When Jesus cast out demons, some opponents claimed that He did so by the power of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons. Jesus answered that a kingdom divided against itself could not stand and then used the image of entering a strong man's house and binding him before taking his possessions.
Jesus in Context
Beelzebul and Binding the Strong Man
Jesus answers the accusation that His power over demons comes from Beelzebul by portraying Satan as a strong man whose house must first be overpowered.
Introduction
Historical and Cultural Context
The name Beelzebul was used in Jewish discourse as a designation for the chief of demons or Satan. The form is related to the Old Testament name Baal-zebub associated with the god of Ekron, although the precise history of the later form is debated. Jesus' listeners would have understood the accusation as extremely serious: His opponents were attributing works of deliverance to demonic power.
The image of the strong man comes from the familiar problem of household security. A robber could not freely plunder the property of a powerful householder unless the householder were first restrained. Jesus turns that ordinary image into a picture of spiritual conflict. The liberation of people from demonic oppression is evidence not of cooperation with Satan but of Satan's power being challenged and overcome.
Why It Matters
The saying helps explain how Jesus interpreted His exorcisms. They were not isolated wonders but signs that the dominion of evil was being invaded. The strong-man imagery therefore places Jesus' ministry within the larger announcement of the arrival of God's kingdom.