Introduction
When we read Matthew chapter 8, and
9, we could see how great power and authority what Jesus has. The author of
Matthew tries to show the authority of Jesus over all things. Especially, Matthew
chapter 8:28-34 shows us His authority over the demons’ power. And the end of
the story is quite shocked and astonished (32). And it raises some questions
that why Jesus permits demons’ request and allows to be destroyed the herd of
many pigs?
In fact, it is difficult to answer
those questions. There are many cases of such things like a great loss or
disasters still happen in this time and in this world, but we could not find
the answer why. But there is a clear thing that we know through the verse 31,
that without the permission of Jesus, the evil spirits could not do and move
out themselves from the human bodies to the pigs. Jesus has absolute authority
over the demons. In addition, we know that He set the victims free with His
mercy by casting out the demons. Therefore, Jesus has absolute power and
authority and absolutely it is merciful to human who come to God through Jesus.
Establishing
the Pericope
I
want to build the pericope of Matthew 8: 28-34 on base of three elements that
the change in setting, character, and of the theme, topic, or issue. First, The
introductory sentence here “ And when he came to the other side, to the country
of the Gadarenes, two demon – possessed men met him, coming out of the tombs,
so fierce that no one could pass that way..” (8:28), there has been a change of
the setting. The event of Jesus’ healing
over two demon-possessed had happened different place and time with previous
pericope. Previous event had
happened in the midst
of the sea (24) but here, it happened in the country of the Gadarenes where is
the other side of the place. And the time also different with previous passage.
This event happened “..when he(Jesus) came to the other side, to the country of
the Gadarenes,”.
Second, there was a change in character.
Jesus as the main character, it didn’t change. But in the previous passage,
focused on the disciples of Jesus, and Jesus was dealing with the faith of his
disciple. But this passage, obviously, the character changed to two
demon-possessed, and Jesus was dealing with demons.
Actually, Matthew 8 speaks about the
authority and power or the miracle of Jesus. And the previous passage shows us
the authority of Jesus over the creation. This passage also shows us the
authority and the power of Jesus, but the subject of His authority is
different. We can see that this periscope shows us the authority of Jesus over
the demon.[1]
Comparing
the Translation
NRS Matthew 8:28 When he came to the other side, to
the country of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs coming out of the tombs met
him. They were so fierce that no one could pass that way.
NIV Matthew 8:28 When he arrived at the other side
in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men[2]
coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that
way.
ESV Matthew 8:28 And when he came to the other side,
to the country of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men met him, coming
out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way.
KJV Matthew 8:28 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 (Mat 8:28 KJV)
NRS Matthew 8:29 Suddenly they shouted,
"What have you to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to
torment us before the time[3]?"
NIV Matthew 8:29 "What do you want with us, Son
of God?" they
shouted. "Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?"
ESV Matthew 8:29 And behold, they cried out,
"What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to
torment us before the time?"
KJV Matthew 8:29 And, behold, they cried out,
saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou
come hither to torment us before the time?
NRS Matthew 8:30 Now a large herd of swine was
feeding at some distance from them.
NIV Matthew 8:30 Some distance from them a large
herd of pigs was feeding.
ESV Matthew 8:30 Now a herd of many pigs was feeding
at some distance from them.
KJV
Matthew
8:30 And there was a good way off
from them an herd of many swine feeding.
NIV Matthew 8:31 The demons begged Jesus, "If
you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs."
ESV Matthew 8:31 And the demons begged him, saying,
"If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of
pigs."
KJV
Matthew
8:31 So the devils besought him, saying,
If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.
NRS Matthew 8:32 And he said to them, "Go!" So they came out and
entered the swine; and suddenly, the whole herd rushed down the
steep bank into the sea[5]
and perished in the water. (Mat 8:32 NRS)
NIV Matthew 8:32 He said to them,
"Go!" So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole
herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in
the water.
ESV Matthew 8:32 And he said to them,
"Go." So they came out and went into the pigs, and behold, the
whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned
in the waters.
KJV Matthew 8:32 And he said unto them, Go.
And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold,
the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea,
and perished in the waters.
NRS Matthew 8:33 The swineherds ran off, and on
going into the town, they told the whole story about what had happened to the
demoniacs.
