Certain proof that the KOG was alive and well in the first century depends upon the act of casting out demons by the finger of God. This is not rocket science, folks.  YOUR CHOICE: (1) IF Christ did NOT cast out demons, then the KOG did NOT come upon those people.  (2) IF Christ DID cast out demons, then the KOG DID indeed make its appearance in the first century.  You are stuck, my friend.  We know that Christ DID cast out demons.  Consequently, the KOG was present in the first century.  Christ said he cast out demons: "And he said to them, 'Go, tell that fox, 'Behold, I CAST OUT DEMONS and perform cures today and tomorrow and the third day I shall be perfected' " (Lk.13:32). (The strong man is implied as Satan in Matt.12: 26-29, et al.)  Even the enemies of Christ, the Pharisees, testified that Jesus did cast out demons (Matt.12:24).  Remember, Jesus' claim to the KOG being on earth is based on his casting out of demons.  Thus, with this abundant proof of the one point, it is indisputable that the KOG did come upon those in His presence (Matt.12:28).

If you do not accept that Christ bound Satan, you need a plausible reason for not believing Satan is the subject of the parable.  You cannot just redefine the parable and say that the strong man is not Satan; the implication within the context that the subject is Satan is too conclusive.  Verse 29 of Matthew 12 cannot be lifted out and assigned another subject; the word "or" links it to earlier passages and their subjects, Christ and Satan.  The context shows no reason to define the strong man as anyone other than Satan.

To believe that the KOG was not present in the first century, you need to show absolutely that Christ did not cast out demons, because Christ himself tied these two events together and THAT was his testimony. This last proposition is a far more difficult burden than simply redefining the strong man.  To say Jesus did not cast out demons is to call Jesus an outright liar.  What can I say?

Some may suggest that when Christ said the "kingdom of God" came (in Mk.1:15, KOG at hand), he really meant that he, the "King," had come.  This is baloney.  That mythical tale cannot stand the test of scripture.  First, it is clear that Christ had "kingdom" in mind in context within the parable in all places.  The Greek words agree with this conclusion.  Second, Christ had a perfectly good word for "king" that he could have used if he wanted to, but he did not (cf. Matt.14:9; Mk.1:15; Lk.14:31).  Jesus Christ said what he meant and meant what he said.  The latter-day Pharisees and the other blind folks among us will just have to live with that.  Consider Matt.12:25-30.  Christ used the word "kingdom" three times and he used the same Greek word every time.  Look at Matt.5:19.  It uses the same Greek word there that was used in the parable.    "Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven" (Matt.5:19a).  "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation" (Matt.12:25a).  The subject is the casting out of demons from a house that is fully protected by a strong man.  But Christ pictures Himself as the stronger man.  Christ defeated the strong man, Satan, overcame him, and divided his spoils.  This is a done deal.  Mark indicates in parallel verses that Christ, the stronger man, was definitely able to bind Satan.  And evidently Satan was tossed out into the darkness where there is gnashing of teeth, far away from God, who dwells in the light (cf. Matt.8:12; 22:13; 25:30), in unapproachable light (1Tim.6:13-16).  But beware.  Satan still has influence like an ugly dog on a long leash.   To "bind" Satan is to restrain him.  It does not mean he is immobile, inactive, or unable to influence people.

CHECK THE MATH: According to Matt.12:25-29, Christ bound Satan, cast out demons, and established the KOG.  And he didALL this in the first century.  On top of the reference to casting out demons, Jesus makes the additional claim in the same context that the Kingdom of God came in the first century.  Believe him or not, that is your problem.  Jesus Christ, the man who should know, tells us in the parable of the strong man that either (A) the KOG did indeed make its appearance (was established) in the first century and (B) he did indeed cast out demons, OR, (A) the KOG did not arrive and (B) he did not cast out demons. The two parts of each proposition [(A plus B) or (not A plus not B)] stand or fall together; they are complimentary.  You cannot accept one half of the equation without the other.  Set up logically as symbolic Boolean Algebraic shorthand, it reads: ( A . B = K ) (or) ( not A . not B = not K. )  K represents the "setting up of the KOG" and the period represents "and."  Thus: either the proposition (A and B) is true or the proposition (not A and not B) is true.  We cannot have it both ways, both cannot be true, nor can we split a proposition.  If (A and B) is true, then (not A and not B) has to be false, and vice versa. (Try replacing A/B/K with "apples," "bananas," and "fruit basket").

If you accept that Jesus cast out demons, then you must also accept the rest of his proposition as shown in context, that Christ in fact established the KOG at that time, the same time he cast out demons. Ergo, the KOG did indeed come upon those people.  You are stuck.  The other position, that Jesus did not set up the KOG and he did not cast out demons, is ludicrous.  The rational mind cannot live with two opposing conclusions, as black = white or up = down.  To accept this latter form represents sustained and willing ignorance in the face of a substantial scriptural fact.  The setting up of the KOG in the above text and example is contingent upon the biblically verifiable fact of Jesus casting out demons.  Taken as a whole, the biblical truth is clear: Jesus Christ DID bind Satan and the KOG DID come upon those people. To think otherwise is irrational.  Therefore, the truth-seeker has to admit that the Kingdom of God was present then and it is still alive and well today!  (END)