26 And G2532 they arrived G2668 at G1519 the country G5561 of the Gadarenes, G1046 which G3748 is G2076 over against G495 Galilee. G1056
And G2532 when he G846 was come G2064 to G1519 the other side G4008 into G1519 the country G5561 of the Gergesenes, G1086 there met G5221 him G846 two G1417 possessed with devils, G1139 coming G1831 out of G1537 the tombs, G3419 exceeding G3029 fierce, G5467 so that G5620 no G3361 man G5100 might G2480 pass G3928 by G1223 that G1565 way. G3598 And, G2532 behold, G2400 they cried out, G2896 saying, G3004 What G5101 have we G2254 to do with G2532 thee, G4671 Jesus, G2424 thou Son G5207 of God? G2316 art thou come G2064 hither G5602 to torment G928 us G2248 before G4253 the time? G2540 And G1161 there was G2258 a good way off G3112 from G575 them G846 an herd G34 of many G4183 swine G5519 feeding. G1006 So G1161 the devils G1142 besought G3870 him, G846 saying, G3004 If G1487 thou cast G1544 us G2248 out, G1544 suffer G2010 us G2254 to go away G565 into G1519 the herd G34 of swine. G5519 And G2532 he said G2036 unto them, G846 Go. G5217 And G1161 when they were come out, G1831 they went G565 into G1519 the herd G34 of swine: G5519 and, G2532 behold, G2400 the whole G3956 herd G34 of swine G5519 ran violently G3729 down G2596 a steep place G2911 into G1519 the sea, G2281 and G2532 perished G599 in G1722 the waters. G5204 And G1161 they that kept G1006 them fled, G5343 and G2532 went their ways G565 into G1519 the city, G4172 and told G518 every thing, G3956 and G2532 what was befallen to the possessed of the devils. G1139 And, G2532 behold, G2400 the whole G3956 city G4172 came out G1831 to G1519 meet G4877 Jesus: G2424 and G2532 when they saw G1492 him, G846 they besought G3870 him that G3704 he would depart G3327 out of G575 their G846 coasts. G3725
And G2532 they came over G2064 unto G1519 the other side G4008 of the sea, G2281 into G1519 the country G5561 of the Gadarenes. G1046 And G2532 when he G846 was come G1831 out of G1537 the ship, G4143 immediately G2112 there met G528 him G846 out of G1537 the tombs G3419 a man G444 with G1722 an unclean G169 spirit, G4151 Who G3739 had G2192 his dwelling G2731 among G1722 the tombs; G3419 and G2532 no man G3762 could G1410 bind G1210 him, G846 no, not G3777 with chains: G254 Because G1223 that he G846 had been often G4178 bound G1210 with fetters G3976 and G2532 chains, G254 and G2532 the chains G254 had been plucked asunder G1288 by G5259 him, G846 and G2532 the fetters G3976 broken in pieces: G4937 neither G2532 could G2480 any man tame G1150 him. G846 G3762 And G2532 always, G1275 night G3571 and G2532 day, G2250 he was G2258 in G1722 the mountains, G3735 and G2532 in G1722 the tombs, G3418 crying, G2896 and G2532 cutting G2629 himself G1438 with stones. G3037 But G1161 when he saw G1492 Jesus G2424 afar off, G575 G3113 he ran G5143 and G2532 worshipped G4352 him, G846 And G2532 cried G2896 with a loud G3173 voice, G5456 and said, G2036 What G5101 have I G1698 to do G2532 with thee, G4671 Jesus, G2424 thou Son G5207 of the most high G5310 God? G2316 I adjure G3726 thee G4571 by God, G2316 that thou torment G928 me G3165 not. G3361 For G1063 he said G3004 unto him, G846 Come G1831 out of G1537 the man, G444 thou unclean G169 spirit. G4151 And G2532 he asked G1905 him, G846 What G5101 is thy G4671 name? G3686 And G2532 he answered, G611 saying, G3004 My G3427 name G3686 is Legion: G3003 for G3754 we are G2070 many. G4183 And G2532 he besought G3870 him G846 much G4183 that G3363 he would G649 not G3363 send G649 them G846 away G649 out of G1854 the country. G5561 Now G1161 there was G2258 there G1563 nigh G4314 unto the mountains G3735 a great G3173 