Charles Spurgeon Commentary Matthew 12:24

"But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This man doth not cast out demons, but by Beelzebub the prince of the demons." — Matthew 12:24 (ASV)

This was their former concoction. It was old and stale, yet for lack of a better or more bitter suggestion, they stick to it.

Our Lord was too busy to reply to the vile slander on its first appearance (Matthew 9:34), or perhaps he so loathed it that he would not touch it, but left the abominable thing to poison itself with its own venom.

Now they bring it out again and come to more minute detail of lying by mentioning Beelzebub as the name of the prince of the devils, with whom he was in league.

Lies grow as they move on. Those who doubt God’s work in the conversion of sinners soon advance in audacity and ascribe the blessed change to hypocrisy, self-interest, madness, or some other evil influence.