Jesus was explaining unclean spirits

JESUS WAS EXPLAINING UNCLEAN SPIRITS
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
24 “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it
goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find
it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ 25
When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put
in order. 26 Then it goes and takes seven other spirits
more wicked than itself, and they go in and livethere.
And the final conditionof that person is worse than
the first.”
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Spiritual Failure
Luke 11:24-26
W. Clarkson
These words apply to -
I. THE JEWISHCHURCH. Delivered of the demon of idolatry, and having a
house "sweptand garnished," perfectedwith all external religious proprieties,
it became possessedof the worse demon of hypocrisy - worse in that it was
more hopeless. Forthe idolater may be and often is convicted of his folly and

is led into wisdom and piety; but the formalist and hypocrite is scarcelyever,
if ever, won from his unreality and spiritual pride.
II. MANY A CHRISTIAN CHURCH. Deliveredfrom worldliness, from
vanity, from vice, in the first instance, many a Church has cherishedthe cruel
demon of persecution, or the evil demon of pride, or the dangerous demon of
formality. And it proves to be harder to awakenthe sinful Church, living
under its Lord's condemnation, to a new repentance and a revival of religious
earnestness, than it was at first to conduct it into his kingdom. Its last state is
less hopeful than the first.
III. MANY A HUMAN SOUL.
1. Men go a very long way in the direction of heavenly wisdom. They listen,
they understand, they feel, they purpose, they pray, they profess, they preach
or teachDivine truth to others, they conform their conduct to the
requirements of the Word of God.
2. In this goodcourse they are arrested, and they return on their way. Their
devotedness slackens;their habits of worship become less regular; their habits
of life become less scrupulous;the "spirit of their mind" grows secular, and
indeed profane; they fall out of the ranks of the earnest, and, at last, even of
the reverent; perhaps they descendto the unworthy, and even to the criminal.
Not literally, but metaphorically speaking, there are "evil sprats" in them.
They "are gone awaybackward."
3. Thus returning, they have almosthopelesslyseparatedthemselves from
Christ; the "laststate of that man is worse than the first" (see Hebrews 6:4-6).
Not that renewalis absolutelyimpossible, but it is so spiritually difficult and

so exceedinglyrare that it may be said to be morally impossible. You cannot
restore elasticityto the spring that has been overbent. You cannot make
pungent againthe salt that has lost its savor. You cannot infuse new force into
truths which an emasculating familiarity has deprived of their virtue and
their interest. Farmore hopeless is the condition of the human soul that has
drifted awayfrom Christ than the one that has never heard of his Name or
never been impressed with his claims. Therefore what?
(1) Let the Christian teachersee that his work is deep as well as broad; that
the roots of sacredconvictionare wellplanted in the soil; let him not be
satisfiedwith his "converts" when they only manifest feeling; let him be
assiduous in his attention, earnestin his prayer, until he is well assuredthat
the soulfor whom he is watching (Hebrews 13:17)has yielded himself, fully
and whole-heartedly, to the Lord his Savior.
(2) Let the Christian disciple be on his guard; let him "watchand pray" lest
he come under the power of some insidious temptation, lest he "lose that
which he has wrought," lestthe powers and principles that are from God and
that have entered and touched his soul should depart from him, lestevil
influences that are from beneath should take possessionofhim; for in that sad
event he will be in a far worse spiritual state, more hopeless and pitiable, than
if he had never heard the voice of Christ, and never risen at his call. - C.
Biblical Illustrator
When the unclean spirit is gone out.
Luke 11:24-26
The dangerof losing convictions of conscience
T. Dwight, D. D.

I. THE MISERABLE CONDITIONOF AN IMPENITENT SINNER,
BEFORE HE LIE AWAKENED TO A SERIOUS CONVICTION OF HIS
GUILT.
II. CONVICTIONS OF SIN CONSTITUTE, IN THE EYE OF GOD, AN
IMPORTANT CHANGE IN THE STATE OF MAN.
III. WE ARE HERE TAUGHT, THAT BEINGS ABSOLUTELYSINFUL
FIND NEITHER REST NOR ENJOYMENTBUT IN DOING EVIL.
Wickednessis a spirit absolutely solitary. All its socialcharacterallits
sympathy, is nothing but the disposition which unites banditti in the fell
purpose of plundering, pollution, and murder. With others it joins, solely
because it cannot accomplishits foul ends alone. Even with these it has no
union of heart, no fellow-feeling, no real sociality. It attracts nothing and
nobody. Every thing it repels. Hell with all its millions is a perfect solitude to
eachof its inhabitants.
IV. PERSONSUNDER CONVICTIONARE ALWAYS IN DANGER OF
FALLING ANEW INTO HARDNESS OF HEART.
V. THE SOUL, FROM WHICH CONVICTIONS OF SIN HAVE BEEN
FINALLY BANISHED, IS MORE PERFECTLYPREPAREDTO BECOME
THE SEAT OF ABSOLUTE WICKEDNESSTHAN BEFORE THESE
CONVICTIONS BEGAN.
VI. THE SOUL, FROM WHICH CONVICTIONS ARE FINALLY
BANISHED, BECOMESFAR MORE SINFUL THAN BEFOREITS
CONVICTIONS BEGAN. Sevenis here put for an indefinite number, and
may be consideredas standing for many. At the least, it denotes a greater
number than one, and, in proportion, a greaterseries oftemptations and
dangers. These sevenare also universally more wickedthan the original

tenant of this impure habitation, more absolutelypossessedofthe fiendlike
characterthan himself. From each, his danger is of course greater;from all,
how great, how dreadful! Lessons:
I. The immeasurable importance of cherishing in the heart convictions of sin.
II. We learn from these observations the high interest which persons in this
situation have in being directed in their duty by sound wisdom.
III. We also learn from this parable the miserable situation of unawakened
sinners.
(T. Dwight, D. D.)
Descriptionand dangerof convictionwhen not followedby conversion
E. Cooper.
I. The first is the state of a man when the unclean spirit is gone out of him. All
unconverted men are spiritually the slaves of Satan.
II. "When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walkeththrough dry
places, seeking rest:and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house
whence I came out: and when he cometh, he findeth it sweptand garnished."
1. Amidst all his convictions he has had no sense of the evil of sin. He has
never seenit in its true colours, nor hated it for its evil nature. He has felt his
misery; but he has never heartily confessedhis guilt.

2. He has given a farther proof that this is still the state of his heart, by the
reliance which he has placed on his own strength and goodness. He has
resolved, indeed, to forsake allsin; but he has made this resolution, trusting
entirely to his ownstrength. He has had no fearof his own heart, nor any
notion of its utter depravity. It is plain that his heart remains unchanged; the
same impure habitation which it has always been.
III. "Then takethhe unto him seven other spirits more wickedthan himself,
and they enter in and dwell there." These words describe the sinner's awful
relapse under the powerof Satan. Long-indulged habits callloudly for their
usual gratifications. Unmortified lusts revive and renew their strength. Old
companions in sin allure.
IV. "The last state of that man is worse than the first." It is worse in three
respects.
1. His guilt is greater. He has now more to answerfor than he before had. He
does not now sin in ignorance, as perhaps, he once did.
2. His misery will be greater. This consequence must naturally follow. They
whose guilt is greaterwill justly receive a greaterdamnation.
3. His danger is greater. He may still be convertedand find mercy. By turning
to God in true faith and repentance, he may even yet be delivered from guilt
and misery. But conversion is now less likelyto take place than it formerly
was. While you resistnot conviction, beware of resting in it. You will not be
savedby a convictionof your sins, but by a conversionfrom them. Mistake
not one of these things for the other.

(E. Cooper.)
The laststate of that man is worse than the first.
On relapsing into sin
Bishop Ehrler.
I. RELAPSING INTO SIN IS THE GREATEST INGRATITUDE.
1. It is the work of grace only, if our Lord, after we have committed a sin,
receives us back into His house.
2. What should you say of the prodigal son if, shortly after the banquet, he
had left his father's house again, thrown awaythe ring and shoes, and trodden
under foot the best robe: if he had abused the presents of his father by new
offences?
3. As the physician is filled with scorn of a sick person, whom he had healed
with greatcare, and who by disobedience had plunged himself into peril of
death again: so the Heavenly Physicianwill depart from a soul which
repeatedly commits the same sins again.
II. RELAPSING INTO SIN IS THE GREATEST FOLLY.
1. Sin is like a disease whichbecomes more perilous by repeatedattacks.
2. In proportion as the powerof sin increases, the strength of man's will
decreases.

3. The time for conversionis getting shorter and shorter.
III. RELAPSE IS THE FORERUNNEROF ETERNALPERDITION.
Conversiondepends partly on the good-will of the sinner, and partly on the
grace ofGod. We have seenthat the strength of will relaxes with every fresh
sin, and therefore the relapsedcannot rely on it. And the greatestenergyalone
cannot perform the work of conversion. Without a full measure of grace the
conversionof the relapsedis impossible.
1. It is to be fearedthat the ordinary graces will produce no effectupon him.
God by His grace shows to the sinner the deformity of sin, terrifies him by its
consequencesandpunishment, and endeavours to gain his affections by
pointing out to him the infiniteness of the Divine charity. But if the man
continually relapses into his old sins, are these motives likely to make a lasting
impression on him?
2. Or, are we entitled to expectfrom God extraordinary graces forthe
relapsing sinner? Should God show greatermercy towards us, because we
have been so ungrateful to Him? When we continually tear open old wounds,
think you the Heavenly Physicianof our souls will prepare us a stronger
remedy?
(Bishop Ehrler.)
The return of the evil spirit
J. Vaughan, M. A.

