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More Matthew commentaries
Matthew 5:1-12
Character of a Christian
Matthew 5:13-20
Fishing for Men
Matthew 5:21-26
To Murder in the Mind
Matthew 5:27-32
Divorce and Remarriage
Matthew 5:33-42
Unfair and Unreasonable Treatment
Matthew 5:43-48
Love Your Enemies
Matthew 6:5-18
Practice of Prayer
Matthew 6:19-24
The Love of Wealth
Matthew 7:1-6
Judging and Hypocrisy
Matthew 7:13-23
A Professing Christian vs a True Christian
Matthew 7:24-29
Building on the Right Foundation
Matthew 8:1-17
Healing Miracles of Christ
Matthew 8:18-27
Motives of Service
Matthew 8:28-34
Healing of the Demon Possesed Men
Matthew 9:1-8
The Faith of the Friends
Matthew 9:9-13
Reaching Sinners and Tax Collectors
Matthew 9:14-26
The Traditions of Judaism
Matthew 9:27-38
The Need for Laborers
Matthew 10:1-15
Qualifications of the Twelve Apostles
Matthew 10:16-33
Religious Oppostion to Christ’s Followers
Matthew 10:34-42
The Service of Christian Workers
Matthew 11:1-19
Doubting of John the Baptist
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Healing of the Demon Possesed Men
Matthew 8:28–34
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)
In the first war of Silesia, King Frederick decided on a crucial alteration of war plans. So he ordered that under pain of death, neither fire nor candle should be burning in the tents after a certain hour. He went round the camp himself, to see that his orders were obeyed. As he … More
The event recorded here took place near Gergesa, a town on the eastern slope of the Sea of Galilee. There Jesus met two demon possessed men. These men under the influence of demons were violent and had been forced out of the city and were living in a graveyard (v. 28). These demons knew who Jesus was and reacted with resentment at His intrusion into their realm.
Realizing their doom they requested permission to enter a large herd of pigs which were nearby (vv. 29-32). Mark stated that this herd numbered about 2,000 (Mark 5:13). Some have said that these pigs were being kept illegally by Jews who were living in this Gentile region. Swine were considered unclean by the Mosaic law. As soon as the demons entered this herd of swine they all rushed down into the Sea and were drowned. The Biblical principle taught in this incident is that those who are deliberately disobedient deprive themselves of divine protection and place themselves at the mercy of the forces of evil. This is a very dangerous way of life.
Those taking care of the herd were frightened and went into the nearby town to report what had happened (v. 33). The people of the town went out and because they preferred their own business to the presence of the Savior pleaded with Jesus to leave their region (v. 34).
Application
Do I own anything that hinders my relationship with God? If so, am I willing to let it go in order to be free to serve the Lord?
Matthew 8:28-34 (English Standard Version)
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. 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?" Now a herd of many pigs was feeding at some distance from them. And the demons begged him, saying, "If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of pigs." 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. The herdsmen fled, and going into the city they told everything, especially what had happened to the demon- possessed men. And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their region.
View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway) »
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