Matthew 12:43-45; Luke 11:24-26
Matthew 12:43-45 | Luke 11:24-26 |
43. But when the unclean spirit hath gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth it not. 44. Then he saith, I will return to my house, whence I came out; and coming, he findeth it empty, and swept, and embellished. 45. Then he goeth away, and taketh with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and entering, he dwelleth there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. 1 So shall it be also to this wicked generation. | 24. When the unclean spirit hath gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and not finding it, he saith, I will return to my house, whence I came out. 25. And when he is come, he findeth it swept and embellished. 26. Then he goeth, and taketh with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and entering, they dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.
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43.
What Christ says about the going out of the devil is intended to magnify the power and efficacy of the grace of God. Whenever God draws near to us, and, above all, when he approaches us in the person of his Son, the design is, to rescue us from the tyranny of the devil, and to receive us into his favor. This had been openly declared by Christ in the miracle which he had lately performed. As it is the peculiar office of Christ to banish wicked spirits, that they may no longer reign over men, the devil is justly said to go out of those men to whom Christ exhibits himself as a Redeemer. Though the presence of Christ is not efficacious to all, because unbelievers render it useless to them, yet he intended to point out why he visits us, what is implied in his coming, and how it is regarded by wicked spirits; for in every case in which Christ operates on men, the devils are drawn into a contest with him, and sink beneath his power. Let us, therefore, hold it to be a settled point, that the devil is cast out of us, whenever Christ shines upon us, and displays his grace towards us by some manifestation.
Secondly, the wretched condition of the whole human race is here described to us; for it follows that the devil has a residence within man, since he is driven from it by the Son of God. Now what is here said relates not to one individual or to another, but to the whole posterity of Adam. And this is the glory of our nature, that the devil has his seat within us, and inhabits both the body and the soul. So much the more illustrious is the display of the mercy of God, when we, who were the loathsome dens of the devil, are made temples to Himself, and consecrated for a habitation of His Spirit.
Thirdly, we have here a description of Satan's nature. He never ceases to do us injury, but is continually busy, and moves from one place to another. In a word, he directs all his efforts to accomplish our destruction; and above all, when he has been vanquished and put to flight by Christ, it only tends more to whet his rage and keenness to do us injury. 2 Before Christ makes us partakers of his energy, it seems as if it were in sport and amusement that this enemy reigns over us; 3 but when he has been driven out, he conceives resentment at having lost his prey, collects new forces, and arouses all his senses to attack us anew.
goeth about as a roaring lion, and seeketh whom he may devour,
(1 Peter 5:8,)
yet we are plainly taught by these words of Christ, that Satan views with deeper hatred, and attacks with greater fierceness and rage, those who have been rescued from his snares. Such an admonition, however, ought not to inspire us with terror, but to arouse us to keep diligent watch, and to put on the spiritual armor, that we may make a brave resistance.
44.
45.
1 "La fin de cest homme est pire que le commencement;"--"the end of that man is worse than the beginning."
2 "Il aiguise tant plus son appetit enrage de nous mal-faire;"--"so much the more does it whet his enraged appetite to do us injury."
3 "Ce mal-heureux ennemi nous manie tout a son aise, et regne en nous comme en se iouant;"--"this unhappy foe governs us altogether at his ease, and reigns over us, as it were, in sport."
4 "Iusques a ce qu'il retrouve la proye qu'on luy a ostee d'entremains;"--"till he recover the prey that has been snatched out of his hands."
5 "Que quand, laissans Christ, et nous esloignans de luy, nous attirons c'est hoste a nous;"--"that when leaving Christ, and withdrawing from him, we entice this guest."
6 "Ce qu'il aime donc le plus, et ou il prend un souverain plaisir, c'est ceste place vuide qui se fait quand l'homme ne tient conte de la grace de Dieu, et est nonchalant d'en bien user;"--"that which he loves most, and in which he takes a supreme pleasure, is the emptiness which is produced, when man sets no value on the grace of God, and is indifferent about making a good use of it."
7 "En sorte qu'il nous tient le pied sur la gorge plus estroitement que devant: et qu'en cela nous recevons une iuste recompense et punition de nostre nonchalance;"--"so that he holds his foot upon our throat more straitly than before; and that in this we have a just reward of our indifference."
8 "Et s'il n'y pent entrer de front et apertement, il est assez fin pour s'y fourrer secretement par dessous terre, ou par quelque fente a coste;"-- "and if he cannot enter it in front and openly, he is cunning enough to dig into it secretly below ground, or by some chink in the side."
9 "Et effacans l'amour de la crainte de Dieu;"--"and effacing the love of the fear of God."