A young man enters upon life in all the confidence of youth, and passion, and
strength. He is borne along by the currents of the world, and he soondrinks
deep into its polluted joy. First a spirit of gaiety, and then a spirit of
uncleanness takes possessionofhis heart — and his soul, for awhile, is spell-
bound by the fascinationof the world, and he wraps himself in his forbidden
pleasures. Presentlyit pleases Godto arrest that young man. He is laid on a
bed of sickness, andhe eats of his own bitter sowing. He is brought very low in
shame, and wretchedness,and remorse — he loathes his former courses — he
turns from them with disgust — and he makes his resolutions, and he records
his vows — the spirit that is in him is castout, and the young man rises from
his trouble a reformed character. Meanwhile, where is the evil spirit? Is he
gone? Fora little time he appears to let him alone;but all the while he is but
preparing himself for another temptation and a fiercer assault. He comes and
he sees that young man abhorring the sins of his youth; but uninfluenced by
grace — untouched by the love of God; he sees his heart silent in prayer, and
his mind is still pointing to the world. And the evil spirit brings to bear upon
that man a new and more powerful seduction. He is no longerto him the
tempter to some sinful gratification;but he enters into him a spirit of
mercenary calculation— he becomes a man cold, secular, aspiring. Money,
politics, greatness, argument, scepticism, occupyhis mind — he is now for
establishment and reputation — he grasps and he holds the world — he is not
immoral, he is a formalist — he is not a profligate, he is covetous, Christless
— his heart is further off from God than ever it was — he has not commenced
anew — he feels no sins — he is a bitter censorof other men — he grows
prejudiced — he is a practicalinfidel — he is sealedin his self-confidences —
"and the laststate of that man is worse than the first."
(J. Vaughan, M. A.)
The seven-foldre-inforcement
J. A. Alexander, D. D.
It is not as the invaders of a country or besiegers ofa city, that the evil spirit,
with his sevenfold re-inforcement, rises up before the mind's eye in terrific

grandeur. It is when we see him knocking at the solitary door from which he
was once driven in disgrace andanguish. The scene, thoughan impressive
one, is easily calledup. A lonely dwelling on the margin of a wilderness,
cheerfully lighted as the night approaches, carefullysweptand garnished, and
apparently the home of plenty, peace, and comfort. The winds that sweep
across the desertpass it by unheeded. But, as the darkness thickens,
something more than wind approaches from that quarter. What are the
shadowyforms that seemto come forth from the dry places of the wilderness,
and stealthily draw near the dwelling? One of the number guides the rest, and
now they reachthe threshold. Hark! he knocks;but only to assure himself
that there is no resistance. Throughthe open door we catcha glimpse of the
interior, sweptand garnished — sweptand garnished;but for whose use? —
its rightful owner? Alas! no; for he is absent; and already has that happy
home begun to ring with fiendish laughter, and to glare with hellish flames;
and if the wealor woe of any man be centred in it, the last state of that man is
worse than the first. Do you look upon this as a mere fancy scene? Alas!my
hearers, just such fancy scenes are passing every day within you or around
you, rendered only more terrific by the absence ofall sensible indications, just
as we shrink with a peculiar dread from unseendangers if consideredreal,
and are less affectedby the destruction that wastes atnoon-day, than by the
pestilence that walks in darkness. Come with me and let me show you one or
two examples of familiar spiritual changes which, if not the work of evil
spirits, may at leastbe aptly representedby the images presentedin the text
and context. To the eye of memory or imagination there rises up the form of
one who was the slave of a particular iniquity, which gave complexion to his
characterand life. It was perhaps an open and notorious vice, which directly
loweredhim in public estimation. Or it may have been a secretand insidious
habit long successfullyconcealedornever generallyknown. But its effects
were seen. Even those who were strangers to his habits could perceive that
there was something wrong, and they suspectedand distrusted him. He felt it,
and in desperationwaxed worse and worse. Butin the course of providence a
change takes place. Without any realchange of principle or heart, he finds
that his besetting sin is mining his health, his reputation, or his fortune.
"Strong" as the power of temptation, appetite, and habit is, some form of
selfishness is "stronger" still. The man reforms. The change is recognizedat

once. He is another man. After the first painful acts of self-denial, the change
appears delightful to himself. He seems once more to walk erect. A new
direction has been given to his hopes and his desires, and, like Saul, he rejoices
that the evil spirit has departed from him. At first he is afraid of its return,
and keeps strictwatch againstthe inroads of the enemy. By degrees he grows
secure, and his vigils are relaxed. The temptation presents itself in some form,
so contemptible and little to be feared, that he would blush not to encounterit.
He does encounter it. He fights it. He appears to triumph for a moment, but is
ultimately overcome. The next victory is easier. The next is easierstill. He
tries to recallthe feelings which precededand produced his reformation; but
the spell is over. He knows that they have once proved ineffectualto save him,
and he trusts in them no longer. Even the cheeks whichonce controlled him in
his former course of sin are now relaxed; he is tired of opposition, and seeks
refuge from his self-contempt in desperate indulgence. If you ask the evil
spirit which at first has possession, whatis thy name? you may receive for
answer, drunkenness, or avarice, orlust. But ask the same after the relapse,
and the response must be, My name is legion. Have you not seenin real life
this terrible exchange ofone besetting sin for several? Have you not known
men, who once seemedvulnerable only at a single point, begin to appear
vulnerable, as it were, at all points, perhaps with the exceptionof the one first
mentioned? Now, when this is the case, besides the power exertedby each
appetite and passionon the souldistinctly, there is a debasing and debilitating
influence arising from the conflictwhich exists betweenthem. Let the
reformed libertine become at once ambitious, avaricious, and revengeful, and
let these hungry serpents gnaw his soul, and it will soonbe seenby others, if
not felt by the miserable victim, that the evil spirit which had left him for a
seasonhas returned with seven others worse than himself; and as we see them
in imagination enter the dwelling swept and garnished for their use, we may
read, inscribed above the portal that shuts after them, "The last state of that
man is worse than the first."
(J. A. Alexander, D. D.)
The tendency of sin to increase if once admitted

G. Swinnock.
These little sins, if they be so, will make way for greater. Little wedges open
the wayin the most knotty woodfor bigger. As thieves, when they go to rob a
house, if they cannot force open the doors, or break through the walls, let in a
little boy at the window, who unbolts and unlocks the door, and so lets in the
whole rabble; thus the devil, when men startle at greatersins, and by them he
hath no hopes to getpossession oftheir souls, he puts them upon those sins
which they think little, and by these insensibly enters; for they, once admitted,
open the doors of the eyes, ofthe ears, and of the heart too, whereby the whole
legionenter, and rule and domineer in their souls to their ruin. Men do not,
indeed they cannot, imagine the woeful consequences ofneglecting their watch
againstthe leastsin. How many who have been so modest and maidenly at
first, that they would not so much as give a lascivious personthe hearing when
he hath spokenwantonly; yet by giving way to their own foolish thoughts,
have at last prostituted themselves to their pleasure without any shame.
Sinners" increase to more ungodliness;when they once venture down hill,
they know not where nor when to stop. Workmenbore holes with little
wimbles, which make way for the driving of greatnails. When Pompey, saith
Plutarch, could not prevail with a city to billet his army, he yet persuaded
them to take in a few weak, maimed soldiers;but those soonrecovered
strength, and let in the whole army, to command and govern the city, Thus
Satan, by sins of infirmity, prevails at length for sins of presumption. Great
storms arise out of little gusts; and clouds no biggerthan the palm of a man's
hand come in time to coverthe whole heavens. The greatestriver is fed with
drops, and the biggestmountain made up of atoms. As Sylla said, when in his
proscription time, that he slew so many, one pleaded for the life of Caesar, In
uno Caesare multi Marii: "In one little youth, many old subtle men," so in one
little sin, there may be many greatones. When one evil spirit hath gotlodging
in the heart, he prepares it, and makes roomfor sevenmore wickedand worse
than himself.
(G. Swinnock.)

COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(24-26)When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man.—See Notes onMatthew
12:43-45. Here the only variations are (1) the omissionof the house being
“empty,” and (2) of the application of the parable to “this wickedgeneration.”
BensonCommentary
Luke 11:24-26. Whenthe unclean spirit — See notes on Matthew 12:43-45.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
11:14-26 Christ's thus casting out the devils, was really the destroying of their
power. The heart of every unconverted sinner is the devil's palace, where he
dwells, and where he rules. There is a kind of peace in the heart of an
unconverted soul, while the devil, as a strong man armed, keeps it. The sinner
is secure, has no doubt concerning the goodness ofhis state, nor any dread of
the judgment to come. But observe the wonderful change made in conversion.
The conversionof a soul to God, is Christ's victory over the devil and his
powerin that soul, restoring the soul to its liberty, and recovering his own
interest in it and powerover it. All the endowments of mind of body are now
employed for Christ. Here is the condition of a hypocrite. The house is swept
from common sins, by a forced confession, as Pharaoh's;by a feigned
contrition, as Ahab's; or by a partial reformation, as Herod's. The house is
swept, but it is not washed; the heart is not made holy. Sweeping takes offonly
the loose dirt, while the sin that besets the sinner, the beloved sin, is
untouched. The house is garnishedwith common gifts and graces.It is not
furnished with any true grace;it is all paint and varnish, not real nor lasting.
It was never given up to Christ, nor dwelt in by the Spirit. Let us take heed of
resting in that which a man may have, and yet come short of heaven. The
wickedspirits enter in without any difficulty; they are welcomed, and they
dwell there; there they work, there they rule. From such an awful state let all
earnestlypray to be delivered.

Barnes'Notes on the Bible
See the notes at Matthew 12:43-45.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
23. gathereth… scattereth—referring probably to gleaners. The meaning
seems to be, Whateverin religion is disconnectedfrom Christ comes to
nothing.
Matthew Poole's Commentary
Ver. 24-26. See Poole on"Matthew 12:43", SeePoole on"Matthew 12:44"
and See Poole on"Matthew 12:45". Fromthese verses we may observe,
1. That the devil may in some sortand degree be castout of persons and
places, while yet in other respects they may be his house, and he may dwell in
and amongstthem. Their bodies, their country, may be in greatmeasure
delivered from his power, and he may yet keeppossessionoftheir souls. This
ordinarily happeneth in places where the gospelis faithfully preached;though
there remain abundance of men whose lives evidence that the devil hath a too
greatpossessionoftheir souls, yet those places, andpersons inhabiting in
them, are more freed from witchcraft, and the power which the devil exercises
(by God’s permission) upon men’s and women’s bodies, and cattle, &c., than
other more paganish and ignorant places. He may also in a sense be saidto be
castout of persons that are reclaimedfrom vicious and debauched lives, yet
are not brought home to God, only are more enlightened, and more under the
powerof restraining grace;yet their souls may be his house.
2. The devil, castout in any degree, is unquiet till (if possible)he hath
recoveredas full a power over and possessionofmen and women as he ever
had.

