Gospel of Matthew 12:43-45
An evil generation seeks a sign [3] — The unclean spirit
"The unclean spirit, when he has left the man, passes through waterless places, seeking rest, but not finding it. So he says, 'I will return to my house, from which I came'; and when he arrives, he finds it empty, swept, and decorated. He takes with him seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter the house and live there. Thus the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. It will be just so, to this evil generation."
2 Peter 2:9, 20
The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment. . . . For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state is worse for them than the first. It would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.
Comment on the Scripture
This metaphorical and rather weird passage from Matthew (also given in Luke 11:24) is difficult to interpret exactly. Clearly, Christ is predicting spiritual misery for the Jews who are hostile to him. In Matthew, the passage is a continuation of his response to the demands made by the Pharisees and scribes to give them a sign of his holiness (see Matthew 12:39).
The best interpretation appears to be guided by the passage from 2 Peter: That Christ is referring to those who haved been saved by his word, but then turn away from him, following false leaders and becoming once more entangled in the world of the senses.
Christ's continuing diatribe against the "current generation" thus becomes clearer. The people of Judea have been given the opportunity of salvation during Christ's life. Those who reject the living word are even worse off than those who have never had the opportunity. An evil spirit leaves them when they witness the Word; but if they return to their old ways, the evil spirit returns to their life, bringing with it seven spirits even more evil. (Compare the "seven deadly sins".) They are kept under this punishment until the day of judgment comes.
