Fathers

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What the Fathers say

Matthew 12:24

Eastern Fathers

Theophylact of Ohrid

Although the Lord had departed for their sake, nevertheless they heard of it even from afar and slandered Him as He was doing good to men, and thus they were enemies of nature, as is the devil.

Commentary on Matthew ↗

Western Saints

Thomas Aquinas

But when the Pharisees heard it they said, "It is only by Beelzebub that this man casts out devils." Beelzebub is the god of Ehron, as it says in 2 Kings (1:16). He is called the lord of flies on account of the foul rite of the blood sacrificed, by reason of which many flies gathered. …

Commentary on Matthew ↗

Remigius of Rheims

Beelzebub is the same as Beel or Baal, or Beelphegor. Beel was father of Ninus king of Assyria; Baal was so called because he was worshipped on high; he was called Beelphegor from the mountain Phegor; Zebub was the servant of Abimelech the son of Gedeon, who, having slain his seventy brothers, built a temple to Baal, and set him up as Priest therein, to drive away the flies which were collected there by the abundant blood of the victims; for Zebub means, a fly. …

Catena Aurea by Aquinas ↗