Mar 3:27 No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.

Alternative: Nothing can enter a house of strength and plunder its contents if something does not first bind its strength and then it can plunder its house.

Christ returns to the topic of "house." As we discussed here, Christ uses the term in two different ways, as a structure and to describe a subunit within the kingdom. However, Christ also uses it in a third way, as a description of a body in which an unclean spirit dwells (Mat 12:44 ). This was how I interpreted the similar verse similar to this in Matthew.

In this context, I realize that this applies to both types of houses.

We are a house of "spirits," that is, ideas, information, and a conglomerate of conflicting thoughts. If our conscious mind is strong, we can protect our private fief of interior mental territory. However, if our conscious mind is enslaved by worthless habits, dominated by thoughts tied to our "bellies" and not our hearts , our personal demons. Once our conscious mind is bound, our house can be spoiled. In Christ system, the heart (relationships, feeling) must direct the mind, not the belly (physical desires). A pure heart allows the mind to see God.

In a larger sense, organizations of people have the same weakness. Our strength is the head of our organization, which isn't necessarily a person. It can be the values that unite and organization that gives it a purpose. A house cannot be divided against its ideals, its meaning. However, once we tie up those ideas, bind the master of our house, then something, perhaps anything, can plunder the house, that the strong man, its strength protected. As with our bodies, our higher desires (our loyalty, our mission, our goals) must direct and organization, not its lower physical desires (pleasure, wealth, etc.). Organizations that follow their higher mission create value the brings wealth. Those that betray their mission for the sake of short-term gains, lose everything.

"No man" is from oudeis, (oudeis) which means "no one," "not one," "nothing," "naught," "good for naught," and "no matter."

"Can" is from the verb, dunamai (dunamai) which means "to have power by virtue of your own capabilities," "to be able," and "to be strong enough." In the previous verse, the word used was the adjective, dunatos (dunatos), which means "strong," "mighty," "possible," and "practicable."

"Enter" is from eiserchomai (eiserchomai)which means both "to go into," "to come in," "to enter," "to enter an office," "to enter a charge," (as in court) and "to come into one's mind."

"A strong man" is ischuros (ischuros), which means "strong," "mighty," and "powerful." It is from ischus, meaning strength. Here is seems as though it is used to refer to demons that control people.

"House" is from oikia (oikia), which means "building," "house," "family," and "household."

"Spoil" is from diarpazô (diarpazo), which means "to tear into pieces," "to efface," "to spoil," and "to plunder."

"Goods" is skeuos (skeuos)which means "a vessel," "an implement," "a piece of equipment," "household furnishing," and "an inanimate object."

"Bind" is deô (deo) which means "to bind," "to keep in bonds," "to tie," "to hinder from," and "to fetter. "