Luke 11:23
"Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters."
Here we are again; we're at another drawing of a sharp line in the sand. It’s one of those sayings of Jesus' that forces you to wrestle with where you stand, no middle ground is offered. There's no opportunity for fence-sitting.
The people in the crowd who aren't for him try to propagandize the moment and twist its meaning. They begin to accuse him of working with Beelzebul, the "prince of demons." And Jesus begins to dismantle their logic.
Jesus says, "if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?"
And if their exorcists are casting out demons, by what cosmic powers are they doing these things. Why is it that when I do these things it's of Satan, but when you do these things it's from heaven? What makes you think that your faith is superior to mine? By what logic can you make these claims?
It’s a mic-drop moment. He’s exposing the absurdity of their claim, why would evil undermine itself? It’s not just a clever comeback; it’s a challenge to their entire worldview. He’s saying, "You’re fine with your guys doing this, but when I do it, it’s demonic? What’s your standard here?" He’s not just dismantling their logic, he’s holding up a mirror to their hypocrisy, forcing them to confront the inconsistency.
They've been using the ancient rites of Solomon to cast out demons and it's authorized by the church [the temple]. In the Jewish context of the time, Solomon was the gold standard for demon-busting wisdom. The Testament of Solomon, though not canonical, was floating around in their cultural memory, painting him as the guy who controlled demons with divine authority via that famous ring and God-given power. And if the evidence of that authority is a successful exorcism, then how is it that Jesus hasn't just proved his own heavenly authority to do likewise and more so for he IS that heavenly authority. He wasn't practicing Solomon's rites; he was employing HIS own Messiah rights.
So, when Jesus steps in, casting out demons without their playbook, it’s a double shock. One, he’s successful, undeniably so, which, by their own metric (success = authority), should check the temple approved box. And on top of that, two, he’s not channeling Solomon’s rites or the temple's approval; he’s claiming something bigger. He is the authority, not just borrowing it. He’s not just matching their game; he’s rewriting the rules, and they hate him for that. Again, he's holding up a mirror to their pride and hypocrisy and boy does it sting and create an embarrassing situation for them in the eyes of the onlookers.
When he says...
"If I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you" (Luke 11:20)
...it’s like he’s flexing divine muscles they can’t even fathom. Power that originates in Him. It's not borrowed from ancient saints or the traditions of men. And they HATE that about him.
And we see these wicked spirits of pride and envy in many religious communities even today. Many who claim faith in the way of Jesus Christ, but lean towards the ancient non-conical traditions and rites. People who sing praises for the story of Jesus Christ crucified, and in the next breath offer up prayers and praises to those who've walked in faith before them, as if those saints in the faith have become holy and divine in ways Jesus never could.
That line, "by the finger of God", isn’t just a power move; it’s a declaration of divine origin. No intermediaries needed. No hand-me-down rituals from Solomon or the temple. He’s the living epicenter of divine authority, and they can't deny his power. And they HATE him for that. It threatens their whole system, the priests, traditions about the saints, the neat little boxes they’ve built to keep God manageable. Jesus doesn’t just step outside those boxes; he obliterates them.
It’s wild to think that some Christian people can sing "Jesus saves" and then turn around and treat the faithful departed people who have come before like they’ve unlocked some higher tier of holiness, almost as if Christ’s work wasn’t enough. It’s a subtle twist, but it echoes the same vibe as those Pharisees. They're clinging to human frameworks over the raw, unmediated power of God. And they determine that anyone operating outside that framework are from Satan.
So now let's bring it full circle, coming back to our focus scripture today:
Luke 11:23
"Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters."
The "gathering or scattering" feels even weightier in this spiritual jealousy light. If Jesus is the kingdom breaking in, unborrowed, untamed, then leaning on anything else isn’t just neutral; it’s actively working against him. If your traditions, your rites, your sacrifices to idols, draw your attention from Jesus, you are by default working against him.
And I realize that the context is in demonic possession and exorcism, but we're in fact inducted into that battle when we call upon the name of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. The spiritual world is aware of you when you take up your faith in Jesus Christ. It's not just heaven that gets notice when someone comes to faith.
Take a look at how the conversation turns:
Luke 11:24-26
"When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finding none it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order. Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that person is worse than the first."
It brings demonic friends back with it. What friends? Idolatry? Ancient rites and traditions? Spiritual pride and tribalism? Demonic influencers who create division?
Friends,
When you call on Jesus as Lord, you’re not just signing up for His salvation, you’re stepping onto a battlefield. Heaven notices, sure, but so does the other side. That’s a chilling thought, and it’s exactly where Jesus takes us here in Luke 11. It’s not enough to just kick the demon out, something’s got to fill that "swept and ordered" house, or it’s open season on you and your religion.
So whatcha gonna fill it with? A bunch of self-righteousness? A church membership? Pomp and pageantry? They’re the kind of insidious influencers that don’t just possess; they entangle. They sneak in under the guise of piety and tradition in wolves clothing, and then suddenly, or maybe subtly, you’ve got a house full of squatters tearing it apart, or bad neighbors accusing Jesus of casting out demons with the help of demons.
It’s almost like Jesus is warning that deliverance isn’t the endgame, it’s the starting line. If you’re NOT actively "gathering" with him, filling that space with his presence, you’re at risk of "scattering", letting those demonic tag-alongs take root.
What do you think the antidote is here? How do you keep the house from getting re-infested?
For me, its constant study of God's word. The demons absolutely HATE that. And so do many in "the Church".
When I'm diving into God’s word relentlessly. It’s like I'm fortifying my house, not just sweeping it clean but locking the doors and arming the alarms. Demons hating it makes sense; because scripture’s a living weapon.
Hebrews 4:12 calls it "sharper than any two-edged sword"
Piercing through the noise and cutting to the core. When you’re steeped in it, you’re not just passive, you’re actively aligning with Christ, gathering with him. Plus, it keeps you grounded against those sneaky "friends" like pride or tradition-worship.
Food for thought, the demon you feed. Often tied to the story of two wolves, one representing good and the other evil, battling within us. The one that wins is the one we nurture with our thoughts, actions, and energy. Feed your thoughts with God's word, nourish your mind and spirit with something divine rather than letting darker impulses take root. It’s like choosing the light over the shadows in that old metaphor.
Colossians 2:16-17 Where Paul writes:
"Therefore, do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ."
Hebrews 10:1 calls the Old Testament law
"a shadow of the good things to come, not the realities themselves."
Jesus is the reality, and they missed it.
And the rest is history that keeps on repeating itself.