Church Fathers Commentary Matthew 12:22-24

"Then was brought unto him one possessed with a demon, blind and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the dumb man spake and saw. And all the multitudes were amazed, and said, Can this be the son of David? But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This man doth not cast out demons, but by Beelzebub the prince of the demons." — Matthew 12:22-24 (ASV)

Glossa Ordinaria: The Lord had already refuted the Pharisees above, when they brought false charges against Christ's miracles, claiming He had broken the Sabbath by performing them. But since, with even greater wickedness, they perversely attributed the miracles Christ performed by divine power to an unclean spirit, the Evangelist therefore first presents the miracle from which they took the opportunity to blaspheme, saying, "Then one who was demon-possessed, blind, and dumb was brought to Him."¹

Remigius of Auxerre: The word "Then" refers to the event mentioned above, where after healing the man who had the withered hand, He went out of the synagogue. Or it may refer to a more extended time; "Then," namely, when these things were being done or said.

St. John Chrysostom: We may wonder at the wickedness of the demon; he had obstructed both gateways by which a person could believe, namely, hearing and sight. But Christ opened both, from which it follows, "And he healed him, so that the blind and dumb man both spoke and saw."

St. Jerome: Three miracles were worked in one and the same person at the same time: the blind sees, the dumb speaks, and the possessed is delivered from the demon. This was done in the flesh at that time, but it is now fulfilled daily in the conversion of those who believe. The demon is cast out when they first behold the light of the faith, and then their mouths, which were previously stopped, are opened to utter the praises of God.

St. Hilary of Poitiers: Not without reason, after mentioning that the entire multitude was healed together, does the evangelist present the cure of this man separately—a man who was demon-possessed, blind, and dumb. For after the man with the withered hand was brought before Him and healed in the synagogue, it was fitting that the salvation of the Gentiles should be represented in the person of another afflicted man. He who had been the habitation of a demon—blind and dumb—should be made fit to receive God, to contain God in Christ, and by confession of God to give praise to the works of Christ.

St. Augustine of Hippo: For whoever does not believe is truly demon-possessed, blind, and dumb. And whoever does not understand the faith, nor confesses it, nor gives praise to God, is subject to the devil.²

This narrative is given by Luke, not in this place but after many other intervening events, and he speaks of the man as only dumb, not blind. But Luke should not be thought to be speaking of a different man just because he is silent about this one detail, for in what follows, he agrees exactly with Matthew.³

St. Hilary of Poitiers: The entire multitude was astonished at what was done, but the jealousy of the Pharisees grew because of it: "And all the people were amazed and said, 'Is not this the Son of David?'"

Glossa Ordinaria: Because of His mercy and goodness toward them, they proclaim Him the Son of David.⁴

Rabanus Maurus: The multitude, who seemed less learned, always marveled at the Lord's works. The Pharisees, on the other hand, either denied these works or, when they could not deny them, labored to distort them with a malicious interpretation. They claimed the works were performed not by God but by an unclean spirit, namely Beelzebub, who was the god of Ekron: "The Pharisees, when they heard it, said, 'This man does not cast out demons but by Beelzebub, the prince of the demons.'"⁵

Remigius of Auxerre: Beelzebub is the same as Beel, Baal, or Beelphegor. Beel was the father of Ninus, king of Assyria. Baal was so-called because he was worshiped on high, and he was called Beelphegor from Mount Phegor.

Zebub was the servant of Abimelech, the son of Gedeon. After slaying his seventy brothers, Abimelech built a temple to Baal and set Zebub up as priest in it. His role was to drive away the flies that were drawn by the abundant blood of the victims, for "Zebub" means "a fly."

Beelzebub is therefore interpreted as "the man of flies." Because of this most unclean worship, they called him the Prince of the demons. Having nothing more vile to say about the Lord, they claimed that He cast out demons by Beelzebub. It should also be known that this word is not to be read with a "d" or "t" at the end, as some corrupt copies have, but with a "b."

1. non occ.
2. Quaest. Ev., i, 4
3. De Cons. Ev., ii, 37
4. ap. Rabanus
5. e Beda in Luc.