Matthew 12:44
Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.
Then he said, I will return into my house,.... Into the land of Judea, particularly into the Scribes and Pharisees, outward professors of religion; who, notwithstanding their outward reformation, and great pretensions to holiness, are Satan's house still: he has a property in them, a claim upon them; and though he says,
from whence I came out, yet he never really and properly quitted it, only seemingly, and in appearance; and therefore his returning is only throwing off the guise, and reassuming his former character, as a vicious and unclean spirit.
and when he is come, he findeth it empty: not empty of sin: this puts me in mind of a passage in the Misna {y}, where it is said, that on a fast day,
"when they stand in prayer, they cause to descend, or go before the ark, an old man, who is used (to prayer,) whose children, Mqyr wtybw, "and his house, are empty", so that his heart is perfect in prayer,''
or entirely at leisure for it. The commentators {z} on that phrase, "his house is empty", note, that he was empty of sin, and free from it, and one concerning whom an evil report had not gone forth from his youth: but such was not this house; it was empty of God, of the true knowledge of him, of the fear of him, and love to him; of Christ, of faith in him, affection for him, and hope on him; of the Spirit of God, and of his graces, and of spiritual, internal religion, and powerful godliness.
Swept; not with the Spirit of grace convincing of sin, righteousness, and judgment; but with the besom of an outward reformation:
and garnished; not with internal grace, which makes saints all glorious within; but with secret lusts and corruptions, which rendered it an agreeable habitation for this unclean spirit; and at most, with some show of morality, a little negative holiness, or abstinence from outward acts of sin, an observance of some external rites and ceremonies, and a few hypocritical performances of fasting and prayer; which Satan can very well bear with, so long as the heart is empty of spiritual grace, and till an opportunity offers of throwing off all appearance of good.
{y} Taanith, c. 2. sect. 2.
{z} Maimon. & Bartenora in ib.