Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 12:29
Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man and then he will spoil his house.
29. Not only is Satan not an ally, but he is an enemy and a vanquished enemy.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Mat 12:22; Mat 12:29
One possessed with a devil, blind and dumb.
I. What kind of power satan still exercises generally over mankind.
II. All who apply to, Jesus shall surely obtain deliverance.
III. On this deliverance an experience of Christs mercy will excite our admiration and confirm our faith. (W. P. Wait, M. A.)
I. A miracle of singular power and mercy.
II. The effect produced by this miracle on the minds of the people-They were amazed, etc.
III. The impious calumnies of the enemies of Christ. This charge displayed their malignity. There are two principles involved in our Lords reply.
1. That the power of Christ is greater than that of all the powers of darkness.
2. That the manifestation of His superior power establishes His claims as the Author of the new dispensation-Then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
IV. To awake salutary self-inspection the redeemer uttered the solemn admonition respecting the danger of neutrality and indecision in reference to his claims.
1. The danger of an undecided state.
2. Adore the gracious power of Christ.
3. Rejoice in the service and cause of Christ.
4. Dread the thought of being found amongst the enemies of Christ. (J. Fletcher.)
Christ and the Pharisees
I. The good mans relation to the world of want.
1. The good man is approachable.
2. He is sympathetic.
3. He is unostentatious.
II. The devils relation to good men. How did these Devils men use Christ?
1. They resorted to personal abuse-This fellow.
2. They ignored the value of the greatest blessings.
3. They insulted the plainest common-sense.
4. They attempted to trace good results to a bad cause.
5. They falsified the deepest and truest instincts of human nature. (J. Parker.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 29. Else how can one enter into a strong man’s house] Men, through sin, are become the very house and dwelling place of Satan, having of their own accord surrendered themselves to this unjust possessor; for whoever gives up his soul to sin gives it up to the devil. It is Jesus, and Jesus alone, who can deliver from the power of this bondage. When Satan is cast out, Jesus purifies and dwells in the heart.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Mark hath the same words, with little variation, Mar 3:27; Luke saith, Luk 11:21,22, When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: but when a stronger than he shall come upon him and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoil. The sense is the same, though the words be multiplied. Our Saviour showeth how his casting out of devils by the Spirit and power of God argued that the Messiah was come, and the time come when God would set up his kingdom amongst men. The devil, (saith he), who is the god of the world, and the prince of the power of the air, is very strong; there is none, save God only, who is stronger than he. If I were not God, I could never cast out this strong man, who reigns in the world as in his house; as you see amongst men, the strong man is not overcome but by one stronger. He by this also lets them know, that he was so far from any covenant or compact with Beelzebub, that he came into the world a professed enemy to him, to dispossess him of that tyrannical power he exercised amongst men, by his keeping them in darkness, blinding them with error and superstition, and seducing them to sinful practices, till God, for their prodigious sins, had also given him a power over their bodies, variously to vex, afflict, and torment them. Christ took from this strong man all his armour: by scattering the darkness which was in the world by the full revelation of gospel truth: by expelling error and superstition, teaching people the truths of God, and the right way of his worship: by taking away the guilt, and destroying the power of sin and death, ignorance, error, profaneness; the sense of the guilt of sin, and the power of lusts within us, being the devils armour, by which he kept up his power, and doth yet keep up what dominion he hath in the world.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
