Could you please elaborate a little on Matthew 12:29 -- about the strong man? What are the most important things to know about this passage?
As it turned out, I was just reading about the strong man this morning in my personal study. The text occurs in the context of exorcism (Matthew 12:22-28), and so the strong man appears to be Satan (Beelzebub). Jesus has been accused of driving out demons by the power of Satan--which is nonsensical, since Satan will not willingly cede his power for the destruction of his own kingdom.
Jesus' point is that Satan is bound; his power has been severely attenuated by the power of Jesus. Jesus' entrance into the world dealt a severe blow to the devil. We should therefore walk tall and stand confident in the knowledge that our Lord is truly ruler of the universe. Nothing can harm us. Not one hair of our heads will be harmed apart from the will or permission of our loving father.
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