The Binding of Satan

Matthew 12:22-37

Immanuel – 7/7/24

You may recognize that one month ago, Eric Moore preached on this very same passage. It is no accident that I preach again from Matthew 12:22-37. This passage is so rich that he and I planned to both preach from this same passage, but focusing on different elements.

Eric focused on Jesus’ conflict with the Pharisees, the work of the Holy Spirit, and the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. He did such a good job that I will not revisit those themes. Today I will focus on the parable tucked inside the larger passage.

Purpose

1. Unpack the parable of the strong man.

2. The power of the gospel limits the power of Satan.

Let’s review a few elements. Jesus has performed a series of miracles, and those miracles elicit a series of responses from people. John the Baptist has doubts, the crowds have unbelief, the region has unrepentance, the religious leaders have hatred. But in chapter 12, it seems like something might change.

Another miracle: Jesus casts a demon out of a man. Among other things, the demon made the man blind and mute, but now freed from the demonic, he can see and speak. Interestingly, with this exorcism the crowds also begin to see and speak. They begin to see Jesus for who He truly is, and they speak, “Can this be the Son of David?” In other words, “Is Jesus the Messiah?”

And we as the readers begin to wonder, are the people beginning to believe? Are they finally seeing and hearing?

But another voice rises in an attempt to steal away any seeds of faith. The venomous and hateful Pharisees immediately contend, “He’s not the Messiah. Jesus is Himself possessed by a demon!”

You can see that a clearer understanding is coming over the Jewish people, but the religious leaders instantly pounce, try to deceive, and desire to destroy the truth of Jesus Christ. There is something larger going on behind the scenes, something far more sinister. And what we come to realize is that it is not Jesus who is under the power of Beelzebub (Satan), the Pharisees are under the power of Satan. The Pharisees speak as if they are the sons of Satan.

In fact, that’s exactly what Jesus calls the Pharisees in the Gospel of John.

You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.

-John 8:44-45

The Pharisees speak lies about Jesus, they try to steal away the truth, and they are murderers like their father the devil. Did we not see last week the Pharisees begin seeking a way to destroy Jesus (11:14)? Truly, there is a demonic spirit at work in these religious leaders. These have become agents of the kingdom of darkness.

In stark contrast, Jesus is from God the Father, filled with the Holy Spirit, come to offer life and rest to all those who are weary and heavy laden. It is He – the Light of the World – who brings near the kingdom of heaven!

It is in the shadow of these events that Jesus tells a short, but exceedingly potent, parable.

Read vs 28-29

I know this parable can sound a little perplexing within the larger context of the chapter, so let me open it to you.

Jesus has been accused of working for Satan. But Jesus points out how ridiculous that notion is. Why would Satan work against himself? If you try to build something, and you continually sabotage your own work, then that building will fail. If Jesus were possessed by Satan, why would Satan work to sabotage himself?

With that as the immediate backdrop, Jesus tells the parable to explain exactly how His work relates to Satan – and it is related to Satan.

The parable in verse 29 has four primary elements. There is a house, a strong man, the strong man’s possessions, and an even stronger man capable of subduing the strong man.

The strong man owns a house, and that house is filled with highly desirable possessions. If someone else is going to take those possessions, he has to do three things: first, he has to be even stronger than then strong man. Second, he must break into that house. Third, he needs to bind the strong man. Only after these things are accomplished may the stronger man evict the subdued strong man, keep the house, and take the possessions as his own.

Now, let’s remove the veil of metaphor and think about what Jesus is really saying. What are the four elements of the parable? The house is the earth, the strong man is Satan, the possessions are people, and the stronger man is Jesus.

Let me back this up with some Scripture, because we always want to interpret Scripture with Scripture. Most immediately to our passage, in verse 26, notice how Jesus does acknowledge that Satan has a kingdom. What is the kingdom of Satan?

We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. -1 John 5:19

The whole earth lies in the power of Satan. The whole earth is the kingdom of Satan. This is why Satan was able to offer the nations to Jesus when he tempted Jesus in the wilderness (Matthew 4:8-9). Again and again, Scripture testifies that this world – the house in which we live – is under the grip of Satan and his demonic horde.