herd G34 of swine G5519 feeding. G1006 And G2532 all G3956 the devils G1142 besought G3870 him, G846 saying, G3004 Send G3992 us G2248 into G1519 the swine, G5519 that G2443 we may enter G1525 into G1519 them. G846 And G2532 forthwith G2112 Jesus G2424 gave G2010 them G846 leave. G2010 And G2532 the unclean G169 spirits G4151 went out, G1831 and entered G1525 into G1519 the swine: G5519 and G2532 the herd G34 ran G3729 violently down G2596 a steep place G2911 into G1519 the sea, G2281 G1161 (they were G2258 about G5613 two thousand;) G1367 and G2532 were choked G4155 in G1722 the sea. G2281 And G1161 they that fed G1006 the swine G5519 fled, G5343 and G2532 told G312 it in G1519 the city, G4172 and G2532 in G1519 the country. G68 And G2532 they went out G1831 to see G1492 what G5101 it was G2076 that was done. G1096 And G2532 they come G2064 to G4314 Jesus, G2424 and G2532 see G2334 him that was possessed with the devil, G1139 and had G2192 the legion, G3003 sitting, G2521 and G2532 clothed, G2439 and G2532 in his right mind: G4993 and G2532 they were afraid. G5399 And G2532 they that saw G1492 it told G1334 them G846 how G4459 it befell G1096 to him that was possessed with the devil, G1139 and G2532 also concerning G4012 the swine. G5519 And G2532 they began G756 to pray G3870 him G846 to depart G565 out of G575 their G846 coasts. G3725 And G2532 when he G846 was come G1684 into G1519 the ship, G4143 he that had been possessed with the devil G1139 prayed G3870 him G846 that G2443 he might be G5600 with G3326 him. G846 Howbeit G1161 Jesus G2424 suffered G863 him G846 not, G3756 but G235 saith G3004 unto him, G846 Go G5217 home G1519 G3624 G4675 to G4314 thy friends, G4674 and G2532 tell G312 them G846 how great things G3745 the Lord G2962 hath done G4160 for thee, G4671 and G2532 hath had compassion G1653 on thee. G4571 And G2532 he departed, G565 and G2532 began G756 to publish G2784 in G1722 Decapolis G1179 how great things G3745 Jesus G2424 had done G4160 for him: G846 and G2532 all G3956 men did marvel. G2296
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Luke 8
Commentary on Luke 8 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 8
Lu 8:1-3. A Galilean Circuit, with the Twelve and Certain Ministering Women. (In Luke only).
1. went—travelled, made a progress.
throughout every city and village—through town and village.
preaching, &c.—the Prince of itinerant preachers scattering far and wide the seed of the Kingdom.
2. certain women … healed, &c.—on whom He had the double claim of having brought healing to their bodies and new life to their souls. Drawn to Him by an attraction more than magnetic, they accompany Him on this tour as His almoners—ministering unto Him of their substance. Blessed Saviour! It melts us to see Thee living upon the love of Thy ransomed people. That they bring Thee their poor offerings we wonder not. Thou hast sown unto them spiritual things, and they think it, as well they might, a small thing that Thou shouldst reap their material things (1Co 9:11). But dost Thou take it at their hand, and subsist upon it? "Oh, the depth of the riches" (Ro 11:33)—of this poverty of His!
Mary Magdalene—that is, probably, of Magdala (on which see Mt 15:39; see on Mr 8:10).
went—rather, "had gone."
seven devils—(Mr 16:9). It is a great wrong to this honored woman to identify her with the once profligate woman of Lu 7:37, and to call all such penitents Magdalenes. The mistake has arisen from confounding unhappy demoniacal possession with the conscious entertainment of diabolic impurity, or supposing the one to have been afflicted as a punishment for the other—for which there is not the least scriptural ground.