3. If he ever recovers it, their latter end is worse than their beginning,
Hebrews 6:4 10:26 2 Peter2:20.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man,.... That is, the devil, who is in,
and works in the children of disobedience, whetherunder a professionof
religion or not; whose hearts are unclean like himself, wherefore there he
delights to dwell; and so the Ethiopic version renders it, "the evil demon":
who may be said to go out of a man in appearance, whenhe outwardly
reforms and takes up a professionof religion.
He walkeththrough dry places;or "a desert", as the Ethiopic version; to
which the Gentile world is sometimes comparedin the Old TestamentIsaiah
35:1 whither Satanmight go, being disturbed in Judea, through the many
dispossessions by Christ; or rather leaving for a while the Scribes and
Pharisees,who outwardly appearedrighteous before men, he went to the
Gentiles;
seeking rest, and finding none; being also made uneasy among them, through
the preaching of the Gospel, which was sentunto them after Christ's
resurrection;and not being able to keephis place in the hearts of men, nor do
the mischief he was desirous of.
He saith, I will return unto my house, whence I came out; to the Jews again,
who were blinded and filled with rage and enmity to the Gospelby him, and
whom he instigatedto persecute the apostles of Christ, and preachers ofthe
word, whereverthey came;See Gill on Matthew 12:43 and See Gill on
Matthew 12:44.
Geneva Study Bible

{6} When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walkeththrough dry
places, seeking rest;and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house
whence I came out.
(6) He that does not continue, but is in a worse case,than he that never began.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Meyer's NT Commentary
Luke 11:24-26, a figurative discourse, in which He sets forth their
incorrigibility. See on Matthew 12:43-45. Luke, indeed, gives the saying
concerning the sin againstthe Holy Ghost (Mark 3:28 f.; Matthew 12:31 f.),
but not until Luke 12:10;and therefore it is wrong to say that he omitted it in
the interestof the Pauline doctrine of the forgiveness ofsins (Baur).
Expositor's Greek Testament
Luke 11:24-26. The parable of the unclean spirit castout and returning: given
by Mt. in connectionwith the demand for a sign (Luke 12:43 ff.). Lk.’s version
differs from Mt.’s chiefly in minute literary variations. Two omissions are
noticeable:(1) the epithet σχολάζοντα in the description of the desertedhouse
(a probable omission, the word bracketedin W. and H[104]), (2) the closing
phrase of Mt.’s version: οὕτως ἔσται καὶ τῇ γενεᾷ τ. τ. πονηρᾷ. On the import
of the parable vide on Mt., ad loc.
[104]Westcottand Hort.
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
24. he walkeththrough dry places]The unclean spirits were thought to
frequent ruins (Berachoth, f. 3a) and the waterless desert, Tob8:3; see on
Luke 4:1.

seeking rest]Notto be in possessionofsome human soul, is (for them) to be in
torment.
Pulpit Commentary
Verses 24, 25. - When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh
through dry places, seeking rest;and finding none, he saith, I will return unto
my house whence I came out. And when he cometh, he findeth it sweptand
garnished. The devil, expelled for a season, watcheshis opportunity and
quickly returns; the exorcist-physicianwas powerless withoutthe aid of
Christ to accomplishanything more than a half-cure; the relapse, as we shall
see, was worse thanthe original malady. The imagery of the "dry place"
through which the devil walked(luring his temporary absence from the
afflicted soul, was derived from the popular tradition that spirits of evil
frequented ruins and desertplaces (see the Talmud, 'Treatise Berachoth,'fol.
3, a; and Tobit 8:3).
Vincent's Word Studies
Dry places (ἀνύδρωντόπων)
Rev., more literally, waterless. The haunts of evil spirits (Isaiah13:21, Isaiah
13:22;Isaiah 34:14). By satyrs in these two passagesare meant goblins shaped
like goats, whichwere sacrificedto by some of the Israelites (Leviticus 17:7; 2
Chronicles 11:15);a remnant of the Egyptian worship of Mendes or Pan, who,
under the figure of a goat, was worshippedby the Egyptians as the fertilizing
principle in nature. In Isaiah 34:14, it is said "the screech-owlshallrest
there." This is rendered in margin of A. V. and in the Rev., Old Testament,
the night-monster (Hebrew, Lilith); and by Cheyne (Isaiah) night-fairy. The
reference is to a popular superstition that Lilith, Adam's first wife, forsook
him and became a demon which murdered young children and haunted desert
places.
Rest

See on Matthew 11:28.
COMMENTARIES ON VERSE 25

nothing.
See Poole on"Luke 11:24"
And when he cometh, he findeth it sweptand garnished. In Matthew it is also
said to be "empty"; and so it is read here in the Arabic version; and in the
Ethiopic version, "empty of men": but rather the sense is, that he found it
empty of all goodness,notwithstanding all the sweeping and garnish of an
outward reformation. The Persic versionrenders it, "heatedand prepared";
heated with wrath and fury againstChrist, and his Gospel, and so was
prepared and fitted to be a proper habitation for Satan;and in such a case as
this was the Jewishnation from the time of Christ's death to the destruction of
Jerusalem;See Gill on Matthew 12:44
Geneva Study Bible
And when he cometh, he findeth it sweptand garnished.
25. sweptand garnished] The mischief and dangerof the emancipatedsoul is
that it is not occupiedby a New Indweller. It has not testedthe expulsive
powerof holy affections. It is ‘lying idle’ (σχολάζοντα, Matthew 12:44), i.e. ‘to
let.’
Links

COMMENTARIES ON VERSE 26
nothing.

Then goethhe and takethto him sevenother spirits,.... Or "demons", as the
Ethiopic version, whom he took to him as his consorts and companions, as the
same version calls them.
More wickedthan himself; for it seems there are degrees ofwickedness
among the devils, as well as among men:
and they enter and dwell there; the unclean spirit, and the other seven: so
sevendevils were in Mary Magdalene, anda legion in another man; and
indeed the evil heart of man is an habitation of devils, and the hold of every
foul spirit: here it may chiefly designthe place and powerwhich the devil had
among the Jews before their destruction:
and the last state of that man is worse than the first; the Persic versionadds,
"and more miserable";as was the case ofthe Jews, to which this parable
refers; as appears by what is subjoined in Matthew, which manifestly applies
it to them,
even so shall it be also unto this wickedgeneration;See Gill on Matthew
12:45.
Geneva Study Bible
Then goethhe, and taketh to him sevenother spirits more wickedthan
himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is
worse than the first.

26. sevenother spirits] Compare Luke 8:2; Luke 8:30. The number is
figurative of complete wickednessand (in this case)final possession.
the laststate of that man is worse than the first] The most striking comment
on the verse is furnished by Hebrews 6:4-6; Heb 10:26-29,
and especially2 Peter2:20-21. “Sin no more,” said our Lord to the Impotent
Man, “lesta worse thing come unto thee,” John 5:14. The Parable was an
allegory, not only of the awful peril of relapse after partial conversion, but
also of the History of the Jews. The demon of idolatry had been expelled by
the Exile; ‘but had returned in the sevenfoldvirulence of letter-worship,
formalism, exclusiveness, ambition, greed, hypocrisy and hate;’ and on the
testimony of Josephus himself the Jews of that age were so bad that their
destruction seemedan inevitable retribution.
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 26. - Then goeth he, and taketh to him sevenother spirits more wicked
than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man
is worse than the first. As instances of such a terrible possession, not
improbably the result of a relapse such as is above portrayed, might be cited
the casesofMary Magdalene, outof whom we are told went sevendevils, and
of the Gergesene demoniac, who was possessedby a swarm or legionof these
unclean spirits. There is another well-knownhistoricalreference containedin
these words of Jesus, whichspeak of the triumphant return of the temporarily
banished devil. In this, the chosenpeople represent the one possessed;the
expelled devil was the one besetting sin which from the time of the Exodus to
the Captivity - that fearsome idolatry with its attendant mischief - exercised
over Israela strange and horrible fascination. After the return from exile,
idolatry seemeddriven out for ever. But the house was only empty; there was
no indwelling Presence there of the Holy Spirit of the Lord, only an outward
show of ceremonies and of rites, only a religion of the lips, nor; of the heart;

and so the old state of possessionreturned under the form of hypocrisy, envy,
narrowness, jealousy, covetousness. The Jewishhistorian, Josephus, has dared
to paint the picture of national degradationwhich closedin the sack and
burning of the city and temple (A.D. 70). But this striking application belongs
to St. Matthew, who represents our Lord closing his sadsketchof the return
of the devils with the words, "Evenso shall it be also unto this wicked
generation." It may have been that Jesus prolongedon this occasionthe
terrible sermon, and drew out lessonupon lessonsuggestedby his words; but
it is more likely that St. Matthew is writing of another occasion, when, taunted
with working with the aid of the devil, the Masterspoke similar words,
drawing from them other lessons. The generallessonto be learned - if the
above exegesis be in the main followed - is the utter hopelessnessofattempting
any work which has as its objectthe ameliorationof the human race without
the aid of Christ. Earnestnessand imposture will alike in the end fail here.
The case ofthe one of whom the disciples complained to their Masteras
casting out devils, but who followednot with them, was very different. Here
the Lord said, "Forbid him not: he that is not againstus is for us." The good
work in this case was done, we read, in the Name of Christ: hence the Divine
approval.
Takethto him (παραλαμβάνει)
See on Matthew 4:5.
Seven
Emphatic: "takethspirits, sevenof them."
More wicked

See on Luke 3:19; and Mark 7:21.
Dwell(κατοικεῖ)
Settle down (κατά)to make their dwelling (οἶκος)there.
STUDYLIGHTRESOURCESON VERSE 24
Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible
The unclean spirit when he is gone out of the man passeththrough waterless
places, seeking rest, and finding none, he saith, I will turn back unto my house
whence I came out. And when he is come, he findeth it sweptand garnished.
Then goethhe, and taketh to him sevenother spirits more evil than himself;
and they enter in and dwell there; and the laststate of the man becometh
This parable of the wandering demon, like all the words of Jesus, is true either
in or out of context; and out of context, this is a marvelous teaching of the
futility of negative morality, or religion. Barclaytitled this section, "The Peril
of the Empty Soul," stressing (1) that a man's soul may not be left empty, (2)
that a genuine religion cannotbe erectedon negatives, and (3) that the best
way to avoid evil is to do good.[32]

