Advanced Commentary

Texts -- Luke 8:26-39 (NET)

Context
Healing of a Demoniac
8:26 So they sailed over to the region of the Gerasenes , which is opposite Galilee . 8:27 As Jesus stepped ashore , a certain man from the town met him who was possessed by demons . For a long time this man had worn no clothes and had not lived in a house , but among the tombs . 8:28 When he saw Jesus , he cried out , fell down before him , and shouted with a loud voice , “Leave me alone, Jesus , Son of the Most High God ! I beg you , do not torment me !” 8:29 For Jesus had started commanding the evil spirit to come out of the man . (For it had seized him many times , so he would be bound with chains and shackles and kept under guard . But he would break the restraints and be driven by the demon into deserted places .) 8:30 Jesus then asked him , “What is your name ?” He said , “Legion ,” because many demons had entered him . 8:31 And they began to beg him not to order them to depart into the abyss . 8:32 Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside , and the demonic spirits begged Jesus to let them go into them . He gave them permission . 8:33 So the demons came out of the man and went into the pigs , and the herd of pigs rushed down the steep slope into the lake and drowned . 8:34 When the herdsmen saw what had happened , they ran off and spread the news in the town and countryside . 8:35 So the people went out to see what had happened , and they came to Jesus . They found the man from whom the demons had gone out , sitting at Jesus ’ feet , clothed and in his right mind , and they were afraid . 8:36 Those who had seen it told them how the man who had been demon-possessed had been healed . 8:37 Then all the people of the Gerasenes and the surrounding region asked Jesus to leave them alone, for they were seized with great fear . So he got into the boat and left . 8:38 The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him , but Jesus sent him away , saying , 8:39 “Return to your home , and declare what God has done for you .” So he went away , proclaiming throughout the whole town what Jesus had done for him .

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Miracles

    [nave] MIRACLES. Index of Sub-topics Catalog of, and Supernatural Events, Of Jesus, in Chronological Order, Of the Disciples of Jesus; Convincing Effect of; Design of; Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit; Miscellany of Minor Sub-...

  • Luke, Gospel according to

    [ebd] was written by Luke. He does not claim to have been an eye-witness of our Lord's ministry, but to have gone to the best sources of information within his reach, and to have written an orderly narrative of the facts (Luke 1:1...

  • Jesus, The Christ

    [nave] JESUS, THE CHRIST. Index of Sub-topics History of; Miscellaneous Facts Concerning; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Ascension of; Atonement by; Attributes of; Compassion of; Confessing; Creator; Death of; Design of His...

  • JESUS CHRIST, 4C1

    [isbe] JESUS CHRIST, 4C1 - C. THE GALILEAN MINISTRY AND VISITS TO THE FEASTS 1. The Scene: Galilee was divided into upper Galilee and lower Galilee. It has already been remarked that upper Galilee was inhabited by a mixed populatio...

  • HILL; MOUNT; MOUNTAIN

    [isbe] HILL; MOUNT; MOUNTAIN - 1. Names: (1) The commonest word is har (also harar, and herer), which is rendered "hill," "mount" or "mountain." It occurs several hundreds of times. In a number of places the Revised Version (Britis...

  • HEAL

    [isbe] HEAL - hel (rapha'; therapeuo, iaomai, diasozo): The English word is connected with the Anglo-Saxon hoelan, and is used in several senses: (1) Lit., in its meaning of making whole or well, as in Eccl 3:3. In this way it occu...

  • Gadarenes

    [ebd] the inhabitants of Gadara, in Revised Version "Gerasenes" (Mark 5:1; Luke 8:26, 37). In Matt. 8:28 they are called Gergesenes, Revised Version "Gadarenes."

  • GERASA; GERASENES

    [isbe] GERASA; GERASENES - ger'-a-sa, ger'-a-senz (Gerasa; Gerasenon): 1. Country of the Gerasenes: The town itself is not named in Scripture, and is referred to only in the expression, "country of the Gerasenes" (Mk 5:1; Lk 8:26,3...

