Charles Ellicott Commentary Matthew 12:29

"Or how can one enter into the house of the strong [man,] and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong [man]? and then he will spoil his house." — Matthew 12:29 (ASV)

How can one enter into a strong man’s house? The parable implied in this question appears in a fuller form in Luke 11:21-22. Here, it is sufficient to note that the “strong man” is Satan. The “house” is the region subject to him—that is, either the world at large or the spirits of individual people. The “goods” or “instruments” (compare with the “armor” in Luke 11:22) are the demons or subordinate powers of evil by which he maintains his dominion. The “binding of the strong man” is the restraint placed on Satan’s tyranny by freeing the possessed sufferers from their bondage. The “spoiling of the house” implies the final victory over him.