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A Textual Commentary On The Greek NT

Matthew 8:28

Matthew 8:28 Gadarhnw/n {C}

The healing of the demoniacs is recounted by all three Synoptic Gospels, and in each account there are three principal variant readings referring to the place at which the miracle occurred: Gadarhnw/n( Gerashnw/n, and Gergeshnw/n. The evidence of the chief witnesses for the three accounts is as follows:

Gadarhnw/nGerashnw/nGergeshnw/n
Matthew 8:28
(a*) B Ctxt (D)
Q syrs, p, h		it vg copsa
syrhmg 2		ac Cmg K L
W¦1 ¦13 copbo
Mark 5:1A C K ¦13 syrp, ha* B D it vg
copsa		ac L D Q ¦1
syrs, hmg copbo
Luke 8:26A K W Dgr Y ¦13
syrc, s, p, h		î75 B D it vg
copsa		a L X Q ¦1
copbo

Gerasa was a city of the Decapolis (modern Jerash in Transjordan) located more than thirty miles to the southeast of the Sea of Galilee and, as Origen perceived (Commentary on John, v, 41 (24)), is the least likely of the three places. Another Decapolitan city was Gadara, about five miles southeast of the Sea of Galilee (modern Um Qeis). Although Origen also objected to Gadara (which, he says, was read by a few manuscripts) because neither lake nor overhanging banks were there, Josephus (Life, IX, 42) refers to Gadara as possessing territory “which lay on the frontiers of Tiberias” (= the Sea of Galilee). That this territory reached to the Sea may be inferred from the fact that ancient coins bearing the name Gadara often portray a ship. Origen prefers Gergesa, not because it occurs in manuscripts — he is silent about this — but on the dubious basis of local tradition (it is the place “from which, it is pointed out, the swine were cast down by the demons”) and of the still more dubious basis of etymology (“the meaning of Gergesa is ‘dwelling of those that have driven away,’” and thus the name “contains a prophetic reference to the conduct shown the Savior by the citizens of those places, who ‘besought him to depart out of their territory’”).

Of the several variant readings the Committee preferred Gadarhnw/n on the basis of (a) what was taken to be superior external attestation ((a*) B Ctxt (D) Q syrs, p, h geo1 mss known to Origen al), and (b) the probability that Gergeshnw/n is a correction, perhaps proposed originally by Origen, 17 and that Gerashnw/n (which is supported only by versional evidence) is a scribal assimilation to the prevailing text of Mark ( Mark 5:1) and/or Luke ( Luke 8:26, Luke 8:37).

17 For the part that Origen may have had in disseminating the reading Gergeshnw/n, see Tj. Baarda, “Gadarenes, Gerasenes, Gergesenes and the ‘Diatessaron’ Traditions,” in Neotestamentica et Semitica, Studies in Honour of Matthew Black, ed. by E. Earle Ellis [and] Max Wilcox (Edinburgh, 1969), pp. 181—197, especially 185 ff.

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See also Matthew 8:28 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Matthew 8:28. _THE COUNTRY OF THE GERGESENES_] This word is variously written in the MSS, and versions; _Gergasenes, Gerasenes,_ _Gadarenes, Gergesions_, and _Gersedonians_, The three first are...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    The same account of the demoniacs substantially is found in Mark 5:1, and Luke 8:26. Matthew 8:28 THE OTHER SIDE - The other side of the Sea of Tiberias....

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    6. THE KING MANIFESTED BY SIGNS OF DIVINE POWER. Chapter s 8-9. CHAPTER 8 1. The Healing of the Leper. (Matthew 8:1 .) 2. The Healing of the Centurion's Servant. (Matthew 8:5 .) 3. The Healing of P...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    THE GERASENE DEMONIACS (Mark 5:1 *, Luke 8:26) Mt. is considerably shorter than Mk.; note his summary of Mark 5:3 and omission of Mark 5:8;...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    And, when he had come to the other side, to the territory of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men met him, as they emerged from the tombs. They were very fierce, so that no one was able to pass by t...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