However, it is a mistake not to see more than moralizings in the parable
before us. Jesus had already spokenthis parable, much earlierin his ministry
(Matthew 12:43f), making it a prophetic warning of Israel againstrejecting
her King; and here it is spokenagain, nearthe close ofhis ministry, and at a
time when the final rejectionof himself by the secularIsraelwas rapidly
approaching.
<LINES><MONO>
The man in whom the evil spirit was = Israel.
The going out of the demon = the rebirth of the nation under the preaching of
John the Baptist.
The sweptand garnishedperiod = the emptiness of Israel's inadequate
regeneration. No meaningful change in the people occurred.
The restlessnessofthe demon = the relentless and unresting hostility against
Jesus ofthe evil powers.
His repossessionofthe victim = total repossessionofnational Israelby Satan's
evil forces. This refers to the judicial hardening of Israel.
The state "worse than the first" = the hardened secularIsrael, as fully
expounded in Romans 9-11.SIZE>MONO>LINES>
In the earlierincident recorded in the other two synoptics, Christ warned the
Pharisees ofthe unpardonable sin; here Christ warned them of the judicial

hardening that would accompanytheir rejectionof the Lord. In the earlier
episode, the wandering demon was used as a prophetic warning; here it was
repeatedas an explanation of what had already occurred.
ENDNOTE:
[32] William Barclay, The Gospelof Luke (Philadelphia: WestminsterPress,
1956), p. 151.
Copyright Statement
James Burton Coffman Commentaries reproduced by permission of Abilene
Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. All other rights reserved.
Bibliography
Coffman, James Burton. "Commentary on Luke 11:24". "Coffman
Commentaries on the Old and New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bcc/luke-11.html. Abilene
Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. 1983-1999.
Return to Jump List return to 'Jump List'
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible
When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man,.... That is, the devil, who is in,
and works in the children of disobedience, whetherunder a professionof
religion or not; whose hearts are unclean like himself, wherefore there he
delights to dwell; and so the Ethiopic version renders it, "the evil demon":
who may be said to go out of a man in appearance, whenhe outwardly
reforms and takes up a professionof religion.

He walkeththrough dry places;or "a desert", as the Ethiopic version; to
which the Gentile world is sometimes comparedin the Old TestamentIsaiah
35:1 whither Satanmight go, being disturbed in Judea, through the many
dispossessions by Christ; or rather leaving for a while the Scribes and
Pharisees,who outwardly appearedrighteous before men, he went to the
Gentiles;
seeking rest, and finding none; being also made uneasy among them, through
the preaching of the Gospel, which was sentunto them after Christ's
resurrection;and not being able to keephis place in the hearts of men, nor do
the mischief he was desirous of.
He saith, I will return unto my house, whence I came out; to the Jews again,
who were blinded and filled with rage and enmity to the Gospelby him, and
whom he instigatedto persecute the apostles of Christ, and preachers ofthe
word, whereverthey came;See Gill on Matthew 12:43 and See Gill on
Matthew 12:44.
Copyright Statement
The New John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible Modernisedand adapted
for the computer by Larry Pierce of Online Bible. All Rightes Reserved,
Larry Pierce, Winterbourne, Ontario.
A printed copy of this work can be ordered from: The Baptist Standard
Bearer, 1 Iron Oaks Dr, Paris, AR, 72855
Bibliography

Gill, John. "Commentary on Luke 11:24". "The New JohnGill Exposition of
the Entire Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/luke-
11.html. 1999.
Geneva Study Bible
6 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walkeththrough dry
whence I came out.
(6) He that does not continue, but is in a worse case,than he that never began.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain.
Text Courtesyof BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
Bibliography
Beza, Theodore. "Commentaryon Luke 11:24". "The 1599 Geneva Study
Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/gsb/luke-11.html.
1599-1645.
Robertson's WordPictures in the New Testament
And finding none (και μη ευρισκον — kaimē heuriskon). Here Matthew 12:43
has και ουχ ευρισκει — kai ouch heuriskei(present active indicative instead of
present active participle). Luke 11:24-26 is almostverbatim like Matthew
12:43-45, whichsee. Insteadof just “taketh” (παραλαμβανει — paralambanei)
in Luke 11:26, Matthew has “takethwith himself” (παραλαμβανει μετ εαυτου

— paralambanei meth' heautou). And Luke omits: “Evenso shall it be also
unto this evil generation” of Matthew 12:45.
Than the first (των πρωτων — tōn prōtōn). Ablative case afterthe
comparative χειρονα — cheirona The sevendemons brought back remind one
of the seventhat afflicted Mary Magdalene (Luke 8:2).
Copyright Statement
The Robertson's WordPictures of the New Testament. Copyright �
Broadman Press 1932,33,Renewal1960. All rights reserved. Used by
permission of Broadman Press (Southern BaptistSunday SchoolBoard)
Bibliography
Robertson, A.T. "Commentary on Luke 11:24". "Robertson's WordPictures
of the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/rwp/luke-11.html. Broadman
Press 1932,33. Renewal1960.
Dry places ( ἀνύδρων τόπων )
Rev., more literally, waterless. The haunts of evil spirits (Isaiah 13:21, Isaiah
13:22;Isaiah 34:14). By satyrs in these two passagesare meant goblins shaped
like goats, whichwere sacrificedto by some of the Israelites (Leviticus 17:7; 2
Chronicles 11:15);a remnant of the Egyptian worship of Mendes or Pan, who,
under the figure of a goat, was worshippedby the Egyptians as the fertilizing
principle in nature. In Isaiah 34:14, it is said“the screech-owlshallrest
there.” This is rendered in margin of A. V. and in the Rev., Old Testament,

the night-monster (Hebrew, Lilith )and by Cheyne (Isaiah) night-fairy. The
reference is to a popular superstition that LilithAdam's first wife, forsook him
and became a demon which murdered young children and haunted desert
places.
Rest
See on Matthew 11:28.
Copyright Statement
The text of this work is public domain.
Bibliography
Vincent, Marvin R. DD. "Commentaryon Luke 11:24". "Vincent's Word
Studies in the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/vnt/luke-11.html. Charles
Schribner's Sons. New York, USA. 1887.
The Fourfold Gospel
The unclean spirit when he is gone out of the man, passeththrough waterless
places, seeking rest, and finding none, he saith, I will turn back unto my house
whence I came out2.
SIGN SEEKERS, AND THE ENTHUSIAST REPROVED. (Galilee onthe
same day as the lastsection.)Matthew 12:38-45;Luke 11:24-36

The unclean spirit . . . passeththrough waterlessplaces, etc. SeeLuke 11:24-
36.
I will turn back unto my house whence I came out. See Luke 11:24-36.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain and are a derivative of an electronic edition that
is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website. These files
were made available by Mr. Ernie Stefanik. First published online in 1996 at
The RestorationMovementPages.
Bibliography
J. W. McGarveyand Philip Y. Pendleton. "Commentaryon Luke 11:24".
"The Fourfold Gospel".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tfg/luke-11.html. Standard
Publishing Company, Cincinnati, Ohio. 1914.
John Trapp Complete Commentary
22 But when a strongerthan he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he
taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.
23 He that is not with me is againstme: and he that gathereth not with me
scattereth.
24 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walkeththrough dry
whence I came out.

Ver. 24. Seeking rest]His only rest is to molestand mischief men.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Trapp, John. "Commentary on Luke 11:24". John Trapp Complete
Commentary. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jtc/luke-
11.html. 1865-1868.
Matthew Poole's EnglishAnnotations on the Holy Bible
Ver. 24-26. See Poole on"Matthew 12:43", SeePoole on"Matthew 12:44"
and See Poole on"Matthew 12:45". Fromthese verses we may observe,
1. That the devil may in some sortand degree be castout of persons and
places, while yet in other respects they may be his house, and he may dwell in
and amongstthem. Their bodies, their country, may be in greatmeasure
delivered from his power, and he may yet keeppossessionoftheir souls. This
ordinarily happeneth in places where the gospelis faithfully preached;though
there remain abundance of men whose lives evidence that the devil hath a too
greatpossessionoftheir souls, yet those places, andpersons inhabiting in
them, are more freed from witchcraft, and the power which the devil exercises
(by God’s permission) upon men’s and women’s bodies, and cattle, &c., than
other more paganish and ignorant places. He may also in a sense be saidto be

castout of persons that are reclaimedfrom vicious and debauched lives, yet
are not brought home to God, only are more enlightened, and more under the
powerof restraining grace;yet their souls may be his house.
2. The devil, castout in any degree, is unquiet till (if possible)he hath
recoveredas full a power over and possessionofmen and women as he ever
had.
3. If he ever recovers it, their latter end is worse than their beginning,
Hebrews 6:4 10:26 2 Peter2:20.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Poole, Matthew, "Commentaryon Luke 11:24". Matthew Poole's English
Annotations on the Holy Bible.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/mpc/luke-11.html. 1685.
Cambridge Greek Testamentfor Schools andColleges
24. διέρχεται δι' ἀνύδρων τόπων. The unclean spirits were thought to frequent
ruins (Berachôth, f. 3a) and the waterless desert, Tobit8:3; Baruch4:35; see
on Luke 4:1. The goat“forAzazel” was driven into the wilderness.

