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Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee. And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time. And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!" For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness. Jesus asked him, saying, "What is your name?" And he said, "Legion," because many demons had entered him. And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss. Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain. So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them. And He permitted them. Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned.
When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed. Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. And He got into the boat and returned. Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you." And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.
- Luke 8:26-39
Yesterday, we read that Jesus continued preaching, following the parable of the Sower and its explanation: "No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light. Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him." Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd. And it was told Him by some, who said, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You." But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it." Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples. And He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake." And they launched out. But as they sailed He fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy. And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!" Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm. But He said to them, "Where is your faith?" And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!"
Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee. And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time. And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs. It's important that we take a good look at this man, who is so far from living in the society as a "civilized" or acceptable person. The demons have taken him out of ordinary community; not only is he completely isolated, he wears no clothes and lives among the dead, in the tombs. Let's remember also that this journey takes place across a great barrier of the deep fears of the disciples, who have crossed a stormy sea in a lesson about faith.
When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!" For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness. Jesus asked him, saying, "What is your name?" And he said, "Legion," because many demons had entered him. And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss. My study bible says that the demons recognize Jesus as the Son of God. There is a kind of war going on within this man: it is he who falls down at Jesus' feet. The Gospel uses a word here that is usually used to mean "worship." Jesus addresses the man himself. The demons are afraid of Christ, although it is not the time of Judgment. We get yet further understanding that the demons drive this man from all human companionship, out into the wilderness.
Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain. So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them. And He permitted them. Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned. My study bible says that though the malice of the demons is great, they can do nothing against the will of God; they enter the swine only at Christ's command. It tells us also that the destruction of the herd of swine shows that the man had been protected by God's care; otherwise he would have died under the demonic influence. It also notes that this reinforces that swineherding wasn't lawful for the Jews -- the incomparable value of this man is evident in the story. His salvation was worth every sacrifice.
When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed. Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. And He got into the boat and returned. It's often assumed that this is a Gentile population, because of the raising of the swine. But my study bible points out it's more likely that this is a Jewish population engaged in the sinful practice of raising swine. Thus, their fear of Christ as holy man or "Son of the Most High God" as identified by the demons, would be multiplied. My study bible says that the destruction of the swine would be an economic loss that remained as a sign for these hardhearted people.
Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you." And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him. Here we have the full evidence of Christ's love and saving power in this man: he becomes an emissary, an evangelist, telling of the great good news of the Kingdom, and spreading this word to his home population. His restoration and value to his own community is assured for us.
How far will Christ go to save one who is "his own?" Perhaps no other story tells it so strongly as this one. It's found in various forms in the Synoptic Gospels. I'm always struck by how far Jesus will go to save one of his own. This man is clearly drawn to Jesus from the moment He sets foot in the area: he runs to Christ and falls down in worshipful pose before Him. And it shows the great battle going on inside of himself: the demons have quite the opposite reaction to Jesus, and they know exactly who He really is. And we look at the horrible handicaps that burden this poor man who is "occupied" by a legion of demons! He's been drawn so far outside of human companionship, and what one would consider a decent or civilized life, that he's not just homeless: his home is the tombs for the dead. He's been driven further and further out into the wilderness, where there is no comfort at all, with only the "unlawful" or "unclean" swine and the awful demons for companionship. He wears no clothes. All of this sullies and torments him; a legion of demons drive him to greater and greater destruction. Those who herd the swine care nothing for him as a human being. We can perhaps easily relate this man to all kinds of people in our world, whose burdens are so many, whose handicaps (of any nature) may be so great as to render the person "hopeless" in the sight of human beings. But for Christ, there is no such thing. It takes faith, and we are His sheep, we are "one of His." The disciples have just crossed a very stormy Sea of Galilee to come to this place, where this man who lives in the tombs and is burdened and occupied with a legion of demons (that is, several thousands, implying a vast multitude), teaching us that Jesus will not only go through everything to save one who loves Him, but so will the disciples of Christ be directed to do in faith. These men, the disciples, experienced seamen upon this particular sea, felt that they were going to die in the storm they passed through on the way. This is the "adventure" of faith; and perhaps where the word of God may take us. So, we look at the odds for this man to be saved. He's "occupied" by a legion, just like a legion of the Roman Army (between 3,000 and 6,000 soldiers) - a warring power that seeks to take him over. But help is there and our faith is all it takes for the power of that faith to help us. Even the fact that the man has survived this "occupation" tells us of the supreme value of a human being. It's a reminder of the stories in the Old Testament in which we read about the destruction of towns or societies that is prevented by simply one person of faith within the multitude. Let us remember, when we look at something or someone who seems "hopeless," a situation in which we cannot imagine a healing from the burdens placed upon people or with which they must contend in their lives, how much this tells us about Christ and His love and help. Each of us is born into a world in which we inherit a situation or environment that collectively includes all kinds of burdens and handicaps, wrongful turns, wickedness and destruction, violence in many forms, and a war against love. There is a terrible injustice in the "mud" and filth that may be placed even upon the completely innocent, the ways in which what is invaluable is treated as if it is trash. We may have to contend in our own environments with neglect, isolation, want, and even those who behave "like swine." We are called upon to bear faith into this world, and through whatever it offers us. We are called to bring His light to others who may suffer unjust burdens, unfair handicaps that are not their own fault, the weight of an "inheritance" in a world plagued by this unjust power. We wage, in this sense, a spiritual battle against this "occupying power" -- a battle for the Kingdom as "liberated zone." In this sense, the question, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?" is a most essential one, in any personal struggle. He calls us to His salvation, and He calls us to every effort to bring it into the world, to face our fears, and know His love and liberating power that sees who we are and overcomes all things. For with God, as Luke has told us, nothing will be impossible.