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  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    WHEN HE WAS COME. This miracle of the two demoniacs was not the same as that recorded in Mark 5:1 and Luke 8:26. Here, there were _two_ men; in the later miracle there was _one_. here, they landed opp...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _Gergesenes_ The readings vary between Gerasenes, Gadarenes and Gergesenes. Gerasa and Gergesa are forms of the same name. Gadara was some distance to the south of the Lake. It was, however, the capit...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    The Gadarene Demoniacs. St Mark 5:1-20; St Luke 8:26-39 St Mark and St Luke make mention of one demoniac only. St Mark relates the incident at greater length and with more particularity. St Matthew o...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ΓΑΔΑΡΗΝΩ͂Ν. (א* B C &c.), Γεργεσηνῶν (E K L &c.), Γερασηνῶν stated by Origen to be the prevailing reading. 28. ΓΑΔΑΡΗΝΩ͂Ν. The readings vary between Γερασηνῶν, Γαδαρηνῶν and Γεργεσηνῶν in the Synoptic...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

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  • Catena Aurea Commentary

    Ver 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...

  • Charles Box Commentaries

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  • Charles Rose Commentaries

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  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    AND WHEN HE WAS COME TO THE OTHER SIDE— The storm being hushed, they came to land. St. Matthew says, in the country of _Girgasa,_ or _of the Gergasenes;_ St. Mark and Luke, in the country of _Gadara;_...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

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  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    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....

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    25 Ever and anon, while revealing His own glory and exercising the faith of His followers, our Lord presents a marvelous prophetic picture of the course of the kingdom proclamation. Here we have a pre...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

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  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

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  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

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  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

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  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

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  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

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  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

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  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    δύο, _two_, in Mark and Luke one. According to some, _e.g._, Holtzmann (H. C.), the two includes the case reported in Mark 1:23-27; Luke 4:31-37, omitted by Matthew. Weiss' hypothesis is that the two...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    _The demoniacs of Gadara_ (Mark 5:1-20; Luke 8:26-39). This narrative raises puzzling questions of all sorts, among them a geographical or topological one, as to the scene of the occurrence. The varia...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    AN UNWELCOME VISITOR Matthew 8:28-34 The demon spirit seems still to tenant the lives of human beings. To what else can we attribute the paroxysms of passion, the awful cruelties and inhumanities of...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The King passed down from the mountain and from teaching in order that He might bring the Kingdom nearer to His people, and give them examples of its benefits. What a wondrous application of His power...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    (7) 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...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Two that were possessed with devils. St. Mark (chap. v.) and St. Luke (chap. viii.), in the same passage, mentions but one man, who is also said to be possessed with a legion of devils. Those evangel...

  • Godbey's Commentary on the New Testament

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  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    We meet with the relation of this miracle, and somewhat more particularly enlarged, in Mark 5:1. I refer the Reader therefore to that part of my Commentary for my observations upon it. I only detain t...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

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  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

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  • John Darby's Synopsis

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  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

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  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

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  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

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  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    THE OTHER SIDE; the east side of the sea of Galilee. GERGESENES; the region in which was situated the city of Gergesa, and also that of Gadara, mentioned Mark 5:1. THE TOMBS; these among the Jews wer...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    Legion of devils. Matthew 8:28-34; MATTHEW 26:53....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

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  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

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  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

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  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

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  • NT Verse References in the Ante-Nicene Fathers

    Origen Commentary on John Book VI The transaction about the swine, which were driven down a steep place by the demons and drowned in the sea, is said to have taken place in the country of the Gerasen...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

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  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

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  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

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  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    Matthew 8:28. INTO THE COUNTRY OF THE GADARENES. Our version has: ‘Gergesenes;' in Mark and Luke: ‘Gadarenes.' The best established reading in Matthew: ‘Gadarenes;' Mark: ‘Gerasenes;' Luke: ‘Gergesene...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    CHRONOLOGY. Matthew inserts this group of events here; Mark and Luke at a later point. We accept the chronology of Mark, who explicitly says that Jesus crossed the sea on the evening of the day the pa...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    GENERAL CHARACTER. The magna charta of Christ's Kingdom: the unfolding of His righteousness; the sublimest code of morals ever proclaimed on earth; the counterpart of the legislation on Mount Sinai; C...

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    THE COUNTRY OF THE GADARENES (τεν χωραν των Γαδαρηνων). This is the correct text in Matthew while in Mark 5:1 and Luke 8:26 it is "the country of the Gerasenes." Dr. Thomson discovered by the lake t...

