MATTHEW 8:28-34; MARK 5:1-20; LUKE 8:26-39
Matthew 8:28-34 | Mark 5:1-20 | Luke 8:26-39 |
28. And when he had come to the opposite bank,1 into the country of the Gergesenes, two demoniacs, who had come from among the tombs, met him: and they were fierce beyond measure, so that no man could pass along that road. 29. And, lo, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, Son of God? Hast thou come hither before the time to toment us? 30. And at a distance from them there was a herd of many swine feeding. 31. And the devils entreated him, saying, If thou cast us out, permit us to remove into the herd of swine. 32. And he said to them, Go. And when they had gone out, they went away into the heard of swine. And, lo, the whole herd was carried headlong into the sea, and perished in the waters. 33. And those who had the charge of them fled; and going away into the city, they related all things, and what had happened to the demoniacs, 34. And, lo, the whole city went out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they entreated him, that he would depart from their territories. | 1. And having crossed the sea, they came into the country of Gaderanes. 2. And when he left the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man possessed by an unclean spirit, 3. Who had a dwelling among the tombs,2 and no man could bind him, not even with chains: 4. Because frequently, when he had been bound with fetters and chains, the chains were torn asunder by him, and the fetters were broken in pieces, so that no man could tame him. 5. And always, day and night, he was in the mountains, and among the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones. 6. And when he saw Jesus at a distance, he ran and worshipped him: 7. And, crying with a loud voice, he said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure thee by God, that thou do not torment me. 8. For he said to him, Go out of the man, unclean spirit. 9. And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying to him, My name is Legion: for there are many. 10. And he entreated him earnestly, that he would not send him out of the country. 11. And there was there, near the mountains, a great herd of swine feeding. 12. And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. 13. And immediately Jesus permitted them. And the unclean spirit having gone out, entered into the swine, and the herd was carried headlong into the sea: and they were about two thousand, and were choked in the sea. 14. Then those who tended the swine fled, and told it in the city and in the fields. And they went out to see what it was that had happened. 15. And they come to Jesus, and see the demoniac who had had the Legion, sitting and clothed, and in his right mind, and they were afraid. 16. And those who had seen, related how it had happened to the demoniac, and concerning the swine. 17. And they began to request him to depart from their territories. 18. And when he entered into a ship, he who had been possessed by a devil besought him that he might be with him. 19. But Jesus did not permit him: but said to him, Go to thy home, to thy friends, and relate to them how great things God hath done to thee, and hath pitied thee. 20. And he went away, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all wondered. | 26. And they sailed to the country of the Gaderenes, which is opposite to Galilee. 27. And when he had gone out of the ship into the land, there met him a certain man out of the city, who had devils for along time, and wore no clothes, and did not dwell in a house, but among the tombs. 28. When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him,3 and said with a loud voice, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beseech thee, do not torment me. 29. For he was commanding the unclean spirit to go out of the man: for many times it had seized him, and he was bound by chains, and kept in fetters, and he broke the chains, and was driven by the devil into the deserts. 30. And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: for many devils had entered into him. 31. And they entreated him that he would not command them to go into the deep. 32. And there was there a herd of many swine feeding on the mountains, and they requested him to permit them to enter into them: and he permitted them. 33. And the devils going out of the man entered into the swine, and the herd ran violently down headlong into the lake, and were choked. 34. And when those who tended them saw what was done, they fled, and told it in the city and in the villages. 35. And they went out4 to see what was done, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whome the devils and had gone out, clothed, and in his right mind, at the feet of Jesus; and they were afraid. 36. And those who had seen, related to them how the demoniac had been cured. 37. And the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes besought him to depart from them: for they were seized with a great fear; and he went up into the ship, and returned back again. 38. And the man out of whom the devils had departed requested to be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39. Return to thy house, and relate what things God hath done to thee.5 And he went away through the whole city proclaiming what thing Jesus had done to him. |
The error of those who think that Mark and Luke relate a different miracle from this, has been already refuted. It is the same country which was opposite, as Luke expressly states, to Galilee, that is described by the three Evangelists, and all the circumstances agree. Who then will believe that the same things, so fully coincident at all points, happened at different times ?
Matthew 8:28.
Luke 8:26.
As to the opinion that the man dwelt among the graves, either because devils are delighted with the stench of dead bodies, or gratified by the smell of oblations, or because they watch over souls which are desirous to approach their bodies; it is an idle, and, indeed, a foolish conjecture. On the contrary, this wretched man was kept among the graves by
Mark 5:3.
Mark 5:6.
Hence we infer, that the whole of Satan's kingdom is subject to the authority of Christ.10 For the devils, when Christ summons them to appear before him, are not more at their own disposal than were the wretched men whom their tyranny was wont to drive about in every direction. At length, by the secret power of Christ, they are dragged before him, that, by casting them out, he may prove himself to be the deliverer of men. Reluctantly too they
Matthew 8:29.