ζητοῦνἀνάπαυσιν. Not to be in possessionof some human soul, is (for them) to
be in torment.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
"Commentary on Luke 11:24". "Cambridge Greek Testamentfor Schools
and Colleges".https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cgt/luke-
11.html. 1896.
PeterPett's Commentary on the Bible
‘The unclean spirit when he is gone out of the man, passes throughwaterless
places, seeking rest, and finding none, he says,’
In view of the context above in Luke 11:14-23 this wandering spirit must be
seenas having been castout. It would not disembody itself, and now it
searchesfor someone else to possess.But whereverit goes it meets failure. It is
as though it is in a desert and canfind no place to call home. It ‘passes
through waterless places, seeking rest, andfinding none.’ Palestine was not
the bestplace for finding people who opened themselves to the occultand to
idolatry.
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Pett, Peter. "Commentary on Luke 11:24". "PeterPett's Commentaryon the
Bible ". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/pet/luke-11.html.
2013.
George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary
Man, &c. By this one man is meant the whole Jewishpeople, out of whom the
unclean spirit had been driven by the law. (St. Ambrose) --- Foras long as
they were in Egypt, they lived after the manner of the Egyptians, and were the
habitation of the unclean spirit; but it was expelledfrom them, when they slew
the paschallamb in figure of Christ, and escapeddestructionby sprinkling
themselves with its blood. (St. Cyril in St. Thomas Aquinas) --- But the evil
spirit returned to his former habitation, the Jews, because he saw them devoid
of virtue, barren, and open for his reception. And their latter state is worse
than their former; for more wickeddemons possessedthe breasts of the Jews
than before. Then they raged againstthe prophets only; but now they
persecute the Lord himself of the prophets: therefore have they suffered much
greaterextremities from Vespasianand Titus, than from Egypt and Babylon;
for besides being deprived of the merciful protectionof Providence, which
before watched overthem, they are destitute of all grace, and delivered up to
a more poignant misery, and a more cruel tyranny of the devil. (St. John
Chrysostom, hom. xliv. on S. Matt.)
ON VERSE 26

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible
Then goethhe and takethto him sevenother spirits,.... Or "demons", as the
Ethiopic version, whom he took to him as his consorts and companions, as the
same version calls them.
More wickedthan himself; for it seems there are degrees ofwickedness
among the devils, as well as among men:
and they enter and dwell there; the unclean spirit, and the other seven: so
sevendevils were in Mary Magdalene, anda legion in another man; and
indeed the evil heart of man is an habitation of devils, and the hold of every
foul spirit: here it may chiefly design the place and powerwhich the devil had
among the Jews before their destruction:
and the last state of that man is worse than the first; the Persic versionadds,
"and more miserable";as was the case ofthe Jews, to which this parable
refers; as appears by what is subjoined in Matthew, which manifestly applies
it to them,
even so shall it be also unto this wickedgeneration;See Gill on Matthew
12:45.
Copyright Statement
The New John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible Modernisedand adapted
for the computer by Larry Pierce of Online Bible. All Rightes Reserved,
Larry Pierce, Winterbourne, Ontario.
A printed copy of this work can be ordered from: The Baptist Standard
Bearer, 1 Iron Oaks Dr, Paris, AR, 72855

Bibliography
Gill, John. "Commentary on Luke 11:26". "The New JohnGill Exposition of
the Entire Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/luke-
11.html. 1999.
Takethto him ( παραλαμβάνει )
See on Matthew 4:5.
Seven
Emphatic: “takethspirits, sevenof them.”
More wicked
See on Luke 3:19; and Mark 7:21.
Dwell( κατοικεῖ )
Settle down ( κατά ) to make their dwelling ( οἶκος ) there.

Copyright Statement
The text of this work is public domain.
Bibliography
Vincent, Marvin R. DD. "Commentaryon Luke 11:26". "Vincent's Word
Studies in the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/vnt/luke-11.html. Charles
Schribner's Sons. New York, USA. 1887.
Wesley's ExplanatoryNotes
Then goethhe, and taketh to him sevenother spirits more wickedthan
The laststate of that man becometh worse than the first — Whoeverreads the
sad accountJosephus gives ofthe temple and conduct of the Jews, afterthe
ascensionof Christ and before their final destruction by the Romans, must
acknowledge thatno emblem could have been more proper to describe them.
Their characters were the vilest that canbe conceived, andthey pressedon to
their own ruin, as if they had been possessedby legions of devils, and wrought
up to the last degree of madness. But this also is fulfilled in all who totally and
finally apostatize from true faith.
Copyright Statement

is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website.
Bibliography
Wesley, John. "Commentary on Luke 11:26". "JohnWesley's Explanatory
Notes on the Whole Bible".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/wen/luke-11.html. 1765.
The Fourfold Gospel
Then goethhe, and taketh1 [to him] sevenother spirits more evil than
himself; and they enter in and dwell there: and the laststate of that man
becomethworse than the first.
Then goethhe, and taketh, etc. See .
Copyright Statement
is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website. These files
were made available by Mr. Ernie Stefanik. First published online in 1996 at
The RestorationMovementPages.
Bibliography
J. W. McGarveyand Philip Y. Pendleton. "Commentaryon Luke 11:26".
"The Fourfold Gospel".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tfg/luke-11.html. Standard
Publishing Company, Cincinnati, Ohio. 1914.

James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary
THE LAST STATE
‘The last state of that man is worse than the first.’
Luke 11:26
‘When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walkeththrough dry places,
seeking rest… and the last state of that man is worse than the first.’ This
short parable is one of the most terrible in the whole Bible.
It has a twofold application; first, to the Jewishnation; second, to individual
souls of men.
I. Application to the Jewishnation.—Israel’s besetting sin was idolatry. For
this, retribution had followedthem over and over again. At last, they were
carried awaycaptive, and ‘by the waters of Babylon they sat down and wept.’
A deep impression had been made, and thenceforth their idolatry ceasedto
exist. But the Temple was only swept clearof a few gross violations of God’s
law. It was garnishedwith a magnificent ritual; but it was empty, and
untenanted by the Spirit of God; the unclean spirit of idolatry, which had
been watching for re-entrance, returned in another guise, with sevenfold
power, and blindness of heart, hypocrisy, pride, envy, jealousy, self-
righteousness, andformality entered in, and ‘the laststate of that nation was
worse than the first.’
II. The words have an individual application.—‘The laststate of that man was
worse than the first.’ ‘Growing worse’—a difficult truth to realise—inrespect

to ourselves. We believe it of others;we say it of others; we mark the increase
of their failings; but we take it for granted that if there is any change in
ourselves, it must be for the better. We may unconsciouslygrow worse in
three ways—
(a) By a gradual declension. We all start in life with certain faults. We each
have a besetting sin; and a man gets worse as his graverpersonalfaults
develop; they grow with his growth, and he becomes a worse man.
(b) By the return of an old sin. The master-passionhas been evicted; we are
free from temptation; we are partially converted, convinced that our past
course of life has been wrong; but there has been no true reformation. Alas! a
man’s weak point will always be his weak point, even after conversion. The
old spirit is ever hovering about, seeking readmission;our temple has been
sweptand garnished, but, alas!it is empty; nothing to take place of old
passion;no strong resolutions, no strong prayers, no careful watchings, no
resortto the means of grace—allunguarded, and so the foul spirit returns
with sevenfoldpower, and ‘the last state of that man is worse than the first.’
Beware ofany lull in temptation! Beware ofthe danger of ‘relapse’in the
spiritual life; the ‘fallingback’ into the old sins.
III. Remember that God alone can castout devils.—No amount of education,
no amount of atheisticalphilosophy, no high aspirations, cando this; God
alone can castthem out and keepthem out. And if, by His mercy, you have got
rid of some sin, remember it is not enough for your soul to be swept and
garnished—empty. A negative religion is well-nigh useless. We must ask that
God’s Holy Spirit in all the plenitude of His power will occupy the vacant
throne.
—Rev. Prebendary J. Storrs.

Illustration
‘The charge that Christ had castout the devil by the powerof the prince of
devils causedHim greatpain, and drew from Him an indignant answerand a
terrible warning. But His reply is confessedlya difficult one. He assumes the
existence oftwo kingdoms, eachhighly organisedunder its own ruler; the
kingdom of Evil and the kingdom of Good. Betweenthese there is an
irreconcilable hostility. Eachis working for its own interests and preservation,
and the absolute destruction of the other. Now it is plain that absolute oneness
is essentialfor the existence of any kingdom. There may be divisions, parties,
but such differences may, and often do, conduce to the advancementof its
interests;but there must be absolute oneness in relations to other kingdoms,
or its very existence is imperilled. If one begins to aid and abet the designs of
another, it must certainly compass its own destruction. Hence we see that
whateveranarchy and divisions there may be in the kingdom of Evil, in its
relation to the kingdom of Good, it must be at perfectunity. “Every kingdom
divided againstitself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against
itself falleth. If Satan be divided againsthimself, how shall his kingdom stand?
Becauseye say, that I castout devils by Beelzebub.” It might possibly be
objectedthat Satan, in order to advance his sway, may assume the garb of the
Son of Man and castout a devil himself. Certainly, but his aim would be to
further sin, and not righteousness;and so our Lord does not refer to this as an
isolatedcase. He teaches:“The whole tenor of My work, eachact, word, is
part of a grand scheme for which I came into the world—viz. to destroy the
works of the devil; My whole life and teaching is opposedto Satan. If,
therefore, I am casting out devils by the power of Satan, then Satanis divided
againsthimself. He is casting out himself; his unity is broken; his kingdom
cannot stand; he is compassing his own destruction.”’
(SECOND OUTLINE)

THE RETURN OF THE DEVIL
This incident tells us what will happen to us if we do not resistthe devil. It
tells us plainly that if we do not resisthim, if we still leave our hearts open to
him, he will come back again, worse than before, and we shall be made worse
and more wickedthan if Christ had never set us free from him.
I. Setfree.—All Christian people have been set free from the devil. He is
turned out of the heart of every Christian. Christ turns him out of the heart of
every one of us when we are baptized. He is outside of all of us after that, and
if we do as we ought, and live Christian lives, we may keephim out. He comes
to us and tempts us, and tries to make us let him in. Our business is to say
continually, ‘Get thee hence, Satan. And now you may see why Confirmation
comes when it does in a young person’s life. It comes just as a young personis
growing out of childhood, and when the devil is coming to it with a number of
fresh temptations it had not had before. So Confirmation comes in that the
young person may receive more help from God againstthe devil. And then,
after Confirmation, you come to Holy Communion, and in Holy Communion
Christ Himself comes and abides with you and in you, and if only you keep
Him there the devil cannotgain an entrance. Christ will be there always,
saying, ‘Get thee hence, Satan,’so long as you keepsaying, ‘Abide with me.’
II. If you have fallen away.—The same rule tells you what you are to expect,
and how you are to go on, if any of you have fallen into bad ways and are now
mending. It is no use to think that merely leaving off the bad ways will do. If
you only leave off the bad ways it will never last. You must grow into good
ways, so that the goodness yougrow into may keepout the bad ways you have
broken off. And you cannotgrow into goodness ofyour ownselves. Godonly
can make you do that. Godonly can make you really like goodness.But God
can do this, and He will do it for every one of us if we ask Him.

Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Nisbet, James. "Commentaryon Luke 11:26". Church Pulpit Commentary.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cpc/luke-11.html. 1876.
John Trapp Complete Commentary
26 Then goethhe, and takethto him sevenother spirits more wickedthan
Ver. 26. Seven other spirits] As the jailor lays a load of iron on him that had
escaped. None are worse than those that have been good, and are naught; and
might be good, but will be naught.
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Trapp, John. "Commentary on Luke 11:26". John Trapp Complete
Commentary. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jtc/luke-
11.html. 1865-1868.
Matthew Poole's EnglishAnnotations on the Holy Bible
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Poole, Matthew, "Commentaryon Luke 11:26". Matthew Poole's English
Annotations on the Holy Bible.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/mpc/luke-11.html. 1685.
Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament
Wickedmen rejectthe revealedtruth of God, not because there is not
sufficient evidence that it is truth, but because they are wicked, and the truth
condemns them. When men rejectevidence which God gives, and seek suchas
he will not give, they grow more wicked, and their laststate becomes worse
than any which precededit.

Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Edwards, Justin. "Commentary on Luke 11:26". "Family Bible New
Testament". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/fam/luke-
11.html. American TractSociety. 1851.
Cambridge Greek Testamentfor Schools andColleges
26. ἕτερα πνεύματα … ἑπτά. Compare Luke 8:2; Luke 8:30. The number is
figurative of complete wickednessand (in this case)final possession.
τὰ ἔσχατα τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐκείνου χείρονα τῶν πρώτων. The most striking
comment on the verse is furnished by Hebrews 6:4-6; Hebrews 10:26-29, and
especially2 Peter 2:20-21. “Sinno more,” saidour Lord to the Impotent Man,
“lesta worse thing come unto thee,” John 5:14. The Parable was an allegory,
not only of the awful peril of relapse after partial conversion, but also of the
History of the Jews. The demon of idolatry had been expelled by the Exile;
“but had returned in the sevenfoldvirulence of letter-worship, formalism,
exclusiveness,ambition, greed, hypocrisy and hate;” and on the testimony of
Josephus himself the Jews ofthat age were so bad that their destruction
seemedan inevitable retribution.
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
"Commentary on Luke 11:26". "Cambridge Greek Testamentfor Schools
and Colleges".https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cgt/luke-
11.html. 1896.
PeterPett's Commentary on the Bible
‘Then he goes, andtakes to him seven other spirits more evil than himself.
And they enter in and dwell there, and the last state of that man becomes
worse than the first.’
So it seeks outsome companions (then if anyone tries to exorcise it againit
will be able to put up a better fight) and finds sevenspirits (a ‘divinely
perfect’ number) even worse than itself, and togetherthey enter and take
possessionofthe foolish man. The lessonup to this point is clear. Once a
man’s life has been cleansedand put in order, his only hope of continuing like
that is to let his life be possessedby the Holy Spirit and to submit to the
Kingly Rule of God. Otherwise he may finally turn out to be in a worse
situation than he was before.
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Pett, Peter. "Commentary on Luke 11:26". "PeterPett's Commentaryon the
Bible ". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/pet/luke-11.html.
2013.
George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary
The laststate, &c. But these words are also addressedto us Christians, who
may often, and with reason, fearlest the vice we think extinguished in us,
againreturn and seize on our slothful and careless souls, finding them
cleansedindeed from the filth of sin by the grace ofbaptism, but destitute of
every ornamental and protective virtue. It brings with it seven other evil
spirits, by which we must understand every vicious inclination. (Ven. Bede) ---
The latter state of these souls is worse than the former; because having been
delivered from all former sins, and adorned with grace, if they againreturn to
their iniquities a much more grievous punishment will be due for every
subsequent crime. (St. John Chrysostom, hom. xliv. on S. Matt.)
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
BRUCE HURT MD
Luke 11:24 "When the unclean spirit goes outof a man, it passes through
waterless placesseeking rest, and not finding any, it says, 'I will return to my
house from which I came.'

NET Luke 11:24 "When an unclean spirit goes out of a person, it passes
through waterless placeslooking forrest but not finding any. Then it says, 'I
will return to the home I left.'
GNT Luke 11:24 Ὅταν τὸ ἀκάθαρτονπνεῦμα ἐξέλθῃ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου,
διέρχεται δι᾽ ἀνύδρων τόπων ζητοῦνἀνάπαυσινκαὶ μὴ εὑρίσκον· [τότε]λέγει,
Ὑποστρέψω εἰς τὸν οἶκόνμου ὅθεν ἐξῆλθον·
NLT Luke 11:24 "When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert,
searching for rest. But when it finds none, it says, 'I will return to the person I
came from.'
KJV Luke 11:24 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh
through dry places, seeking rest;and finding none, he saith, I will return unto
my house whence I came out.
ESV Luke 11:24 "When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes
through waterless placesseeking rest, and finding none it says, 'I will return
to my house from which I came.'
NIV Luke 11:24 "When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through
arid places seekingrestand does not find it. Then it says, 'I will return to the
house I left.'
ASV Luke 11:24 The unclean spirit when he is gone out of the man, passeth
through waterless places, seeking rest, andfinding none, he saith, I will turn
back unto my house whence I came out.

CSB Luke 11:24 "When an unclean spirit comes out of a man, it roams
through waterless placeslooking forrest, and not finding rest, it then says,
'I'll go back to my house where I came from.'
NKJ Luke 11:24 "When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through
dry places, seeking rest;and finding none, he says,`Iwill return to my house
from which I came.'
NRS Luke 11:24 "When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it
wanders through waterless regions looking for a resting place, but not finding
any, it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.'
YLT Luke 11:24 'When the unclean spirit may go forth from the man it
walkeththrough waterless placesseeking rest, and not finding, it saith, I will
turn back to my house whence I came forth;
NAB Luke 11:24 "When an unclean spirit goes outof someone, it roams
through arid regions searching for restbut, finding none, it says, 'I shall
return to my home from which I came.'
NJB Luke 11:24 'When an unclean spirit goes out of someone it wanders
through waterless countrylooking for a place to rest, and not finding one it
says, "I will go back to the home I came from."
GWN Luke 11:24 "When an evil spirit comes out of a person, it goes through
dry places looking fora place to rest. But it doesn't find any. Then it says, 'I'll
go back to the home I left.'

BBE Luke 11:24 The unclean spirit, when he has gone out of a man, goes
through dry places, looking forrest; and when he does not get it, he says, I
will go back to my house from which I came.
When the unclean spirit goes out of a man Mt 12:43-45
it passes Job1:7; 2:2; 1 Peter5:8
through waterless placesJudges6:37-40;Ps 63:1; Isa 35:1,2,7;41:17-19;44:3;
Ezekiel47:8-11;Eph 2:2
seeking rest Pr 4:16; Isa 48:22; 57:20,21
'I will return to my house from which I came Mark 5:10; 9:25
Luke 11 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries
Luke 11:24-28 The Dangerof Moral Reformation - John MacArthur
When the unclean spirit goes out of a man - This speaks ofa man exorcisedof
a demon (unclean spirit). For unclean spirit see Luke 4:33-note.
Hughes warns that "A personreading this short passagemight conclude that
the most important aspectof ministry is casting out demons. Although this
theme is present, deliverance from the powerof Satan is not enough. Our lives
also must be filled with the powerand presence of the Spirit, who indwells us.
Life must not be left empty." (The Spirit-Anointed Jesus:A Study of the
Gospelof Luke)
Unclean (169)(akathartosfrom a = without + kathaíro = cleanse from
katharos = clean, pure, free from the adhesion of anything that soils,
adulterates, corrupts, in an ethical sense, free from corrupt desire, sin, and
guilt) (See study of relatedword akatharsia)in a moral sense refers to that
which is uncleanin thought, word, and deed. It candescribe a state of moral
impurity, especiallysexualsin and the word foul is an excellentrendering.
The idea is that which morally indecent or filthy. It is not surprising that as

noted below this word is repeatedlyapplied to filthy demonic spirits in the
Gospels. The relatedterm akatharsia refers to filth or refuse!Now with this
description ponder for a moment the true nature of demonic activity - foul,
filth, refuse. One cannot help but think of the moral filth and refuse which is
now easilyfound on countless internet pornography sites, which undoubtedly
are a reflectionof filthy, unclean demonic spirits possessing andinfluencing
the lost, deceivedperveyors of this immoral trash! O God, deliver your
pristine Bride, especiallythe believing men therein, from the evil addictive
powerof these internet sites which are too horrible to even speak about!
Amen (cf Ps 101:3 where "fastengrip" = Hebrew dabaq = "stick like glue!"
Beware!)
Unclean spirits is a term used 23xin the NT, mostly in the Gospels:
Zech. 13:2; Matt. 10:1; Matt. 12:43; Mk. 1:23; Mk. 1:26; Mk. 1:27; Mk. 3:11;
Mk. 3:30; Mk. 5:2; Mk. 5:8; Mk. 5:13; Mk. 6:7; Mk. 7:25; Mk. 9:25; Lk. 4:36;
Lk. 6:18; Lk. 8:29; Lk. 9:42; Lk. 11:24; Acts 5:16; Acts 8:7; Rev. 16:13;Rev.
18:2
It passes through waterlessplaces seeking rest - The demon sought "rest" in
dry, arid places.
MacArthur on waterless places - It says in verse 24 that this demon passes
through waterless placesseeking rest. Now that's metaphoric. Since demons
are spirit, they don't need water. It's simply a metaphor for the barrenness of
a demon floating around in the nether world, floating around in the spirit
world. They do their work through people....And here is this demon, who
leaves because ofsome moral change and wanders aimlesslyin the spiritual
realm with no personthrough whom to work his diabolicalwork. To be in
that existence outside someone is like being in a barren desertfor a demon.