NIV Matthew 8:33 Those tending the pigs ran off,
went into the town and reported all this, including what had happened to the
demon-possessed men.
ESV Matthew 8:33 The herdsmen fled, and going into
the city they told everything, especially what had happened to the demon-possessed
men.
KJV Matthew 8:33 And they that kept them fled, and
went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to
the possessed of the devils.
NRS Matthew 8:34 Then the whole town came out to
meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their
neighborhood[6].
NIV Matthew 8:34 Then the whole town went out to
meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their
region.
ESV
Matthew
8:34 And behold, all the city came out
to meet Jesus, and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their region.
KJV Matthew 8:34 And, behold, the whole city came
out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he
would depart out of their coasts.
Overlook Chapter 8, and 9
We
can see Matthew chapter 8 and 9 as one unit, because these two chapters deal
with the authority of Jesus. Generally, Matthew arranged his material
intentionally, rather than chronologically. For instance, Matthew summarizes
about the words and the ministries of Jesus in Matthew 4:23 that “ Jesus was
going all over Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news
of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.” Right
after his summary, we can see the teaching of Jesus in chapter 5-7, the Sermon
on the Mount, and now, in chapter 8-9, we can see the ministries of Jesus.[7]
In chapter
8-9 demonstrates the authority of Jesus as nine miracle stories are introduced.
At the end of the Sermon on Mount, the author says that “when Jesus had
finished this sermon, the crowds were astonished at His teaching because He was
teaching them like own who had authority, and not like their scribes (28-29).”
And then, the same authority is working on Jesus’ ministries in chapter 8. His
rule over sickness, creation, demons, and even death.[8]
According
to David Platt, he says that “ Jesus possesses absolute authority in the world
and warrants absolute allegiance from the world.”[9]
It is truly good news for the people who live in this world with the problem of
sickness, suffering, disaster. This is because if we know that who has
authority over all these things and happening in our life, we will not
overwhelm from them. We could have hope for the deliverance.
Especially,
I could learn and think about the absolute authority of Jesus In chapter 8:1-4.
In here, Jesus cleanses the leper. David says that the leprosy was not just
physical disease in first –century Judaism, rather people see it as
“repulsively unclean, cursed by God (Num 12:10).”[10]
In this context, we could see that Jesus who has authority and power has come
into us like leper who is “physically, spiritually, and ceremonially unclean.”[11]
And the leper’s question is
interesting. He didn’t ask to Jesus whether He could heal him or not. But he
asked Jesus whether He had willed to heal him or not. This sentence might teach
us that Jesus has sovereign power, authority and also sovereign will.
Through the chapter 8 to 9, we could
learn about the authority of Jesus that His authority is merciful. His merciful
authority has healed and met their need that “a leper (8:2), a centurion (8:5-9),
a paralyzed man and his friends (9:2), a sick woman (9:20-21), a grieving dad
(9:18-19), and blind men (9:27-28).”[12]
And these people who experienced His merciful authority renounced themselves
and everything belongs to this world to follow Him gladly, and trusted His
mercy more. And also there were people who rejected Him and His mercy even
though they experienced it.
Outline
The Reality of Evil Spirit
Through verse 28, we could know that
there is a devil, and an evil spirit. Liberal biblical scholars often say that
there is no rather the demonic was the way of describing psychological
diagnoses like personalities in dissociative disorder or a projection of the
inner self, or political categories that it is just symbols of an oppressive
power structure.[13] However,
in here, we can see clearly that the existence of evil spirit, and it could
dwell in a person.
This
place where Jesus met two demon-possessed men “seems to have been in the
district controlled by the town of Gadara, near the village of Gerasa. This
region lay in the predominantly Gentile territory of the Decapolis.”[14]
This is because, a herd of many pigs in verse 30 points to its Gentile
background.[15]
Matthew’s
‘daimonizomevoi’, “demon possessed”
is stronger tone than ‘en phnewmati
akatharto’, “with an unclean spirit” of Mark.[16]
Matthew well describes the personality of demons as “so violent”, and the
seriousness of the situation “no one could pass that way”. But here, the
description about demoniacs are different with Mark that “the man as one often
bound with chains, crying out, and bruising himself (5:3-5). It is suggested
that Matthew omitted and made simple comment.[17]
By the way, we can know something that, through the
Matthew’s expression about the place where, the persons who demon possessed
live is ritually unclean place[18],
“coming out of the tombs.” By this, we can guess that the evil spirit is
unclean.
