“Now, whenever the unclean spirit comes out from the man, it passes through a waterless place seeking rest and yet it does not find it. Then it says, ‘To my house I will return from which I came.’ And going, it finds it unoccupied, having been swept and tidied. Then, it went and took along with itself seven other spirits who were more wicked than itself, and entering, it inhabited there. And the last of that man became worse than the first. Thus, it will be also to this wicked Generation.”
To some, the following verses may seem out of place. It may not be at first clear what this story about an unclean spirit and its evil partners have to do with the condemnation from Nineveh and the queen of the south. And yet, Matthew has tied these two paragraphs together with the phrase “this wicked generation” (τῇ γενεᾷ ταύτῃ τῇ πονηρᾷ) which mirrors the wicked and adulterous generation (γενεὰ πονηρὰ καὶ μοιχαλὶς) of v. 39 which is “this generation” (τῆς γενεᾶς ταύτης) of vv. 41 & 42. Therefore, the question is no longer if these verses should be taken with the preceding context but how they fit together. For now, it is enough to recognize that Jesus first speaks with an illustration (vv. 43-45b) before bringing home His point (v. 45c).
Jesus’ Illustration (vv. 43-45b)
That this is an illustration cannot be overlooked or forgotten. With so many curious and incomplete details (the waterless places, the possibility of repossession, the apparent different levels of wickedness among demons, etc.) we must keep several things in mind. (1) This is not a discourse on demonology. While it is true to say that Jesus speaks of things that are real (demons, demon possession, etc.) it is unhelpful to misuse this text in a way other than its original intent as per the author. (2) This is not allegory. Allegory is an attempt to communicate outside of the plain meaning of the text whereby nothing is as it seems, and everything contains some meaning more than its face value. There is no such thing as allegory in the Bible. Rather, this is an illustration. (3) This is an illustration that illuminates the present discussion in its context. Thus, the first step in its interpretation is to follow text within that context.
While there is certainly a logical flow to Jesus’ illustration, the text itself is helpful in that each verse begins with a temporal particle (v. 43 – ὅταν, vv. 44, 45 – τότε). Thus, the temporal progression of the unclean spirit in relation to the man he once occupied (and does so again) forms the various points of Jesus’ illustration.
The Unclean Spirit Leaves (v. 43)
“Now, whenever the unclean spirit comes out from the man, it passes through a waterless place seeking rest and yet it does not find it. ”
One cannot but marvel at what is mentioned and what is left obscure. Jesus simply says that this unclean spirit “came out” (ἐξέρχομαι) of the man without any comment as to how or why. One naturally assumes that this demon was cast out (ἐκβάλλω – 8:16, 31; 9:33, 34; 10:1, 8; 12:24, 26, 27, 28) but this is not the language Jesus uses here. It is possible to speculate that because the demon was not cast out but simply came out that the unclean spirit left the man of its own accord. Yet this assumes too much, especially in the larger context of Jesus casting out demons (12:22-29). A better understanding is that exorcism itself is irrelevant to Jesus’ point. That is, it is unimportant to Jesus’ illustration how or why the demon departed but only that it departed.
That this spirit is called “unclean” (ἀκάθαρτος) is an interesting detail. While Matthew refers to demons (δαιμόνιον – 11x) and those demon possessed (δαιμονίζομαι – 7x), this is only the second and final time He refers to these evil beings as unclean spirits (10:1). The emphasis seems to be on the defiling nature of this spirit. Whatever and whoever comes into contact with such an unclean thing is made unclean.
Once the spirit departs from the man, it passes through waterless places (ἀνύδρων τόπων), that is arid desolate deserts. That wilderness and deserts are associated with demonic activity and habitation is easily acknowledged (Is. 13:21; 34:14; Zech. 2:14). The reason for this connection is obvious enough: such arid places are devoid of the physical manifestation of God’s blessing. Well-watered, fertile, garden-like places manifest God’s blessing. Desert is an all too vivid reminder of the reality of the curse. It is here where the unclean spirit departs as it seeks rest (ἀνάπαυσις), that is, a place where it can find greater satisfaction. As the true shepherd of Israel, Jesus promises rest to those who come to Him (11:28-29). This unclean spirit seeks rest in places that bear no mark of God’s blessing. Yet, even there, it does not find rest. Perhaps it is true that there is no rest for the wicked. This unclean spirit cannot spend the rest of its time roaming about the desert.
The Unclean Spirit Returns (v. 44)
“Then it says, ‘To my house I will return from which I came.’ And going, it finds it is unoccupied, having been swept and tidied.”
