No man can enter into a strong man’s house and spoil his goods.
The devil’s strength
Christ is showing that He casts out demons by a greater power than Satan’s, viz., by the power of His own Godhead. This He illustrates by a comparison taken from one who forcibly enters the house of a strong man, and makes spoil of it by violent seizure of the goods and weapons that he had in his house. Such an one must be stronger than the strong man, else he cannot do it. Even so (says the Saviour) seeing that I have forcibly entered upon Satan’s possession, and have bound him and spoiled his goods, i.e., taken from him that power and tyranny which he before exercised over the body of him that was possessed; and seeing I have also cast him out of his own house, i.e., out of the person possessed; hence it may appear that I have done all this by a greater power than the power of Satan is, even by the power of My Godhead. Note that-
1. Christ likens Satan to a strong man well armed, and furnished with weapons to defend himself and his house in which he dwells.
2. He likens Himself to One that is stronger than that strong man.
3. He resembles the person that was possessed with the demon to the house of the strong man in which he holds possession.
4. He resembles the power of Satan to the goods and weapons of the strong man.
5. He compares the casting out of Satan by Himself to the entering into the strong man’s house, and binding of him, and spoiling of his house, etc. (G. Petter.)
Satan being likened to the strong man
, this teaches us that he is a creature of great strength and power (Luke 11:21; 1 Peter 5:8; Ephesians 6:12).
I. Wherein this power of the devil is manifested-
1. In working upon the insensible creatures-air, earth, water, etc.
2. In working upon those sensible creatures that want reason-beasts, birds, fishes, etc. He is able to enter into them and to move and work in them.
3. On the bodies of men; entering into them, hurting and annoying them, vexing and tormenting them with pain and disease.
4. On the minds, hearts, and affections of men, in tempting them inwardly, and soliciting them to sin by inward suggestion. This he does, not directly, but partly by the outward senses representing evil objects to them and so conveying evil thoughts to the mind, and partly by insinuating himself into the fancy or imagination.
II. What kind of power it is. Not an absolute power, but limited.
III. From whence He derives it. From God only; and He who gave, controls it.
IV. Why God gives Him such power.
1. That His own Divine power may the more appear in subduing Satan.
2. For the trial of His own children.
3. For the executing of His heavy vengeance and punishment on the wicked by Satan. (G. Petter.)
“The strong man armed:”
First, “the strong man armed keepeth his palace.” For indeed it is “a palace”-that soul of yours-made to be a royal habitation; and well did the King of kings furnish it for Himself. He had supplied it marvellously with all that should be for royal use and royal glory, and He had decked it with the most precious ornaments, and He set a throne there. Is it empty? No. Who sits on it? Who is supreme there over the affections? Who is that that is holding his silken reins that are as bands of iron? “The strong one”-none know how “strong” but those who try to escape, and throw off his tyranny; so “strong” that his strength is unseen, while in stillness and in silence he holds his own; so “strong” that the greatest determination of the most strong-minded man, unaided, trying to break any one of those many bonds, would be as if he were to try to uproot a mountain. And well is that strong one “armed.” Not in vain has he been reading the human heart for six thousand years; not in vain are all his vast experiences. Of amazing intellect is he-of immense power-a fallen angel of light, and he can wear all aspects, and he can bear all disguises. Awful the thought-that as the Lord Jesus had His “armour” so has that strong one-wherein he rightly trusts. There are the light, glittering “darts” of pleasure, that which has slain many a mighty one. And there is the heavy “sword” of unsanctified intellect to lay low the strong-minded. And there is the “breastplate” of selfishness, wrapping the heart round in its soft indulgences. And there is “the shield” of uncharitable controversy, which irritates without convincing. And there is “the helmet” of bold presumption, starting high in its false professions; and “the girdle” of infidelity-cramping, binding, girding the very loins of the man; and “the shoes” that walk roughly, and “the spirit” that takes converse only with itself. So, for years and years, “the strong one armed” rules, and so he “keeps” his captives quiet. And it is a weeping sight before the holy angels-those noble courts of man’s immortality, so trodden down, and profaned, and desolate. But “the stronger” comes; and now the fighting begins. Go with me a little way; for, thank God! that that gentle One who is so tender with weak and child-like hearts that “He will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax,” is yet of such gigantic might that He, stronger than the strongest, can and will trample down all His enemies and ours under His feet, “till He brings forth judgment unto victory.” See, then, how He “binds.” A little while ago some straitening circumstance happened to you, and you felt strangely circumscribed. Perhaps you were confined to your house; perhaps you were laid on a sick bed-you were shut out from the scenes you loved so well-your spirit felt cramped-your life became as a galling fetter-and you chafed against the restraint which you felt, but could not overcome. You did not know or think at that time that this was the very way by which that “stronger one” was proceeding to “bind” that old, strong, self-willed, impetuous nature in you, which, rampant so many years, had done you such grievous harm-you, who were the slave of your evil passions! Or, a very heavy trial almost crushed you-not you, but the old habit-the old affection-the old man in you-which many a lighter means had been tried, and tried in vain, to subdue and to destroy. Or, a very deep humiliation visited your heart, and many a high thought of your youth was brought low-you felt it very hard; for you did not realize into what pride “the strong one” was lashing you, and what curbing that proud heart of yours needed before it could be broken. And remember, even the knocking off the prisoner’s chains will give him pain, and the longer he has worn the chain the greater the pain of loosening. Now mark “the spoil.” “He will bind the strong man, and then He will spoil his house.” The habit of sin broken, the soul emancipated; Christ is free to claim His own property, which His own blood has purchased, and His own right hand has rescued. He had restored the property to its rightful owner. And wondrously, in His infinite love, He “divides the spoils” which He has taken. You, He gives to yourself, so that that is which was not before, nor ever could be-He has made you your own. Nevertheless, “you are not your own,” but His-your own, because you are His. Your heart, which Satan bound, and He looses, He keeps all for Himself. Your fellowships, your sympathies, He allots for the Church. Your time, your talents, your energies, your charities for the world; your highest exercises of mind, for communion with Himself; your faith for the promises; your ambition for the extension of the truth, and the exalting of His own empire; your awe and love for holy worship; your soul, “bound up in the bundle of life,” for heaven, and for eternity; your knees for prayer; your tongue for holy utterances; your ears for truth; your eyes to receive and emit sacred influences; your feet for mission; your whole body for saintly service. So He “divides the spoils;” and yet they are all the more one, because they are divided; for it is all for all; and all for all for Him; and all for all for Him forever. (J. Vaughan, M. A.)