The Binding Of The Strongman
by admin ~ February 14th, 2010
“Else how can a man enter into a strong man’s house and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man, and then spoil his house.” (Matthew 12:29)
Now what is Christ speaking of here in Matthew chapter 12, verse 29? What did He mean talking about this binding of the strong man, and the spoiling of his house?
Well, the doctors of the church today claim that the Bible isn’t clear on whether or not Christ descended into Hell. The doctors of the church today claim that the Bible isn’t clear as to what Jesus did in Hell if He did therein descend. But I say to you, the Bible does specifically speak to the work of Christ in Hell!
Indeed, in the early church the teaching was plain. The binding of the strongman was understood to mean that Christ, as He descended into Hell, did, as the great and mighty warrior of God, bind Satan in chains.
Then the spoiling of his house was understood to mean the work of Christ breaking down the gates of Hell, and setting the captives free, even calling them forth by His own words of the Gospel of the Kingdom!
For proof, hear Eusebius of Caesarea from early 300 AD: “Christ, caring for the salvation of all, and bursting the eternal gates, opened a way of return to life for the dead bound in chains of death.”
Or the words of Saint Athanasius again from early 300 AD: “While the devil thought to kill one, he is deprived of all cast out of Hell, and sitting by the gates, sees all the fettered beings led forth by the courage of the Savior.”
Or the words of Theodoret from around 430 AD: “To the devil Christ declares … I mean to open the prison of death for the rest, but will shut up thee only. Thou wast justly despoiled of all thy subjects.”
Or the words of Cyril of Alexandria in around 412 AD: “Traversing the lowest recesses of the infernal regions, after that He had preached to the spirits there, He led forth the captives in His strength. For when death devoured Him who was the Lamb on behalf of all, it vomited forth all men in Him and with Him. Now when sin has been destroyed, how should it be but that death, too, should wholly perish?”
There are countless additional proofs of the early church teaching that it was Christ who entered into the domain of the strongman (that is descended into Hell to do battle with Satan) and then spoiled his house (that is broke down the gates of Hell and set the captives free!).
So what is our take-away here? A very powerful one. For understanding that this Jesus has passed through the flesh in order to bind the strongman, break down the gates of Hell and set the captives free, we can go forward in true power and victory. For Christ has stripped Satan of all his power. Satan has lost his rule over this earth. Men no longer are in his employ. All the nations of the earth now pay tribute to its new Master, Jesus Christ. This is one of the most freeing doctrines of the faith!
We leave you with one further quote regarding Christ’s triumph over Satan, this one from St. Chrysostom in the late 300’s AD—listen closely to the power this simple truth had for believers in the early church:
Christ, he asserts, not merely opened, but broke in pieces the gates of brass, in order to make the prison useless; where there is neither door, nor bar, whosoever enters is not detained. What God destroys, who can set up again? Earthly kings indeed set free prisoners, yet leave untouched the prison gates; but Christ broke in pieces the gates of brass. Christ went to the utterly black and joyless portion of Hell, and turned it into heaven, transferring all its wealth, the race of man, into His royal treasury. In this, too, Christ surpasses kings, for they send messengers, but He went in person to set the captives free. So again, he says: ‘Our Lord, when He was in Hell, set free all who were kept prisoners by death.’
Today do not let anyone lead you again into bondage to Satan. Christ has already defeated him. Embrace your glorious estate in Christ!
This historic Bible Vision of your Present Glorious State is what Paul’s Primers will return to your faith through its presentation of Kingdom Fulfilled Theology.
Well, that’s all for today. . . To learn more about this vital issue, take action now and visit our site at www.paulsprimers.com.
And please accept our best wishes that God might bless each one of us through the power of His Amazing Love.
Finally, remember to show forth the love of God in someone’s life today!
*****
(c) Copyright – Paul Rakowicz. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
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February 14th, 2010 at 6:24 PM
[...] blog postsArcane Brilliance: What to do with your trinket slots, Part 1 …The Binding Of The Strongman | Bible Vision-Embrace Your Glorious …Descriptivism and Prescriptivism | Nate GosseLegal Details You Need To Know About REOCelebrating [...]
February 22nd, 2011 at 3:22 PM
Concurs castiga o carte…
Trebuie sa scrii un comentariu despre o vanzare facuta de catre tine……