Matthew 9:34

But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(34) Through the prince of the devils.—In Matthew 12:24-30 the charge reappears, with the addition of the name of “Beelzebub,” as the prince of the devils; and, together with our Lord’s answer to it, will be better discussed in the Notes on those verses. Here it will be enough to note the coincidence with Matthew 10:25, which shows that the accusation had been brought before the mission of the Twelve, related in the following chapter.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

9:32-34 Of the two, better a dumb devil than a blaspheming one. Christ's cures strike at the root, and remove the effect by taking away the cause; they open the lips, by breaking Satan's power in the soul. Nothing can convince those who are under the power of pride. They will believe anything, however false or absurd, rather than the Holy Scriptures; thus they show the enmity of their hearts against a holy God.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils - That is, Beelzebub. See the notes at Matthew 12:24. They did not deny the reality of the miracle or the facts in the case, but they ascribed what was done to the power of the great leader of the fallen host, as if Jesus were in league with him. For the manner in which the Saviour met that reasoning, see the notes at Matthew 12:25-28.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

34. But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils—"the demons through the prince of the demons." This seems to be the first muttering of a theory of such miracles which soon became a fixed mode of calumniating them—a theory which would be ridiculous if it were not melancholy as an outburst of the darkest malignity. (See on [1246]Mt 12:24, &c.).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

This was not the only time they said so: see Matthew 12:24 Mark 3:22 Luke 11:15. See Poole on "Matthew 12:24". I shall in my notes on Matthew 12:24 speak more fully to this text, where we shall also meet with our Saviour’s vindication of himself from this imputation. At present, I shall only observe the miserable effects of blindness and malice. The common people marvelled, and said there was never seen such things in Israel. The Jewish doctors are mad, and charge our Saviour to have made a contract with the devil, and to have derived this power from him. But how did this appear to them? Nothing appeared as to any thing which our Saviour had done that could conduct their reason to such a judgment; nothing but what led their more charitable neighbours to a quite contrary judgment. But something they must say to defame our Saviour’s reputation amongst the people; having nothing else, but what the people would have judged false, they thus charge him. Nor are the children of the devil to learn his arts, who, when they cannot charge good and holy men with profaneness, charge them with hypocrisy, of which it is impossible they should be competent judges.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

But the Pharisees said,.... Who were the sworn enemies of Christ, and were filled with envy at him, and malice against him: these men could not bear, that so much honour and glory should be given to Christ; and therefore said,

he casteth out the devils through the prince of the devils: they could not deny matter of fact, that he had cast out a devil; nor could they say he had done an ill thing in so doing; they could not but own that it was a preternatural action, more than human; nor could they contradict what the multitude said, that no such thing had been ever seen, or known, in Israel: but that Christ might not have the glory of the action, and to fix a mark of infamy upon him, foolishly impute it to a diabolical influence, as if one devil would eject another; and to Christ's familiarity with, and the assistance he had from, not a common devil, but the prince of them. In Beza's most ancient manuscript, and in some others, this whole verse is wanting; and were it not, for the general consent of copies, one should be tempted to think these words were not said at this time, because Christ returns no answer to them; and what is observed by Luke 11:15 as following this miracle, is the selfsame as was spoken by Christ in Matthew 12:24 and where this passage is more thoroughly considered.

Geneva Study Bible

But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

Matthew 9:34. What a contrast to those plaudits of the people!

ἐν τῷ ἄρχοντι τῶν δαιμονίων] His power to cast out demons originates in the prince of demons; everything depends on the Devil, he is the power through which he works. Comp. on ἐν, Ellendt, Lex. Soph. I. p. 597; Winer, p. 364 [E. T. 486]; on ὁ ἄρχων τ. δαιμ., Ev. Nicod. 23, where the devil is called ἀρχιδιάβολος; see in addition, Thilo, p. 736.

Expositor's Greek Testament

Matthew 9:34. οἱ δὲ φαρ. ἔλεγον. The multitude admired, but the Pharisees said. They are watching closely the words and acts of Jesus and forming their theories. They have got one for the cures of demoniacs.—ἐν τῷ ἄρχοντι τ. δ: He casts out demons in the power of the prince of demons. Probably they did not believe it, but it was plausible. How differently men view the same phenomenon (vide on Matthew 12:22 f.).

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

32–34. Cure of a Dumb Man possessed by an evil spirit.

St Luke 11:14-1534. He casteth out the devils through the prince of the devils] The answer to this charge is given, ch. Matthew 12:25-30.

Bengel's Gnomen

Matthew 9:34. Ἐν τῷ ἄρχοντι, through the prince) The Pharisees could not deny the magnitude of our Lord’s miracles; they ascribe them, therefore, to a great author, though an evil one.[432]

[432] At a subsequent period they even more wantonly poured out bitter remarks of this kind. Yet, however great their wickedness, they were at least more clear-sighted than those, who acknowledge the reality of neither demons, nor demoniacal possession, nor expulsion.—V. g.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 34. - But the Pharisees said (vide supra). If the verse be genuine here, the thought, of course, is that the only effect of Christ's miracles upon the Pharisees was to drive them to open blasphemy and wanton opposition to the evidence of plain facts, as is brought out at length in Matthew 12:24-32. He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils; by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils (Revised Version); which indicates the true order of the words in the Greek. Through. The Revised Version margin, in, is more literal. The Pharisees assert not only that Jesus effected this cure by the instrumentality of Satan, but by means of union with him. Matthew 9:34