Binding the strong man

As Jesus’ reputation grew, there were people who became increasingly concerned. His own family heard rumors that He had gone mad and came to take Him home. Moreover, the scribes who had come down from Jerusalem criticized Jesus, saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul, and He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons.” In response, Jesus argued, “Any kingdom divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. Likewise, even in Satan’s kingdom, Satan cannot cast out Satan.” Furthermore, Jesus explained, “But no one can enter the strong man’s house and plunder his property unless he first ties up the strong man, and then he will plunder his house.” (1) The strong man refers to Satan. (2) The property in the house represents people who are held captive by Satan. (3) Binding the strong man signifies Jesus’ greater power over Satan. Taking advantage of the Pharisees’ criticism, Jesus proved that He is stronger than Satan. Evil spirits are indeed real forces. However, there is no need to overly fear them. What we need is to fix our eyes on the resurrected Jesus and to walk with the conviction that He who is within us is greater than Satan.

Unforgivable sin

What is the “unforgivable sin” mentioned in the latter part of today’s passage? This is not a personal sin, rather it refers to the national sin of the Israelites of that time. It was their rejection of Jesus’ Messiahship, attributing His miracles to being possessed by evil spirits. Therefore, this sin is not applicable to us today. Through the cross and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, any sin can be forgiven if confessed. For this national sin, the nation of Israel was destroyed in 70 AD. The impact of this event echoes through to this day. Sometimes, we encounter individuals who fear they might have committed an unforgivable sin. Let’s seek refuge in our merciful Father in heaven. There is no sin that cannot be cleansed by the blood of Jesus, the Son of God.