29. Or else how can one enter into astrong man’s houseor rather, “the strong man’s house.”
and spoil his goods, excepthe first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Or else, how can anyone enter into a strong man’s house,…. This is another argument of Christ’s proving that his casting out of devils could not be by Satan, but by the Spirit of God; for if he did not act by any superior power to Satan’s, and such by which he was able to master, overcome, and bind him, he could never
spoil his goods, as he did; or dispossess devils out of the bodies or souls of men: just as if a man should enter into another man’s house, who is strong and robust, with a design to spoil his goods, who would never make use of the man himself to do it, and can never be thought to effect it, unless he has a power superior to his, and uses it;
except he first bind the strong man, and then he will spoil his house: by the “strong man”, is meant the devil, see Isa 49:24 who is powerful and mighty, as appears from his nature, being an angel, though a fallen one, excelling in strength human creatures; from his names, such as the roaring lion, the great red dragon, leviathan, c. from the extent of his dominion, here called “his house” which reaches to the whole posse of devils, and world of men; whence he is called the prince of the power of the air, and the prince of this world, and the god of it; and from his works and actions, in and over the bodies and estates of men, by divine permission; which might be exemplified in the case of Job, and the demoniacs in the time of Christ; and in and over the souls of men, not only over wicked men, but men under a show of religion, as antichrist and his followers; yea, saints themselves, and even over Adam in a state of innocence; but Christ is stronger than he, and attacked him, and dispossessed him of the bodies of men; and restraining him from doing them any hurt, enters into the souls of men, dethrone him, and leads him captive, who led others; and keeps him from doing them any damage; as he will in the latter day “bind” him and shut him up in prison a thousand years; and also “spoils his goods”, or “vessels”, and “his house”; the palace of Satan, by taking bodies and souls out of his possession; by awakening the conscience, enlightening the mind, working upon the affections, subduing the will, and implanting principles of grace and holiness in the heart; and so making it a fit habitation for God, which spoils it for the devil: in all which, Satan can never be thought to have any hand; and therefore the suggestion that Christ casts out devils by his assistance, even out of the bodies of men, has no show of reason in it.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Of a strong man [ ] . Rev. rightly gives the force of the article, the strong man. Christ is not citing a general illustration, but is pointing to a specific enemy – Satan. How can I despoil Satan without first having conquered him?
Goods [] . The word originally means a vessel, and so mostly in the New Testament. See Mr 11:16; Joh 19:29. But also the entire equipment of a house, collectively : chattels, house – gear. Compare Luk 17:31; Act 27:17, of the gear or tackling of the ship. Rev., lowered the gear.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Or else how can one enter Into a strong man’s house,” (e pos dunati tis eiselthein eis ten oikian tou ischurou) “Or how can anyone enter into the residence of the strong man;” Can the prey be taken from the mighty by the weaker? is the question. See Isa 49:24-25.
2) “And spoil his goods,” (kai ta skeve autou harpasai) “And seize his household vessels,” to carry them away or destroy them, Luk 11:21-22; Mat 10:7-8.
3) “Except he first bind the strong man?” (ean me proton dese ton ischuron;) “Unless he first binds the strong man?” Is powerful enough to immobilize the strong man, the householder first? Jesus came to destroy Satan, loose souls who were and are captive to Satan and fear, and set them free, Heb 2:14-15.
4) And then he will spoil his house.” (kai tole ten oikean autou diarpasei) “And then (when he has bound the strong man) he will plunder his residence,” and his soul too, if he can first conquer the will of every man who is a free moral agent of his own destiny; Rev 20:2; Isa 49:24; Isa 53:12; Isa 55:6-7; Rev 22:17.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
29. How can any one enter into the house of a strong man? Though the Evangelists differ a little as to words, there is a perfect agreement among them as to the substance of this discourse. Christ is pursuing the subject, on which he had lately touched, about the kingdom of God, and declares it to be necessary that Satan be violently driven out, in order that God may establish his k i ngdom among men. What he now states is nothing else than a confirmation of the preceding statement. But to ascertain more fully the intention of Christ, we must call to our recollection that analogy which Matthew (8:17) traces between the visible and the spiritual layouts which Christ bestows. (124) Every benefit which the bodies of men received from Christ was intended to have a reference to their souls. Thus, in rescuing the bodily senses of men from the tyranny of the devil, he proclaimed that the Father had sent him as a Deliverer, to destroy his spiritual tyranny over their souls.
I now return to his words. He maintains that a strong and powerful tyrant cannot be deprived of his dominion, till he is stripped of his armor; for if he is not met by a force superior to his own, he will never yield of his own accord. Why is this asserted? First, we know that the devil is everywhere called the prince of the world Now the tyranny which he exercises is defended on every side by strong ramparts. His snares for entrapping men are beyond all calculation; nay, men are already his slaves, and so firmly bound by a variety of fetters, that they rather cherish the slavery, to which they are devoted, than make any aspirations after freedom. There are also innumerable evils which he inflicts upon them, by which he holds them in wretched oppression under his feet. In short, there is nothing to prevent him from tyrannizing over the world without control. Not that he can do anything without the permission of the Creator, but because Adam, having withdrawn from the dominion of God, has subjected all his posterity to this foreign sway.
