The Pharisees’ accusation that Jesus is an agent of the devil reveals a disturbing aspect about religion. Religions can become dangerous when their adherents use their entrenched beliefs about devils and demons to depersonalize others and label them as “children of the devil”[1]. History shows that the danger comes from the way this label creates the illusion of an enemy who must be defeated in any way possible. This type of psychological scapegoating of others is then often used to justify many forms of aggression and violence[2].
This is the dangerous path followed by the Pharisees. They demonize Jesus with the lie that he is a child of the devil. This illusion relies on their claim that Jesus derives his power to drive out demons from Beelzebub, the prince of demons. This is a self-serving premise that allows the Pharisees to see Jesus as an enemy they aim to kill. Jesus knows their type. He therefore responds to their unfounded and distorted claim with a dilemma to expose the illusion created by their lie.
On the one hand, if the Pharisees are correct, then their own people rely on the same power to expel demons. In that case, Satan is a house divided and on the verge of falling. If, on the other hand, they are wrong, then Jesus derives his power from God, and the kingdom of God has arrived. In that case, the Pharisees are on the wrong side of history. As Jesus puts it, “whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” There is no “in-between” when it comes to following Jesus.
The interesting question raised by this encounter between Jesus and the Pharisees has to do with the effectiveness of a lie. Why does a lie work? What is so appealing about the illusion that a lie creates? A lie always operates on a self-serving premise that promises the illusion of satisfying some physical, psychological, or emotional need. The greater the need, the greater the appeal of the illusion. This makes it difficult at times to know the difference between a lie and the truth. Some lies cannot be detected. That is the nature of a lie.
But, Jesus shows us how to detect a lie most clearly in his own encounter with the devil in the desert. We know the story. After Jesus spends 40 days fasting in the desert, the devil offers him three proposals. Each proposal operates on a self-serving premise that the devil uses to create the illusion of satisfying some need. Jesus relies on the Word of God, his faith in God, and his love for the Father in crafting his response to each proposal (Mt 4:1-11).
In the first proposal, the devil suggests that Jesus turn stones into bread to satisfy his physical hunger. The devil hopes to create the illusion that life of the body takes priority over life of the soul. Jesus responds with the Word of God to this first illusion by asserting that we do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God (Mt 4:4). In other words, stay focused on the word of God as a sure guide to the right road. The justification for satisfying all our needs has no better reference point than scripture itself.
In the second proposal, the devil suggests that Jesus can prove God’s love by jumping off the parapet to test whether God will save him from harm. The devil relies on a common fear of loss to create the illusion that God is unreliable and therefore will not save him. Jesus responds with love for his father to this second illusion. Because Jesus loves his father, he knows that our relationship with God calls for trust rather than suspicion (Mt 4:7). Thus, Jesus responds to the second illusion with his command not to test God. The point is, no matter what happens, God works all things to the good for those who love him and seek to do his will (Rm 8:28). There is no better safety net than the one provided by the love of God.
In the final proposal, the devil offers worldly kingdoms to Jesus in exchange for worship from Jesus. The devil relies on the human propensity for greed to create the illusion that material wealth brings untold power and control. For the greedy person, however, enough is never enough. In that case, the pursuit of material wealth above all else is greed that amounts to worship of a false God. Jesus responds with faith in God to the third illusion, and says that worship belongs to the true God alone; he is the only one to serve (Mt 4:10).
Word, Faith, and Love are the tools Jesus relies on in exposing and responding to each illusion presented by the devil. Jesus relies on the Word of God to feed his soul, his faith in God to sustain him in time of troubles, and his love for God as the guiding purpose of his life and mission. His response in each case reveals the sure tools we also have to detect and disarm illusions of any kind, especially those offered by the devil (1 Cor 10:13; Jm 5:16). In the words of St. James, with all humility and confidence, call on God [in Word, Faith and Love] for power to resist [the illusions offered by] the devil, and he will flee (Jm 4:7-10).
No comments:
Post a Comment