Luke 8:26-39

Luke 8:26–39 (ESV)

26 Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27 When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him and said with a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, 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 many a time it had seized him. He was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert.) 30 Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered him. 31 And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. 32 Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. 33 Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned. 34 When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. 35 Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. 36 And those who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed. 37 Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. 38 The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 8

8:26–39 Luke shows Jesus’ power over the forces of the spiritual realm. There are parallel accounts of this exorcism in the other Synoptic Gospels (compare Matt 8:28–34; Mark 5:1–20).

Luke 8:26–39 (ESV)

26 Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee.

region of the Gerasenes is southeast of the Sea of Galilee.

Luke: An Introduction and Commentary 1. The Exorcism (8:26–33)

This miracle took place in a predominantly Gentile environment. There were some Jews in the area but the population was mostly Gentile.

27 When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs.

New Testament 8:26–39—Subduing the Demonic Legion

8:27. Jewish people considered tombs unclean and a popular haunt for unclean spirits. Many ancient cultures brought offerings for the dead, which might also appeal to these demons.

28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him and said with a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me.”

In Luke 8:25

Luke 8:25 ESV

25 He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?”

Who is this asked by the disciples is answered by the demons.

New Testament 8:26–39—Subduing the Demonic Legion

8:28. In ancient magic, one could try to gain control over a spirit by naming it. The attempt at magical self-protection is powerless against Jesus.

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 8

8:28 Son of the Most High God In contrast to Jesus’ disciples (Luke 8:25), the demons are well aware of Jesus’ divine identity and authority.

29 For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him. He was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert.)

New Testament 8:26–39—Subduing the Demonic Legion

8:29. The strength that this demoniac displays is reported in many cases of demon possession in various cultures today as well.

30 Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered him.

Faithlife Study Bible (Chapter 8)

8:30 “Legion,” because many demons had entered into him A Roman legion consisted of 5,000–6,000 troops, thus indicating a massive horde of demons. Luke and Mark include this detail, but Matthew omits it.

Luke (Original Meaning)

The man falls before Jesus as the demons confess him to be the “Son of the Most High God,” and he asks Jesus not to torment him. The demon’s name is Legion, indicating that a whole battle division of demons inhabit the man. In the Roman world, legion referred to a company of thousands of soldiers. In other words, Jesus is engaging in a major battle here. He is outnumbered, but not overmatched.

31 And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss.

8:31 abyss By the end of the first century ad—when much of the nt probably reached its final form—the abyss became known as the place where God confines demons (see Rev 9:1–2; 2 Pet 2:4 and note; Jude 6 and note; compare Rev 11:7; 17:8; 20:1).

The demons do not want to go to the abyss for this is demon Jail.

Luke Original Meaning

What the incident involving the pigs does indicate is the real impact of demonic presence and influence, namely, the destruction of life.

32 Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them permission.

8:32. Only Gentiles or nonobservant Jews considered “apostates” raised pigs, which Jewish readers would consider among the most unclean animals and thus rightful hosts for evil spirits. Ancient exorcists found that demons sometimes asked for concessions if the pressure for them to evacuate their host became too great.

33 Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.

New Testament 8:26–39—Subduing the Demonic Legion

8:33. Jewish tradition often taught that demons could die, so in the absence of evidence to the contrary, many ancient readers would assume that the demons had been destroyed (or at least disabled) with their hosts.

34 When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country.

Luke: An Introduction and Commentary 2. The Reaction (8:34–39)

The miracle affected both the healed man and the people of the district.

34–36. The herdsman, not unnaturally, ran away and spread the news. People then came to see for themselves; they found the former demoniac at Jesus’ feet, clothed and in his right mind. Obviously something strange had happened and they were afraid.

35 Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid.

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 8

8:35 at the feet of Jesus Luke describes the man taking the place and posture of a learning disciple.

36 And those who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed.

37 Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned.

