Matthew 24:18

24:18 and the one in the field must not turn back to get his cloak.

Matthew 12:44

12:44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the home I left.’ ¹  When it returns, ²  it finds the house ³  empty, swept clean, and put in order. ⁴ 

Matthew 10:13

10:13 And if the house is worthy, let your peace come on it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. ⁵ 

Matthew 13:15

13:15 For the heart of this people has become dull;

they are hard of hearing,

and they have shut their eyes,

so that they would not see with their eyes

and hear with their ears

and understand with their hearts

and turn, and I would heal them.’ ⁶ 

[12:44]  ¹ tn Grk “I will return to my house from which I came.”

[12:44]  ² tn Grk “comes.”

[12:44]  ³ tn The words “the house” are not in Greek but are implied.

[12:44]  ⁴ sn The image of the house empty, swept clean, and put in order refers to the life of the person from whom the demon departed. The key to the example appears to be that no one else has been invited in to dwell. If an exorcism occurs and there is no response to God, then the way is free for the demon to return. Some see the reference to exorcism as more symbolic; thus the story’s only point is about responding to Jesus. This is possible and certainly is an application of the passage.

[10:13]  ¹ sn The response to these messengers determines how God’s blessing is bestowed – if the messengers are not welcomed, their blessing will return to them. Jesus shows just how important their mission is by this remark.

[13:15]  ¹ sn A quotation from Isa 6:9-10. Thus parables both conceal or reveal depending on whether one is open to hearing what they teach.