Now though it is contrary to nature that the devil reigns, and though it is by, just punishment of God, on account of sin, that men are subjected to his tyranny, yet he remains in quiet possession of his kingdom, and may insult us at his pleasure, till a stronger than he shall rise up against him. But this stronger person is not to be found on earth, for men have not sufficient power to relieve themselves; and therefor it was promised that a Redeemer would come from heaven. Now this kind of redemption Christ shows to be necessary, in order to wrench from the devil, by main force, what he will never quit till he is compelled. By these words he informs us, that it is in vain for men to expect deliverance, till Satan has been subdued by a violent struggle. (125)
He expressly accuses the scribes of ignorance, in not understanding the principles of the kingdom of God. But this reproof applies almost equally to all, for all are chargeable with the same folly. There is no man who does not loudly boast that he desires the kingdom of God; and yet we do not permit Christ to fight boldly, as the occasion requires, in order to rescue us from the power of our tyrant; just as if a sick man were to entreat the aid of a physician, and then to refuse every remedy. We now see the reason why Christ introduced this parable. It was to show, that the scribes were hostile to the kingdom of God, the beginnings of which they maliciously resisted. Let us also learn that, as we are all subject to the tyranny of Satan, there is no other way in which he commences his reign within us, than when he rescues us, by the powerful and victorious arm of Christ, from that wretched and accursed bondage.
(124) Harmony, volume 1 p. 251.
(125) “ Que c’est folie aux hommes d’attendre deliverance, si Satan n’est premierement mis bas en choquant a bon escient contre luy;” — “that it is folly in men to expect deliverance, if Satan is not first put down by encountering him in good earnest.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(29) How can one enter into a strong mans house.The parable implied in the question appears in a fuller form in Luk. 11:21-22. Here it will be enough to note that the strong man is Satan. The house is the region which is subject to himi.e., either the world at large, or the spirits of individual men; the goods or instruments (comp. the armour of Luk. 11:22) are the demons or subordinate powers of evil by which he maintains his dominion; the binding of the strong man is the check given to the tyranny of Satan by emancipating the possessed sufferers from their thraldom; the spoiling of the house implies the final victory over him.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
29. A strong man’s house Our Lord here argues that his expelling devils proves his superiority over them. As a strong man enters the house of a weaker and spoils his goods, so our Lord enters the devil’s tenement and despoils him of it.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“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.”
The thought now moves to a household. Jesus is not only invading the kingdom of the strong man, he is entering his very palace. Satan is routed. Let them consider what that means about Him. The only one who can enter a strong man’s house and spoil his goods in this way, is One Who is stronger than he, One Who can bind him. Then He will be able to ‘despoil’ his house. Thus Jesus is by this claiming to be greater than Satan (contrast Jud 1:9). The binding of the strong man is depicted vividly in Rev 20:2-3 where it is to take place during the ‘thousand years’ (God’s perfect but immeasurable length of time) which comes before the final judgment. So the ‘thousand years’ has already begun here and will continue on until the consummation (compare 2Pe 3:8-9 where it is also the period during which men can repent).
By this Jesus is emphasising that He is stronger than Satan (which even Michael the Archangel dared not do – Jud 1:9) and that He is now here to bind the strong man. The despoiling of his house speaks of all those whom Jesus is delivering from His power (Act 26:18), and especially demon-possessed people. Being delivered from his household, they will enter the household of the Kingly Rule of God (Mat 12:49-50), for if they do not their last state may be worse than their first (Mat 12:45).
This ‘binding of Satan’ prevents him from interfering in Jesus’ deliverance of all who believe in Him. But it does not prevent many of his other activities against God’s people (Eph 6:10-18). It does, however, mean that they are strictly controlled. He is not, for example, allowed to tempt God’s people beyond what they can cope with (1Co 10:13).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Another illustration:
v. 29. Or else, how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.