And it’s not hard to understand. Everywhere you look there is brokenness and evil. The world is filled with hatred and violence and sexual exploitation and greed and selfishness and on and on. But this is not how God had created the world, and this is not how He created us. He created us to image Him in this world. We had perfect relationship with our God and perfect relationship with one another.

As God’s image bearers on earth, God gave our first parents the earth as their kingdom. God said to them:

“Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over [it].” -Genesis 2:28

But Satan, wanting to destroy what God had created, slithered into that paradise and spoke a deception. Man and woman believed it, chose to disobey God, and fell; the whole earth fell with them. The curse of sin and death entered the world, and Adam and Eve abdicated their kingdom; unknowingly placing it in the wicked hands of Satan.

Satan became the ruler of this world, ruling humanity through deception, the temptations of sin, and the fear of death. He lies to us to make sin look delicious, and we bite into his temptations. He relentlessly accuses us of our failures and our sinfulness, “Who could love such a broken being?” and it makes us remember the condemnation of death, and we are struck by terror.

Everyone born since then has been born a slave to sin; in the same way a heroin addict is a slave to heroin. We keep going back to it, we crave it at the cost of everything else, we love it and we hate it. And there is the Devil, controlling the streets, constantly pushing the narcotic and the needle, gloating in his ruination of God’s world and God’s image bearers.

Again, in Jesus’ parable, the house is the fallen earth and Satan is the strong man. We are the valuable possessions, fallen, and slaves of the strong man.

But in that very dark hour, when the world had first fallen into sin and death, God sent a lightning bolt of hope. He said to Satan:

“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will crush your head, and you will strike His heel.” -Genesis 3:15 (NIV)

Many refer to this promise as the protoevangelium, the first echo of the gospel. A son would descend from the woman, and though he would receive a wound, He would utterly destroy Satan forever.

Jesus is that promised seed.

Were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons… So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.

-Galatians 4:3-5,7

According to the promise God made in the garden, when the fullness of time had come, Jesus was born – the prophesied offspring of the woman. When He was born of a woman, He invaded the house. He invaded the earth and the kingdom of darkness. And He did this, as we have just read, to redeem us and adopt us. In other words, Jesus came to the earth to free us from our slavery and take us as His own beloved possessions.

But before Jesus could break our bonds and adopt us as His own, He had to do something else first.

Read vs 29

Jesus had to first bind the strong man. How does Jesus bind the strong man? How did He subdue Satan? He had to allow the enemy to strike His heel. For Christ’s death was Satan’s destruction.

“Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to show by what kind of death He was going to die. -John 12:31-33

When Jesus is “lifted up,” that’s the cross. The cross draws all people to Him; also meaning that it binds Satan. Jesus crushes the head of Satan, and casts him out, by dying on the cross. Casting Satan out of the world, that language of exorcism; like when Jesus exorcises demons from individuals. Jesus is also exorcising Satan from this earth.

It’s important to understand the mechanics of how this works, of how the cross defeats Satan?

Our selfishness and pride stand in such opposition to God and are so offensively contrary to the way He created us, that we deserve to die – eternal death. But Christ took our sins upon His shoulders and died in our place. Then, on the third day He rose to life everlasting.

Anyone who comes to Jesus in faith has all their sins forgiven. Now that you have been forgiven, what accusation can Satan now levy?

If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn”…Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? -Romans 8:31-34,35

You are forgiven and freed from any of Satan’s accusations! Praise God, the cords of guilt have been broken!

And now that you are forgiven, you are no longer under the power of sin. You are a new creation, with a new heat, new desires. No longer are you enslaved to the power of Satan’s temptations.

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. -1 Corinthians 10:13

Temptations still come, but God now provides an escape. Satan is now powerless to enslave you with temptations! By the grace of God at work within your new heart, you can overcome the Devil!

And not just the Devil, but death is overcome as well.

