28 When He had come to the other side, to the country of
the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the
tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way. 29 And suddenly they cried out, saying, “What have we to
do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the
time?”
30 Now a good way off from them there was a herd of many
swine feeding. 31 So the demons begged Him, saying, “If You cast us out,
permit us to go away into the herd of swine.” 32 And He said to them, “Go.” So
when they had come out, they went into the herd of swine. And suddenly the
whole herd of swine ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and
perished in the water. 33 Then those who kept them fled; and they went away into the city
and told everything, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men.
34 And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus. And
when they saw Him, they begged Him to depart from their region.
Commentary
Having then safely made their way across the Sea of Galilee, Jesus and the disciples they now arrive at the country of the Gergesenes, (same basic region as Gerasenes, or Gadara, or Gadarenes etc.), it was the capital of the Roman province Perea, being located on the east side of the Jordan River about ten kilometers from the Sea of Galilee opposite Tiberias (gleaned from Nelsons Bible Dictionary). And so coming to the country of the Gergesenes, Jesus is met by two demon-possessed men who lived in the tombs, who were exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way. These demon possessed men then lived on the outskirts of their community in those naturally occurring caves or carved out tombs where people buried their dead. There sudden appearance to the Lord Jesus and the disciples with Him must have truly startled the disciples, and yet even they in their deeply demonic state will now serve to bear witness to the Lord Jesus Christ’s Person, Authority, and Power.
Vs.29 And suddenly they cried out, saying, “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?”
Now when these demon-possessed men encounter the Lord Jesus Christ they immediately recognize Him for who He is; calling Him the Son of God; though it is not them, it is the demons inside them who have taken possession of them; and so when they encounter Jesus they immediately cried out saying, “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?”
Now there is a couple things to note about their declaration, the first as already noted is that they recognize and immediately acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ for who He is, the Son of God. Second is that then acknowledge that the Lord Jesus has absolute Authority and Power over them, for they say to Him, “have You come here to torment us before the time?” Which then leads us to the third point in their statement and that is that every demonic principality and power knows that their time is limited, for even Satan himself knows that his own destruction is assured, and he (like they) can do nothing to stop it (Rev. 12:12). And so with the demons declaration they themselves then unwittingly bear witness to the Lord Jesus Christ’s Authority and Power in the presence of His disciples. Something which would have greatly taken the disciples aback since no demonic power has ever spoken that way about any man, just the Son of Man, the Son of God the Lord Jesus Christ.
Vs. 30-33 30 Now a good way off from them there was a herd of many swine feeding. 31 So the demons begged Him, saying, “If You cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of swine.” 32 And He said to them, “Go.” So when they had come out, they went into the herd of swine. And suddenly the whole herd of swine ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and perished in the water.
Now with the demons acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ’s Person and Authority and Power they beg the Lord Jesus not to cast them out into the abyss, but rather into a herd of swine that was feeding nearby (vs. 31-32). Now swine were unclean animals to the Jews, and so they were off limits to them which then seems appropriate that the Lord Jesus would command the demons to leave the men and go and enter them instead. Now the Lord Jesus could’ve simply commanded them to leave the men and go into nothing which would have left them disembodied and that would’ve been that. However by commanding them to go into the swine the disciples are about to be eye witnesses not just to Lord Jesus Christ’s Authority and Power over the demons, but also the greater community as well, is going to hear of just what the Lord Jesus Christ did, and this will be His witness to them. And so with the demons request of Jesus to go into the swine, the Lord Jesus says to them, “Go.” And with that they leave the men and enter the heard of swine. Now upon their entering the swine the whole herd runs violently down the steep place where they were grazing into the sea where they all perish in the water (vs. 32). All which would have been a very freighting and dramatic scene indeed for the disciples and those keepers of them who observed it.
Vs.33-34 33 Then those who kept them fled; and they went away into the city and told everything, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. 34 And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they begged Him to depart from their region.
Now when the men who were keeping the swine observed all these things, and seeing the swine violently run down the steep place into the sea, they flee! Running into the nearby city telling all there what they had just seen and how the demons left the demon possessed men (vs. 33). And with that the whole city now comes out to meet Jesus; however their coming out to meet Him is not what you would expect. For what Jesus just did in freeing those men from demon possession is not only a very merciful act but it is most clearly a demonstration of His Power and Authority as the Son of God to them all. And yet instead of welcoming the Lord Jesus and thanking Him when they see Him, they only beg Him to depart from their region? Which makes one wonder just what kind of people they were? And that is the response that the Lord Jesus Christ always causes to happen when He reveals Himself to people, either they will love Him and want to receive Him to themselves, or else they will only be like the people there and fearing Him (like the demons did) only ask Him to depart from them, the only question then is what is your response to Him?