v. 30. He that is not with Me is against Me; and he that gathereth not with Me scattereth abroad. In case they were not yet convinced, He will attempt to establish His position by another parabolic saying. Every demoniac is a captive of Satan, bound, body and soul, in his power, to do his will. But Christ has come to destroy the works of the devil, 1Jn 3:8. He wants to take the stronghold of the enemy and wrest his prey from him. This Jesus did, not only in the individual cases when He cured demoniacs, but by His entire life, suffering, and death, by His active and passive obedience in behalf of all men. He has gained a complete deliverance from the bondage of the devil. On His side, in His strength is victory, and there alone. This fact gives emphasis to the warning statement as to the alternative: either for or against Christ. There is no middle ground in this decision, there is no neutrality in this fight. This referred not only to the Pharisees, whose enmity was growing more evident every day, but especially to those among the people that were still undecided. The so-called neutral people that do not wish to oppose Christ outright, but also do not wish to antagonize the children of the world, the wise blasphemers, are, in the last analysis, enemies of the work of Christ and hinder the coming of the Kingdom. Instead of gathering with the Lord of the harvest, their hesitancy, their vacillating policy, harms His cause.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Mat 12:29. A strong man’s house The house of the strong one. See Isa 49:24-25. The strong one is the same as the evil one, and the prince of this world. The argument supposes, that the strong one is actually present to guard his house; and indeed the case in question proves the presence of Satan. The house of the strong one, into which Christ entered, was the world, fitly called Beelzebub’s house or palace, because there he is served by luxury, lust, covetousness, pride, anger, and other evil passions of men. The goods or vessels belonging to this strong one, which Christ spoiled, are the wicked, called Beelzebub’s vessels metaphorically; as St. Paul is called by Christ his chosen vessel, Act 9:15. Or, if we choose to pursue the allegory more closely, by the vessels or furniture of Beelzebub’s house we may understand the lusts and passions of men’s hearts, the instruments by which he keeps possession of them. See Heylin, Macknight, and Chemnitz.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Mat 12:29 . ] Transition by way of proceeding to give further proof of the actual state of the case.
] The article indicates the particular strong man (hero) with whom the has to do.
The thought embodied in this illustration is as follows: Or if you still hesitate to admit the inference in Mat 12:28 how is it possible for me to despoil Satan of his servants and instruments ( corresponding to the demons in the application ) withdraw them from his control without having first of all conquered him? Does my casting out of demons not prove that I have subdued Satan, have deprived him of his power, just as it is necessary to bind a strong man before plundering his house? For , when serving to introduce a question by way of rejoinder, see Bumlein, Partik . p. 132. The in the illustration are the furniture of the house (not the weapons), as is evident from . below. Mar 3:27 .
The figurative language may have been suggested by a recollection of Isa 49:24 f.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.
Ver. 29. A strong man’s house, &c. ] The devil is strong, but overpowered by Christ. He hath forcibly delivered us from the power of darkness, snatched us out of the Devil’s danger; , Col 1:13 so that, though he shake his chain at us, he cannot fasten his fangs in us. Stronger is he that is in the saints, than he that is in the world. Through Christ we shall overcome him,Rom 8:37Rom 8:37 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
29. ] Luke has the word applied to the spoiler in this verse; a title given to our Lord by the Baptist, ch. Mat 3:11 [123] , and also in prophecy, Isa 40:10 ( , LXX). See also Isa 53:12 (LXX); Isa 49:24-25 . See note on Luk 11:21 f., which is the fuller report of this parabolic saying.
[123] When, in the Gospels, and in the Evangelic statement, 1Co 11:23-25 , the sign () occurs in a reference, it is signified that the word occurs in the parallel place in the other Gospels, which will always be found indicated at the head of the note on the paragraph. When the sign () is qualified , thus, ‘ Mk.,’ or ‘ Mt. Mk.,’ &c., it is signified that the word occurs in the parallel place in that Gospel or Gospels, but not in the other or others .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mat 12:29 . o help them to decide Jesus throws out yet another parabolic line of thought. : if all that I have said does not convince you consider this. The parable seems based on Isa 49:24-25 , and like all Christ’s parabolic utterances appeals to common sense. The theme is, spoiling the spoiler, and the argument that the enterprise implies hostile purpose and success in it superior power . The application is: the demoniac is a captive of Satan; in seeking to cure him I show myself Satan’s enemy ; in actually curing him I show myself Satan’s master . : the article is either generic, or individualising after the manner of parabolic speech. Proverbs and parables assume acquaintance with their characters. , household furniture (Gen 31:37 ); , seize (Jdg 21:21 ). , make a clean sweep of all that is in the house, the owner, bound hand and foot, being utterly helpless. The use of this compound verb points to the thoroughness of the cures wrought on demoniacs, as in the case of the demoniac of Gadara: quiet, clothed, sane (Mar 5:15 ).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
strong man’s = the strong [one’s].
spoil = plunder.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
29.] Luke has the word applied to the spoiler in this verse; a title given to our Lord by the Baptist, ch. Mat 3:11 [123], and also in prophecy, Isa 40:10 ( , LXX). See also Isa 53:12 (LXX); Isa 49:24-25. See note on Luk 11:21 f., which is the fuller report of this parabolic saying.
