And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?
All Commentaries on Matthew 12:26 Go To Matthew 12
John Chrysostom
AD 407
And yet, what is there more powerful on earth than a kingdom? Nothing, but nevertheless it perishes if in dissension. And if in that case one throw the blame on the great burden of the affairs thereof, as breaking down by its own weight; what would you say of a city? And what of a house? Thus, whether it be a small thing, or a great, if at dissension with itself, it perishes. If then I, having a devil, do by him cast out the devils, there is dissension and fighting among devils, and they take their stand one against another. But if they stand one against another, their strength is wasted and destroyed. For if Satan cast out Satan (and He said not the devils, implying their great unanimity one with another), he is then divided against himself; so He speaks. But if he be divided, he has become weaker, and is ruined; and if he be ruined, how can he cast out another?
Do you see how great the absurdity of the accusation, how great the folly, the inconsistency? Since it is not for the same persons to say first, that He stands, and casts out devils, and then to say, that He stands by that, which it was likely would be the cause of His undoing.
