26 Then
they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27 And when He stepped out on the land, there
met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time. And he wore
no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down
before Him, and with a loud voice said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son
of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!” 29 For He had commanded the unclean spirit to
come out of the man. For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard,
bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the
demon into the wilderness. 30 Jesus
asked him, saying, “What is your name?” And he
said, “Legion,” because many demons had entered him. 31 And they begged Him that He would not
command them to go out into the abyss. 32 Now a herd of many swine was feeding there
on the mountain. So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them.
And He permitted them. 33 Then
the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently
down the steep place into the lake and drowned. 34 When those who fed them saw what had
happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. 35 Then they went out to see what had
happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had
departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they
were afraid. 36 They
also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been
demon-possessed was healed. 37 Then
the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to
depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. And He got into the
boat and returned. 38 Now
the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him.
But Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Return
to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you.” And he
went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus
had done for him. 40 So
it was, when Jesus returned, that the multitude welcomed Him, for they were all
waiting for Him.
Commentary
Vs. 26-27 26 Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27 And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time. And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs.
Having calmed the sea for, and before His disciples, Jesus now reaches land safely with them in the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee. And so, it was when Jesus stepped out onto the land and there met Him a man from the city who had demons for a long time. Now this man wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs. And so, if the ragging sea was a freighting experience for the disciples, what they now saw when they landed would’ve been no less unsettling. For anyone who has ever encountered an individual/s taken over by demons, you know just how freighting an experience that is.
Vs. 28-29 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!” 29 For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.
Now when the man saw Jesus he cried out, and fell before Him saying with aloud voice, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!” This man then though taken over by demons did not lose the capacity to discern the presence of God in his midst, indeed it was likely heightened by the demonic forces who had seized him. And so, his crying out to Jesus this way as the Son of the Most High God strangely would’ve been the first time Jesus’ disciples would’ve heard Him addressed that way. Now this he did because Jesus had already commanded the unclean spirit to come out of him. For Jesus already knew the man’s condition and what it had been doing to him. … “For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.” vs. 29
For the poor man was only continually being tormented by it, which when it sized him, he would exemplify all kinds of strange behavior which his community in attempts to restrain him, had taken to binding him with chains and shackles, which he would break free of, and then be driven into the wilderness by the demon. Thus he “lived” totally at its control of him, with his communities barricading and isolating him from them on the one hand, or the demon driving him into the wilderness on the other. A horrible existence than for anyone to have.
Vs. 30-31 30 Jesus asked him, saying, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion,” because many demons had entered him. 31 And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.
Jesus now addresses the man by asking him his name, to which he responds Legion, “because many demons had entered him.” Thus, it is not him but they who are speaking to Jesus, and so they begged Jesus that He would not command them to go out into the abyss, leaving them disembodied.
Vs. 32-33 32 Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain. So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them. And He permitted them. 33 Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned.
Now there was there a heard of swine grazing on one of the grassy cliffs that overlook the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Therefore, the demons begged Jesus that they might enter them. Now in the law of Moses swine are unclean animals, thus no Israelite was to eat or have contact with them. Therefore, Jesus grants them their request, and they immediately enter the heard of swine, which causes them to run violently down the steep place where they were into the sea and drown. This spectacular sight then would’ve stunned the disciples, who in hearing and observing these things would now also know that even the fiercest of demonic forces is utterly fearful of and completely subject to Him.
Vs. 34-35 34 When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. 35 Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid.
Now when those who fed the swine saw what had happened, they fled, and told it in the city and in the country (vs. 34), basically wherever they went they told all whom they encountered of these things. Therefore, the people of that region having heard these things went out to see what had happened. And when they came to Jesus, they found Him with the man whom the demons had departed from, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid (vs. 35). For Jesus with a Word (Matt. 8:32) did in transforming that man’s person and life what they could never do in trying to restrain him with all their chains and shackles.
Vs. 36-40 36 They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed. 37 Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. And He got into the boat and returned.
38 Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you.” And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him. 40 So it was, when Jesus returned, that the multitude welcomed Him, for they were all waiting for Him.
Now the men of their region who had observed these things began to tell it to the whole assembled crowd from the surrounding region of the Gadarenes how these things occurred. However rather than rejoicing in the Son of God who had showed such mercies to the man, their fear only intensified and they asked (i.e. begged, Matt. 8:34) Jesus to depart from their region. Making them they only people in the Gospel to beg Jesus Christ the Lord and Savior of all mankind to depart from them, which is a potential response that certain people will have to Jesus, because not all people will want him as their own Lord and Savior (consider 2 Cor 2:14-17). And so, with that Jesus got into the boat and returned. However, before Jesus departs back to Galilee, the man whom Jesus had cast the demons out of, begs Him that he might be with Him (vs. 38). However, Jesus will send him away, but not as rejection of his person, but rather on a mission, to tell the world about Him, saying to him, “Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you.” vs. 39 And with the man goes his way and proclaims throughout the whole city just what Jesus has done for him. For everyone who has experienced the mercies of God through Jesus Christ will also want to tell the world about Him, and so that is just what that man did. Boldly, freely, and completely, because he had been liberated from the chains and shackles of sin and Satan and man that once held him. Therefore, that man whom his community had written off, had a new Godly purpose which he was now passionately pursuing. And so, it was when that man departed on his mission, Jesus returned to the other side of the Sea of Galilee where there was a multitude of people waiting there for Him who welcomed Him when He arrived (vs. 40).
