And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep.
At Gadara the demons speaking through the two possessed men begged Jesus not to command them into the deep or send them away from the region, but to let them enter the nearby herd of swine, which He permitted. Their plea shows they knew His supreme authority over them and could not resist His command to release their victims. At His word men who had been raging, violent and self-harming were made calm, clear-minded and gentle, while the demons that left them — a legion in number — drove the swine down into the sea to destruction. Satan meant the great loss to turn the people against Jesus so they would value their swine above the deliverance and ask Him to leave, and selfish fear kept them from listening. His design was overruled, for the healed men remained as obedient witnesses through Decapolis telling of His power to break Satan's bondage, so that the region was opened to the gospel and thousands later came to hear.
Narrative Setting and Request
Luke 8:31 belongs to the account of Jesus' work at Gadara or Gergesa, where He met two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs and freed them from the demons. It is part of the casting out in which the spirits were forced to release their victims, the men were restored, and afterward they told through Decapolis of His power to save from Satan's bondage. It is also part of the larger account in which the people valued the loss of the swine more than the men's deliverance and asked Jesus to leave, yet the hindrance was overruled to open the region to the gospel when He later returned.
As Jesus confronted them, the demons speaking through the afflicted men begged Him not to command them to go out into the deep. In the same plea they begged Him not to send them away from the region or country. As part of that plea they asked to be allowed to enter the nearby herd of swine. Jesus granted and permitted their request.
After leaving the men the demons entered the swine and drove them to destruction. They rushed them down the slope into the sea where they drowned. What is meant by the phrase the deep is not explained.
Christ's Power and Mercy
The begging cry not to be ordered into the deep was itself a confession that Jesus had authority over the demons and that they could not resist His command, so they were compelled to let go of their victims. It was a visible confrontation where the power of Satan met the power of Christ, and all who were present beheld the supremacy of Christ as the Prince of Light over the Prince of Darkness.
At His command the two afflicted men were changed from raging, violent, unrestrained and dangerous demoniacs, self-harming with bleeding bodies and distracted minds, to calm, subdued, intelligent and gentle men with clear minds, sitting at His feet and praising God. The evil spirits controlling them were no fewer than a Roman legion of three to five thousand, for Satan's hosts are marshaled in companies, and their number displays the number, power and malignity of evil spirits set against the power and mercy of Christ.
Even demonic power remained under His control, for He restrained the demons from plunging the keepers and owners of the swine into the sea as well, so that those men were preserved only by His merciful power. He permitted the demons to drive the herd into the sea as a rebuke to Jews who were raising unclean beasts for gain, to let the disciples witness Satan's cruel power upon both man and beast and know the foe they must meet without being deceived and overcome, and to let that region behold His power to break Satan's bondage and set captives free.
Satan's Design and Gospel Witness
The demons' plea to be allowed to enter the swine served a deeper design to hinder Jesus, for their destruction of the herd inflicted great loss upon the owners and turned the people against Him even after two men had been healed. That loss was calculated to stop the preaching of the gospel in that place by prejudicing the inhabitants against its Preacher.
The people set the destruction of the swine above the deliverance of the men, valuing their worldly and property loss more than His presence and the mercy shown to the afflicted. Because of that valuation they rejected Him and asked Him to leave the region.
Through that loss selfish fear was aroused, blame was cast upon Jesus, and the people were kept from listening to His words.
Yet the attempt to turn them from Jesus was overruled, for the very destruction of the swine drew attention to Christ and helped open the region to the gospel.
Though Jesus Himself departed, the delivered men obediently remained to declare His mercy, going through Decapolis telling others of His power to save from Satan's bondage. As messengers of His saving power they helped the people of that region recognize Him as the Son of God. Their faithful witness prepared the way so that when Jesus later returned to Decapolis thousands came to hear the message of salvation.
At Gadara the demons speaking through the two possessed men begged Jesus not to command them into the deep or send them away from the region, but to let them enter the nearby herd of swine, which He permitted. Their plea shows they knew His supreme authority over them and could not resist His command to release their victims. At His word men who had been raging, violent and self-harming were made calm, clear-minded and gentle, while the demons that left them — a legion in number — drove the swine down into the sea to destruction. Satan meant the great loss to turn the people against Jesus so they would value their swine above the deliverance and ask Him to leave, and selfish fear kept them from listening. His design was overruled, for the healed men remained as obedient witnesses through Decapolis telling of His power to break Satan's bondage, so that the region was opened to the gospel and thousands later came to hear.
Narrative Setting and Request
Luke 8:31 belongs to the account of Jesus' work at Gadara or Gergesa, where He met two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs and freed them from the demons. It is part of the casting out in which the spirits were forced to release their victims, the men were restored, and afterward they told through Decapolis of His power to save from Satan's bondage. It is also part of the larger account in which the people valued the loss of the swine more than the men's deliverance and asked Jesus to leave, yet the hindrance was overruled to open the region to the gospel when He later returned.
As Jesus confronted them, the demons speaking through the afflicted men begged Him not to command them to go out into the deep. In the same plea they begged Him not to send them away from the region or country. As part of that plea they asked to be allowed to enter the nearby herd of swine. Jesus granted and permitted their request.
After leaving the men the demons entered the swine and drove them to destruction. They rushed them down the slope into the sea where they drowned. What is meant by the phrase the deep is not explained.
Christ's Power and Mercy
The begging cry not to be ordered into the deep was itself a confession that Jesus had authority over the demons and that they could not resist His command, so they were compelled to let go of their victims. It was a visible confrontation where the power of Satan met the power of Christ, and all who were present beheld the supremacy of Christ as the Prince of Light over the Prince of Darkness.
At His command the two afflicted men were changed from raging, violent, unrestrained and dangerous demoniacs, self-harming with bleeding bodies and distracted minds, to calm, subdued, intelligent and gentle men with clear minds, sitting at His feet and praising God. The evil spirits controlling them were no fewer than a Roman legion of three to five thousand, for Satan's hosts are marshaled in companies, and their number displays the number, power and malignity of evil spirits set against the power and mercy of Christ.
Even demonic power remained under His control, for He restrained the demons from plunging the keepers and owners of the swine into the sea as well, so that those men were preserved only by His merciful power. He permitted the demons to drive the herd into the sea as a rebuke to Jews who were raising unclean beasts for gain, to let the disciples witness Satan's cruel power upon both man and beast and know the foe they must meet without being deceived and overcome, and to let that region behold His power to break Satan's bondage and set captives free.
Satan's Design and Gospel Witness
The demons' plea to be allowed to enter the swine served a deeper design to hinder Jesus, for their destruction of the herd inflicted great loss upon the owners and turned the people against Him even after two men had been healed. That loss was calculated to stop the preaching of the gospel in that place by prejudicing the inhabitants against its Preacher.
The people set the destruction of the swine above the deliverance of the men, valuing their worldly and property loss more than His presence and the mercy shown to the afflicted. Because of that valuation they rejected Him and asked Him to leave the region.
Through that loss selfish fear was aroused, blame was cast upon Jesus, and the people were kept from listening to His words.
Yet the attempt to turn them from Jesus was overruled, for the very destruction of the swine drew attention to Christ and helped open the region to the gospel.
Though Jesus Himself departed, the delivered men obediently remained to declare His mercy, going through Decapolis telling others of His power to save from Satan's bondage. As messengers of His saving power they helped the people of that region recognize Him as the Son of God. Their faithful witness prepared the way so that when Jesus later returned to Decapolis thousands came to hear the message of salvation.