“If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.” -John 8:52

Though you die, yet shall you live (John 11:25-26)! You are not condemned; you shall not be cast out! God’s perfect love towards you – displayed on that bloody cross – casts out all fears and the Devil with them.

Sins are forgiven, Satan’s accusations are silenced. Temptations are escapable, Satan’s deceptions are overcome. Death has been defeated, and Satan holds no power of fear over us. Indeed, Jesus has bound the strong man.

Writing to the Colossians, Paul puts all these ideas together. And when you hear Paul writing about rulers, authorities, and powers; it almost always refers to Satan and demons.

And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with [Christ], having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This He set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in Him. -Colossians 2:13-15

You see, it is the gospel of Jesus Christ that binds Satan. For anyone who hears and receives the gospel, coming to Jesus as King, then Satan no longer controls them. They are free. And every person that receives the gospel is a further binding of Satan. One more soul where his power has been restricted.

Someone just asked me the other day; didn’t Satan see it coming? Why did he go through with the crucifixion if he knew what would happen? It’s a great question. I don’t know the answer for sure, except to say that if we are blinded by pride, how much more is Satan blinded by pride. He thought he could win by killing Jesus.

But by striking His heel, he had his head crushed. And is that not the epitome of being put to open shame! [God] disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in the crucified and risen Christ, the offspring of the woman, the Son of God, the Lord of lords!

Satan is disarmed and shamed. His head is crushed and he is a defeated foe. Or as we read in Jesus’ parable, the strong man had been bound. If we believe in that gospel truth, then we are the plundered possessions, redeemed and adopted as God’s sons and daughters.

But there is something more that has happened when Jesus bound the strong man. After the bloody cross and empty tomb, Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father. And just before He ascends, He says,

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” -Matthew 28:18

Jesus has bound the strong man and taken control of the house. As we read earlier, Jesus has cast Satan out of the world. No longer is Satan the ruler of this world, but all authority has been given to Jesus of Nazareth, the King of kings. His name is above every name and every knee – even Satan’s – will bow before Him, to the glory of God the Father.

Let us recognize this is an already-not-yet reality; meaning, it is already true, but it not completely finished. This fits into the doctrine of inaugurated eschatology. Inaugurated eschatology means that Jesus has brought the kingdom of heaven to earth, but the kingdom has not yet come into its fullness.

The devil is already defeated, but he is not completely defeated. He has been cast out, but he has not totally left. Jesus has bound the strong man; but binding is not the same as destroying. For still this strong man thrashes around in his bindings and causes all kinds of trouble.

The writer of Hebrews addresses this already-not-yet situation.

Now in putting everything in subjection to [Jesus], [God] left nothing outside His control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to Him. But we see Him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. -Hebrews 2:8-9

Even though Jesus is in control of everything, it doesn’t always look like it. It is an already-not-yet reality. Satan still thrashes around, people are still swallowed by their sins, deception still grips the nations. But Jesus, who has already achieved the victory and bound the strong man, He has a plan for finishing the work.

Let’s go back to when Jesus talks about the authority He has.

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” -Matthew 28:18-20

This is the Great Commission.

Jesus sends out His church – He sends us out – to proclaim the gospel to the nations. We are commissioned as Christ’s ambassadors, proclaiming forgiveness of sins and life everlasting in the name of Jesus. As we go and proclaim, the gospel simultaneously breaks the cords of slavery and binds the strong man. More and more people are plundered, redeemed and adopted, by Jesus Christ in and through our message.

Jesus advances His kingdom through the church’s obedience to the Great Commission.

“I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

-Matthew 16:18

Jesus began the invasion of the kingdom of darkness. Over these past millennia He has been sending His church to dismantle and destroy the works of the enemy. Even their strongest gates will not prevail against the gospel proclaiming, love saturated, church of Jesus Christ.

The strong man is subdued, and we are wrestling this world, and the souls within it, from Satan’s restricted grip.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. -Ephesians 6:12

Brothers and sisters, do not let this world tell you what your life is about. Its shameful ruler is defeated, and he sells only lies and fear. Christ is the true King, and His is a higher calling!

You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. -1 Corinthians 6:19-20