28 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
29 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
30 And G1161 there was G2258 a good way off G3112 from G575 them G846 an herd G34 of many G4183 swine G5519 feeding. G1006
31 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
32 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
33 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
34 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
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Matthew 8
Commentary on Matthew 8 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 8
The evangelist having, in the foregoing chapters, given us a specimen of our Lord's preaching, proceeds now to give some instances of the miracles he wrought, which prove him a Teacher come from God, and the great Healer of a diseased world. In this chapter we have,
Mat 8:1-4
The first verse refers to the close of the foregoing sermon: the people that heard him were astonished at his doctrine; and the effect was, that when he came down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him; though he was so strict a Lawgiver, and so faithful a Reprover, they diligently attended him, and were loth to disperse, and go from him. Note, They to whom Christ has manifested himself, cannot but desire to be better acquainted with him. They who know much of Christ should covet to know more; and then shall we know, if we thus follow on to know the Lord. It is pleasing to see people so well affected to Christ, as to think they can never hear enough of him; so well affected to the best things, as thus to flock after good preaching, and to follow the Lamb withersoever he goes. Now was Jacob's prophecy concerning the Messiah fulfilled, that unto him shall the gathering of the people be; yet they who gathered to him did not cleave to him. They who followed him closely and constantly were but few, compared with the multitudes that were but followers at large.
In these verses we have an account of Christ's cleansing a leper. It should seem, by comparing Mk. 1:40, and Lu. 5:12, that this passage, though placed, by St. Matthew, after the sermon on the mount, because he would give account of his doctrine first, and then of his miracles, happened some time before; but that is not at all material. This is fitly recorded with the first of Christ's miracles,
Mat 8:5-13
We have here an account of Christ's curing the centurion's servant of a palsy. This was done at Capernaum, where Christ now dwelt, ch. 4:13. Christ went about doing good, and came home to do good too; every place he came to was the better for him.
The persons Christ had now to do with were,
Now in the story of the cure of this servant, we may observe an intercourse or interchanging of graces, very remarkable between Christ and the centurion. See here,
The centurion's faith in the power of Christ he here illustrates by the dominion he had, as a centurion, over his soldiers, as a master over his servants; he says to one, Go, and he goes, etc. They were all at his beck and command, so as that he could by them execute things at a distance; his word was a law to them-dictum factum; well-disciplined soldiers know that the commands of their officers are not to be disputed, but obeyed. Thus could Christ speak, and it is done; such a power had he over all bodily diseases. The centurion had this command over his soldiers, though he was himself a man under authority; not a commander-in-chief, but a subaltern officer; much more had Christ this power, who is the supreme and sovereign Lord of all. The centurion's servants were very obsequious, would go and come at every the least intimation of their master's mind. Now,
Mat 8:14-17
They who pretend to be critical in the Harmony of the evangelists, place this passage, and all that follows to the end of ch. 9 before the sermon on the mount, according to the order which Mark and Luke observe in placing it. Dr. Lightfoot places only this passage before the sermon on the mount, and v. 18, etc. after. Here we have,
Mat 8:18-22
Here is,
We have here Christ's managing of two different tempers, one quick and eager, the other dull and heavy; and his instructions are adapted to each of them, and designed for our use.
Mat 8:23-27
Christ had given sailing orders to his disciples (v. 18), that they should depart to the other side of the sea of Tiberias, into the country of Gadara, in the tribe of Gad, which lay east of Jordan; thither he would go to rescue a poor creature that was possessed with a legion of devils, though he foresaw how he should be affronted there. Now.
Mat 8:28-34
We have here the story of Christ's casting the devils out of two men that were possessed. The scope of this chapter is to show the divine power of Christ, by the instances of his dominion over bodily diseases, which to us are irresistible; over winds and waves, which to us are yet more uncontrollable; and lastly, over devils, which to us are most formidable of all. Christ has not only all power in heaven and earth and all deep places, but has the keys of hell too. Principalities and powers were made subject to him, even while he was in his estate of humiliation, as an earnest of what should be at his entrance into his glory (Eph. 1:21); he spoiled them, Col. 2:15. It was observed in general (v. 16), that Christ cast out the spirits with his word; here we have a particular instance of it, which have some circumstances more remarkable than the rest. This miracle was wrought in the country of the Gergesenes; some think, they were the remains of the old Girgashites, Deu. 7:1. Though Christ was sent chiefly to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, yet some sallies he made among the borderers, as here, to gain this victory over Satan, which was a specimen of the conquest of his legions in the Gentile world.
Now, besides the general instance which this gives us of Christ's power over Satan, and his design against him to disarm and dispossess him, we have here especially discovered to us the way and manner of evil spirits in their enmity to man. Observe, concerning this legion of devils, What work they made where they were, and where they went.
Now,