  • Scofield's Bible Commentary

    POSSESSED (Greek, "daimonizomai", "demonized"). (_ See Scofield) - (Matthew 7:22). _...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Matthew 8:28 I. Consider the casting out of the devils. (1) The Gospel narratives are distinctly pledged to the historic truth of these occurrences. Either they are true or the Gospels are false. (2)...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Matthew 8:28 Jesus and the Possessed. I. Jesus was met with two possessed with devils. There is an evil and a good which we know to be not of ourselves. There is a devil and there is an angel to ever...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Matthew 8:16. _When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits, with his word, and healed all that were sick:_ It was the evening after...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Matthew's Gospel is the Gospel of the Kingdom, and of the King. Here you see the King amid the storms of nature. Matthew 8:23. _And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. And, b...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Jesus heals a leper, the centurion's servant and Peter's wife's mother. Professed disciples tested. Stilling of the waves. Casting-out demons at Gadara. CHARACTERS: Jesus, leper, centurion...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Matthew 8:2. _Behold, there came a leper and worshipped him._ After having preached his sermon, and discovered his doctrine, says Jerome, an opportunity presented itself of displaying miracles, thereb...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    JESUS CAME. The territory of the Gadarenes, also known as the Gerasenes, was on the south-eastern side of Lake Galilee. Gerasa was the village where Jesus landed after the storm. The mountains came do...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _There met Him two possessed with devils._ CHRIST AND THE DEMONIAC I. The immediate connection of the world of darkness with the evil heart. II. The great power of the inhabitants of darkness over...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 8:28 In Matthew, the phrase OTHER SIDE often indicates a journey from Jewish to Gentile territory and vice versa (Matthew 14:22;...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 8:1 The Authoritative Power of the Messiah: Kingdom Power Demonstrated. Jesus has shown himself to be the Messiah through his teaching (chs. Matthew 5:1

  • The Gospels Compared

    JESUS SENDS THE DEMONS INTO A HERD OF PIGS MATTHEW 8:28-34; MARK 5:1-20; LUKE 8:26-39; MATTHEW 8:28 And when he was come to the other side

  • The Great Commentary of Cornelius à Lapide

    CHAPTER 8 Ver. 2. _And, behold, a leper,_ &c. This same miracle is related by S. Mark (Mar 1:40), and by Luke (Luke 5:12). From a comparison of these it would seem to follow that the miracle was not p...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL NOTES_ Matthew 8:28. GERGESENES.—The readings vary between Gerasenes, Gadarenes, and Gergesenes (_Carr_). Modern research claims to have ascertained the exact locality of the transaction. Th...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION MATTHEW 8:1 MESSIAH'S WORK AS COMPLEMENTARY TO HIS TEACHING. We return in this section to matter which resembles that of Mark and Luke, and undoubtedly belongs to the Framework (_vide _I...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Let's turn to Matthew's gospel chapter eight. The fifth chapter of Matthew begins "And seeing the multitude, he went into a mountain: and when he had sat down, his disciples came unto him: And he open...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Acts 10:38; Deuteronomy 7:1; Genesis 10:16; Genesis 15:21; Judges 5:6;...

  • Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (4 Volume Set)

    The tombs [μ ν η μ ε ι ω ν]. Chambers excavated in the mountain, which would afford a shelter to the demoniac. Chandler (" Travels in Asia Minor ") describes tombs with two square rooms, the lower con...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    DISCIPLESHIP IN TRAINING Matthew 8:18 INTRODUCTORY WORDS 1. Let us consider the insincerity of the multitude. The last study closed with the crowds pressing upon Christ that they might be dispossess...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    The country of the Gergesenes — Or of the Gadarenes — Gergesa and Gadara were towns near each other. Hence the country between them took its name, sometimes from the one, sometimes from the other. The...

  • When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties, Norman L. Geisler and Thomas Howe, 1960

    (CF. MARK 5:1-20; LUKE 8:26-39)— Where were the demoniacs healed? PROBLEM: The first three Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) each give an account of Jesus healing demoniacs. Matthew states that the pl...

  • William Burkitt's Expository Notes

    We read of few, if any in the Old Testament, that were possessed with evil spirits; but of many in the New Testament. Our Saviour came into the workd to destroy the works of the devil; therefore he su...

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Old Testament