Luke 8:26-29

The Encounter.

There are three readings of the name of the inhabitants, and unfortunately they are also found in both the other Syn. Epiphanius mentions the following forms: Γεργεσηνῶν in Mark and Luke (but it is probable that, in the case of the Luke, we should read Γερασηνῶν in this Father); Γαδαρηνῶν in Matthew (Γεργεσαίων in some manuscripts). It would seem to follow from a passage in Origen (Ad Joh. t. vi. c. 24) that the most widely-diffused reading in his time was Γερασηνῶν, that Γαδαρηνῶν was only read in a small number of manuscripts, and that Γεργεσηνῶν was only a conjecture of his own. He states that Gerasa is a city of Arabia, and that there is neither sea nor lake near it; that Gadara, a city of Judaea, well known for its warm baths, has neither a deep-lying piece of water with steep banks in its neighbourhood, nor is there any sea; whilst, near the lake of Tiberias, the remains are to be seen of a city called Gergesa, near which there is a precipice overlooking the sea, and at which the place is still shown where the herd of swine cast themselves down. The MSS. are divided between these readings after the most capricious fashion. The great majority of the Mnn. in Matthew read Γερασηνῶν, in Mark and Luke Γεργεσηνῶν. The Latin documents are almost all in favour of Γεργεσηνῶν. Tischendorf (8th edition) reads Γαδαρηνῶν in Matthew, Γερασηνῶν in Mark, Γεργεσηνῶν in Luke. Bleek thinks that the primitive Gospel on which, in his opinion, our three Syn. are based, read Γερασηνῶν, but that, owing to the improbability of this reading, it was changed by certain copyists into Γαδαρηνῶν, and by Origen into Γεργεσηνῶν. Looking simply at the fact, this last name appears to him to agree with it best. In fact, Gerasa was a large city situated at a considerable distance to the south-east, on the borders of Arabia; and the reading Γερασηνῶν can only be admitted by supposing that the district dependent on this city extended as far as to the sea of Galilee, which is inadmissible, although Stephen of Byzantium calls Gerasa a city of Decapolis. Gadara is nearer, being only a few leagues from the south-east end of the sea of Galilee. Josephus calls it the metropolis of the Peraea; Pliny reckons it among the cities of Decapolis. Its suburbs might extend as far as the sea. But it is highly natural to suppose, that these two cities being so well known, the copyists substituted their names for that of Gergesa, which was generally unknown. It is a confirmation of this view, that the existence of a town of this name is attested not only by Origen, Eusebius, and Jerome, but by the recent discovery of ruins bearing the name of Gersa or Khersa, towards the embouchure of the Wady Semakh. The course of the walls is still visible, according to Thompson (p. 375). This traveller also says, that “the sea is so near the foot of the mountain at this spot, that animals having once got fairly on to the incline, could not help rolling down into the water” (p. 377). Wilson (Athenaeum, 1866, i. p. 438) states that this place answers all the conditions of the Bible narrative. The true reading, therefore, would be Γεργεσηνῶν or Γεργεσαίων. This name, so little known, must have been altered first into Γερασηνῶν, which has some resemblance to it, and then into Γαδαρηνῶν.

On the demoniacs, see Luke 4:33.

The 27th verse gives a description of the demoniac, which is afterwards finished in the 29th. This first description (Luke 8:27) only contains that which presented itself immediately to the observation of an eye-witness of the scene. The second and fuller description (Luke 8:29) is accounted for by the command of Jesus, which, to be intelligible, required a more detailed statement of the state of the possessed. This interruption, which is not found in Mark, reflects very naturally the impression of an eye-witness; it demonstrates the independence of the respective narratives of Matthew and Luke. The plural δαιμόνια (demons), explained afterwards (Luke 8:30) by the afflicted man himself, refers doubtless to the serious nature and multiplicity of the symptoms melancholy, mania, violence, occasioned by a number of relapses (see on Luke 8:2 and Luke 11:24-26). His refusing to wear clothes or remain in a house is connected with that alienation from society which characterizes such states. The Alex. reading: “who for a long while past had worn no clothes,” is evidently an error. The note of time cannot refer to a circumstance altogether so subordinate as that of clothing.

The Levitical uncleanness of the tombs ensured to this man the solitude he sought.

The sight of Jesus appears to have produced an extraordinary impression upon him. The holy, calm, gentle majesty, tender compassion, and conscious sovereignty which were expressed in the aspect of our Lord, awakened in him, by force of contrast, the humbling consciousness of his own state of moral disorder. He felt himself at once attracted and repelled by this man; this led to a violent crisis in him, which revealed itself first of all in a cry. Then, like some ferocious beast submitting to the power of his subduer, he runs and kneels, protesting all the while, in the name of the spirit of which he is still the organ, against the power which is exerted over him. Luke says: προσπίπτειν, not προσκυνεῖν (Mark). The former term does not imply any religious feeling.

On the expression: What have I to do with thee? see on Luke 4:24. The name Jesus is wanting in Matthew, and it looks strange. How did he know this name? Perhaps he had heard Jesus talked of, and instinctively recognised Him. Or perhaps there was a supernatural knowledge appertaining to this extraordinary state. The expression: Son of the most high God, is explained by the prevalence of polytheism in those countries where there was a large heathen population. Josephus calls Gadara a Greek city. We must not infer from this that this man was a heathen.

In his petition, Luke 8:28, the demoniac still identifies himself with the alien spirit which holds him in his power. The torment which he dreads is being sent away into the abyss (Luke 8:31); Matthew adds, before the time. The power of acting on the world, for beings that are alienated from God and move only within the void of their own subjectivity, is a temporary solace to their unrest. To be deprived of this power is for them just what a return to prison is for the captive. If we read παρήγγειλε, we must give this aor. the meaning of a plus-perfect: For He had commanded. But MS. authority is rather in favour of the imperf. παρήγελλεν : “For He was commanding him. ” This tense indicates a continuous action, which does not immediately produce its effect. The demon's cry of distress, Torment me not, is called forth by the strong and continued pressure which the command of Jesus put upon him. This imperf. corresponds with Mark's ἔλεγε γάρ. We find in these two analogous forms the common type of the traditional narration.

The for, which follows, explains this imperfect. The evil did not yield instantly, because it had taken too deep root. Συνηρπάκει, it kept him in its possession. Πολλοῖς χρόνοις may signify for a long time past or oftentimes. With the second sense, there would be an allusion to a series of relapses, each of which had aggravated the evil.