Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 20
May 23, 1968
NUMBER 4, PAGE 9b-10a

Excerpts Of Jesus (II.)

Donald R. Givens

Matthew 12:29 (also Mark 3:27) "Or how can one enter into the house of the strong man, and spoil his goods, EXCEPT he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.

Primarily this verse teaches that Christ overcomes and wrests Satan's power from him. In order to properly understand verse 29 one must read the context (verses 22 through 30).

Satan is the "strong man;" his "house" is the body of the one possessed of a demon; and his "goods" is the evil spirit within the man. Jesus had entered his house, and spoiled him of his goods; and this proved that, instead of being in league with, or working for Satan, He has overpowered him Therefore, our Lord put to shame the Pharisees by His power to dispossess the man of verse 22 of the demon. This great power was one of Jesus' most convincing credentials and by it He demonstrated His superiority over Satan. He was NOT casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub as the Pharisees had accused Him (verse 24).

So the illustration is: a man could not break into the house of a "strong man" and take his property UNLESS (except!) he had first rendered the strong man himself helpless. If he had taken his goods, it would therefore be sufficient proof that he had bound the strong-man. So I, says Jesus, have taken the possessed person from the dominion of Satan. It is definite proof that I have subdued Satan himself, the "strong being" that had him in possession.

The basic lesson we can obtain from this, is that it is Christ, and Christ alone, who can deliver one from the power of bondage to Satan. Above all, it is Christ, through the power of His death and resurrection, who brought to nought him that had the power of death, that is, the devil (Hebrews 2 : 14,15 )