Matthew 12:45

Monday, 1 September 2025

 

Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.” Matthew 12:45

 

“Then it traverses, and it takes with itself seven other spirits, itself eviler, and having entered, it dwells there. And the last of that man, it becomes worse than the first. Thus it will be also – this evil generation” (CG).

 

In the previous verse, Jesus spoke of the unclean spirit returning to the house it departed and finding it holidaying, swept and arranged. He continues now with, “Then it traverses, and it takes with itself seven other spirits.”

 

The spirit, realizing it had a good thing going, and seeing that there is plenty of new room available for even more uncleanness, goes out seeking friends to join in with possessing the man once again.

 

The number seven, hepta, is introduced here.

 

 The number seven is the number of spiritual perfection. In this case, even though the spirits are unclean, there is a fullness implied in using the number. It stresses the potency and the immensely malignant nature of the event. This is stressed by the words, “itself eviler.”

 

There is an amalgamation of evil that will exude from this newly infested person. This is certain because even one unclean spirit will manifest itself in evil. With seven more, Jesus says, “and having entered, it dwells there.”

 

The verb translated as “it dwells” is singular. Despite being many, they align as one in purpose. It is similar to the account of the demon Legion in Mark 5 and Luke 8:30, where the verbs are singular when referring to many demons. With such a force now inhabiting this restored home, Jesus says, “And the last of that man, it becomes worse than the first.”

 

This is the certain result of the matter. The man had an evil situation in his life. He had it supposedly taken care of, and yet, he wound up being worse off than at the first because he failed to obtain a complete correction to his state. Jesus next clearly states the subject to which He is referring, saying, “Thus it will be also – this evil generation.”

 

In verse 12:39, the scribes and Pharisees asked for a sign. Jesus next called them “evil and adulteress,” explaining that it would not be given a sign except that of the prophet Jonah. Had He given them a sign, they would have exclaimed like the people did concerning Simon the Sorcerer in Acts 8 –

 

“But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, 10 to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, ‘This man is the great power of God.’” Acts 8:9, 10

 

The people didn’t actually care about Simon. They just wanted to be amused by his tricks. If someone came along, like David Copperfield, they would have left Simon and gone after David. They were looking for a quick cure to their insatiable desire to be delighted with surprise.

 

Jesus knew this was their heart attitude, and so He refused to give them a sign, telling them instead that their sign would come from Scripture itself. He told them why in John –

 

“For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?” John 5:46, 47

 

The sign would be wowed over until someone came and did something new and exciting. Without accepting the word, which was the basis of life and conduct for Israel, they would never truly accept and believe Jesus.

 

Life application: This set of verses contains a truth that extends beyond just the immediate context of the parable. What Jesus says will prove true in a great number of situations. Take an alcoholic, for example.

 

A person who has an alcohol addiction can be equated to a person with an unclean spirit, and indeed it is so. He knows he has a problem and strives to overcome it. Eventually, he prevails. The demon of addiction departs. Relieved, the man sweeps out his house, arranges it nicely, and says, “Self, you done well.”

 

However, he never takes the time to fill this empty house with Jesus. Eventually, when some trial, temptation, or situation arises where he finds himself in a weakened state, he succumbs to drinking again.

 

However, it is normally the case that the reacquired addiction will manifest itself in worse ways than before. He may take up drugs, get lost in pornography, etc. Eventually, he is bound to lose his home, job, and family. In the end, he is in a much worse state than he ever imagined because He failed to heed his wife’s advice to come to church and seek the Lord.