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| 1 And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. |
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| 2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, |
Immediately – The story of the demons is connected with that of the storm on the sea, intimating that the demons will have considerable to do with stirring up the great "time of trouble." R5059:1
Out of the tombs – As there were no asylums at the time, the maniacs, demonized, were subject to the private care of their friends. R3771:6
An unclean spirit – Obsessed--that is to say, demons, the fallen angels mentioned in Jude 6 and 2 Peter 2:4 had gained access, and were in control of him. R5059:1
We should expect similar possessions today. In our judgment a large proportion of the so-called insane are in just that condition. R3771:3
They could not materialize, so the next best thing was to try to get possession of human bodies. Q671:T
Those who deny the personality of Satan must logically also deny the personality of demons, so frequently referred to in the Scriptures. R3771:3
While mankind are not all possessed of devils, through the spirit of evil they are all more or less possessed with the spirit of demons, the spirit of selfishness and thus, slightly insane, some more so, some less so. R3773:1
Being debarred from all association with God, these fallen angels have no longer any pleasure in things on the spiritual plane, but crave association with depraved mankind and a participation with him in sin. R1678:3
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| 3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: |
Had his dwelling – Having broken his cords and fetters and having left his home. R3771:6
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| 4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. |
Plucked asunder – Manifesting a wonderful strength. R3771:6
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| 5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones. |
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| 6 But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, |
Afar off – He must have seen the boat coming across the lake of Galilee, because he met Jesus immediately upon the landing of the ship. (Verse 2) R3772:1
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| 7 And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. |
To do with thee – The expression "What have I to do with thee?" might be more literally rendered, "What have we in common?" R3772:2
There is nothing in common between the Lord and spirit mediums, hypnotism, mental science, Christian Science, etc.; and none should have anything whatever to do with them. R3772:2
Son of the most high God – The demons, fallen angels, recognized Jesus and spoke through the man's lips. R5059:1
While the Pharisees said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph?" (John 6:42) R1680:1
Torment me not – Apparently Jesus had already begun to command the unclean spirit to come out. R3772:1
Demon's answer to the command of Jesus. R5059:1
The demons apparently understood God had a time appointed which would Mark the limitation of their liberties and opportunities in connection with the tormenting of mankind by obsession. R3772:1
"Art thou come to torment us before the time?" (Matt. 8:29) R3772:1
The demons thus implied that an interference with their tormenting of mankind would be an injury to their rights. R3772:1
There are many amongst men who have similarly perverted notions of what are their rights, to impose upon others, to defraud, mislead, injure, pillage. R3772:2
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| 8 For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.
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Come out – This miracle was a demonstration of the power of the Lord over evil spirits. A lesson intended more for the Lord's people of the Gospel age. R3772:5
Of the man – This poor man is an extreme example of all out of whom the spirit of evil is cast through the power of the truth. R3773:2
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| 9 And he asked him, What is thy name?
And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. |
What is thy name? – We may suppose that the Lord knew the man was possessed of a great number of fallen spirits, but brought out the answer for the sake of his disciples and the others crowded about. R3772:2
Legion: for we are many – About 2000, as indicated by the number of swine. R4976:2, 5059:4, 3772:5
So anxious were the demons to possess human bodies that there was a legion of them in one man. Q671:T
Hypnotism, mesmerism, clairaudient power and clairvoyant power are all part and parcel of the same great deception. R5059:5
Anxious in some manner to become associated with humanity, yet unable to assume human form, when they found a man willing, a legion crowded into him, thereby making him a maniac. R1678:4, 3772:3
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| 10 And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. |
He besought him – The demons realized that they were subject to the commands of Jesus. R5059:2
Not send them away – The evil spirits apparently do not have special pleasure in their own company, and are debarred from all intercourse with the holy angels. R3772:3
Out of the country – To the abyss--to the second death, to utter destruction. R3772:4
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| 11 Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. |
Swine feeding – Swine were condemned under the Jewish Law, and may therefore have been considered contraband. R3772:4
While the Jews did not eat swine's flesh, the foreigners did, especially the Roman soldiers, and the swine industry must have been a very lucrative one. R3772:4
The Jews of the vicinity were probably favorable to the industry, being interested in its prosperity; in the same manner farmers are interested in the prosperity of breweries, because through them they find a Market for their crops. R3772:4
Scholars are of the opinion that this part of the country was largely inhabited by foreigners, the owners of large herds of swine. R3772:4
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| 12 And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. |
And all the devils – They did not attempt to deny their identity, but admitted Jesus' lordship and power over them. F626
Obviously spirit beings. Those who deny obsession must account for the transfer of a disease of the mind from a man to a herd of two thousand hogs. R3772:5
Besought him – Apparently evil spirits cannot impose themselves, even upon dumb animals, until granted some sort of permission. R2173:3, 4976:3
