No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.
You can't just walk into a tough guy's house and steal all his stuff unless you tie him up first. Once you've got him handled, then you can take whatever you want from his place.
You can't defeat someone powerful without first taking away their power.
📚 Historical Context
In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus is responding to accusations from the scribes that He is casting out demons by the power of Beelzebul, using this parable to defend His authority. He illustrates that only someone stronger than the "strong man" (representing Satan) can enter his house, bind him, and then plunder his goods, symbolizing Jesus' power to free people from demonic influence. This analogy draws from first-century Jewish culture, where stories of overcoming a powerful adversary were familiar ways to explain spiritual realities.
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