3. Joanna, wife of Chuza, Herod's steward—If the steward of such a godless, cruel, and licentious wretch as Herod Antipas (see on Mr 6:14, &c.) differed greatly from himself, his post would be no easy or enviable one. That he was a disciple of Christ is very improbable, though he might be favorably disposed towards Him. But what we know not of him, and may fear he lacked, we are sure his wife possessed. Healed either of "evil spirits" or of some one of the "infirmities" here referred to—the ordinary diseases of humanity—she joins in the Saviour's train of grateful, clinging followers. Of "Susanna," next mentioned, we know nothing but the name, and that here only. But her services on this memorable occasion have immortalized her name. "Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done," in ministering to the Lord of her substance on His Galilean tour, "shall be spoken of as a memorial of her" (Mr 14:9).
many others—that is, many other healed women. What a train! and all ministering unto Him of their substance, and He allowing them to do it and subsisting upon it! "He who was the support of the spiritual life of His people disdained not to be supported by them in the body. He was not ashamed to penetrate so far into the depths of poverty as to live upon the alms of love. He only fed others miraculously; for Himself, He lived upon the love of His people. He gave all things to men, His brethren, and received all things from them, enjoying thereby the pure blessing of love: which is then only perfect when it is at the same time both giving and receiving. Who could invent such things as these? It was necessary to live in this manner that it might be so recorded" [Olshausen].
Lu 8:4-18. Parable of the Sower.
(See on Mr 4:3-9, Mr 4:14-20.)
16. No man, &c.—(see on Mt 5:15, of which this is nearly a repetition).
17. For nothing, &c.—(See on Lu 12:2).
18. how ye—in Mr 4:24, "what ye hear." The one implies the other. The precept is very weighty.
seemeth to have—or, "thinketh that he hath" (Margin). The "having" of Mt 13:12 (on which see), and this "thinking he hath," are not different. Hanging loosely on him, and not appropriated, it is and is not his.
Lu 8:19-21. His Mother and Brethren Desire to Speak with Him.
(See on Mt 12:46-50).
Lu 8:22-25. Jesus Crossing the Lake, Stills the Storm.
(See on Mt 8:23-27, and Mr 4:35-41).
23. filled—literally, "were getting filled," that is, those who sailed; meaning that their ship was so.
Lu 8:26-39. Demoniac of Gadara Healed.
(See on Mt 8:28-34; and Mr 5:1-20).
Lu 8:40-56. Jairus' Daughter Raised and Issue of Blood Healed.
(See on Mt 9:18-26; and Mr 5:21-43).
40. gladly received him, for … all waiting for him—The abundant teaching of that day (in Mt 13:1-58; and see Mr 4:36), had only whetted the people's appetite; and disappointed, as would seem, that He had left them in the evening to cross the lake, they remain hanging about the beach, having got a hint, probably through some of His disciples, that He would be back the same evening. Perhaps they witnessed at a distance the sudden calming of the tempest. Here at least they are, watching for His return, and welcoming Him to the shore. The tide of His popularity was now fast rising.
45. Who touched me?—"Askest Thou, Lord, who touched Thee? Rather ask who touched Thee not in such a throng."
46. Somebody hath touched—yes, the multitude "thronged" and pressed Him—"they jostled against Him," but all involuntarily; they were merely carried along; but one, one only—"Somebody Touched" Him, with the conscious, voluntary, dependent touch of faith, reaching forth its hands expressly to have contact with Him. This and this only Jesus acknowledges and seeks out. Even so, as the Church Father Augustine long ago said, multitudes still come similarly close to Christ in the means of grace, but all to no purpose, being only sucked into the crowd. The voluntary, living contact of faith is that electric conductor which alone draws virtue out of Him.
47. declared … before all—This, though a great trial to the shrinking modesty of the believing woman, was just what Christ wanted in dragging her forth, her public testimony to the facts of her case—both her disease, with her abortive efforts at a cure, and the instantaneous and perfect relief which her touch of the Great Healer had brought her.
55. give her meat—(See on Mr 5:43).