Demonstrating that they cannot trouble us except as we permit them, or tamper with, or allow our minds to come under their hypnotic or obsessing influence. R4976:3
Into the swine – Rather than have no animal body at all, they prefer to have the bodies of swine. R4976:3
May enter into them – To obsess them. R5059:2
The entertainment of evil thoughts, the practice of vicious habits, seems to break down the will and give admittance to these evil spirits to have control of it. R3772:3
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| 13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea. |
Jesus gave them leave – Demonstrating evil spirits cannot trouble us except as we permit them. R4876:3
The herd ran violently – Swine are not easily stampeded; if you want them to move you must whip everyone of them. R4976:2
They were crazed by the strange outside influence which took possession of their brains. R5059:4
Man, with his higher organism, is able apparently to stand much more mental torment than the brute creation. R3772:5
Two thousand – This part of the country may have been largely inhabited by foreigners, the owners of large herds of swine. R3772:4
There were enough demons to enter the whole herd. R4976:2
Were choked – Swine were condemned under the Jewish Law, and may therefore have been considered contraband and their destruction authorized. R3772:4
Because unwilling to cooperate for their own deliverance, mankind's help must come in another way--by the fall of present institutions. R3772:6
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| 14 And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done. |
And told it – To clear themselves of responsibility and to tell them that the man who caused the difficulty was still near the spot. R3772:5
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| 15 And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. |
Clothed – In his insanity he had torn off clothing and everything, but now peace and serenity reigned. R3772:6
Thank God for the clothing which we have in Christ's robe of righteousness, covering our blemishes and imperfections, the bruises of sin and the injury which we did to ourselves. R3773:2
In his right mind – Released from his obsession. R5059:4
Sane enough, when rid of the evil influence. R4976:3
Thank God that we can now see things from the better standpoint, from the only true standpoint. R3773:2
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| 16 And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine. |
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| 17 And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts. |
To depart out – Disregarding the healing of the man, selfishness reigned. If Jesus remained their hog business might be wrecked. R3772:6
This is exactly the reasoning of many in respect to the liquor traffic. R3772:6
They loved better the ways of sin than the promised ways of righteousness. R3773:1
Instead of desiring others to be similarly helped, they reasoned on the selfish side of the question, that his continued presence might wreck the business and economy of this prosperous country. R3772:6
Wherever the truth goes it creates a division and an uproar. R1633:3
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| 18 And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him. |
Might be with him – "To you, who believe, he is precious." (1 Pet. 5:7) R3773:2
Perhaps fearful of being repossessed by the demons, perhaps ashamed of his previous course of life and old associates; but more probably to be a witness to the Lord. R3773:2
He wanted to preach to others of the great deliverance which he had experienced and to tell them of this further proof that Jesus was the Messiah. R5059:4
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| 19 Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.
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Jesus suffered him not – Because it was not in harmony with the Lord's judgment of the Father's will. R5059:4
While Jesus refused the request, he did not spurn the consecration. R3773:3
Go home – If we cannot be the apostles to follow his footsteps, we can go to our own homes and to our friends and there confess the Lord and his mighty power in us. R3773:4
And tell them – Our Lord's journey on this occasion seems to have resulted in the conversion of but one person, the demoniac, his subsequent work there being done through him. R3773:4
How great things – We should not only witness with our lips, but in all the departments of our life, testifying that we are now sane, that we now have the "spirit of a sound mind." (2 Tim. 1:7) R3773:5
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| 20 And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel. |
And he departed – Our Lord did not force himself upon them. R3773:1
Had done for him – Our Lord's journey seems to have resulted in the conversion of but one person, the demoniac, his subsequent work there being done through him. R3773:4
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| 21 And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea. |
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| 22 And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet, |
There cometh – While Jesus was enjoying the banquet at the house of Matthew. (Matt. 9:18) R2617:2
Rulers of the synagogue – In charge of its affairs, inviting readers, managing its schools, etc. R2617:1
According to the custom of that time he was, therefore, a member of the local Sanhedrin, the court which tried certain classes of offenders. R2617:1
Jairus – As a man of high station, no doubt he was acquainted with the noblemen of the same city whose son Jesus had healed. (John 4:46-53) R2617:1
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| 23 And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live. |
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| 24 And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him. |
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| 25 And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, |
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| 26 And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, |
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| 27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. |
Touched his garment – The methods of restitution will doubtless be as varied as were the methods employed by Jesus in healing diseases at his first advent. One touched the hem of his garment, another stretched forth his withered hand, for another he prayed. R759:3
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| 28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.
