Jesus has been attracting a lot of attention, going around driving out demons. Now he seems to be saying that the same demons are going to come back and possess the poor people all over again. Only this time they're going to bring reinforcements, so things will be even worse. That can't be right.
Jesus is responding to the question of his opponents: by what authority? by what power do you drive out demons? His answer indicates that if an unclean spirit decided on its own to leave a possessed person, it would eventually come back to home base and set up shop all over again. But if someone stronger drives out the spirit, it won't come back.
When a strong man fully armed guards his palace,Jesus casts out demons "by the finger of God." What do we think of when we hear "the finger of God"? I think of the fresco by Michelangelo on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. God is reaching out his finger toward the first man, who reaches out his finger toward God. They are mirror images of each other, to indicate that man is made in the image and likeness of God. God reaches out his finger, and the man made of clay becomes a living being.
his possessions are safe.
But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him...
Perhaps this is in the back of Paul's mind when he says "it is those who have faith who are children of Abraham." Just so, Christ said, "God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones!" How could God make stones into children? The same way he made clay into a living man.
Today the Word of God suggests something about our quest for self-improvement. We are painfully aware of our demons, of our sins, bad habits, and evil inclinations. We can do our best to drive them out by action and effort, only to see them come roaring back, stronger than before. We try this and that and the other thing, and perhaps that will make us different, but it can never bring us to life.
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