The Strong Man Bound (Matthew 12:29; Mark 3:27; Luke 11:21–22)

The texts below are quoted verbatim from public-domain English translations; nothing is paraphrased.

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St. John Chrysostom (c. 347–407)

Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 41 (on Matthew 12:29). Trans. in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 10. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf110/npnf110.iii.XLI.html

On the third refutation — that the devil cannot be cast out unless he is first overpowered:

For that Satan cannot possibly cast out Satan is evident from what hath been said; but that neither in any other way is it possible to cast him out, except one first get the better of him, this too is acknowledged by all.

That the very prince of the demons is held bound with all authority:

For whereas they wished to show, that not by His own power doth He cast out devils, He shows that not only the devils, but even their very chief leader is held by Him bound with all authority; and that over him, before them, did He prevail by His own power.

On the spoiling as a prophecy that Christ will drive all error out of the world:

For not only, I suppose, are the evil spirits the goods of the devil, but also the men that are doing his works. Therefore to declare that He doth not only cast out devils, but also will drive away all error from the world, and will put down his sorceries, and make all his arts useless, He said these things. And He said not, He will take away, but "He will spoil," to express what is done with authority.

St. Cyril of Alexandria (c. 376–444)

Commentary on the Gospel of Luke, Sermon 81 (on Luke 11:21–22). Trans. R. Payne Smith, Library of Fathers, 1859. Public domain. Full text: https://www.tertullian.org/fathers/cyril_on_luke_08_sermons_81_88.htm

On the plain comparison — the strong man overcome by a stronger:

For as long as a strong man retains the superiority, and guards his own property, he is in no danger of being plundered. But when one who is stronger than he, and more powerful, comes upon him, and prevails against him, then forthwith he is spoiled.

On Satan as the robber who penned the flocks of God in his own fold:

he was in great power, driving and shutting up, so to speak, in his own stall flocks not his own, but belonging to God over all, like some rapacious and most insolent robber.

On the spoil divided — the souls called back to the knowledge of the truth:

But inasmuch as the Word of God Who is above all, the Giver of all might, and Lord of powers assailed Him, having become man, all his goods have been plundered, and his spoil divided. For those who of old had been ensnared by him into ungodliness and error have been called by the holy apostles to the acknowledgment of the truth, and been brought near unto God the Father by faith in His Son.

Theophylact of Ohrid (c. 1055–1107)

As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Luke. Public domain. Full text: https://archive.org/details/CatenaAureaNewEdV5

On the devil's armour, in which he trusted:

The Devil's arms are all kinds of sins, trusting in which he prevailed against men.

Blessed Augustine of Hippo (354–430)

As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.xii.html

On the binding of the strong man — that his power to hinder the faithful is taken away:

For he held us, that we should not by our own strength be able to free ourselves from him, but by the grace of God. By his goods, he means all the unbelievers. He has bound the strong man, in that He has taken away from him all power of hindering the faithful from following Christ, and gaining the kingdom of heaven.

St. Jerome (c. 347–420)

As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.xii.html

On the strong man's house, and the conqueror's own word that our adversary is strong:

His "house" is this world, which is set in evil, not by the majesty of the Creator, but by the greatness of the sinner. The strong man is bound and chained in tartarus, bruised by the Lord's foot. Yet ought we not therefore to be careless; for here the conqueror Himself pronounces our adversary to be strong.

St. Bede the Venerable (c. 673–735)

As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Luke. Public domain. Full text: https://archive.org/details/CatenaAureaNewEdV5

On the world as the devil's palace, held until the coming of a stronger:

But the world he calls his palace, which lieth in wickedness, wherein up to our Saviour's coming he enjoyed supreme power, because he rested in the hearts of unbelievers without any opposition. But with a stronger and mightier power Christ has conquered, and by delivering all men has cast him out.

On the armour and the spoils — the men themselves whom the devil deceived:

His arms then are the craft and the wiles of spiritual wickedness, but his spoils are the men themselves, who have been deceived by him.

On the dividing of the spoils as a sign of triumph:

As conqueror too Christ divides the spoils, which is a sign of triumph, for leading captivity captive He gave gifts to men, ordaining some Apostles, some Evangelists, some Prophets, and some Pastors and Teachers.