Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 11:22
But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armor wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.
22. a stronger than he ] Christ, “having spoiled principalities and powers, made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in His Cross,” Col 2:15.
his spoils ] The spoils which Satan had won from the race of man. Bengel.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
22. a stronger than heChrist:Glorious title, in relation to Satan!
come upon him and overcomehimsublimely expressing the Redeemer’s approach, as the Seedof the woman, to bruise the Serpent’s head.
taketh from him all hisarmour“his panoply,” “his complete armor.”Vain would be the victory, were not the means of regaining hislost power wrested from him. It is this that completes the triumphand ensures the final overthrow of his kingdom. The parable thatimmediately follows (Lu11:24-26) is just the reverse of this. (See on Mt12:43-45.) In the one case, Satan is dislodged by Christ,and so finds, in all future assaults, the house preoccupied;in the other, he merely goes out and comes in again, finding thehouse “EMPTY”(Mt 12:44) of any rival, andall ready to welcome him back. This explains the important sayingthat comes in between the two parables (Lu11:23). Neutrality in religion there is none. The absenceof positive attachment to Christ involves hostility to Him.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But when a stronger than he,…. By whom is meant Christ, who is the mighty God, the Almighty; and appears to be so, in the creation of all things, in upholding them by the word of his power, in the government of the world, and the works of providence, in the redemption of his people from sin, Satan, and the law, and in the conversion of them, by the efficacy of his grace, and in the preservation of them by his power; and who is manifestly stronger than Satan; not only by these instances, but by what follows:
shall come upon him; as he did in person, when he dispossessed him from the bodies of men; and does by his Spirit in conversion, when he enters into his palace, the heart of man, binds him, and looses men from him, and turns them from the power of Satan, to God, and sets up a throne of grace, where he himself dwells and reigns: so he comes upon him as an adversary, and often at an unawares; and always with great power and strength, and succeeds: Satan came upon Christ in the wilderness, in the garden, and on the cross, and attacked him, but without success; whence it is clear, that he is stronger than he:
and overcame him; he overcame him in the wilderness, and obliged him to retreat; and on the cross, when he obtained a complete victory over him, destroyed him, his principalities and powers, and all his works, and led him captive; and in conversion, so as to deliver his people from him, that were led captive by him, as that he can never regain his dominion over them more; and though he is suffered to tempt them; he cannot destroy them; and the saints shall overcome him at last, and have him bruised under their feet: and at the same time,
he taketh from him all his armour, wherein he trusted; as his temptations, which he himself repelled in the wilderness, and wrenched out of his hands, and made them useless, and he gives power to his people to resist them, and succours them under them, and delivers them out of them; and also the sins of men, which he took away on the cross, when he bore them, and the punishment of them there: and in conversion, he greatly weakens the power of sin, and takes away the dominion of it; and though the being of it is not removed, hence Satan has something to work upon, yet its power is so far gone, that neither that nor Satan, can destroy such who are truly called by the grace of God:
and divideth his spoils: he spoils his house, the heart of man, from being any longer a palace for him, and his goods, his mind and conscience, which are enlightened and awakened, and purged: or by his spoils are meant, the souls of men; which are taken as a prey out of his hands, and become trophies of victorious grace.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
But when ( ). Note in verse 21.
Stronger than he ( ). Comparative of followed by the ablative.
Come upon him and overcome him ( ). Second aorist active participle of and first aorist active subjunctive of . Aorist tense here because a single onset while in verse 22 the guarding (, present active subjunctive) is continuous.
His whole armour ( ). An old and common word for all the soldier’s outfit (shield, sword, lance, helmet, greaves, breastplate). Tyndale renders it “his harness.” In the N.T. only here and Eph 6:11; Eph 6:13 where the items are given.
Wherein he trusted (‘ ). Second past perfect active of , to persuade. The second perfect is intransitive, to trust. Old and common verb. He trusted his weapons which had been so efficacious.
His spoils ( ). It is not clear to what this figure refers. Strong as Satan is Jesus is stronger and wins victories over him as he was doing then. In Col 2:15 Christ is pictured as triumphing openly over the powers of evil by the Cross.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
A stronger. Also with the article : the stronger.
All his armor [ ] . Wrong; for the armor is regarded as a whole – the panoply – which is a transcript of this word. Rightly, Rev., his whole armor. Tynd., his harness.
Spoils [ ] . See on Mr 5:35. Compare on goods, Mt 12:29.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “But when a stronger than- he,” (epan de ischuroteros autou) “Then when one stronger than he is,” Col 2:15, that stronger one is Christ,” greater than he that is in the world,” Isa 53:12; 1Jn 4:4.
2) “Shall come upon him, and overcome him,” (epelthon nikese auton) “Coming upon him, overcomes him,” as Christ has done to Satan, in His death and resurrection, Heb 2:9; Heb 2:14-15; Rev 1:18; Rev 20:2-3.
3) “He taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted,” (ten panoplion autou airei eph’ he epepoithei) “He takes away his armour on which he had relied,” the source of his false security, all his panoply, his fighting gear or paraphernalia, Mat 12:29; Mar 3:27.
4) “And divideth his spoils.” (kai ta skula autou diadidosin) “And he distributes his arms,” all his gear of warfare, to others, as he pleases, as a result of his conquering or conquest, 2Co 10:4-5; Mar 3:27.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
Luk 11:22 . , panoply, a Pauline word (Eph 6:11 ; Eph 6:13 ). , distributes the spoils among his friends with the generosity and the display of victory, referring probably to the extensive scale of Christ’s healing ministry among demoniacs.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
when = as soon as.
taketh = taketh away. Same word as in Luk 8:12.
all his armour = his panoply. Occurs only here, any Eph 6:11, Eph 6:13.
wherein = on (Greek. epi. App-104.) which.
trusted = had trusted.
spoils. Compare Mar 5:5. Occurs only here.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Luk 11:22. , having come upon him) unexpectedly.-, he had been confident) The victory of Christ was the more glorious, after that He had overcome Satan, who had prevailed mightily, and had been confident, for so many ages.-, spoils) which Satan had wrested from mankind.-, distributeth) Eph 4:8 [When He ascended on high He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men].
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Gen 3:15, Isa 27:1, Isa 49:24, Isa 49:25, Isa 53:12, Isa 63:1-4, Col 2:15, 1Jo 3:8, 1Jo 4:4, Rev 20:1-3
Reciprocal: Exo 15:9 – I will pursue Pro 11:16 – and Isa 9:3 – and as men Jer 31:11 – stronger Mat 12:29 – General Mat 12:44 – my Mar 1:26 – torn Luk 4:35 – thrown Act 26:18 – and from