The Pulpit Commentary — Mark — Volume 1 — Section 156

oins in general; his words are nci,,,,.a ,-c\ •Y8'1 'l"ijs lµ.ap-rlas, a11.,, "t"P 3..-11.a ,-oii /1ua/3oll.ou, equivalent to "All forms of sin, for this is the arms of the devil." By such armour he defends his possessions and maintains his interest in them; by such armour he repels all attacks on his goods, opposing the impressions of the Divine Word, the influences of the Holy Spirit, and the leadi.ngs of God's providence, Christ captures hie arms when he enables us to guard against his devices and wiles, to avoid his snares, to dis- credit his lies, shun his lusts, and resist his temptations. Further, he takes from Satan the armour in which he places such confidence when he breaks the power of sin in the soul, opens men's eyes to the perils that surround them, regenerates the heart, and renews the life, humbles their spirit, rectifies their errors, checks their corruption, and, in a word, bruises Satan under their feet. 7. Division of the spoils. This is usually the consequence of conquest. When Satan led the sinner captive and made him his prey, he took him with all he is and all he has for his spoil, employing all his endow- ments of mind and energies of body, his time, his talents, his health, his influence, his estate, small or great, in his service. But again, in the day of the sinner's conversion to God, not only is Satan defeated and dispossessed, Christ recovers the long-lost possession-all of it for himself. He regains those energies and endowments, that time, those talents, that influence; he restores all to their right use and to the great end for which they were intended. The whole man-body, soul, and spirit-is brought back to the service of his Maker, and every thought becomes subject to the law of Jesus Christ. Further, the SavioW' not only regains those spoils and recovers them fur himseli, but also, like a great and good Captain, he divides them among his fol- lowers. In every case when he defeats, disarms, and dispossesses Satan, Obrist shares with his soldiers-his servants-the spoils consequent on victory. The sinner thus rescued is blessed" with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things in Christ Jesus;" but he is not only blessed in his own soul, he is made a blessing to all around. He becomes a blessing to friend and fellow-man. In this way the spoil is divided and the blessing distributed. He becomes a proof of Divine power and a pattern of purity to an migodly world; while his talents, be they many or few-ten, or five, or one-are employed for the good of Christ's Church," for the perfecting of the saints, for the edifi- cation of the body of Christ." To sinners he serves as a beacon-light to warn them of the sunken rocks or breakers ahead, and to direct their course into the haven of heavenly rest. A curious and not uninteresting exposition by Theophylact of the distribution of the spoils is to this effect, that men, being the spoils first taken by Satan, and then retaken by Christ, the Saviour distributes them, giving one to one angel and another to another angel as a faithful guardian, that, instead of the demon that lorded it over him, an angel may now have him in safe keeping--of course, in order to be his guide and guard him. 8. Pra,ctical lessons. (1) The sinner still in the power of the strong man should cry mightily to Christ to rescue him from such base servitude, and deliver him from such dreadful drudgery. He, and he alone, can free him from enslavement, because he is stronger than the strong man. (2) The saint already delivered, while still to be on his guard against Satan, has nothing to fear from his assaults. He can never again regain possession, for he is vanquished, and the means of retrieving his lost possessions and forfeited power are for ever wrested from him. If he goes out of himself without being dislodged, he is s_ure to retw:n and resume possession with increased forces and power, as the parable which follows m St. Luke teaches. (3) The believer is bound to bless his deliverer, which he may suitably do in the words- " Thou hast, 0 Lord most glorious, Ascended up on high; And in triumph victorious led Captive captivity. . . . BleBS'd be the Lord, who is to U8 Of oar salvation God: Who daily with his benefits Us plenteously doth load." (4) Neutrality in this cam,e is criminal. If we are not on Christ's side, contending against Satan, we evince our unwillingness that his kingdom should be destroyed; and if not engaged in seeking to bring subjects into Christ's kingdom, as a shepherd OD. m. 1--So.j THE GOSPEL .ACCORDING TO ST. MARK. 161