Matthew 8:29, commentary and pictures

The cry was spoken not by the two possessed men themselves but by the evil spirits using them as mouthpieces when confronted by Jesus, acknowledging Him as the Son of God and pleading not to be tormented and driven out. The men themselves fell at His feet seeking mercy, and even when they could utter only words prompted by Satan their unspoken appeal for deliverance was heard. Their question about torment before the time shows they knew judgment had a set appointed time and feared He had come to punish them early. Even devils believe and tremble before Christ, but their recognition of His authority and divine identity does not make them loyal, and only increases their condemnation. The encounter proves the supremacy of Christ over Satan and the powers of darkness, whose power is under His control and restrained, and shows His power to save even those in deepest bondage so that no cry from a soul in need goes unanswered.

Setting and Encounter

The cry belongs to the evening after a full day beside the Sea of Galilee spent teaching parables about the nature and establishment of the kingdom and healing the sick. Jesus was utterly wearied from ministering day after day with scarcely food or rest, pressed by crowds and harassed by constant criticism and misrepresentation, and He sought retirement with His disciples across the lake. The destination was the desolate eastern shore, a region more heathen than Jewish with little communication with Galilee. He was taken as He was into the boat, while other fishing boats crowded with people followed Him.

On that shore two furious possessed men lived in limestone caves and tombs beside the road from the southern shore of the lake up to Gadara. Their madness gave them prodigious strength and made them terribly dangerous and fierce, so that the road was almost impassable and they were the terror of the country and the whole neighborhood. Their condition wasted their manhood and held them tormented and captive.

As soon as Jesus set foot on shore the men sallied out toward Him shrieking amid wild howls of frenzy, gnashing teeth and foaming. Jesus stood calm and unafraid and stopped their rush with His raised hand, so that raging they could come no nearer and stood helpless before Him. His authoritative command for the unclean spirits to come out penetrated their darkened minds, so they dimly realized One was near who could save them from the demons tormenting them. Then they fell at His feet worshiping and seeking mercy and entreating His mercy.

The cry itself was not the men's own prayer but the demons using the afflicted men as mediums of communication with Jesus. It was spoken through the two men among the tombs when confronted and commanded to leave, acknowledging Him and pleading against torment. The men themselves sought His mercy, needing deliverance from the spirits that possessed them. Even when they could speak only words prompted by Satan, their hearts' unspoken appeal for deliverance was heard.

Speaking through the men, the demons begged Jesus not to send them out of the country or away from the region. They asked instead to be allowed to enter a great herd of swine feeding on a mountainside not far distant. Jesus permitted them.

Confession of Christ's Authority

The evil spirits in the two men among the tombs knew Jesus to be the Son of God and the Holy One of God, and they acknowledged His authority over them. Their recognition, spoken while He lived in human form, confirms His divine identity. They spoke through the men as mediums of communication when confronted and commanded to leave, asking what He had to do with them and whether He had come to torment them. Their words expressed fear of His authority and pleaded against being tormented and driven out, begging not to be sent away from the region.

Their question about torment before the time shows they knew judgment and punishment had a set, appointed time. They expected a future judgment and torment, and feared He had come to punish them before that time. Even the devils believe in Christ and tremble, but their recognition does not make them loyal or faithful to Him. It increases their condemnation rather than lessening it.

All present beheld a visible meeting of the Prince of Light and the Prince of Darkness, which proved the supremacy of Christ over Satan and the powers of darkness by His power to cast them out. His power and mercy stood in contrast with their presence, number, and malignity, and His command drove the evil spirits from the men. Even the power of demons is under His control and restrained, as seen when they were restrained from destroying the men who tended and owned the swine, and the working of evil is overruled for good.

Deliverance, Witness, and Rejection

At His coming the demons were forced to release their human habitation, enter the swine, and immediately the whole herd was seized with panic, rushed madly down the cliff, plunged into the lake and perished in destruction. At the same moment the two men were fully delivered and restored to their right minds, with light shining into their minds, eyes beaming with intelligence, countenances grown mild and hands quiet. They were left clothed and sitting at the feet of Jesus, listening to His words, glorifying the name of Him who made them whole, praising God for deliverance with glad voices, and feeling secure from the demons in His presence.

The destruction caused the owners and onlookers to count the loss of the swine of greater moment than the deliverance and to value their financial loss above the healing of the two men. With eyes blinded by worldliness they saw only the magnitude of the loss and feared additional loss of property and pecuniary loss. In terror they thronged about Jesus, refused the advantage of having among them One who can control the elements and cast out demons and heal the diseased by a word or the touch of His hand, and begged the Son of God to depart. He gratified their wish and took ship at once for the opposite shore, for He never urges His presence where He is unwelcome.

The meeting at Gergesa in the region of Decapolis led the people to reject Jesus without hearing His words, ignorant of what they were rejecting and choosing darkness. Satan meant the destruction of the swine to turn the people away from the Saviour and prevent the preaching of the gospel in that region. But the event roused the whole country as nothing else could have done and directed attention to Christ.

Though Jesus Himself departed, He did not leave them to darkness but sent them light through those to whom they would listen. The men He had healed remained as living evidences of His power and mercy, changed from mediums of the prince of darkness into channels of light and messengers of the Son of God. They obediently carried the good news of His saving power to others and convinced people of that region that Jesus is the Son of God. Their witness was listened to and aroused a desire to see Him that made His later return welcome, so that when Jesus returned the people flocked about Him, and for three days thousands from all the surrounding country heard the message of salvation.

Their release shows Christ's power to save people from Satan's bondage, so that even people in the deepest bondage and distress can find deliverance in Him and no cry from a soul in need goes unanswered. The account shows the peace and rest found in taking Christ at His word and learning of Him, as those who come to Him enter into rest now. That rest is beginning heaven here as a ceaseless approaching to God through Christ, walking with Jesus filled with His love and satisfied with His presence, which grows in glory and happiness and leads to eternal life before the throne of God where there is no more hunger or thirst or burning heat and God wipes away all tears.

The same rejection continues when people refuse to follow His teachings because obedience would require sacrificing some worldly interest. Turning Jesus from their hearts for fear His presence will cost them pecuniary loss, they overlook His grace and drive His Spirit from them.