It is most striking different between Matthew and the
other synoptics is that one demon-possessed man but Matthew has two. And
Matthew’s story here is shorter than Mark’s (5:1-20). And Luke (8:26-39)
follows Mark much more closely. Hull noted that Matthew suppressed on the
information of Mark, specifically, concerning the exorcism technique and it
express that Matthew is anti-Magic. In any way, scholars suggest that Matthew
wanted to pay attention more to Jesus by that to make short of Mark.
Matthew omitted again about the “demons possessed” man
that “ran and worshiped him” from Mark, and Matthew simply addressed “Son of
God” in verse 29. And he also omitted Mark’s that “about two thousand,” and he
just mentioned, “many” in verse 30.
Then, why Matthew introduced two demons possessed person
differently with Mark in a same story? Scholars suggest that these doublings (8:28;
9:27, 20:30) of Matthew came from the tradition of Jews that Jewish law
required two witnesses. It is understandable.[19]
The Limitation of Demon’s Power
In
verse 29, we can know that Jesus has authority over the demons, it means that
there is a limitation on demon’s power. The reality of evil spirits and they
have power is so true. However, we no need to fear them, because Jesus is
ruling over them, so that their power is limited.[20]
The
demons addressed Jesus as “Son of God”. This title has richest sense. It can
mean that Jesus has authority even over the demonic world. It is interesting
that demon’s question to the Lord. This is because demons recognized that they
will have experienced God’s judgment at the eschatological judgment, and Jesus
would be the one who will discharge it. And second, they recognized that the ‘kairos’, “
The appointed time” has not yet come. But Jesus already has come to threaten
their realm.[21] Even the
demon knew that their power will be ending at the “appointed time”. It is their
limitation. Their power will not continue, there is the ending time. But the
power and the authority of Jesus would be forever, and there is no limitation
rather His power and His authority limit the darkness’s.
In
verse 30, Matthew says that “…a herd of many pigs was feeding at some distance
from them.” In ancient times, Gentile, especially, through- out the
Mediterranean used pigs as a ritual motif when they sacrificed to their gods.
Its role was a substitute for humans. And the army, they used pig for purificatory
sacrifice. Because of this religious reason, probably, the Old Testament
prohibits against the pig as a food (Isaiah 65:2-5, 66:3, 66:17).[22]
However, it has no textual support as the answer of those questions that why
demons ask to be sent into the herd of pigs, or why Jesus permits their
request, or why a herd of many pigs should be died?
Rather, it is more persuasive that the answer based on the character of demons
or their desire that “(1) desire for a bodily “home”; (2) hatred of God’s
creatures; (3) desire to stir animosity against Jesus.”[23]
Especially, about to the second and third reason, “the Gospels elsewhere show
that exorcised evil spirits sometimes expressed their rage by visible acts of
violence or mischief.”[24]
Though Matthew does not give us the reason of demons’ request, we can
clearly know that even their request also shows us the authority of Jesus over
the demons’ power through verse 31. Before the Christ, they couldn’t do
anything, even entering to the herd of pigs, they need the permission of Son of
God.
In addition, “a herd of many pigs” is significant. As I mention, pigs were
unclean animals. Therefore, by the presence of “a herd of many pigs”, we could
know that the pigs -herders and the people of the city might be not Jewish.[25]
But I am not sure that whether the demons possessed men were Jews or Gentiles.
However, it is clear that they were unclean at that time. According to Mark, the
demons were “Legon,” that possessed men, how could the multitude demons possessed
human? Does it relate to the question how seriously the men unclear?
