Who is the "strong man" in Luke 11:21?
21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; (ESV)
Luke 11:14 - 23
ESV - 14 Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled. 15 But some of them said, "He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons.
Anonymous
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Singapore Moses
No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house - This parable illustrating His mastery of Satan and that He was in the process of destroying his works (1Jn. 3:8; Col. 2:14-17 Heb. 2:14-15).
❖Note the three arguments of Jesus to prove that He was casting out devils by God:
➊ Satan's kingdom is not divided, so if I am destroying his kingdom I must be of God, not of Satan (Mt. 12:25-26).
➋ The disciples of you Pharisees who claim to cast out demons by God will judge you if you say that those who cast out demons do so by Satan (Mt. 12:27).
➌ Satan would not permit a weaker one to defeat him, so since he is helpless before Me, it proves that I am from God and am stronger than he is (Mt. 12:28-29)..
Beelzebub is the Philistine "god of flies" (2Ki. 1:2). Jews changed it to Beelzebub, the dung god, or lord of the dunghill--a most contemptuous and vile idol. It was identified as prince of demons (Mt. 12:24-32 Mk. 3:22; Lk. 11:15-19). As it is written as prince of demons, it is none other than satan who is the leader of all devils and demons.
Satan, who causes sicknesses by demon oppression (Acts 10:38; Lk. 13:11-16), can take off what he puts on without opposing himself or casting himself out. When he can damn a soul by getting a person to deny the essentials of the Bible that will save the soul, then it is to his advantage to deceive by taking away the sickness. Many accept false religions that promise healing and other benefits. Satan cooperates with these religions, which he himself has founded to deceive men. He heals people without their faith in Jesus Christ and His work on the cross. Such people naturally think that they are in the true religion. They reject Christ and see no need of getting saved from sin or following Christianity. They will be damned for doing so, Satan having won their souls. Demons can go out and come back into a person of their own accord (Mt. 12:43-45). Satan in the last days will thus deceive men by giving them power (Mt. 24:24 2Th. 2:8-12 Rev. 13:2; 16:13-16; 19:20).
Josephus says that Pharisees practiced exorcism (Antiquities, Book 8,2-5; cp. Acts 19:13). Jesus named their practice to disprove their accusation about Him. If you and your disciples cast out demons, then it proves that you are also of the devil (Mt. 12:27-28).