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Commentary on the Gospel of October 10, 2025
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
A passage from the Talmud—a kind of Jewish encyclopedia compiled around the 5th century but preserving much older traditions—says that Jesus “was hanged for practicing sorcery and leading Israel astray.” This is clearly the non-believing version of what today’s Gospel presents to us: a psychological healing performed by Jesus is interpreted as an act of magic or a use of demonic powers. These critics don’t come across as sincere seekers of truth, but as people hardened against Jesus’ new message. Rather than change their lives or reevaluate their views, they discredit the teacher. The precise nature of the event matters little here; what matters is the Gospel’s warning against hardness of heart—against being so set in one’s ways that one refuses to be challenged and instead labels undeniable good as the work of the devil.
There’s no need to dwell on the difficulties of this Gospel passage, which is steeped in the mythic worldview of the time. The world—and each person—is seen as a battlefield, where both Jesus and the devil (or demonic powers) are vying for possession. In very reserved kerygmatic language, Jesus refers to Himself as the “stronger one”—a way of speaking about the coming of God’s Kingdom, which establishes itself by overpowering the merely “strong.” That’s good news. But then comes a sharp warning: the house once taken by the “stronger one” can fall again into the hands of the “strong one,” the previous master. That would be a tragic spiritual relapse.
At one point, Jesus spoke of followers who later regretted their decision—those who, after putting their hand to the plow, looked back (Lk 9:62). Others might face the same temptation. In Luke’s Church—already removed from the earliest days and anticipating a long history ahead with no immediate expectation of the Second Coming—enthusiasm for the “stronger one” may begin to fade, and the door could reopen to the previous occupant. That would be apostasy—something Jesus equates with falling under the power of seven demons.
About a century ago, scholars attempting to “demythologize” the New Testament assumed that in such a worldview, there was no room for personal responsibility—human beings were seen merely as playthings of heavenly or infernal powers, with no real freedom. But this Gospel passage tells us otherwise. Jesus appealed directly to personal decision-making, urging each person to reflect on what they were doing with their life. Luke captures this well by inserting, between two strange parables, the saying about being with Jesus or against Him.
Each of us is being questioned today: To whom have we opened our house? To Jesus, the “stronger one,” or to the first seducer or deceiver who came knocking—who can go by many names? We are invited to stay vigilant, to guard against any “relapse” in our journey of faith.
Your brother,