Commentary
Vs.
28
“When He had come to the other side, to the country of
the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the
tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way.”
Having then safely made their way across the Sea of Galilee, Jesus and the disciples they now arrive at the country of the Gergesenes, (same basic region as Gerasenes, or Gadara, or Gadarenes etc.), it was the capital of the Roman province Perea, being located on the east side of the Jordan River about ten kilometers from the Sea of Galilee opposite Tiberias (gleaned from Nelsons Bible Dictionary). And so coming to the country of the Gergesenes, Jesus is met by two demon-possessed men who lived in the tombs, who were exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way. These demon possessed men then lived on the outskirts of their community in those naturally occurring caves or carved out tombs where people buried their dead. There sudden appearance to the Lord Jesus and the disciples with Him must have truly startled the disciples, and yet even they in their deeply demonic state will now serve to bear witness to the Lord Jesus Christ’s Person, Authority, and Power.
Vs.29 And suddenly they cried out, saying, “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?”
Now when these demon-possessed men encounter the Lord Jesus Christ they immediately recognize Him for who He is; calling Him the Son of God; though it is not them, it is the demons inside them who have taken possession of them; and so when they encounter Jesus they immediately cried out saying, “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?”
Now there is a couple things to note about their declaration, the first as already noted is that they recognize and immediately acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ for who He is, the Son of God. Second is that then acknowledge that the Lord Jesus has absolute Authority and Power over them, for they say to Him, “have You come here to torment us before the time?” Which then leads us to the third point in their statement and that is that every demonic principality and power knows that their time is limited, for even Satan himself knows that his own destruction is assured, and he (like they) can do nothing to stop it (Rev. 12:12). And so with the demons declaration they themselves then unwittingly bear witness to the Lord Jesus Christ’s Authority and Power in the presence of His disciples. Something which would have greatly taken the disciples aback since no demonic power has ever spoken that way about any man, just the Son of Man, the Son of God the Lord Jesus Christ.
Vs. 30-33 30 Now a good way off from them there was a herd of many swine feeding. 31 So the demons begged Him, saying, “If You cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of swine.” 32 And He said to them, “Go.” So when they had come out, they went into the herd of swine. And suddenly the whole herd of swine ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and perished in the water.
Now with the demons acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ’s Person and Authority and Power they beg the Lord Jesus not to cast them out into the abyss, but rather into a herd of swine that was feeding nearby (vs. 31-32). Now swine were unclean animals to the Jews, and so they were off limits to them which then seems appropriate that the Lord Jesus would command the demons to leave the men and go and enter them instead. Now the Lord Jesus could’ve simply commanded them to leave the men and go into nothing which would have left them disembodied and that would’ve been that. However by commanding them to go into the swine the disciples are about to be eye witnesses not just to Lord Jesus Christ’s Authority and Power over the demons, but also the greater community as well, is going to hear of just what the Lord Jesus Christ did, and this will be His witness to them. And so with the demons request of Jesus to go into the swine, the Lord Jesus says to them, “Go.” And with that they leave the men and enter the heard of swine. Now upon their entering the swine the whole herd runs violently down the steep place where they were grazing into the sea where they all perish in the water (vs. 32). All which would have been a very freighting and dramatic scene indeed for the disciples and those keepers of them who observed it.
Vs.33-34 33 Then those who kept them fled; and they went away into the city and told everything, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. 34 And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they begged Him to depart from their region.
Now when the men who were keeping the swine observed all these things, and seeing the swine violently run down the steep place into the sea, they flee! Running into the nearby city telling all there what they had just seen and how the demons left the demon possessed men (vs. 33). And with that the whole city now comes out to meet Jesus; however their coming out to meet Him is not what you would expect. For what Jesus just did in freeing those men from demon possession is not only a very merciful act but it is most clearly a demonstration of His Power and Authority as the Son of God to them all. And yet instead of welcoming the Lord Jesus and thanking Him when they see Him, they only beg Him to depart from their region? Which makes one wonder just what kind of people they were? And that is the response that the Lord Jesus Christ always causes to happen when He reveals Himself to people, either they will love Him and want to receive Him to themselves, or else they will only be like the people there and fearing Him (like the demons did) only ask Him to depart from them, the only question then is what is your response to Him?
Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.
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