Commentary
Vs. 26-27 26 Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27 And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time. And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs.
Having calmed the sea for, and before His disciples, Jesus now reaches land safely with them in the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee. And so, it was when Jesus stepped out onto the land and there met Him a man from the city who had demons for a long time. Now this man wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs. And so, if the ragging sea was a freighting experience for the disciples, what they now saw when they landed would’ve been no less unsettling. For anyone who has ever encountered an individual/s taken over by demons, you know just how freighting an experience that is.
Vs. 28-29 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!” 29 For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.
Now when the man saw Jesus he cried out, and fell before Him saying with aloud voice, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!” This man then though taken over by demons did not lose the capacity to discern the presence of God in his midst, indeed it was likely heightened by the demonic forces who had seized him. And so, his crying out to Jesus this way as the Son of the Most High God strangely would’ve been the first time Jesus’ disciples would’ve heard Him addressed that way. Now this he did because Jesus had already commanded the unclean spirit to come out of him. For Jesus already knew the man’s condition and what it had been doing to him. … “For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.” vs. 29
For the poor man was only continually being tormented by it, which when it sized him, he would exemplify all kinds of strange behavior which his community in attempts to restrain him, had taken to binding him with chains and shackles, which he would break free of, and then be driven into the wilderness by the demon. Thus he “lived” totally at its control of him, with his communities barricading and isolating him from them on the one hand, or the demon driving him into the wilderness on the other. A horrible existence than for anyone to have.
Vs. 30-31 30 Jesus asked him, saying, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion,” because many demons had entered him. 31 And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.
Jesus now addresses the man by asking him his name, to which he responds Legion, “because many demons had entered him.” Thus, it is not him but they who are speaking to Jesus, and so they begged Jesus that He would not command them to go out into the abyss, leaving them disembodied.
Vs. 32-33 32 Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain. So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them. And He permitted them. 33 Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned.
Now there was there a heard of swine grazing on one of the grassy cliffs that overlook the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Therefore, the demons begged Jesus that they might enter them. Now in the law of Moses swine are unclean animals, thus no Israelite was to eat or have contact with them. Therefore, Jesus grants them their request, and they immediately enter the heard of swine, which causes them to run violently down the steep place where they were into the sea and drown. This spectacular sight then would’ve stunned the disciples, who in hearing and observing these things would now also know that even the fiercest of demonic forces is utterly fearful of and completely subject to Him.
Vs. 34-35 34 When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. 35 Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid.
Now when those who fed the swine saw what had happened, they fled, and told it in the city and in the country (vs. 34), basically wherever they went they told all whom they encountered of these things. Therefore, the people of that region having heard these things went out to see what had happened. And when they came to Jesus, they found Him with the man whom the demons had departed from, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid (vs. 35). For Jesus with a Word (Matt. 8:32) did in transforming that man’s person and life what they could never do in trying to restrain him with all their chains and shackles.
Vs. 36-40 36 They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed. 37 Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. And He got into the boat and returned.
38 Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you.” And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him. 40 So it was, when Jesus returned, that the multitude welcomed Him, for they were all waiting for Him.
Now the men of their region who had observed these things began to tell it to the whole assembled crowd from the surrounding region of the Gadarenes how these things occurred. However rather than rejoicing in the Son of God who had showed such mercies to the man, their fear only intensified and they asked (i.e. begged, Matt. 8:34) Jesus to depart from their region. Making them they only people in the Gospel to beg Jesus Christ the Lord and Savior of all mankind to depart from them, which is a potential response that certain people will have to Jesus, because not all people will want him as their own Lord and Savior (consider 2 Cor 2:14-17). And so, with that Jesus got into the boat and returned. However, before Jesus departs back to Galilee, the man whom Jesus had cast the demons out of, begs Him that he might be with Him (vs. 38). However, Jesus will send him away, but not as rejection of his person, but rather on a mission, to tell the world about Him, saying to him, “Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you.” vs. 39 And with the man goes his way and proclaims throughout the whole city just what Jesus has done for him. For everyone who has experienced the mercies of God through Jesus Christ will also want to tell the world about Him, and so that is just what that man did. Boldly, freely, and completely, because he had been liberated from the chains and shackles of sin and Satan and man that once held him. Therefore, that man whom his community had written off, had a new Godly purpose which he was now passionately pursuing. And so, it was when that man departed on his mission, Jesus returned to the other side of the Sea of Galilee where there was a multitude of people waiting there for Him who welcomed Him when He arrived (vs. 40).
Scripture Quotations
New King James Version (1982): Thomas Nelson
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