Or how can someone enter a strong man’s house and seize his possessions, unless he first ties up the strong man, and then plunders his house?
In this saying, Jesus, through a vivid illustration, reveals the true nature of His authority, showing that the deliverance of people and the casting out of demons are possible only when the power of evil has first been overcome. The “strong man” symbolizes Satan, and his house is the realm where people were under his rule. Yet the work of Jesus testifies that He has already bound that strong man and rules over him. This example confirms that, by His divine authority, Jesus destroys the works of Satan and establishes the kingdom of God. This word is also comfort and assurance for believers, showing that evil has no authority over Christ, and that by the divine power of Jesus Christ a person can be set free from the bonds of evil, cleansed from its influence, and established in peace and freedom.