Matthew:8:28-34
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rwp @
Matthew:8:28 @{
The country of the Gadarenes } (\
ten ch
ran t
n Gadar
n
n \).
This is the correct text in Matthew while in strkjv @
Mark:5:1 |
and strkjv @
Luke:8:26 |
it is "
the country of the Gerasenes ."
Dr .
Thomson discovered by the lake the ruins of Khersa (
Gerasa ).
This village is in the district of the city of Gadara some miles southeastward so that it can be called after Gerasa or Gadara .
Songs:Matthew speaks of "
two demoniacs "
while Mark and Luke mention only one ,
the leading one . "{
The tombs }" (\
t
n mn
mei
n \)
were chambers cut into the mountain side common enough in Palestine then and now .
On the eastern side of the lake the precipitous cliffs are of limestone formation and full of caves .
It is one of the proofs that one is a maniac that he haunts the tombs .
People shunned the region as dangerous because of the madmen .
rwp @
Matthew:8:29 @{
Thou Son of God } (\
huie tou theou \).
The recognition of Jesus by the demons is surprising .
The whole subject of demonology is difficult .
Some hold that it is merely the ancient way of describing disease .
But that does not explain the situation here .
Jesus is represented as treating the demons as real existences separate from the human personality .
Missionaries in China today claim that they have seen demons cast out .
The devil knew Jesus clearly and it is not strange that Jesus was recognized by the devil '
s agents .
They know that there is nothing in common between them and the Son of God (\
h
min kai soi \,
ethical dative )
and they fear torment "
before the time " (\
pro kairou \).
Usually \
ta daimonia \
is the word in the New Testament for demons ,
but in strkjv @
8:31 |
we have \
hoi daimones \ (
the only example in the N .
T .). \
Daimonion \
is a diminutive of \
daim
n \.
In Homer \
daim
n \
is used synonymously with \
theos \
and \
thea \.
Hesiod employed \
daim
n \
of men of the golden age as tutelary deities .
Homer has the adjective \
daimonios \
usually in an evil sense .
Empedocles considered the demons both bad and good .
They were thus used to relieve the gods and goddesses of much rascality .
Grote (
_History
of Greece_
)
notes that the Christians were thus by pagan usage justified in calling idolatry the worship of demons .
See strkjv @
1Corinthians:10:20f .;
strkjv @
1Timothy:4:1 ;
strkjv @
Revelation:9:20 ;
strkjv @
16:13f |.
In the Gospels demons are the same as unclean spirits (
Mark:5:12 ,
15 ;
strkjv @
3:22 ,
30 ;
strkjv @
Luke:4:33 |).
The demons are disturbers (
Vincent )
of the whole life of man (
Mark:5:2f .;
strkjv @
7:25 ;
strkjv @
Matthew:12:45 ;
strkjv @
Luke:13:11 ,
16 |).
rwp @
Matthew:8:32 @{
Rushed down the steep } (\
h
rm
sen kata tou kr
mnou \).
Down from the cliff (
ablative case )
into the sea .
Constative aorist tense .
The influence of mind on matter is now understood better than formerly ,
but we have the mastery of the mind of the Master on the minds of the maniacs ,
the power of Christ over the demons ,
over the herd of hogs .
Difficulties in plenty exist for those who see only folk-lore and legend ,
but plain enough if we take Jesus to be really Lord and Saviour .
The incidental destruction of the hogs need not trouble us when we are so familiar with nature '
s tragedies which we cannot comprehend .
rwp @
Matthew:8:34 @{
That he would depart } (\
hop
s metab
i \).
The whole city was excited over the destruction of the hogs and begged Jesus to leave ,
forgetful of the healing of the demoniacs in their concern over the loss of property .
They cared more for hogs than for human souls ,
as often happens today .