The Strong Man
Read the parable
- Mark 3:27 Primary account
- Matthew 12:29 Parallel account
- Luke 11:21-22 Parallel account
Context
Scribes from Jerusalem, unable to deny Jesus' exorcisms, charged that he cast out devils by Beelzebub, the prince of devils. Jesus first exposed the logic — a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand — and then offered this one-verse parable of a burglary: no one can plunder a strong man's house without first binding the strong man. Luke expands the picture into an armed man guarding his palace overcome by "a stronger than he".
Meaning
The strong man is Satan, his "goods" are the people he holds captive, and the one who binds him is Jesus himself. Far from being in league with Satan, Jesus' exorcisms are proof that a stronger power has invaded the strong man's domain: "the kingdom of God is come unto you." The parable declares Christ's decisive superiority over the devil — his ministry, cross, and resurrection disarm the captor and set the captives free — and it leaves no neutral ground: "he that is not with me is against me."
Go deeper
Two free lessons walk through the parables as a whole: The Parables of Jesus and Interpreting the Parables.