Luke: An Introduction and Commentary 2. The Reaction (8:34–39)

37. With all the evidence before them that a great miracle had been wrought, these people proceeded to reject the greatest opportunity of their lives. Instead of welcoming Jesus, the liberator from demons, they, seized with great fear, asked him to leave. So he left. Their fear may have been a superstitious reaction to the supernatural power that had so evidently been in operation. It may also have been associated with the material loss involved in the destruction of the pigs. If so, they saw Jesus as a disturbing person, more interested in saving people than in material prosperity. It was more comfortable to ask him to go.

New Testament 8:26–39—Subduing the Demonic Legion

8:34–37. The opposition to Jesus arises from both economic causes—the loss of a large herd of swine—and certain Greek conceptions of dangerous wonderworking magicians, whom most people feared.

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 8

8:37 seized with great fear Luke’s narrative notes that the people are afraid (compare Matt 8:34). It is not clear whether they are afraid of Jesus or perhaps of further conflict with demons should He remain in the area.

38 The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying,

Luke: An Introduction and Commentary 2. The Reaction (8:34–39)

38–39. With the healed man it was different. He begged to be allowed to go with Jesus. He could not be close enough to his benefactor. But there was work for him elsewhere. Jesus sent him back home with the instruction, declare how much God has done for you (conversion brings the responsibility to evangelize, Marshall). In response the man proclaimed how much Jesus had done for him. What Jesus had done God had done. The command to tell of the miracle contrasts with the injunction to silence elsewhere (4:41). Perhaps in this predominantly Gentile territory there would be little danger of arousing Messianic speculations. And, now that Jesus had been asked to leave, it was more than ever important that in this region there should be somebody to witness to what God was doing in him.

39 “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.

New Testament (8:26–39—Subduing the Demonic Legion)

8:38–39. Because his messiahship would be misunderstood, Jesus kept it a secret in predominantly Jewish areas. In the predominantly non-Jewish Decapolis, however, where people would wrongly perceive him as a magician, he urges his new disciple to spread the word about what God had done, thereby correcting the people’s misunderstanding.

Luke (Bridging Contexts)

THIS MIRACLE MAKES a wonderful collage of responses to Jesus, whether one considers the demons, the locals, or the man who benefits from Jesus’ work.

The demons recognize Jesus’ power, but that does not stop them from trying to raise havoc with those around them. Even an army that knows it is losing a war can try to inflict as much damage as possible before going down.

The locals see the power of Jesus and want little to do with it. They are too afraid of God’s power and presence.

The healed man indicates how helpless one can be without Jesus, especially when one is shackled and stripped of sanity by forces more powerful than one’s own. But his turnaround indicates the startling contrast that emerges when one is freed from such enslavement. This miracle is not only about exorcism; it is especially about the liberation of a soul.

Luke Bridging Contexts

Though we rarely deal with overt cases of demon-possession, that fact should not stop us from realizing the impact the demonic has on us daily. It is not entirely clear why demon-possession is so rare in the Western world. Those who work in other cultures where the demonic is more openly accepted speak openly about its presence and see more cases of demon-possession than we do. Do we underestimate its presence? Or does Satan have less need to manifest himself openly in a culture that denies his existence? I suspect a combination is at work. The Scripture makes it clear that a fallen world is still influenced by the presence of sin and Satan, and will be until the Lord’s return finishes what this healing represents (Rom. 8:18–39).

Thus the bridge into our context is the constant presence and threat of demonic influences in our world. It is not hard to spot its symptoms. Demons may not possess the soul as vividly as this example, but they do cause people to do destructive things and retain a power that is almost overwhelming. People in the grip of excessive drink, debilitating drugs, or destructive lust reflect a world where destructive indulgence inflicts not only pain on those possessed by such addictions, but also on others around them. Though the forces in view here are chemical or psychological, there can be little doubt that they are the remnants of a fallen world that Satan exploits (cf. Eph. 4:17–19). With this scriptural insight, it may be that Satan is much more active than we give him credit for today.

Bock, Darrell L. Luke. Zondervan Publishing House, 1996, p. 243.