Now will the Ruler of this World be Cast Out

In John 12:31, Jesus says, “Now will the ruler of this world be cast out.” There is nearly universal agreement that in this context, the “ruler of this world” is Satan. And the context of the “now” is Christ’s death, resurrection, and ascension (v. 32). So, this demands an answer to the question, in what way is Satan cast out? Because your brain is racing to the “roaring lion” Peter talks about in 1 Peter 5:8. Is Satan cast out, or is he a roaring lion present and seeking whom he may devour? What is the answer? Which one is it? In John 17:15, Jesus prays to the Father that His sheep be kept from the Evil One. Again, which is it? Why do believers need to be kept from the evil one if he has been cast out?

In Mark 3:27, Jesus says, “But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house.” According to Jesus, the strong man needs to be bound to plunder his house’s goods. What is the relationship between casting the ruler out and binding him so that the goods in his house can be plundered? This is the nature of systematic theology. This is how theologians work to determine theological conclusions. The totality of relevant Scripture is examined thoroughly, and findings are articulated based on what can be deduced.

The student of the Bible knows that on the cross Christ died—something happened to Him. And they know that the Messiah (Christ) is the offspring of Eve who will crush the head of the serpent according to Genesis 3:15. (I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise [crush] your head, and you shall bruise [crush] his heel.) For Christ, the heel injury was His death on the cross because He rose from the dead. But what head injury did the Serpent (the Satan, Rev 12:9) receive? Is there any relationship between the head injury and “now will the ruler of this world be cast out”? Again, we ask, “In what way” is the ruler cast out? I have my theological explanation, but do you have one?

Let me show you the CSB Study Bible note on John 12:31, “The ruler of this world in its fallen, sinful state is Satan (14:30; 16:11; 1Jn 5:19). Now, at the cross, the devil would be cast out, or decisively defeated (Luke 10:18; Col 2:14–15)” (p. 1692). Is that satisfactory? Is that enough for you? I immediately asked—in what way was the ancient dragon decisively defeated? Notice that Andreas J. Köstenberger includes Luke 10:18 as a relevant reference. It says, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.” What connection is he making?

I think the head injury Satan received and the casting out in John 12:31 is a particular change to Satan’s power that occurred after his defeat, when Christ rose from the grave. I think that the way Christ bound the strong man so he could plunder his goods is described in Revelation 20:2-3, “And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.”

I conclude that the way the ruler of this world was cast out (John 12:31) is the limitation “so that he might not deceive the nations any longer.” And the binding of the strong man is the same thing—notice “and bound him.” The Greek verb δέω is the same word between Mark 3:27 and Rev 20:2. I don’t think the pit, “shut it,” and “sealed it over him” is literal. Sealed is used six other times in Revelation, and I don’t think any of those uses are literal either. For example, I don’t think there is a literal seal on the foreheads of God’s servants in Revelation 7:3. See sealed in Ephesians 1:13 and 4:30.

For the few that are still reading, don’t forget the issue. We are wrestling with two ideas. In what way is the Satan cast out, and how is he still present as a “roaring lion seeking whom he may devour”? That is the paradoxical issue that can’t be ignored. Satan’s goods are plundered when a soul is saved from the nations. “His house” and “this world” are the same thing. We, who are making “disciples from all nations” (Mat 28:19), can do this because the Deceiver’s ability to deceive the nations corporately has been removed from him (Rev 20:3).

But you say, “It says 1000 years.” I know, but I don’t think 1000 should be interpreted literally. Start with Revelation 1:4 and study how numbers are used throughout the book. You will find that the primary way numbers are used in this apocalyptic literature is symbolically, like Daniel and Ezekiel. Start with the number seven.

Finally, I believe the reason deception increases to an unprecedented level globally during the Great Tribulation (GT) is because Satan, whose ability to deceive the nations is presently curtailed, is released from the pit (again, not literally). Study Matthew 24:4, 5, 11, and 24 and see how the same Greek word for deceive from Revelation 20:3 is used by Jesus. Jesus says the deception is going to be so bad that if it were possible (and it is not), even the elect would be deceived during the GT. Why don’t we have that level of deception presently? Study Revelation 20:3, 8, and 10. See him bound, released, and cast into the lake of fire, all in the context of deceiving. Read 2 Thessalonians 2:8-9.

I know my explanation and conclusions will not be a satisfactory answer to many of you. I get that. I encourage you to email your explanation to me at pastor@bbcfnc.org. I have taken the time to formulate an explanation of the paradox—what is yours?