Even after all that Jesus would do, some people would try to explain his miracle-working in a secular way. They will "consider him a man," not a god. But then how can they account for his supernatural, miraculous deeds? They will "say that he hath a devil." Under the Law of Moses, miracles were viewed with caution. Judges needed to ask, "By what power or authority was this miracle performed?" (see Mark 3:22; Matthew 21:23).
Roman law also strictly prohibited magic and spell-casting. If these things were by the power of the Devil or evil forces, ancient judges were ordered, “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live” (Exodus 22:18). Anyone, male or female, could not use magic, miracle-working, or sign-giving to lead people to worship or follow some other god or way (Deuteronomy 13:1–4). Such conduct in Israel was seen as violating the first and greatest commandment, loving and having only the Lord as God, and the death penalty was to be enforced very seriously (Deuteronomy 13:5, 8–11). In Roman law, it was associated with treason, the most serious of all crimes. Benjamin’s prophecy explains best why Jesus was rejected and killed. More than any other single text, this passage has informed all my years of study of the trials and death of Jesus.