Matthew 8:28-32

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Matthew 8:28-34

We have here the story of Christ's casting the devils out of two men that were possessed. The scope of this chapter is to show the divine power of Christ, by the instances of his dominion over bodily diseases, which to us are irresistible; over winds and waves, which to us are yet more uncontrollable; and lastly, over devils, which to us are most formidable of all. Christ has not only all power in heaven and earth and all deep places, but has the keys of hell too. Principalities and powers... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Matthew 8:1-34

Of all the gospel writers Matthew is the most orderly. He never sets out his material haphazardly. If in Matthew one thing follows another in a certain sequence, there is always a reason for that sequence; and it is so here. In Matthew 5:1-48 ; Matthew 6:1-34 ; Matthew 7:1-29 Matthew has given us the Sermon on the Mount. That is to say, in these chapters he has given us his account of the words of Jesus; and now in Matthew 8:1-34 he gives us an account of the deeds of Jesus. Matthew... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 8:28

And when he was come to the other side ,.... Of the lake, or sea of Tiberias, right over against Galilee, into the country of Gergesenes , the same with the Girgashites, Genesis 15:21 whom Joshua drove out of the land of Canaan; and who, as a Jewish writer F12 Juchasin, fol. 135. 2. says, left their country to the Israelites, and went to a country, which is called to this day, גורגיסטאן , "Gurgestan", of which these people were some remains: both in Mark 5:1 it is called "the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 8:29

And behold they cried out, saying ,.... This is an instance and proof, of the wonderful power of Christ over the devils; and has therefore the note of admiration, "behold!" prefixed to it, that the devils themselves who had took possession of these men, and made them so fierce and cruel, and outrageous, that there was no passing the way for them; yet upon the sight of Christ, and especially at hearing his orders to come out from them, not only say, but cry out, as being in great... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 8:30

And there was a good way off from them ,.... "Nigh unto the mountains", as Mark says, or "on the mountain", as Luke, bordering on the sea shore; so that though it was at some distance, yet within sight. The Vulgate Latin, and the Hebrew edition of Munster read, "not far off"; and the Persic version, "near them": which agree with the accounts of Mark and Luke, who say, that there were "there", or hard by, "an herd of many swine feeding". Since swine's flesh was forbidden the Jews to eat, ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 8:31

So the devils besought him, saying ,.... All the devils, the whole legion of them, who perceiving that they must be obliged to go out of these men, and after they had earnestly entreated they might not be sent out of the country where they had long been, and had made themselves masters of the tempers, dispositions, and circumstances of the inhabitants, and so capable of doing the more mischief, begged hard, if thou cast us out of these men, or "from hence", as the Vulgate Latin, the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 8:32

And he said unto them, go , &c.; He gave them leave, as God did to Satan, in the case of Job; for without divine permission, these evil spirits cannot do anything to the bodies, souls, or estates of men: they could not enter into the swine without leave, and much less do things of greater moment and consequence; and therefore are not to be feared, or dreaded by men, especially by the people of God. It may be asked, why did Christ suffer the devils to enter the herd of swine, and destroy... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 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 supported by the greater authorities. They might have all been names of the same place or district; but, if we depend on what Origen says, the people mentioned here could not have been the inhabitants of Gerasa, which, says he, is a city of Arabia, ουτε θαλασσαν, ουτε λιμνην πλησιον εχοντα , which has neither sea nor... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 8:29

What have we to do with thee - The literal translation of τι ημιν και σοι , is, What is it to us and to thee; which perhaps might be understood to imply their disclaiming any design to interfere with the work of Christ, and that he should not therefore meddle with them; for it appears they exceedingly dreaded his power. What have we to do with thee, is a Jewish phrase, which often occurs in the Old Testament, signifying an abrupt refusal of some request, or a wish not to be troubled with... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 8:30

A herd of many swine - These were in all probability Jewish property, and kept and used in express violation of the law of God; and therefore their destruction, in the next verse, was no more than a proper manifestation of the justice of God. read more

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