Church Fathers Commentary Matthew 12:43-45

"But the unclean spirit, when he is gone out of the man, passeth through waterless places, seeking rest, and findeth it not. 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. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man becometh worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this evil generation." — Matthew 12:43-45 (ASV)

St. John Chrysostom: The Lord had said to the Jews, “The men of Nineveh shall rise in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it.” So that they would not become careless, He tells them that they would suffer grievous things not only in the world to come, but here as well. He presented the punishment that would fall upon them in a kind of riddle, saying, “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man.”

St. Jerome: Some suppose that this passage refers to heretics. They argue that the unclean spirit who previously dwelt in them when they were Gentiles is cast out at their confession of the true faith. When they later fall into heresy and adorn their house with false virtues, the Devil takes seven other evil spirits with him, returns, and dwells in them, and their last state becomes worse than their first. Indeed, heretics are in a much worse condition than the Gentiles, for in the heretics there was a hope of faith, while in the Gentiles there was only a war of discord.

Yet even though this interpretation has a certain plausibility and show of learning, I am doubtful of its truth. The concluding words of this passage, whether it is a parable or an example—“Thus shall it be to this evil generation”—compel us to apply it not to heretics or to people in general, but specifically to the Jewish people.

This ensures the context of the passage does not shift about loosely and vaguely, like a meaningless speech, but remains consistent from beginning to end. The unclean spirit, then, went out from the Jews when they received the Law. Having been cast out of the Jews, he walked through the wilderness of the Gentiles, as it says, “He walketh through dry places seeking rest.”

Remigius of Auxerre: He calls the hearts of the Gentiles “dry places” because they lack the moisture of wholesome waters—that is, the holy Scriptures and spiritual gifts—and are strangers to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

Rabanus Maurus: Alternatively, the “dry places” are the hearts of the faithful. After they have been purged from the weakness of loose thoughts, the crafty one who lies in wait tries to see if he can establish a foothold there. But being repelled by the chaste spirit, the Devil finds no resting place for his mind except in the heart of the wicked, as it says, “and findeth none.”

Remigius of Auxerre: The Devil supposed he would have rest forever among the Gentiles, but it is added, “and findeth none,” because when the Son of God appeared in the mystery of His Incarnation, the Gentiles believed.

St. Jerome: And when the Gentiles believed in the Lord, the Devil, finding no place among the nations, said, “I will return into my house whence I came out.” He means, “I still have the Jews, from whom I formerly departed.” And, “When he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.” For the temple of the Jews was empty and did not have Christ dwelling in it, as He had said, “Arise, let us go hence” (John 14:31).

Since they did not have the protection of Angels and were burdened with the useless observances of the Law and the traditions of the Pharisees, the Devil returns to his former dwelling. Taking seven other demons with him, he inhabits it as before.

And the last state of that nation is worse than the first. They are now possessed by a greater number of demons in their blaspheming of Jesus Christ in their synagogues than they were in Egypt before they had knowledge of the Law. For it is one thing not to believe that He would come, and another thing entirely not to receive Him when He has come.

A seven-fold number is joined with the Devil, either because of the Sabbath or because of the number of the Holy Spirit. Just as in Isaiahⁱ (Isaiah 11:2) seven spirits of virtue are said to have descended upon the shoot from the root of Jesse, so on the other hand, an equal number of vices would be poured forth from the Devil.

It is fitting, then, that seven spirits are said to be taken with him, either because of the breaking of the Sabbath or because of the heinous sins that are contrary to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.

St. John Chrysostom: Alternatively, in this He may be showing their punishment. Just as when demon-possessed people have been freed from their affliction, if they later become negligent, they bring upon themselves more severe delusions, so it will be among you. Before, you were possessed by a demon when you worshipped idols and slew your sons to demons. Yet I did not forsake you, but cast out that demon through the Prophets, and afterward came Myself, seeking to purify you completely.

Since you would not listen to Me, but have fallen into a more heinous crime (for it is a greater wickedness to slay Christ than to slay the Prophets), you will therefore suffer heavier calamities. For what befell them under Vespasian and Titus was much more grievous than what they had suffered in Egypt, in Babylon, and under Antiochus.

And this is not all He shows concerning them, but also that since they were destitute of every virtue, they were a more suitable dwelling for demons than before. It is reasonable to apply these words not only to them, but also to us.

If, after being enlightened and delivered from our former evils, we are again possessed by the same wickedness, the punishment for these later sins will be greater than for the first, as Christ spoke to the paralytic: “Behold, thou art made whole, sin not, lest a worse thing come upon thee” (John 5:14).

Rabanus Maurus: For when anyone is converted to the faith, the Devil is cast out of him in Baptism. Driven from there, he wanders up and down through the dry places—that is, the hearts of the faithful.

St. Gregory the Great: The dry places where there is no water are the hearts of the righteous, which by the power of discipline are dried of all humors of carnal lust. The wet places are the minds of worldly men, which the humor of carnal lust fills and makes watery. In such hearts, the Devil imprints his footsteps more deeply, since in his wanderings he comes down upon them as if on low and marshy ground.¹

Rabanus Maurus: And returning to his house from where he had gone out, “he findeth it empty”—empty of good works through slothfulness; “swept”—that is, of its old vices by Baptism; and “garnished”—that is, with false virtues through hypocrisy.

St. Augustine of Hippo: In these words, the Lord signifies that some will believe in such a way that they do not have the strength for the work of continence and will return to the world. The phrase, “He taketh unto him other seven,” is to be understood to mean that when anyone has fallen from righteousness, he will also have hypocrisy.

For when the lust of the flesh is cast out from its accustomed works by repentance, and finds no delights in which to rest, it returns all the more greedily. It will again take possession of the soul if carelessness has followed and the Word of God in sound doctrine has not been brought in to dwell in the cleansed home.²

And since he will not only have the seven vices that are contrary to the spiritual virtues but will also hypocritically pretend to have the virtues, his old lust returns to him. It takes with it seven others that are worse—that is, this seven-fold hypocrisy—making the last state of that man worse than the first.

St. Gregory the Great: For it often happens that at the beginning of its progress, the soul is lifted up and prides itself on its virtues, thereby opening an entrance to the adversary who is raging against it. He shows himself all the more violent in breaking in, in proportion to how grieved he was at being cast out, even if only for a short time.³

1. Mor., xxxiii, 3
2. Quaest. Ev., i, 8
3. Mor., vii, 17