The miracles of healing and restoration were accomplished by the 'finger of God' v20. Thus Jesus proclaims "the Kingdom of God has already come". The Jews however refuse to stand with him or accept his healing powers. They prefer to remain uncommitted and accuse him of conniving with Satan. "Beelzebul" a name of an ancient idol, was a Jewish term for the devil. The Jews were obsessed with the belief that illness was a form of possession. Jesus does not concern himself with distinguishing between illness and possession. To him, the 'glory of God is a human being fully alive', and the Incarnation was God's way of making us all divine i.e re-creating us anew in the image and likeness of God.

If we fail to recognise the 'finger of God' in all the good we see around us and in us we fail to listen to God's word, thus hardening our hearts like the Jews.

Victory over Satan is daily re-enforced through Prayer, the insistent prayer of committed Christian communities; the witness and self-sacrifice of courageous human beings, their effective and affective lives repulse the diabolical presence of slavery to money, political power, exploitation of persons, drugs etc. v24 is a warning to all of us who have become self-satisfied that we are "okay" or "swept clean" of all wrong-doings. If we rest on our "laurels" and fail in dying to oneself daily, we are in danger of allowing the root of evil to remain in us. Discipleship is a daily task...following Christ is the only complete cure.