The Strong Man

The third blog I ever wrote was called "Can We Have Peace in the Midst of a Storm?" It was the work of some research I had been doing for a presentation I was giving as a participant in the women's ministry of Northshore Church. For this presentation, I studied the story of Jesus calming the storm. Each of the three Gospels that record the story provide unique insight into the event and I wanted to find a way to combine all the details to get a clearer and more complete understanding of what happened. So I examined each account and merged the three retellings as best as I could, keeping as much of the original language as would not be overly repetitive and yet would continue to make sense. The result of that work can be read here.

What I found when I joined the stories absolutely fascinated me. I wanted to go through the Gospels and do the same thing with every story I found retold in two or more places. However, I didn't actually do this again until recently, when a dream inspired me to once again research a particular event. I relived the same fascination doing this work that I had when I researched the calming of the storm. Because of this, I hope to do this at least once a week and, maybe, post the result.

I hope you find this as interesting as I do.

Jen

BINDING THE STRONG MAN
Matthew 12; Mark 3; Luke 11

Then He (Jesus) went home, and the crowd gathered again so that they were not even able to eat. When His family heard this, they set out to restrain Him, because they said, “He’s out of His mind.”

Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and unable to speak was brought to Him. Now He was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon came out, the man who had been mute, spoke, and the crowds were amazed. He healed him, so that the man could both speak and see. And all the crowds were astounded and said, “Perhaps this is the Son of David!”

The scribes who had come down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul in Him!” and, “He drives out demons by the ruler of the demons!” When the Pharisees heard this, they said, “The man drives out demons only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.” And others, as a test, were demanding of Him a sign from heaven.

So He summoned them and spoke to them in parables. Knowing their thoughts, He told them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is headed for destruction, and no city or house divided against itself will stand, and a house divided against itself falls. If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan rebels against himself and is divided, he cannot stand but is finished! For you say I drive out demons by Beelzebul. And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, who is it your sons drive them out by? For this reason they will be your judges. If I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.”

“How can someone enter a strong man’s house and steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? When a strong man, fully armed, guards his estate, his possessions are secure. But when one stronger than he attacks and overpowers him, he takes from him all his weapons he trusted in, and divides up his plunder. No one can enter a strong man’s house and rob his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can and will rob his house.”

“Anyone who is not with Me is against Me, and anyone who does not gather with Me scatters. Because of this, I tell you, people will be forgiven every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. I assure you: People will be forgiven for all sins and whatever blasphemies they may blaspheme. Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin. Whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the one to come.” because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”