Plunder

Mark 3:27, No one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. And then he will plunder his house.

What was Jesus talking about?  Who was He talking about?

Mark 3:22, And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebub,” and, “By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons.”

The brainiacs had come to Galilee where Jesus was ministering and accused Him of being in league with Satan.  [“Brainiacs” – the scribes were the “seminary professors” from Jerusalem.  They were astute in Old Testament knowledge and Jewish teachings.  If anyone should have been able to see that Jesus fit prophecy – they should!]

This was in part a response to what Jesus had been doing with demons:  3:11-12, And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him, fell down before Him and cried out, saying, “You are the Son of God.” But He sternly warned them that they should not make Him known.

They had apparently fanned out to spread the “fake news” that Jesus was contrary to God and working alongside the Devil.  [“Fanned out” – 3:23, So He called them to Himself.  Apparently, they were not huddled around Him as He had to call them to come to Him.]

Jesus had two responses to the “news” they were spreading:

1. The charge was illogical, 3:23-26.  Satan fighting Satan would result in the destruction of Satan.  A house divided does not stand (ominous words when thinking about the United States).
2. Someone is plundering a strong man.

So, who is doing the plundering?  Who is the strong man?  What is being plundered?

First, the house is that of the strong man.  It is the realm of Satan being plundered.

II Corinthians 4:4, whose minds the god of this age has blinded,

John 12:31, Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.

I John 5:19, We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.

I Peter 5:8, Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

From Job 1 – Satan moves nations/armies (1:15, 17), uses winds and fire (1:16, 19) and causes physical anomalies/sickness (2:7).

The strong man is Satan.

Second, the One plundering is Jesus.  Jesus left “home” to enter the house of evil on a mission.  Jesus entered a dark, dreadful “house”.

Third, the plunder?  People!

Jesus came to call a people to Himself.

Romans 9:25 As He says also in Hosea: “I will call them My people, who were not My people.”

Mark 8:34, When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

I Peter 2:9, But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

The plunder was not jewels or jewelry, gold, paintings or other works of art, crystal ware, heirlooms or other, but…people.  Jesus came to grab people out of the clutches of evil and damnation and make them His own.  John 8:44, You are of your father the devil.

To sum it up, Jesus came to the earth He had created to gather to Himself a people who by nature loved the darkness and were full of evil deeds in order to bring them into the light so to grasp His salvation and majesty and come to love and adore Him.  Those saved are His plunder!  How blessed are we to be plunder!