It's like being in a waterlessplace. It's a restless, distressing situation.(Luke
11:24-28 The Dangerof MoralReformation)
And not finding any, it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came -
The demon concludes the first house, the man from whom he was exorcised,
was the better place and determines to return. This refers to demon possession
of the person, because the personis the demon's "house" so to speak.
Steven Cole - Jesus goes on(Luke 11:24-26)to illustrate what happens to the
man who tries to be neutral: It doesn’t work. Perhaps the man has
experienceda moral reformation, either through the Jewishexorcists or
through his ownwill power and determination. The demon that he struggled
againstfor years has left him. As Matthew Henry (p. 697)describes it, Satan
gives order to his troops to retreattemporarily in order to draw the deluded
soul into an ambush. At first, it is wonderful! The man sweeps up the dirt
from his souland feels a sense of order and peace that he never felt when he
was in bondage to his former sins. But, meanwhile, the departed demon is
restless. Passing throughwaterless placesis a metaphorical expressionthat
“denotes that to dwell out of men is to him a wretched banishment, and
resembles a barren wilderness” (Calvin, p. 84). The demon is not a happy
camper until he moves back in. So, he goes and finds sevenother demons
more evil than himself and they move in. “The laststate of that man becomes
worse than the first.”
What are we to learn from this illustration? J. C. Ryle says it well: “Let us
observe ... how dangerous it is to be content with any change in religion short
of thorough conversionto God” (p. 25). Jesus’words “are a solemn warning
to us, never to be satisfiedwith religious reformation without heart
conversion” (p. 26). As Martyn Lloyd-Jones points out, “we must always
remember that there are other powers, beside that of Christ, which can give
‘results.’ ... It is possible for men and women to getrelief from many of their
ills and troubles apart altogetherfrom the gospel” (EvangelisticSermons
[Banner of Truth], p. 179).

This is especiallyimportant in our day when truth and doctrine are setaside
as of no consequence. We don’t really care about doctrine. We want to know,
does it work? What will the gospeldo for me? Will it help my troubled
marriage? If not, I’ll go to the world if it will getme some results. I had a
church member ask me, “If my wife finds help by counseling with a Hindu
psychiatrist, what’s wrong with that?” I didn’t saythis in reply, but later I
thought that I should have said, “If she got relief by sacrificing a chickento
Satan, would that be okay?”
Luke 11:25 "And when it comes, it finds it sweptand put in order.
NET Luke 11:25 When it returns, it finds the house swept cleanand put in
order.
GNT Luke 11:25 καὶ ἐλθὸν εὑρίσκει σεσαρωμένον καὶ κεκοσμημένον.
NLT Luke 11:25 So it returns and finds that its former home is all sweptand
in order.
KJV Luke 11:25 And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished.
ESV Luke 11:25 And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in
order.
NIV Luke 11:25 When it arrives, it finds the house sweptcleanand put in
order.

ASV Luke 11:25 And when he is come, he findeth it sweptand garnished.
CSB Luke 11:25 And returning, it finds the house swept and put in order.
NKJ Luke 11:25 "And when he comes, he finds it sweptand put in order.
NRS Luke 11:25 When it comes, it finds it sweptand put in order.
YLT Luke 11:25 and having come, it findeth it swept and adorned;
NAB Luke 11:25 But upon returning, it finds it swept cleanand put in order.
NJB Luke 11:25 But on arrival, finding it swept and tidied,
GWN Luke 11:25 When it comes, it finds the house sweptclean and in order.
BBE Luke 11:25 And when he comes, he sees that it has been made fair and
clean.
it finds it swept and put in order 2 Chr 24:17-22;Ps 36:3; 81:11,12;125:5;Mt
12:44,45;2 Th 2:9-12; 2 Peter2:10-19;Jude 1:8-13

THE DEADLY DECEPTION
OF MORALISM
The parallel passagein Mt 12:44 adds one phrase (see bold words below)
“Then it says, ‘I will return to my house (NOTE THE DEMON SEE THE
PERSON AS HIS POSSESSION!)from which I came’;and when it comes, it
finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order.
Comment: The only way to absolutelyassure that one won't be seenby a
demon as his "possession" is to be "possessed" by Jesus Christ. Titus 2:14-
note says Jesus "gave Himselffor us to redeem us from every lawless deed,
and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous forgood
deeds." (cf 1 Peter2:9-note) In short "sweptand unoccupied" is the problem
with morality because the moral man's heart is empty. Only Jesus canfill his
heart and thereby prevent a worse situation("more evil" - Lk 11:26).
And when it comes, it finds it sweptand put in order - Sweptand put in order
describes the person as ostensiblyin "goodshape" but the problem is his
"spiritual house" is empty and the strong man's henchmen canreturn. And so
the demon returns to possessthe man again. How is this possible? Clearlyit is
possible is the man does not have the Spirit of Jesus dwelling within him (I
realize that this did not routinely happen to believers until after Pentecost
when all receivedthe indwelling Spirit). Presumably even before the giving of
the Spirit if one truly was born againthey would be in effect"immune" from
demonic possession.
Swept(4563)(saroo)mans to sweepby using a broom. The verb is used by
Matthew in the parallel passage(Mt 12:44)and also by Luke in his

description of the womanwho sweeps the house to searchfor her ten silver
coins (Lk 15:8-note). There are no uses in the Septuagint. In classic Greek
writings saroo has a metaphoric meaning of “exhausted.” (Liddell-Scott).
Hendriksen on one whose "house" is put in order - “I don’t smoke;I don’t
drink; I don’t swear. Hallelujah, I’m a Christian.” If a telephone pole could
talk, it might say the same thing. But a series ofzeros does not make a
Christian. A million negatives do not produce even one positive. We pity the
man with an empty mind. But what about the person with an empty heart …
and an empty life? (BakerNTC:Luke)
Put in order (2885)(kosmeo from kosmos = adorning or order, ornament,
decoration, adornment -- this root word gives us our English cosmetic
something womenuse to "adorn" their face and make themselves more
physically attractive)speaks ofthat which is to put in order. To make
congruous, fitting or orderly. To decorate. To embellish (to make beautiful
with ornamentation; to heighten the attractiveness ofby adding decorative
details) Kosmeo conveys the idea of arranging something in proper order so
as to give it symmetry, comeliness,and beauty.
Kosmeo depicts one who looks goodon the outside but is filled with rottenness
on the inside! What this man neededwas not reformation (put in order) but
regeneration(a brand new "house" so to speak).
As MacArthur asks "Do you know what moral rearmament will do for you?
Do you know what moral reformation will do for you? It will kick open a
double door for the demons to come in. This is a frightening reality, folks.
One demon went out and eight came back. We're talking here about a very
religious person. We're talking here about a person who cleans up his act. By
the way, this is almostidentical to the parable that Jesus told in the very
similar accountin Matthew 12. There, Matthew 12:43-45, the similar
discussionmonths earlier in Galilee. The main point is this, moral

reformation is dangerous. Moralitywithout salvation is frightening. (Luke
11:24-28 The Dangerof MoralReformation)
John MacArthur has an interesting application of Jesus'teaching to a
prevalent mindset among many in America today - True Christians rightly
decried the abandonment of the saving gospelfor the socialgospelby the
liberal mainline denominations in the previous century. Yet the emphasis
among current professing believers on restoring public morality amounts to
nothing more than a form of neo-liberalism. Once againthe saving gospelof
the Lord Jesus Christis being setaside in favor of a different, non-saving
message. Albert Mohler defines moralism as “the belief that the Gospelcanbe
reduced to improvements in behavior” (“Why Moralism Is Not the Gospel—
And Why So Many Christians Think It Is”). It is a false gospeland hence
under the condemnation of God (Gal. 1:8–9). Dr. Mohler goes onto note that
"Moralism… promises the favor of God and the satisfactionofGod’s
righteousness to sinners if they will only behave and commit themselves to
moral improvement … we sin againstChrist and we misrepresentthe Gospel
when we suggestto sinners that what God demands of them is moral
improvement in accordancewith the Law. (ibid.) He then concludes by noting
the sharp contrastbetweenthe saving Gospeland moralism: “Moralism
produces sinners who are (potentially) better behaved. The Gospelof Christ
transforms sinners into the adopted sons and daughters of God” (ibid).
Moralismwas never the messageofthe Lord Jesus Christ, the Old Testament
prophets, or the New Testamentapostles.On the contrary, Jesus reservedHis
most scathing denunciations for the outwardly moral scribes and Pharisees,
characterizing them as hypocrites, destined for eternal punishment in hell
(Matt. 23; Luke 11:37–54). Improving a nation’s morality, like bodily
discipline, does have the limited temporal value of making life safer and more
peaceful. But making a societymore moral will not and cannotbring God’s
blessing, which comes only from true godliness (1 Tim. 4:8). A more
outwardly moral societywill not escape the same divine judgment that falls on
perverted killers, any more than Pharisaic Judaism in Jesus’time escapedthe
devastating judgment of God in A.D. 70 and the eternal hell that followed.
There is only one reality that God blesses—penitentsaving faith in and love

for His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. That is not to say, of course, that
Christians should not at all times hate evil and in all places oppose wickedness
in every form. The issue is whether we are to carry out that effort by pursuing
societalmoralismthrough human effort, or by preaching personalsalvation
through the powerof God. (For more in depth discussionread Dr
MacArthur's interesting message whereinhe gives 15 dangers of promoting
cultural morality without regenerationof hearts - Luke 11:24-28 The Danger
of Moral Reformation)
Here is the question that relates to this passage - Can a Christian be demon
possessed? Cana Christian be demonized?
While the Bible does not explicitly state whether a Christian can be possessed
by a demon, relatedbiblical truths make it abundantly clearthat Christians
cannot be demon possessed. There is a distinct difference betweenbeing
possessedby a demon and being oppressedor influenced by a demon. Demon
possessioninvolves a demon having direct/complete control over the thoughts
and/or actions of a person(Matthew 17:14-18;Luke 4:33-35;8:27-33). Demon
oppressionor influence involves a demon or demons attacking a person
spiritually and/or encouraging him/her into sinful behavior. Notice that in all
the New Testamentpassages dealing with spiritual warfare, there are no
instructions to casta demon out of a believer (Ephesians 6:10-18). Believers
are told to resistthe devil (James 4:7; 1 Peter5:8-9), not to casthim out.
Christians are indwelt by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9-11;1 Corinthians 3:16;
6:19). Surely the Holy Spirit would not allow a demon to possess the same
person He is indwelling. It is unthinkable that God would allow one of His
children, whom He purchasedwith the blood of Christ (1 Peter1:18-19)and
made into a new creation(2 Corinthians 5:17), to be possessedand controlled
by a demon. Yes, as believers, we wage warwith Satanand his demons, but
not from within ourselves. The apostle John declares, “You, dearchildren, are
from God and have overcome them, because the One who is in you is greater
than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). Who is the One in us? The

