Luke 11:26Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Let us receive the words which follow, as said not only to them, but also to ourselves, And the last state of that man shall be worse than the first; for if enlightened and released from our former sins we again return to the same course of wickedness, a heavier punishment will await our latter sins.

Now he has returned ‘to his house,’ meaning to your hearts, accompanied by ‘seven’ spirits, which signifies a multitude (as the number ‘seven’ frequently represents ‘many’ in Scripture), making your state worse than it was before. Previously, during your devotion to idols, you silenced the prophets, yet you had not yet directly wronged the Son of God, who manifested himself in the flesh for your benefit. What hope for salvation remains, considering you persist in the same ungratefulness and defiance even now that the Son has become flesh and works miracles for you?

After what had gone before, our Lord proceeds to shew how it was that the Jewish people had sunk to these opinions concerning Christ, saying, When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, &c. For that this example relates to the Jews, Matthew has explained when he says, Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation. (Matt. 12:45.) For all the time that they were living in Egypt in the practice of the Egyptians, there dwelt in them an evil spirit, which was drawn out of them when they sacrificed the lamb as a type of Christ, and were sprinkled with its blood, and so escaped the destroyer.

The comparison then is between one man and the whole Jewish people, from whom through the Law the unclean spirit had been cast out. But because in the Gentiles, whose hearts were first barren, but afterwards in baptism moistened with the dew of the Spirit, the devil could find no rest because of their faith in Christ, (for to the unclean spirits Christ is a flaming fire,) he then returned to the Jewish people. Hence it follows, And finding none, he saith, I will return to my house whence I came.

In a similar manner, this is true.

Matthew 12:45

That is, to those who are of Israel, whom he saw possessing nothing divine in them, but desolate, and vacant for him to take up his abode there; and so it follows, And when he came, he findeth it swept and garnished.

It may also be simply understood, that our Lord added these words to shew the distinction between the works of Satan and His own, that in truth He is ever hastening to cleanse what has been defiled, Satan to defile with still greater pollution what has been cleansed.

In concluding His admonition, the Lord illustrated the plight of the sorrowful individuals who had turned away from this miraculous sign. He shared a parable about a man who had once been liberated from an impure spirit but failed to attain true understanding and instead acted as if he was preparing to welcome that same spirit again (Mt 12:43-45). What transpired? The banished spirit returned, bringing with it seven more powerful spirits.

In the discourse regarding the unclean spirit, which finds no rest anywhere except in humanity, it is portrayed as having an insatiable desire to cause harm. Humanity is called to a state of continuous self-awareness after being freed from the affliction of the evil spirit; otherwise, that spirit may return, not alone but accompanied by others, bringing greater torment than before. This serves as a clear admonition to the individual who was once demon-possessed. Moreover, the conclusion of this discourse encompasses the entire wicked generation to which Christ was addressing His scathing remarks. What occurred with the healed individual also applies to this evil generation.

If, as we comprehend, the Resurrection of the crucified and deceased Christ did not affect the hearts of the Pharisees, what relevance could the extraordinary sign they demanded possibly hold? It would serve only to harm them, rather than provide any true benefit. While it might leave a temporary positive impression, prompting them to halt their persecution and conceal their animosity toward Jesus, how long would this last? Would they not ultimately experience a resurgence of the very anger that once plagued them, similar to those who momentarily break free from an overpowering passion only to succumb again? The anger they had temporarily suppressed could return to them with even greater intensity, just as passions sometimes return to an individual who appeared to have moved beyond them.

When the impure spirit is mentioned, refer to the commentary on Matthew 12:43-45. In Matthew's account, the Lord delivered this additional teaching following the criticism from the Pharisees and scribes regarding His request for a miraculous sign from heaven. The content of this statement closely resembles what is found in Matthew's Gospel.

Jesus Christ concluded His discourse with the Pharisees by sharing a parable inspired by the miracle of healing the man possessed by demons. In this teaching, the Lord illustrated the dire condition that the unbelieving Jewish people and the Pharisees would ultimately face. As Blessed Theophylact explains, those liberated from the oppressive influence of the evil spirit may end up in a worse state if they do not receive guidance. When the unclean spirit departs from an individual, it wanders through desolate areas seeking rest but finds none. It then declares, “I will return to my house from which I came,” and upon its return, it discovers the dwelling to be tidy and beautifully arranged. Consequently, it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more malevolent than itself, and together they inhabit the individual, leading to a condition far worse than before. This serves as a warning to this wicked generation.