The temporal τότε continues the illustration with the next point in the story. Jesus continues His illustration with a rare monologue from an unclean spirit. The spirit declares its intention to return to its house (εἰς τὸν οἶκόν μου). The man from whence the spirit left is referred to as its house, its abode. In finding no rest in the arid places “devoid” of God’s blessing, the spirit determines to return to the last place it had rest, the man. That it refers to the man as “its house” shows that the spirit still considers the man its property. The unclean spirit reckons it has a right to reoccupy the man. What the spirit discovers upon arrival does not contradict its reasoning.
What most English versions translate as “unoccupied” (σχολάζω) literally means to be free of obligation, duty, or routine. In this literal sense, the verb often comes with the idea of laziness (LXX Ex. 5:8, 17). Here, a figurative understanding is assumed as the attributive participle σχολάζοντα modifies the “house”. If a house is free of its obligation (to provide a residence, dwelling place), then it stands unoccupied. The house is neglecting its duty.
Two additional participles complete the picture of the house yet with a different focus. The present active participle σχολάζοντα told the present state of the house (it is free of its obligation, it stands unoccupied). Yet, the perfect passive participles σεσαρωμένον and κεκοσμημένον reveal what has been done to the house (it has been swept and it has been tidied). Someone has cleaned up this “house”. It seems obvious that the unclean spirit is not responsible for this reformation, but Jesus does not specifically mention who is. Rather than venturing a guess, it is best to simply acknowledge that the point rests on the simple fact that the “house” (i.e., the man) has been cleaned up and set in order and yet stands empty. The point is that this man is a place where the unclean spirit can find rest.
The State of the Man (v. 45ab)
“Then it went and took along with itself seven other spirits who were more wicked than itself, and entering, it inhabited there. And the last of that man became worse than the first.”
Again, the adverb τότε is used to move the story along. The unclean spirit does not immediately move it, but takes along with it seven additional spirits, spirits even more wicked than itself. It is not correct to think of these other spirits as necessary reinforcements. The spirits did not need to break in to gain repossession of the “house” for it stood empty. There was no one present to offer any resistance. Rather, the original unclean spirit recognized how suitable its old house was for “its kind of crowd”. These other spirits are welcomed house guests, flat mates, partners in crime. The abode that once housed one unclean spirit now has room for eight. The original unclean spirit has returned to desecrate this man, but with it comes others who can only make matters worse. It seems that they are all there to stay. If the man’s plight was bad at the beginning, how much worse is it now?
Jesus’ Point (v. 45c)
“Thus, it will be also to this wicked Generation.”
Now Jesus gets to the point. This was no mere story for the purpose of entertainment but an illustration leading to a climax. This “wicked generation” who seek after signs will share the same fate as this “man”. Jesus does not speak exclusively about the scribes and Pharisees (v. 38) but addresses them as representatives of the nation Israel. The future state of Israel will be like a man who was once dominated by an unclean spirit, freed of that spirit’s influence, reformed, left empty, and then repossessed by numerous spirits.
Historically speaking, the kingdoms of Israel and Judah were judged by God for their idolatry and apostasy. Their faithlessness ranged from unapologetic paganism to an irreverent and apostate form of Yhwhism. Seventy years of exile “fixed” the external problem of pagan idolatry. The scribes and Pharisees are living proof that Israel has undergone tremendous social and religious reform. The original unclean spirit has departed. Yet, nothing has taken its place.
Israel’s need is not external reform but internal regeneration. While they’ve certainly taken steps to “clean up” the hot mess of their religious life since the days their fathers, they have yet to be given the New Covenant heart (Jer. 31; Ezek. 36-37). The fact of the matter is that their social and religious reform has done more harm than good. In relying upon a religion of “don’ts” (don’t associate with publicans and sinners, don’t break oaths to the Lord, don’t pick grain on the Sabbath, don’t lift a hand on the Sabbath even to help others) they believe that their lives are clean and full. Yet, in trusting to their religion of “don’ts” they reject the imperatives of Christ’s “dos” (repent, believe, come to Me). For all their religion and external morality, this generation is not only empty, but primed for a far worse fate than their idolatrous fathers before them. Morality without a New Covenant heart does not last. Reformation without regeneration will prove fatal. Social and political reform without spiritual conversion ends only in disaster.
Jesus has issued a clear warning to this generation. It is clear that they have rejected Him and the New Covenant heart that comes with Him. Thus, their fate will be like “that man” who once possessed by an unclean spirit is now possessed by eight.