Presumably, these teachers of the law heard about the great crowds who gathered around Jesus to be healed (Mark 3:7–8) and the miracles that Jesus did. They certainly heard about the fact that Jesus was casting out evil spirits. Jealous of Jesus’ popularity,1 they come to Capernaum to try and put a stop to his ministry.
22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.”