[123] When, in the Gospels, and in the Evangelic statement, 1Co 11:23-25, the sign () occurs in a reference, it is signified that the word occurs in the parallel place in the other Gospels, which will always be found indicated at the head of the note on the paragraph. When the sign () is qualified, thus, Mk., or Mt. Mk., &c., it is signified that the word occurs in the parallel place in that Gospel or Gospels, but not in the other or others.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mat 12:29. , or else?)=Latin, an? A disjunctive interrogation.-, house) The world was the house of Satan.- , of the strong) sc. of any one who is strong; cf. Heb 2:14.-, first) Jesus bound Satan: then took his spoils.-, shall have bound) by superior strength.-, shall spoil) See Gnomon on Mar 3:27.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Isa 49:24, Isa 53:12, Mar 3:27, Luk 11:21, Luk 11:22, 1Jo 3:8, 1Jo 4:4, Rev 12:7-10, Rev 20:1-3, Rev 20:7-9
Reciprocal: Jer 31:11 – stronger Mat 12:44 – my Mat 22:13 – Bind Mar 5:15 – him that Col 1:13 – delivered Col 2:15 – having 2Ti 2:26 – who are
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2:29. This verse is another argument against the accusation of the Pharisees. Whoever can enter forcefully into a man’s house and plunder him must be stronger than Verse 23. It was known by many he. Likewise, to overcome Satan and that David was to have a descendant cast him out of his lodgings, one who would be a wonderful man in would have to be stronger than he. many respects. When they saw these Therefore, it could not be Satan doing mighty works being performed by this for that would be making him Jesus, they concluded that he was that stronger than himself. one predicted by the prophets.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mat 12:29. Or. The course of thought is, If I were not the Messiah, stronger than Satan, how could I thus spoil him?
Spoil his goods. The strong man represents Satan; his house the world where he has long reigned; his goods, the possessed or the evil spirits possessing them.
Spoil his house. The word spoil here is stronger than the one used in the last clause, indicating a complete victory over Satan in this world.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Mat 12:29-30. How can one enter, &c. How could I cast out Satan, and destroy his works, if I did not first overcome him? The house of the strong man (or, strong one, as should rather be rendered) into which Christ entered, was the world, fitly called Beelzebubs house, or palace, because there he is served by luxury, lust, covetousness, pride, anger, and the other evil passions of men. The goods or vessels belonging to the strong one are the wicked, called Satans vessels metaphorically, as Paul is called Christs chosen vessel, Act 9:15. Or, by the vessels, or furniture of Beelzebubs house, we may understand the lusts and passions of mens hearts, the instruments by which he keeps possession of them. He that is not with me is against me He that does not unite and co- operate with me, who am contending against Satan and his kingdom, is against me, as being unwilling that his kingdom should be destroyed. And he that gathereth not with me That does not set himself, according to his ability, to gather subjects into my kingdom, and promote the cause of truth and grace among men, scattereth abroad Hinders the work of God upon earth, and either prevents men from entering upon a life of piety and virtue, or obstructs their progress therein. In other words, there are no neuters in this war: every one must be either with Christ or against him; either a loyal subject or a rebel; and there are none upon earth who neither promote nor obstruct his kingdom. For every one does either one or the other daily. Much more criminal and fatal, then, must the character and conduct of those be, who, with deliberate, implacable malice, oppose Christs cause, and are resolved, at all adventures, to do their utmost to bring it down, as the Pharisees were now attempting to do by these vile suggestions, whereby they endeavoured to represent Christ, who came to save men, as an accomplice with Satan, who was labouring to destroy them.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Verse 29
The argument is, that to expel evil spirits from the places where they had established themselves, evinces a power stronger than that which those spirits ordinarily obeyed.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
Jesus encouraged the Pharisees to look at the same issue another way. Only a stronger person can bind a homeowner and ransack his house (cf. Isa 49:24-25). On a deeper level Jesus was speaking of Himself binding Satan and spoiling his house by casting out demons (cf. Mar 3:27; Luk 11:21-22). Thus Jesus was claiming power superior to Satan that could only be divine. Jesus will really bind Satan for 1,000 years when the kingdom begins (Rev 20:2). Jewish pseudepigraphal literature predicted that Messiah would do this (Assumption of Moses Mat 10:1). The pseudepigrapha (lit. false writings) is a large body of Jewish writings that are not in the Old Testatment or what Protestants refer to as the Apocrapha. These books date from ca. 200 B.C. to ca. A.D. 100.