Choosing the Twelve
Indeed, no one can enter a strong man’s house to steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house. Mark 3:27 · Berean Standard Bible
Jesus said, 'No one can break into a strong man's house and steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can take everything.'
Here's what was really happening: Satan was the strong man, and Jesus had come to bind him and set his captives free. Every healing and every exorcism was a rescue mission.
Jesus explains exactly what His exorcisms mean: He has overpowered Satan and is now freeing those Satan held captive.
Jesus didn't come to negotiate with evil. He came to break into the enemy's fortress, tie him up, and rescue every prisoner. That's what every healing and exorcism was about.
Jesus introduced the 'strong man' (ton ischyron) parable: no one can plunder (diarpasai) a strong man's house without first binding (dēsē) him. This implies Jesus has already bound Satan and is now plundering his domain.
The 'strong man' is Satan, and Jesus is the one who has bound him. Isaiah 49:24-25 provides the background: 'Can plunder be taken from a mighty man? Yet the captives of the Just One will be freed.'
Jesus teaches the definitive parable explaining His exorcisms: He is the one who has bound Satan and is now liberating his captives.
This parable was Jesus' true explanation of His exorcisms: far from being Satan's agent, He was Satan's conqueror. The exorcisms were evidence of Satan's binding, not his cooperation.
25If a house is divided against itself, it cannot stand.
26And if Satan is divided and rises against himself, he cannot stand; his end has come.
27Indeed, no one can enter a strong man’s house to steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house.
28Truly I tell you, the sons of men will be forgiven all sins and blasphemies, as many as they utter.
29But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of eternal sin.”
Read all of Mark 3 — A man with a withered hand, a crowd pressing in from every side, and twelve unlikely men called to change the world.
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