Matthew 12:43-44 contains one of the most difficult sayings of Jesus. This passage can only be solved with good Bible study methodology.
Passage
43“When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. 44Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. 45Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation.” – Matthew 12:43-45
Is this passage literal?
- We should take other passages that refer to unclean spirits literally (For example, Matthew 10:1; Mark 1:21-27).
- The “so also will it be” language in Matthew 12:45 is the clue that this lesson is a comparison, not to be taken literally.
- This is not a parable or a fable because the story does not make sense as a story.
- This is an allegory because the story does not make sense as a story.
- See Understanding Parables.
Extended context
22Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw. 23And all the people were amazed, and said, “Can this be the Son of David?” 24But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.” – Matthew 12:22-24
- Jesus heals a man who is blind and mute because he is oppressed by a demon. The people are amazed.
- “Son of David” is a term for the Messiah.
- After Jesus heals this man, the crowd asks if Jesus is the Messiah.
- The Pharisees want to stop that conclusion, so they suggest Jesus is working with the ruler of the demons.
- The question on the table is: what divine power gives Jesus the authority to heal a man of demon possession?
- The most logical and obvious answer is: God is demonstrating that Jesus is the Messiah by granting him the authority to cast out demons.
- The Pharisees don’t want to reach that conclusion and they don’t want anyone else to reach that conclusion either.
25Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 28But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29Or how can someone enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house. 30Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 31Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. – Matthew 12:25-32
- Matthew 12:25-26: The ruler of the demons would not defeat his own soldiers.
- Matthew 12:27: Jesus ironically says, by what authority do you cast out demons? Oh wait, you can’t.
- Matthew 12:28: The most logical conclusion is that Jesus casts out demons by God’s authority.
- Matthew 12:29 Just as a burglar would bind the guard before plundering the house, so the Messiah would bind demons before bringing in his kingdom.
- Matthew 12:30-32: No one can sit on the fence. Your are either for or against Jesus.
- If we are presented with the truth that Jesus is the Messiah and we reject it, that blasphemy is unforgivable. This blasphemy comes out of rejection, not out of ignorance.
- The conclusion the Pharisees want to reach denies the obvious that Jesus is the Messiah. The conclusion they should reach is that Jesus is acting by the power and authority of God and therefore Jesus is the Messiah.
33“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. 34You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. 36I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, 37for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” – Matthew 12:33-37
- Just as if you want to know what kind of tree it is, you examine its fruit, whatever kind of person you are inside will eventually be revealed in what you say and do.
- Matthew 12:26 – “careless” has the force of worthless or unproductive.
- Words reflect the condition of the heart which is ultimately what we will be judged for.
Immediate Context
38Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” 39But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. 42The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. – Matthew 12:38-42
- Matthew 12:38 starts the immediate context. This is the request that Jesus responds to with the allegory.
- Far context: Jesus healed this man. The Pharisees are seeking some reason to avoid concluding that Jesus is the Messiah. Jesus pointed out the flaws in their alternative explanations.
- Immediate context: The Pharisees ask for a sign.
- The Pharisees think their lack of belief is justified because they don’t have the the right evidence yet.
- Jesus responds they have all the evidence they need. The only sign they will get is the resurrection.
43“When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. 44Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. 45Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation.” – Matthew 12:43-45
- In an allegory the elements are picked for their symbolic value. See Understanding Parables.
- The unclean spirit represents the spirit of unbelief that refuses to acknowledge the truth.
- Water is often a symbol of judgment. The unclean spirit is looking for a place of rest where it will not be judged.
- Leviticus 14:33-57 gives rules for unclean houses. A house that is empty, swept and put in order is a house on the verge of being cleansed by the priest.
- The empty, cleaned house symbolizess a person to whom the truth has been revealed and who is on the verge of being forgiven and cleansed.
- The Messiah stands before the scribes and Pharisees. He has just miraculously healed a man of demon possession. The Pharisees have physical, tangible, visible evidence that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah. Will they believe? No. They go crazy trying to offer some other explanation.
- Similar to the allegory, the unclean spirit rejects the truth and calls for reinforcements.
- The last state is worse than the first because to reject the truth is worse than being ignorant.
Summary
- From a bible study perspective, it is crucially important it is to understand both the far and the near the context.
- It’s also important to know the type literature.
- From a practical standpoint, there is no neutrality when it comes to Jesus.
- We have to learn when to speak the truth and when to be quiet.
Please listen to the podcast for more detail and explanation.
Next: The Great Banquet Parable, Luke 14:25-33
Previous: The Friend at Midnight, Luke 11:5-8
Series: Parables of Jesus
Photo by Giorgio Parravicini on Unsplash
Season 1, Episode 13