Deliverance from the Devil’s Power
Verse 32, there are some arguments that the subject of ‘aphethanon’, “they died”, Gundry and
other some scholars suggest that “they died”, is demons. This is because when
the pigs rushed into the sea, the switch from a singular verb with a collective
subject “herd” to a plural verb without a change of subject, it is not normal
in Greek. And in Mark also same shift happened from a singular to a plural
verb. So that, Gundry says that demons died and they were sent to hell.[26]
I like the explanation of Gundry about the result of a herd of many pigs’
death, but demon can die by the death of bodily existence? And Matthew doesn’t
give us information about it.
Actually, I started to study Matthew chapter 8:28-34 to know the answer
about the question that why Jesus permits them to destroy a herd of many pigs?
However, it is still difficult to find answers. It is good to satisfy the some
scholar’s suggested that in light of verse 33-34, the loss of the herd of became
a way of exposing the real values of the people in the vicinity.[27]
Now, I want to focus on Jesus more that He is our great deliverer from the
power of the darkness. He is our redeemer from our all sin, all the sickness,
this evil world, and the power of evil spirits. Jesus has power and authority
to redeem us from holistic human problems. This power and authority of
deliverance human came from His merciful heart.
Therefore, we no need fear of demonic power, if we know that Jesus can
break their all the chain and order to their departure from human whom they
held in bondage. No other powers can compare with His power.[28]
The Choice
Verse
33-34, the herders fled, probably in fear of the events what they saw. After
that “all the city”, came out to meet Jesus. And they begged Him to leave their
region. It is not expectable reaction of the people who heard the news about
Jesus who has great power and what He has done!
It is understandable that Jerome’ mention about the reaction of the people,
it is “not mean an ultimate rejection of Jesus but confusion and fear at the
series of astonishing incidents-not to mention resentment at the destruction of
a herd of animals valuable to them..”[29]
However, there is a common point that when Jesus casts out the demons and Paul casts
out the demon from a slave girl who brought her owners much gain by
fortune-telling (Acts 16:16-24), the material possession is related, and as a
result, the rejection was happened. The people of city might had confusion and
fear as Jerome said, but did not all the people who experienced the great power
of Jesus reacted like them.
I think it is big matter when people face the situation which relates with
money, there is a great rejection. But I don’t know how the casting out demon
relates to the matter that material possession. John F. Walvoord says that “They
preferred pigs and money to Christ and spiritual riches. As the next chapter
reveals (9:1), Jesus obliged them and left.”[30]
It is true, and people “continue to choose between Jesus and pigs”[31]
after His deliverance action, and people have to have the responsibility of
their choice.
In addition, it is interesting that Matthew doesn’t mention about the two
who were healed by the power of Christ from demon possession. But in Mark, the
man came to Jesus for being with Him. But Jesus remains him “Go home to your
friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you and how he has had
mercy on you” (Mark 5:19). So that the
man “went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for
him, and everyone marveled.” (Mar5:20).
I
am not sure that why Matthew omitted it probably, he just wanted to concentrate
about the sovereign authority of Christ. But, it is clear that even though there
are such a great rejection of Christ, there are some people who willing to
follow Christ Jesus. This is because they experienced the power of the Lord and
His mercy, saving grace for them. How great mercy of Jesus that He went to the
place where was unclean to save the demons possessed men, although He knew that
would be great rejection to Him and He will encounter the demons which are
unclean dare not to speak to Jesus. Jesus has absolute authority over the
supernatural powers, but the authority is merciful.
Application
Through
this passage we can know that the demon is real. However, the demonic power
that people are afraid is real and strong is still under the authority of
Jesus. They cannot do anything without His allowing, and of course cannot harm
the people of God. This is because the strongest one who has full of power and
authority is our redeemer. And His mercy is always upon the people those who
return to God. Therefore, we must trust Him in all the situation we have faced.
So that we can peacefully have rest even though we are in the midst of the
warfare with demonic power and suffering situation. And we must enjoy His
authority with submission to His authority gladly.
And
also, we must not forget that the victims, especially, who are under the
demonic power or possessed by it are still more valuable than a herd of many
swine. Even though, they are looking messy on their appearances, spirits, and
their life. Like us, they need a redeemer, and their deliverance from evil
spirits is real.[32]
Conclusion
Through this study of Matthew 8:
28-34, we could know that Jesus alone has authority over all things in this
world even over the darkness world. And He who has absolute power and authority
is mercy. He willing to set the victims free, and He came to us to set free
from the authority of evil spirit and death. For that He died, as a result,
people who come to the Lord are free. It gives us great hope. This is because
so many people are still suffering under the evil spirits and the evil world.
