January 16, 2011: Bindin’ and Stealin’ – Michael Hidalgo

Jesus presents the religious with a new vision of who he was and what he was going to do in their midst. He uses violent language – break-in, tie up, plunder. All illegal activities. Yet this is the metaphor, the parable Jesus uses. Jesus is digging into his opponents with this language. He is not simply disagreeing … he is pointing out that they are complicit in the Kingdom that will fall … along with its “house” (a seeming reference to the temple).

It was believed that when Israel lost its independence that God relegated the rule of Israel to earthly powers – to the devil and his angels. While it seems that Jesus is speaking philosophically and myth logically, he may also be making a bold statement about the coming destruction of Israel. Jesus, it seems, is going about binding up the strong man, and cleaning house. And what exactly is he “plundering” – Jesus is answering a question posed by the prophet Isaiah in Isa 49: “Can plunder be taken from a warrior …?” God’s reply is a firm “yes.” And the plunder are the captives who are set free.