Charles Spurgeon Commentary Matthew 12:44

"Then he saith, I will return into my house whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished." — Matthew 12:44 (ASV)

The foul fiend calls the man, “My house.” His audacity is amazing. He did not build or buy that house, and he has no right to it. He speaks of his leaving the man as a mere coming out, “I came out.” He says, as if it were an easy matter, “I will return.” Evidently, he considers that he has the freehold of man’s nature and can go and come at his pleasure. If Satan quits a man of his own will, he is sure to return just when it suits his purpose. Only the divine force which ejects him can secure his non-return. Reformations which are not the work of conquering grace are usually temporary and often lead up to a worse condition in after years.

The unclean spirit carries out his resolve. He returns, “and when he is come, he findeth it empty.” No one else has taken possession, and so no one hinders his entrance into his own tenement. It is true it is swept from certain grosser sins and garnished with some pretty moralities, but the Holy Spirit is not there, and no divine change has been accomplished; therefore, the unclean spirit is as much at home there as ever he was.

The parable needs no further explanation. Temporary reformation is well pictured. The devil has no objection to his house being swept and garnished, for a moralist may be as truly his slave as the man of debauched habits. So long as the heart is not occupied by his great foe and he can use the man for his own purposes, the adversary of souls will let him reform as much as he pleases.

"I will go back to those Jews," says the devil; and, when he comes back, he finds them without any true love to God: empty, swept, and garnished. See how correctly the Pharisee is dressed, and note with what sanctimonious unction he repeats his hypocritical prayers. He fasts twice in the week, and pays tithes of his mint, and anise, and cummin.

The devil finds the house empty, swept, and garnished; and as he does not care whether he lives in a foul heart or a clean one, so long as he can but live in it, he takes up his abode there again.