Holy Spirit. Who is the one in the world? Satanand his demons. Therefore,
the believerhas overcome the world of demons, and the case fordemon
possessionofa believer cannotbe made scripturally. With the strong biblical
evidence that a Christian cannot be demon possessedin view, some Bible
teachers use the term “demonization” to refer to a demon having control over
a Christian. Some argue that while a Christian cannot be demon possessed, a
Christian can be demonized. Typically, the descriptionof demonization is
virtually identical to the description of demon possession. So, the same issue
results. Changing the terminology does not change the fact that a demon
cannot inhabit or take full control of a Christian. Demonic influence and
oppressionare realities for Christians, no doubt, but it is simply not biblical to
say that a Christian can be possessedby a demon or demonized. Much of the
reasoning behind the demonization conceptis the personalexperience of
seeing someone who was “definitely” a Christian exhibiting evidence of being
controlled by a demon. It is crucially important, though, that we do not allow
personalexperience to influence our interpretation of Scripture. Rather, we
must filter our personalexperiences through the truth of Scripture (2
Timothy 3:16-17). Seeing someone whomwe thought to be a Christian
exhibiting the behavior of being demonized should cause us to question the
genuineness ofhis/her faith (Ed: That is he/she might be a professorbut not a
possessorof genuine salvationin Christ). It should not cause us alter our
viewpoint on whether a Christian can be demon possessed/ demonized.
Perhaps the persontruly is a Christian but is severelydemon oppressed
and/or suffering from severe psychologicalproblems. But again, our
experiences must meet the testof Scripture, not the other way around.
Steven Cole - Jesus goes on(Lk 11:24-26)to illustrate what happens to the
man who tries to be neutral: It doesn’t work. Perhaps the man has
experienceda moral reformation, either through the Jewishexorcists or
through his ownwill power and determination. The demon that he struggled
againstfor years has left him. As Matthew Henry (p. 697)describes it, Satan
gives order to his troops to retreattemporarily in order to draw the deluded
soul into an ambush. At first, it is wonderful! The man sweeps up the dirt
from his souland feels a sense of order and peace that he never felt when he

was in bondage to his former sins. But, meanwhile, the departed demon is
restless. Passing throughwaterless placesis a metaphorical expressionthat
“denotes that to dwell out of men is to him a wretched banishment, and
resembles a barren wilderness” (Calvin, p. 84). The demon is not a happy
camper until he moves back in. So, he goes and finds sevenother demons
more evil than himself and they move in. “The laststate of that man becomes
worse than the first.” What are we to learn from this illustration? J. C. Ryle
says it well: “Let us observe ... how dangerous it is to be content with any
change in religion short of thorough conversionto God” (p. 25). Jesus’words
“are a solemn warning to us, never to be satisfiedwith religious reformation
without heart conversion” (p. 26). As Martyn Lloyd-Jones points out, “we
must always remember that there are other powers, beside that of Christ,
which can give ‘results.’ ... It is possible for men and womento getrelief from
many of their ills and troubles apart altogetherfrom the gospel” (Evangelistic
Sermons [Banner of Truth], p. 179). This is especiallyimportant in our day
when truth and doctrine are setaside as of no consequence. We don’t really
care about doctrine. We want to know, does it work? What will the gospeldo
for me? Will it help my troubled marriage? If not, I’ll go to the world if it will
get me some results. I had a church member ask me, “If my wife finds help by
counseling with a Hindu psychiatrist, what’s wrong with that?” I didn’t say
this in reply, but later I thought that I should have said, “If she got relief by
sacrificing a chickento Satan, would that be okay?”
Luke 11:26 "Then it goes andtakes along sevenother spirits more evil than
itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes
worse than the first."
NET Luke 11:26 Then it goes and brings sevenother spirits more evil than
itself, and they go in and live there, so the last state of that personis worse
than the first."

GNT Luke 11:26 τότε πορεύεται καὶ παραλαμβάνει ἕτερα πνεύματα
πονηρότερα ἑαυτοῦ ἑπτὰ καὶ εἰσελθόντα κατοικεῖ ἐκεῖ·καὶ γίνεται τὰ ἔσχατα
τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐκείνου χείρονα τῶν πρώτων.
NLT Luke 11:26 Then the spirit finds sevenother spirits more evil than itself,
and they all enter the personand live there. And so that personis worse off
than before."
KJV Luke 11:26 Then goeth he, and taketh to him sevenother spirits more
wickedthan himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of
that man is worse than the first.
ESV Luke 11:26 Then it goes and brings sevenother spirits more evil than
itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that personis worse
than the first."
NIV Luke 11:26 Then it goes and takes sevenother spirits more wickedthan
itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is
worse than the first."
ASV Luke 11:26 Then goeth he, and taketh to him sevenother spirits more
evil than himself; and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that
man becomethworse than the first.
CSB Luke 11:26 Then it goes and brings sevenother spirits more evil than
itself, and they enter and settle down there. As a result, that man's last
condition is worse than the first."

NKJ Luke 11:26 "Then he goes and takes with him sevenother spirits more
wickedthan himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the laststate of that
man is worse than the first."
NRS Luke 11:26 Then it goes and brings sevenother spirits more evil than
itself, and they enter and live there; and the laststate of that person is worse
than the first."
YLT Luke 11:26 then doth it go, and take to it sevenother spirits more evil
than itself, and having entered, they dwell there, and the last of that man
becomethworst than the first.'
NAB Luke 11:26 Then it goes and brings back sevenother spirits more
wickedthan itself who move in and dwell there, and the last condition of that
person is worse than the first."
NJB Luke 11:26 it then goes offand brings sevenother spirits more wicked
than itself, and they go in and setup house there, and so that personends up
worse off than before.'
GWN Luke 11:26 Then the spirit goes and brings along sevenother spirits
more evil than itself. They enter and take up permanent residence there. In
the end the condition of that person is worse than it was before."
BBE Luke 11:26 Then he goes andgets sevenother spirits more evil than
himself, and they go in, and take their places there: and the last condition of
that man is worse than the first.

more evil than itself Mt 23:15
and the Zeph 1:6; Mt 12:45;John 5:14; Heb 6:4-8; 10:26-31;2 Peter2:20-22;
1 John 5:16; Jude 1:12,13
BEWARE OF REFORMATION
WITHOUT REGENERATION
Then it goes and takes along sevenother spirits more evil than itself, and they
go in and live there - Now the man is possessedby evenmore demons, more
evil than the one originally exorcised. In other words, to fail to respond is to
risk a worse fate than when one started.
It is not enough to turn over a new leaf!
We need to be a new creation!(2 Cor5:17+)
The laststate of that man becomes worse than the first - Worse because of
more demons of an even more evil character. Notice Jesus is teaching that
while all demons are evil, some are characterizedby an even greaterdegree of
evil! "Notto advance means to retreat. There is no standing still."
(Hendriksen) Phillips adds that "The Bible gives examples of multiple demon
possession, including Mary Magdalene and the Gadarene demoniac. Even
when evil spirits are expelled, unless the Holy Spirit comes in, the unfortunate
host can be repossessed. One obvious lessonfrom all of this is the hopelessness
of reformation apart from regeneration."(Exploring Luke) John MacArthur
warns of the deceitful condition of reformation without regenerationwarning
that "There really is no more serious dangerthan the danger of morality. It’s
like the leper with no sense ofpain. Such a person destroys himself without

knowing it. Leprosy is a nerve disease that obliterates feeling. And lepers rub
off their fingers and rub off their feet and rub off their faces becausethey
can’t feel anything. This is the deadly danger of morality. So to attempt to
cleanyour life up without Christ coming to dwell there is to be exposedto an
even greaterdanger. That statement, “The last state of that man becomes
worse than the first,” is very definitive. In the end, being moral is more
dangerous than being immoral. There is no benefit in reformation without
regeneration." (The DangerofMoral Reformation)
Arrington adds that "After the man's deliverance from the evil spirit, he
continues to live apart from God. The Holy Spirit does not occupy his heart.
In other words, deliverance from the power of evil is not enough. The heart
must be filled with the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. Getting rid of
an evil spirit never means we are immune to Satan's assaults. Satanis
persistent, and unless our hearts are filled with God, the outcome can be
tragic. (The Spirit-Anointed Jesus:A Study of the Gospelof Luke)
Jesus spoke ofthis same spiritual dynamic in Matthew 23 declaring "Woe to
you, scribes and Pharisees,hypocrites, becauseyou travel around on sea and
land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as
much a son of hell as yourselves." (Mt23:15) Why twice as much a sonof
hell? Becausethe proselyte becomes more fanaticalfor self-righteous works
than the teacher.
Peterdescribes this deceptive spiritual dynamic writing about the false
teachers (2 Pe 2:1-2) "Forif, after they have escapedthe defilements of the
world by the knowledge ofthe Lord and SaviorJesus Christ (CLEARLY
THEY WERE NOT BORN AGAIN), they are again entangledin them and
are overcome, the last state has become worse forthem than the first. For it
would be better for them not to have knownthe way of righteousness, than
having knownit, to turn awayfrom the holy commandment handed on to
them. 22 It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “A DOG
RETURNS TO ITS OWN VOMIT,” and, “A sow, afterwashing, returns to

Jesus was explaining unclean spirits

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Jesus was explaining unclean spirits