  • GADARA

    [isbe] GADARA - gad'-a-ra (Gadara): 1. Country of the Gadarenes: This city is not named in Scripture, but the territory belonging to it is spoken of as chora ton Gadarenon, "country of the Gadarenes" (Mt 8:28). In the parallel pass...

  • FETTER

    [isbe] FETTER - fet'-er: Found only in the plural in both Old Testament and New Testament; fetters of iron (Ps 105:18; 149:8; so probably Mk 5:4; Lk 8:29) or brass (Jdg 16:21; 2 Ki 25:7) were frequently used for securing prisoners....

  • ESCHATOLOGY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, VI-X

    [isbe] ESCHATOLOGY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, VI-X - VI. The Resurrection. The resurrection coincides with the parousia and the arrival of the future neon (Lk 20:35; Jn 6:40; 1 Thess 4:16). From 1 Thess 3:13; 4:16 it has been inferred t...

  • DRESS

    [isbe] DRESS - In the Hebrew and Greek there is a wonderful wealth of terminology having to do with the general subject of dress among the ancient Orientals. This is reflected in the numerous synonyms for "dress" to be found in Eng...

  • DEMON; DEMONIAC; DEMONOLOGY

    [isbe] DEMON; DEMONIAC; DEMONOLOGY - dem'-mon, de-mo'-ni-ak, de-mon-ol'-o-ji (daimonion, earlier form daimon = pneuma akatharton, poneron, "demon," "unclean or evil spirit," incorrectly rendered "devil" in the King James Version): ...

  • DEEP

    [ebd] used to denote (1) the grave or the abyss (Rom. 10:7; Luke 8:31); (2) the deepest part of the sea (Ps. 69:15); (3) the chaos mentioned in Gen. 1:2; (4) the bottomless pit, hell (Rev. 9:1, 2; 11:7; 20:13).
    [isbe] DEEP - (tehom; abussos, Lk 8:31 the King James Version; Rom 10:7 the King James Version; bathos, Lk 5:4; buthos, 2 Cor 11:25): The Hebrew word ("water in commotion") is used (1) of the primeval watery waste (Gen 1:2), where ...

  • COUNTRY

    [isbe] COUNTRY - kun'-tri ('erets, "land," sadheh, "field"; agros, "field," chora, "region"): The foregoing are the principal words rendered "country" in English Versions of the Bible, though we find also 'adhamah, "earth" (Jon 4:2...

  • CHOKE

    [isbe] CHOKE - chok (pnigo, and its compounds): Is used in its primary sense of "to strangle," or "to suffocate," in describing the fate of the swine (Lk 8:33 the King James Version). The Revised Version (British and American) has ...

  • Bands

    [ebd] (1) of love (Hos. 11:4); (2) of Christ (Ps. 2:3); (3) uniting together Christ's body the church (Col. 2:19; 3:14; Eph. 4:3); (4) the emblem of the captivity of Israel (Ezek. 34:27; Isa. 28:22; 52:2); (5) of brotherhood (Ezek...

  • BOTTOMLESS, PIT

    [isbe] BOTTOMLESS, PIT - bot'-um-les, (to phrear tes abussou, "the pit of the abyss," Rev 9:1,2 the King James Version): In the Revised Version (British and American), he abussos (always an adjective in classical authors = "bottoml...

  • BAND

    [isbe] BAND - The English word has two generic meanings, each shading off into several specific meanings: (1) that which holds together, binds or encircles: a bond; (2) a company of men. The second sense may philologically and logi...

  • ARRIVE

    [isbe] ARRIVE - a-riv': Originally a nautical term (Latin: ad ripam) for reaching shore, is used in the literal sense in Lk 8:26, and, in the figurative sense for Greek phthano, instead of "attain to," the Revised Version (British ...

Arts

Questions

Sermon Illustrations

Expulsion of demons; Dense Fog; The Trinity, Acting in Unity; Unclean Spirits; What is a Christian?

