Yep. The highlight of my day was going to the church’s men’s Bible study last night. One guy that regularly attends is a former member of the LDS Church. He made a comment concerning Jesus binding the strong man and stealing his goods. (We’ll get to the text in a moment.)
The Bible study leader was dumbfounded. He couldn’t get past the wooden literalism that Premillennial Dispensationalists have when reading the Bible. Pre-Mil people don’t have the discernment to know when the Bible is using figures of speech, metaphors, and so forth or is intended to be read as written. Literally means in accordance with the literature but such a concept is outside of their biblical understanding.
The leader was tripped up on the idea that Jesus could possibly steal anything. Why? Because Jesus was honest, and God and a good teacher. Also, binding is a violent act, another obstacle to understanding the text. Biblical Jesus is not the weakling, milquetoast guy that modern people envision him to be. Of course, the context didn’t help. He just got more confused.
Later, I told him that Jesus binding the strong man—the Devil—and stealing his stuff—us—was the unanimous understanding of the passage by the Reformers, but those guys have no credibility with him. Nope, he is nondenominational and proud to have never been a member of any church. He thinks he knows the Bible but like all such people in nondenominational churches, he knows the milk of the Word backwards and forwards but seems to miss that we are commanded to get into the meat of the Word.
Sorry, but the meat of the Word gets messy and difficult; challenging our most deeply held ideas about God and our relationship to him.
We—the ex-Mormon and I—left him last night totally stuck after being confronted with the Truth but unable to comprehend it.
I will now quote the passage and then toss it to Logos software to give you their take. I’m doing this sight unseen (I don’t know what Logos will say but I’m confident I’m right.)
Yep, now you can test both the Scripture and AI in the same exercise. Sounds like fun to me. Here we go.
The Text
25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: 26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? 27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. 28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. 29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house
Matthew 12:25–29.
Logos AI analysis
Jesus uses the image of binding a strongman to respond to accusations that he casts out demons through Satan’s power—the strongman represents Satan himself[1]. The parable poses a logical challenge: how can anyone plunder a strong man’s possessions without first restraining him (Matt 12:25–29)? The strongman’s house symbolizes the world under Satan’s control, his possessions are the spirits and people enslaved to him, and Jesus’ exorcisms constitute an assault on that domain[2].
Rather than being in league with Satan as the scribes claimed, Jesus came to Satan’s “house” to bind him and liberate the souls held captive there[1]. Satan’s kingdom collapses not through internal division but through the invasion of God’s kingdom in Jesus’ ministry[2]. The binding itself remains theologically complex—while the text doesn’t explicitly clarify the timing, it’s fundamentally connected to Jesus’ death, resurrection, and eventual return as judge[2]. In the immediate context of his earthly ministry, the binding may relate to his baptism and wilderness temptation, or more broadly to the kingdom’s inauguration through his work[2].
The metaphor invites reflection on God’s role as liberator—mirroring the exodus when God bound Pharaoh and freed Israel, Jesus’ ministry inaugurates a new exodus, liberating God’s people[2]. Some modern charismatic movements apply this parable to believers’ spiritual warfare, teaching that Christians must bind strongmen in their cities, though Jesus never instructs his followers to do this[1].
**Biblical passages related to this theme:** The Son of God was manifested to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8), and through death Christ destroyed him who held the power of death—the devil (Heb 2:14–15). Jesus declares that the judgment of the world has come and the prince of this world will be cast out (John 12:31).
[1] Got Questions Ministries, Got Questions? Bible Questions Answered (Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, 2014–2021).
[2] R. Alan Culpepper, Mark, ed. Leslie Andres and R. Alan Culpepper, Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary (Macon, GA: Smyth & Helwys Publishing, Incorporated, 2007), 115–116.
Yep, like Doug Wilson said, “Jesus binds Satan and steals his stereo.”
Conclusion
Folks, this illustration is exactly why I attend this church. They need the light of the Gospel. God put me here for this and a few other reasons. If we are to break the false doctrine of popular prophecy thinking, somebody has to disrupt the paradigm. Breaking said paradigm is done by exploiting the cracks in the prevailing presuppositions and demonstrating the inability of their template of providing real answers.
Michael Heiser is right in saying the stuff people skip over are the important parts that are there for a reason. Premillennialism skips the parts that don’t fit their system or recast them into something foreign to the text. Forcing them to account for the things they can’t forces them to either adjust their worldview or deny God’s Word.
I hate that modern folks compartmentalize everything because then they can’t see the relationships between things or the way that Idea A and Idea B are contradictory and can’t simultaneously be true. By holding both in isolation, they attempt to affirm both, which is a logical contradiction.
The frustrating thing at this Bible Study is the claim that they are right about everything because the Holy Spirit showed it to them. That’s laughable. The Spirit can only use what you have studied. If you block stuff because it is difficult or potentially doesn’t agree with you then you aren’t grappling with the text. We are told to be ready and always have an answer for the hope that is within us.
Lastly, the pastor has renounced Premillennial Dispensationalism from the pulpit but the folks in the pews haven’t got the message yet. They have ears but don’t hear and eyes that can’t see but they claim to be more enlightened than Christians in previous generations. Such a claim is laughable but was made earlier last night with much affirmation. Sad.