43 “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. 45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also, will it be with this evil generation.” (Matthew 12:43–45 ESV)
Jesus used an analogy of an unclean spirit and an empty house with respect to the evil generation the He encountered during His ministry on earth. The parable was not meant to win friends and influence people. Rather, Jesus used it to teach truth.
Jesus taught the impossibility of being neutral on moral issues and biblical truth. He told a brief story about a man who was forsaken by an unclean spirit who had taken possession of him. But simply to be rid of the spirit results in a vacuum that in the end will be filled by even worse evil spirits.
The parable must not be divorced from its immediately preceding context. This analogy takes up a number of points from the preceding verses in Matthew 12. The exorcism scene echoes vv. 22–29, the application in v. 45 takes up ‘this generation’ from vv. 39, 41–42.
“The point of the parable could be summed up in the words of v. 30—there is no room for neutrality. It is shown by the end of v. 45 to be a parable, not an objective psychiatric observation. It warns of the danger of half-hearted repentance,” explains commentator R. T. France.
“This evil generation might be ‘cleansed’ by Jesus’ ministry among them, but a repentance which does not lead to a new allegiance leaves a void which the devil will exploit; he who is not positively with Jesus must inevitably end up against him.”
“Ownership by the devil must be replaced with ownership by Christ (cf. Rom 6:15–18). Otherwise one’s release is only temporary. Moral reform without Christian commitment always remains inadequate. Jesus likens the situation to a house made ready for new occupants which still stands vacant. Squatters will soon move in. No person can live long without serving someone. Satan will always return to attack that which is left defenseless, and each success leads him to increasingly worse designs, whether, as here, to literal repossession by an even greater number of demons (the number seven may indicate completeness of possession) or with the more widespread degeneracy of repeated sin, which characteristically renders humans more insensitive to their guilt (cf. Rom 1:18–32),” states commentator Craig Blomberg.
Songwriter and musician Bob Dylan expressed the truth of today’s text as follows.
But you’re going to have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You’re going to have to serve somebody
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re going to have to serve somebody.
Soli deo Gloria!
His Word Today 