43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
Sadly, these Pharisees could not understand the Words of our Lord because they would not understand the Words of our Lord. Unable to comprehend His speech because they were unwilling to accept His message – the Word of salvation which Jesus came to proclaim. Lacking the volition to hear with their hearts and subsequently be changed – Jesus’ Words fell on their “deaf” ears. The word translated “unable” in verse 43 meaning unwilling and the word translated “hear” in the same verse meaning not only to hear but also to heed. They simply lacked the will, the desire, to hear with their hearts and to be transformed from children of darkness to children of Light. In their unwillingness, they stop up their ears to the Truth of God’s Word turning rather to the deceitful one who roams the earth as a lion in pursuit to devour:
8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 (NIV)
“None are so blind as those who will not see, and none so stupid as those who do not want to understand.” J. C. Ryle
Next a stinging and stern rebuke issues from the Savior stating these Pharisees show forth evidence that they belong to Satan who was himself unwilling to abide in Truth and righteousness. Jesus infers that the purpose of these Pharisees was to practice the passion and desire of the heart of Satan, their father. We must remember that Satan’s desires are only of evil, resolutely set on bringing death and destruction to both the body and soul of man. The prophet Ezekiel gives us the following regarding our adversary:
15 You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. 16 Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. 17 Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings. Ezek 28:15-17 (NIV)
While the devil has no power to “create” the wicked, he works on mankind’s natural fleshly bents and by an intentional exertion of influence - through deception - he takes them captive to do his bidding. His methods and schemes of pursuit of a subject are both orderly and technical. Augustine states we become sons of Satan by imitation and not by birth. Paul tells us in 2 Timothy:
22 Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23 Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. 24 And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 25 Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will. 2 Tim 2:22-26 (NIV)
Satan is a master at setting traps – he has been doing it since he presented the fruit to Eve in the Garden of Eden. He tempts us at our weakest and most vulnerable points of which he is acutely aware of by his constant observations. While he is neither omniscient nor omnipotent, he commands power that we as mere flesh and blood certainly should respect – just a cursory look at Scripture would prove this point out. Indeed, Scripture tells us that even the archangel Michael did not dare bring a slanderous accusation against Satan rather stated “the Lord rebuke you!”
8 In the very same way, these dreamers pollute their own bodies, reject authority and slander celestial beings. 9 But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!" Jude 1:8-9 (NIV)
Jesus is pristinely clear in His description of the devil in our verses for today – he is a murderer and has been since the beginning, he is a liar not holding to the Truth and neither is any Truth found in him, his native language is lying and furthermore, he is the father of lies – not a pretty picture. He wears the mask of piety cloaked in the pretence of peace yet in reality he is set on our death and destruction. Thankfully, as believers in Jesus, greater is He who is in us that He who is in the world. Jesus has given us the power to resist the devil and He sits at the right hand of God always interceding for the saints. As children of the King, we do not have to give the devil an inch – the territory he takes is what we allow him to have. We are to stand firm then in the power of the Holy Spirit cloaked in the full armor of God when the day of evil comes – and we will be able to stand because Jesus is faithful to cause us to stand. Praise Him!