Christ does not openly reject, as he did on other occasions, the confession of the devil; and the reason appears to be, that their enmity towards him was so manifest, as to remove every opportunity of unfavorable or calumnious imputation. Besides, Christ paid regard to the spectators. Accordingly, when malicious and wicked men were present, he was more eager to repress calumnies, and more inclined to put a severe restraint on devils. On the present occasion, it was quite enough that the devils, while they were offering a prayer and entreaty, raged and stormed against him.
Were they acquainted with the day of the last judgment? This question, which some have proposed, is uncalled for. What, then, is the meaning of the phrase,
Mark 5:9. My
Hence it is evident what a wretched creature man is, when he is deprived of the divine protection. Every man is not only exposed to a single devil, but becomes the retreat of vast numbers. This passage refutes also the common error, which has been borrowed by Jews and Christians from the heathens, that every man is attacked by his own particular devil? On the contrary, Scripture plainly declares, that, just as it pleases God, one devil13 is sometimes sent to punish a whole nation, and at other times many devils are permitted to punish one man: as, on the other hand, one angel sometimes protects a whole nation, and every man has many angels to act as his guardians. There is the greater necessity for keeping diligent watch, lest so great a multitude of enemies should take us by surprise.
Mark 5:10.
Matthew 8:31.
Mark 5:15.
The apparent ground of their offense is the loss of the swine, but Luke assigns a loftier cause, that they were
And yet it is true that their fear was partly occasioned by their loss. Thus at the present day, so long as men believe that the kingdom of God is opposed to their interest, either of a public or private nature, they are prepossessed by a depraved and carnal fear, and have no relish for his grace. Accordingly, when he comes, they think that God does not regard them with favor, but rather with anger, and, so far as lies in their power, they send him to another place. It is a mark of shameful insensibility in those men, that the loss of their swine gives them more alarm than the salvation of their soul would give them joy.
Luke 8:38.
39.
We must now add the symbolical meaning.16 In the person of one man Christ has exhibited to us "proof of his grace" which is extended to all mankind. Though we are not tortured by the devil, yet he holds us as his slaves,17 till the Son of God delivers us from his tyranny.18 Naked, torn, and disfigured, we wander about,19 till he restores us to soundness of mind. It remains that, in magnifying his grace, we testify our gratitude.
1 "Et quarid il fur passd outre, ou a l'autre rive, cornme au verset 18 ;" -- "and when he had passed beyond, or to the other bank, as at v.18."
2 "Lequel faisoit sa demeurance;" -- "who made his dwelling."
3 "Il se jetta devant luy;" -- "he threw himself down before him."
4 "Ainsi les gens sortirent pour voir;" -- "so the peoplo went out to see."
5 "Raconte combien grandes choses Dieu t'a faitcs;" -- "relate how great things God hath done to thee."
6 "Combien qu'il ne lust pas rant eognu que le premier;" -- "though he was not so well known as the former."
7 "Mais l'effort et la violence que les Evangelistes deserlvent estoit bien autre et plus grande;" -- "but the effort and the violence, which the Evangelists describe, was quite different and much greater."
8 "S'enclina devant luy;" -- "kneeled down before him."
9 "Et ils ne se sont point plainds que Christ les tormentast, sinon quand il les pressoit de sortir;" -- "and they did not complain that Christ tormented them, till he urged them to go out."
10 "Que tout le regne de Satan est tenu en bride sous la domination de Christ;" -- "that all the kingdom of Satan is kept in check under the government of Christ."
11 "Sans que Christ ouvrist sa bouche;" -- "without Christ opening his mouth."
12 "Ils voudroyent bien tousjours prolonger leur terme;" -- "they would always choose to prolong their time.
13 "A scavoir que chacun hornroe ha son diable et son mauvals ange qui lui fait la guerre;" -- "namely, that each man has his devil and his evil angel who makes war with him."
14 "Ce qu'aucuns exposent comme si les diables n'eussent point voulu aller en lieu desert;" -- "which some explain as if the devils did not wish to go into a desert place."
15 "
16 Nunc addenda est anagoge. -- "Maintenant il rested adjouster la deduction ou derivation;" -- -"it now remains to add the inference or remoter instruction." -- The word anagoge, or rather
17 "Toutesfois nous luy sommes serfs et esclaves;" -- "yet we are his serfs and slaves."
18 "De la tyrannic malheureuse d'iceluy;" -- "from his unhappy tyranny."
19 "Nous ne raisons que trainer ca et la estans nuds, deschirez, et dis- figurez;" -- "we do but drag along here and there, being naked, torn, and disfigured."