However, there is a redeemer who has supreme authority.
[1] O.
Wesley Allen, Jr., Reading the Synoptic
Gospels: Basic Methods for Interpreting Matthew, Mark, and Luke( Missouri:
Chalice Press, 2013), 15-20.
[2] “…‘daimonizomenoi’ To be under the power of a
demon. In the NT, these are persons, afflicted with severe disease, either
bodily or mentally, whose bodies in the opinion of the Jews demons had entered,
and so held possession of them as not only to afflict them with ills, but also
to dethrone the reason and take it place themselves; accordingly the possessed
were wont to express the mind and consciousness of the demons dwelling in them;
and their cure was thought to require the expulsion of the demon.”,
(accessed March
11, 2017).
[3] ‘kairou’ means due time, a measure time,
a fixed and definite time, the time when things are brought to crisis,
opportune or seasonable time, the right time, a limited period of time, to what
time brings…, Lumina, Mattew 8.
[4] ‘ekballeis’ means
to cast out, drive out, to send out; with notion of violence, Lumina, Matthew
8.
[5] ‘thalassan’, it used of the sea in
general and specifically of the Mediterranean Sea or the Red Sea Synonym,
Lumina, Matthew 8.
[7] David
Platt, Christ-Centered Exposition:
Exalting Jesus in Matthew(UAS: B&H Publishing Group, 2013), 103.
[8]
Ibid, 103-104.
[9]
Ibid, 104.
[10]
Ibid, 105.
[11]
Ibid, 105.
[12]
Ibid, 128.
[13]
Clinton E. Arnold, “‘Exorcism’: what can we learn from the way Jesus cast out
demons?”, Christian today ( September
3, 2001): 58.
[14]
Tremper Longman Ⅲ, David E. Garland, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew~Mark(Mish: Zondervan,
2010), 256.
[15]
Ibid, 256.
[16]
Donald A. Hagner, Matthew 1-13 :Word
Biblical Commentary (USA: Word Books, 1993), 226.
[17]
Ibid, 224-225
[18]
Ibid, 226.
[19] R.
T. France, Matthew: Tyndale New Testament
Commentaries(USA, England: Grand Rapid, Inter-varsity Press, 1985),
162-163.
[20] J.
C. Ryle, Matthew: Expository Thoughts on
the Gospels(USA: Crossway books, 1993), 60-61.
[21] Tremper
Longman Ⅲ, David E. Garland, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew~Mark (Mish: Zondervan,
2010), 256-259.
[22]
Billie Jean Coeeins, Pig At The Gate: Hittite Pig Sacrifice In Its Eastern
Mediterranean Context, ebsco, (accessed March 12, 2017), 1-183.
[23]
Tremper Longman Ⅲ, David E.
Garland, The Expositor’s Bible
Commentary: Matthew~Mark(Mish: Zondervan, 2010), 256-259.
[24]
Ibid, 256-259.
[26] Tremper
Longman Ⅲ, David E.
Garland, The Expositor’s Bible
Commentary: Matthew~Mark(Mish: Zondervan, 2010), 256-259.
[27]
Stephen Dray, Matthew’s Gospel: Crossway
Bible Guide(England: Crossway Books, 1998), 102-104.
[28] Myron
S. Augsburger, The Communicator’s
Commentary: Matthew(USA: Word Books, 1982), 118.
[29] Raymond E. Brown, S.S., Joseph A.
Fitzmyer, S.J., and Roland E. Murphy, O. Carm, The New Jerome Biblical Commentary(USA: Prentice Hall, Englewood
Cliffs, New Jersy 07632, 1990),649.
[30] John
F. Walvoord, Matthew: The Kingdom come(Chicago:
Moody Press, 1974), 67.
[31]
Myron S. Augsburger, The Communicator’s
Commentary: Matthew(USA: Word Books, 1982), 119.
[32]
Charles R. Erdman, The Gospel of Matthew: An Exposition(USA: The Westminster
Press, ), 80-82.
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