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • The central theme of this incident is Jesus' authority over evil spirits.8:28 Gadara was the regional capital of the Decapolis area that lay southeast of the Sea of Galilee. Its population was strongly Gentile. This may accou...
  • Even though Mark had already reported that Jesus had exorcized many demons, this case was extraordinary.5:1 Mark and Luke called this area the country of the Gerasenes, but Matthew called it the country of the Gadarenes. Gerg...
  • I. Introduction 1:1-4II. The birth and childhood of Jesus 1:5-2:52A. The announcement of John the Baptist's birth 1:5-251. The introduction of John's parents 1:5-72. The angel's announcement to Zechariah 1:8-233. The pregnanc...
  • 1:28 The fact that Gabriel greeted Mary as he did and did not greet Zechariah the same way shows Mary's favored position. Gabriel's greeting was customary: Hail! or Greetings! (Gr. chaire). Mary was highly "favored"(Gr. kecha...
  • The present section of Luke follows the same basic pattern as the former one. There is a block of teaching (8:1-21; cf. 6:12-49) followed by another account of Jesus' mighty works (8:22-56; cf. ch. 7)....
  • This story pictures Jesus in complete control of Himself and His environment. Its climax is not the stilling of the storm but the disciples' question about Jesus' identity (v. 25). This is the first miracle that Luke recorded...
  • The raging of this demoniac was even worse than the raging of the waters of Galilee (cf. Ps. 65:7). Demonic power was evident in the Hellenistic world of Luke's original readers. The fact that this incident happened in predom...
  • In this last major section describing Jesus' ministry in and around Galilee (4:14-9:50), Luke stressed Jesus' preparation of His disciples for the opposition that lay before them. This was the climax of Jesus' ministry in Gal...
  • This is another "sandwich"or chiastic section in design (cf. 8:40-56). This structural device usually gives unity to the whole section and focuses attention on the central part of it. First, Jesus sent the Twelve on an evange...
  • Disciples need to be aware of their attitude toward believers who are outside their circle of fellowship as well as their attitude toward those within that circle. Again Luke's account of this incident omits details to cut th...
  • There are several thematic connections that tie this pericope with what has preceded and show its role in the development of Luke's argument. Jesus had just called the nation to repentance (vv. 3, 5). Now He showed that chang...
  • The first miracle that Jesus performed, in His public ministry and in John's Gospel, was semi-public. Apparently only Jesus' disciples, the servants present, and Jesus' mother understood what had happened.2:1 The third day ev...
  • Luke devoted more space to Paul's evangelizing in Philippi than he did to the apostle's activities in any other city on the second and third journeys even though Paul was there only briefly. It was the first European city in ...
  • 12:4 Although there is only one Holy Spirit He gives many different abilities to different people. Everything in this pericope revolves around these two ideas. "Gifts"(Gr. charismata, from charismeaning "grace") are abilities...
  • 9:1 Again John saw a "star"(cf. 6:13; 8:10), but this time the "star"was an intelligent being. If "fallen"(Gr. peptokota) has theological connotations, the "star"may refer to Satan (vv. 2, 11; cf. 1:20; Job. 38:7; Luke 10:18)...
  • 11:7 It is only when they have finished their ministry that God will permit the beast to kill the two witnesses. They will not die prematurely. This is the first of 36 references to "the beast"in Revelation (cf. Dan. 7:21). H...
  • 20:1 The first word, "And,"supports the idea of chronological sequence. It implies a continuation from what John just revealed (cf. 19:11, 17, 19; 20:4, 11, 12; 21:1, 2, 22). Amillennial interpreters disagree."John says nothi...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

  • And when He was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way. 29. And, behold, they cried...
Back to Commentary Page
Display Bible



Universal Search:

NET Only
Exact Search
Commentary
Study Dictionary
Word Study
Lexicon
Study Maps System
Sermon Illustrations
Expository
Arts
Resource
Daily Bible Reading
Training Video
Classic NET Bible
iPhone NET Bible
Mobile Bible
TIP #15: Use the Strong Number links to learn about the original Hebrew and Greek text. [ALL]
created in 0.06 seconds
powered by
bible.org - YLSA