Jesus Has Come As The Stronger Than He And Has Defeated Satan (11:14-23).
In the chiasmus of the whole section this passage is in parallel with Jesus' description of Satan like lightning falling from Heaven, and of the deliverance of His people from the power of the Enemy (Luke 10:17-20). Here the idea is amplified and dealt with in more detail. It is no accident that it follows immediately on the idea of the giving of the Holy Spirit. It is the giving of the Holy Spirit that confirms man's deliverance from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God.
In this passage we discover that far from being ‘brought into temptation' the power of the Tempter is broken by ‘the finger of God'. He has indeed fallen from Heaven. Our accuser has been banished. He no longer holds sway among believers. He has been rendered powerless against them. Restriction has been put on him that prevents his exercising his full power (Revelation 20:2). He may roar on his chain and seek to spring at us, but he is restrained by his handler (2 Thessalonians 2:6-7). And this has been accomplished by the Stronger than he Who has come. The One who is restoring bruised and battered Israel, who had been spoiled by robbers, has also dealt with the Chief Bandit.
The passage may be analysed as follows:
a He was casting out a demon that was dumb. And it came about that, when the demon was gone out, the dumb man spoke, and the crowds marvelled. But some of them said, “It is by Beelzebub the prince of the demons that He casts out demons, and others, trying Him, sought of Him a sign from heaven (Luke 11:15-16).
b But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingship divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls. And if Satan also is divided against himself, how shall his kingship stand? Because you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebub” (Luke 11:17-18).
c “And if I by Beelzebub cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore shall they be your judges. But if I by the finger of God cast out demons, then is the Kingly Rule of God come upon you” (Luke 11:19-20).
b “When the strong man fully armed guards his own court, his goods are in peace, but when a stronger than he shall come on him, and overcome him, He takes from him his whole armour in which he trusted, and divides his spoils” (Luke 11:21-22).
a “He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters” (Luke 11:23).
Note that in ‘a' He has revealed His power and the crowds marvel while His opponents accuse Him and bait Him, and in the parallel He makes it clear that all have an opportunity to be ‘with Him' but that those who oppose Him are against Him and scattering the flock (the very opposite of which they are claiming to do). In ‘b' he points out that civil war in Satan's camp is not feasible, for he would know that it would only destroy his kingship, while in the parallel he points out what has actually happened, he has been defeated by the Stronger than he. And ‘c' is central and demonstrates that what has happened proves that the Kingly Rule of God has come upon them.