No one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man, and then he will plunder his house.
These words already reveal one of the important aspects of Christ’s mission. Here the strong man is Satan, who in this fallen world kept people under his authority through sin, deception, and death. But Christ is the stronger One, who enters that “house,” first binds the strong man of the house, and then sets his captives free. The healing of the sick, the casting out of demons, and the calling of sinners are signs of the great work that Christ is doing by tearing down Satan’s dominion. He did not come only to teach, but in reality to destroy the works of evil. This image shows that salvation is liberation. A person is not only sinful, but also often in bonds from which he cannot free himself. But Christ has come as the stronger Lord, who conquers and sets free.