Jesus Pirates the Strong Man?
A bizarre riddle in Mark 3
Today, I was reading in Mark 3 and reflected on this passage.
It is short.
I think we don’t give it much thought when we read it.
Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit
22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.” 23 And he called them to him and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. 26 And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end. 27 But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house.
28 “Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— 30 for they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”
Mark 3:22–30.
This is not a conviction on blasphemy against the Holy Spirit! I will leave that alone today.
Just focus on the story of the strong man. It’s a parable. It’s a riddle. It seems simple, but it needs a few seconds of thought to understand.
What is Jesus saying here?
The leaders are accusing him of being aligned with Satan or the powers of darkness to drive out the demons. They are jealous of his popularity and power, so they try to discredit him, even though they can’t discredit his actions.
Satan would never sabotage himself. Jesus makes that clear. But there’s a lesson about Jesus and his work that is displayed here. Jesus responds with this riddle.
27 But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house.
Who is the strong man?
Jesus seems to imply the Devil is strong and has many goods in his house that he controls.
Jesus then declares that even though this man is strong, he can be plundered.
Our Lord becomes a pirate???
Seemingly.
Satan has been given power in this world and seems to hold much of the world hostage in the domain of his house. The powers of darkness are indeed strong. He holds many goods, including: the souls of the lost, the powers of the world, money and fame, worldly success, and the chaos of our world.
Jesus, who was able to cast out the demons, revealed that he was actively overpowering the devil and the darkness in our world! Not only did Jesus have some minor victories… Already, Jesus had shown he was able to bind Satan and his power.
Jesus is able to completely immobilize and incapacitate the powers of darkness. As they sit helplessly, he is able to plunder the spoils of darkness—largely the lost, those oppressed by darkness and sickness. Jesus has begun to give life to those who touch his light.
Jesus is the one stronger than the strong man. He has bound him. He has plundered his goods.
Those whom Jesus has saved from the hands of Satan will be plundered and brought into the Kingdom of God.
Where once the souls of humanity were safe in the hands of darkness, Jesus has now liberated and brought them into his marvelous light.
Jesus has overcome the powers of darkness.
He is our risen King!