beyond professional aid. But in the last resort, they had been brought to Jesus. He succeeded with ease where all others had failed. further surprise of the situation was that He used no fumigations nor other devices of the vulgar exorcist. Candid observers could not withhold their tribute of admiration. Prejudiced onlookers cast about them for an explanation which would be plausible with the multitude yet detrimental to Jesus. The ethnic doctrine of demons aptly met all the requirements. It fancied a world of demons or satans where the greater lorded it over the lesser. To an exorcist on a friendly footing with "The Prince," nothing was impossible in the way of expelling recalcitrant spirits. Hence on the cure of the dumb demoniac, the knowing Pharisees said, He casteth out demons in the prince of demons ! "The Prince" was then a wellknown personage; now he is little more than a great enigma.

WHO IS BEELZEBUL?

The theory of the Pharisees embodied current conceptions regarding the orders and functions of spiritual beings. These must therefore be kept steadfastly in view. Thus we learn first of all what Beelzebul was not.

1. He is not Ashmedai. To the latter, the title of

"Prince" is commonly applied. But his authority extended over "male demons" only. The other wing of the demonic host was controlled by Lilith, as queen of "female demons." These spirits are of the same order as Beelzebul; but his authority is superior to theirs. He is sovereign over all foul demons.

Beelzebul is

2. He is not Satan, the great devil. a "foul spirit" (Mark iii. 30); and belongs therefore to the order of the Shedim, who are semi-sensuous beings. He is also a possessing spirit (Mark iii. 22); the result of his action being in part conceived as a driving of Jesus out of His senses (Mark iii. 22).1 But these attributes are in sharp contrast with those of Satan. The latter, though "head of all the Mazziqin," is no "half-spirit," like the Shedim; but belongs to the order of purely spiritual beings. While demon-possession is common; Judas is the sole instance of Satan-possession; the result of the latter is not insanity; but moral and spiritual ruin. This "prince of demons" is clearly not to be identified with Satan.2

Had this "prince of demons ever enjoyed the honours of divinity? There is a suggestion of that in the variant reading of the name Beelzebub. The authority for it is certainly not the highest; but Jerome accepts it. As science can ignore no fact or

1 Appendix L, Jesus out of His Senses?

2 Beliar, Berial, Malkira, Mastemah, Mekembekus, Matanbukus, Mastiphat, Mansemat, Asbeel, Satanail, occur as names of Satan in extra-canonical writings; but not Beelzebul. That is distinct confirmation of the foregoing conclusion.