22. a stronger than he--Christ: Glorious title, in relation to
Satan!
come upon him and overcome him--sublimely expressing the Redeemer's
approach, as the Seed of the woman, to bruise the Serpent's head.
taketh from him all his armour--"his panoply," "his complete armor."
Vain would be the victory, were not the means of regaining his lost
power wrested from him. It is this that completes the triumph and
ensures the final overthrow of his kingdom. The parable that immediately
follows
(Lu 11:24-26)
is just the reverse of this. (See on
Mt 12:43-45.)
In the one case, Satan is dislodged by Christ, and so finds, in
all future assaults, the house preoccupied; in the other, he
merely goes out and comes in again, finding the house "EMPTY"
(Mt 12:44)
of any rival, and all ready to welcome him back. This explains the
important saying that comes in between the two parables
(Lu 11:23).
Neutrality in religion there is none. The absence of positive
attachment to Christ involves hostility to Him.
JFB.
Picture Study Bible