The Unpruned Spirit Leaves, Then Returns
By Jonathan Mitchell
Jesus presents an interesting scenario about a spirit that leaves a person, wanders in a dry wilderness seeking rest, and then returns to its former house. This is found in Mat. 12:
43. "Now whenever the unclean spirit (or: unpruned attitude; unpurged breath-effect; foul wind) should come forth (or: go out) away from the person (or: human), it normally passes through waterless places, continuously seeking a resting place (or: rest; a ceasing from activity) - and it continues finding none.
44. "At that point, it proceeds to say, 'I will proceed turning back into MY house from where I came (or: moved) out.' And, upon coming, it is then finding [it] continuing being unoccupied (being unemployed, and thus, at leisure) and having been swept clean with a broom - even having been put in orderly arrangement and decorated (or: furnished)!
45. "At that time it continues journeying on its way, and then proceeds taking along with itself seven different spirits (attitudes; breath-effects; winds) more good-for-nothing and useless (base, wicked, knavish, grievously oppressive and evil) than itself, and upon entering, it settles down and continues dwelling there in the house. So the last [circumstances] of that person becomes progressively worse than the first ones. Thus in this way will it also proceed being with (or: for; in; to) this good-for-nothing and wicked generation."
A speculation: vss. 43-45 are a personification of Israel: cleansed but not filled, and so re-infected.
John Gavazzoni does an excellent unpacking of this picture, beyond Israel in Jesus' day, and carries observations and applications forward, through history, to our present time:
"What comes to mind for me is, while Jesus may have had primarily Israel in mind as He explained the spiritual syndrome in question, beyond that application, both at the personal and societal/cultural levels, all reformation movements, while having some moral and intellectual cleansing effect, but left empty of true spiritual content, always end up inviting conditions worse than what the movements reacted against. Most certainly the French Revolution comes to mind.
"Also, another classic example in my thinking, has to do with the long-term effects of The Enlightenment in Europe, and its effect as it reached the shores of America. The seven worse spirits of secular humanism claiming to liberate the human spirit restoring the worth and dignity of all men, have left us with the kind of situation we have today where, in the name of personal liberation, instead, the deepest kinds of perverse bondage have become nationally and culturally pervasive.
"Reformation that is of mere soul-initiation, without God-breathed content, always ends badly. Two things come to mine: 1) Harry Robert Fox's observation re: the history of, what he called, the spirit of grandiosity at work in the institutional church and in society, and 2) Watchman Nee's insight regarding ‘the latent power of the soul vs Spirit empowerment.'
"It seems clear to me that that spirit was present dating clear back to the Puritan vision of America becoming 'a city set on a hill, which cannot be hid,' a fulfillment of the kingdom of God coming to earth. With that, also, to the degree that the First and Second Great Awakenings in this country, though there was an underlying spiritual reality, again, to the degree that the final effect had to do with national commitment merely to a moral cleansing, to date, the result has been unspeakable immorality domestically, and its effect internationally."
Looking back, into Israel's recorded history, we see this same pattern frequently repeated. Paul, in Eph. 5, presents to us the answer that breaks this cycle:
19. continuously speaking (making vocal utterances) among (or: = to each other; or: to; within) yourselves in, with, or by, psalms and hymns (or: songs of praise; festive songs; [cf Jas. 5:13]) and spiritual odes (songs; chants), continually singing and playing stringed instruments (making music; psalming; sharply touching or plucking [the strings or chords]) IN (or: by; with; or: for) your hearts to (or: for; by; with: in) the Lord [= Christ, or, Yahweh],
20. constantly giving thanks (expressing gratitude; or: speaking of the well-being that is in Grace and Favor) to God, even [the] Father [p46 & others: to the Father, that is to say, God], at all times (or: always; = on all occasions) concerning all things (or: for everything; or: over all mankind), within the midst of, and in union with, the Name of our Lord, Jesus Christ,
21. while regularly stationing or arranging yourselves under, for one another (or: placing yourselves in humble, aligned assignment with one another; or: being subordinated in taking shelter under one another) so as to support one another, in respect for Christ [cf Phil. 2:3] (or: in union with the reverence which is an Anointing; within Christ's fear; in awe pertaining to, and the source of which is, [the] Anointed One [other MSS: God]).
Jonathan
John Gavazzoni adds:
Continuing to contemplate on the subject: Wouldn't Jesus' description of a house being initially swept clean directly apply to the effect of John the Baptist's ministry, calling the populace of Jerusalem and Judea to repentance? As I recall, at least one of the gospels tells of multitudes going out to hear him preach in the wilderness with many being baptized by him "with the baptism of repentance."
The populace at large while initially stirred religiously, never was filled with the promised Holy Spirit by Him who John said would follow him. Only the elect (of that time and place). The resulting emptiness of the house invited the spirits of what was effectively an insane rebellion against Rome that resulted in the events of A. D. 70. I've speculated along psychological lines that the populace suffered from deeply suppressed guilt re: their passive complicity with their leadership leading to Jesus' crucifixion.
The rebellion, rooted in that spiritual insecurity, would have been driven by a need to prove themselves to be, after all, still the chosen people of God, determined to give evidence for that by successfully ridding themselves of their Roman captivity. Continuing to contemplate on the subject: Wouldn't Jesus' description of a house being initially swept clean directly apply to the effect of John the Baptist's ministry, calling the populace of Jerusalem and Judea to repentance? As I recall, at least one of the gospels tells of multitudes going out to hear him preach in the wilderness with many being baptized by him "with the baptism of repentance."
The populace at large while initially stirred religiously, never was filled with the promised Holy Spirit by Him who John said would follow him. Only the elect (of that time and place). The resulting emptiness of the house invited the spirits of what was effectively an insane rebellion against Rome that resulted in the events of A. D. 70. I've speculated along psychological lines that the populace suffered from deeply suppressed guilt re: their passive complicity with their leadership leading to Jesus' crucifixion.
The rebellion, rooted in that spiritual insecurity, would have been driven by a need to prove themselves to be, after all, still the chosen people of God, determined to give evidence for that by successfully ridding themselves of their Roman captivity.
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