"Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables, “How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divivided, he cannot stand; that is the end of him. But no one can enter a strong man’s house to plunder his property unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house.”
This parable makes good sense until he talks about the strong man. Who do you think he is referring to when he speaks of this plunderer? Is God the plunderer and Satan the strong man who is tied up?
“No one is able to enter into the vessel of the strong one, into the house of him to plunder [it], without first binding the strong one and then plundering the house of him.”
The above is from looking at the Interlinear Greek. According to Gesenius, there are other options for ‘gear, property’ - and, to me, ‘vessel’ better applies to the parable. Satan isn’t interested in plundering my material things - but in binding my soul to him in this life so that I’ll be his in the next life as well.
It is sin that binds a person. Once I’m firmlly bound by one, Satan has the run of the place.
I’ve thought on this verse before but not until today did I go digging. Came across something interesting in the commentaries, although the connection I see may seem a bit ‘out there’ to others.
Pulpit Commentary on Deut. 20:5-7
“And the officers shall speak unto the people, saying, What man is there that hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it? let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it.”
“The officers; the shoterim, the keepers of the genealogical tables (Deuteronomy 16:18). It belonged to them to appoint the men who were to serve, and to release those who had been summoned to the war, but whose domestic relations were such as to entitle them to exemption.
If there was one who had built a house, but had not dedicated it, i.e. by taking possession of it and dwelling in it; or if there was one who had planted a vineyard and had not eaten of the fruit thereof; or if there was one who had betrothed a wife, but had not yet married her; - such were to be allowed to return home,
lest they should die in battle, and it be left to others to consummate what they had begun. According to Josephus, this exemption was for a year, according to the analogy of Deuteronomy 24:5.”
((Perhaps the thought was that when a man takes a new, ‘empty’ wife, he ‘dedicates her to himself’ by impregnation, lest someone else claim the barren field, so to speak. And they give him a year to accomplish the mission.))
Matt. 12:43-45
43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.
44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come,
he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.
45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.
When Jesus frees me of a demon/forgives sin and if I don’t fill up that emptied space with Bible study, renewed focus on Jesus, etc. then the devil will return and find, once again, a habitable space – but a larger one, because when Jesus clears things out, He is generous.
I think it often happens that people are forgiven of sin but then fail to ‘dedicate the space’ with ‘Godly things’. So when the devil roams around a bit and returns, he finds he has room not only to re-enter but to bring friends.