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| 29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. |
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| 30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?
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Virtue had gone out of him – Life, vitality, vigor. "Himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses" (Isa. 53:4; Matt. 8:17), a prophecy that has had its fulfillment. R2028:5, 3885:6, 1359:3, 133:1; A230; E125; F633
The Master was not merely using a divine power, but was using up his own physical power for man's relief. R5104:1, 454:3
Vitality, strength. During his ministry he was continually imparting his vitality to the suffering ones around him, thus impoverishing himself. R1359:4,3; E125; SM651:2
He did not partake of sin, nor did he share in imperfection, except as he voluntarily shared the sorrows and pains of some during his ministry, taking their pains and infirmities as he imparted to them his vitality, health and strength. A230
Jesus experienced the woes and sufferings of humanity without sharing in the imperfections and sins. He suffered for those around him, and made use of his own vitality in healing their diseases. R454:3
It is a fact coming daily to be more recognized among scientific men, that some persons possess greater vitality than others, and possessing more can communicate it to others who have less. R574:4
The greater the number healed, the greater was our Lord's loss of vitality and strength. E124
No wonder he was "a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." (Isa. 53:3) R574:5
"Touched with the feeling of our infirmities." (Heb. 4:15) R1359:4, 2028:6; E126
To bless and heal in mind and body the sinners about him was part of his dying. SM645:1
Turned him about – We can imagine the feelings of Jairus in consequence of this delay; while it added to his faith in the power of Jesus, it at the same time tested his faith in respect to the recovery of his child. R2617:2
Similarly, he gives us a ground for faith, and then, as we exercise that faith and act in harmony with it, he gives fresh corroboration; meanwhile testing it by permitting fresh difficulties, contrary suggestions, doubts, fears, etc. R2617:3
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| 31 And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? |
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| 32 And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. |
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| 33 But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. |
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| 34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.
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Thy faith – Some were healed in answer to their own faith and some in answer to the faith of another. (Verses 23, 42) R759:3
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| 35 While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? |
Why troublest thou – Hope is gone, submit to the inevitable. R2617:3
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| 36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.
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Only believe – Divine promises and blessings are to the faithful only--both as respects the present and the eternal life. R2617:4
Faith, not credulity, is the prime essential of an "overcomer." R2617:3
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| 37 And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. |
Peter, and James, and John – The Lord evidently loves fervency (warmth) of spirit or disposition. R2617:4
Not a selfish partiality, but rather as an indication that these three, specially zealous amongst the apostles, were further advanced in spiritual things, and best able to appreciate the privileges granted them. R2617:4
Noting our Lord's appreciation of zeal should lead all who are his followers today to strive after greater fervency of spirit. R2617:4
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| 38 And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly. |
Seeth the tumult – The preparations for the burial were far advanced at the time of our Lord's arrival, for it was the Jewish custom to have a speedy burial after death. R2617:5
Them that wept – Matthew designates them as "minstrels." R2617:5
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| 39 And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.
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But sleepeth – A common word for death in both the Old and the New Testaments. (1 Kings 2:10; Acts 7:60; 1 Cor. 15:51; 1 Thes. 4:14) R2617:5, 2197:6
Since there is to be an awakening of the dead, Jesus spoke of death as sleep, a period of rest, of quiet, of unconsciousness. R5059:6, 2617:6, 1939:4
He spoke in the same manner of the death of Lazarus. R5059:3, 5611:5, 2617:5
He did not say she was in heaven or in purgatory or in hell. R5611:5
Our word cemetery means "sleeping place." R2617:5
Heaven is not a sleeping place, but a place of joyful activity and life. Neither could we imagine mankind sleeping in a Catholic purgatory, nor in a Protestant hell of eternal torture. R5060:1
Dr. Trench: "Thereby the reality of death is not denied, but only the fact implicitly assumed that death will be followed by a resurrection, as sleep is followed by an awakening." R2617:5
The Talmud contains the expression "when he slept" hundreds of times, as signifying the time of death. R2617:5
The second death is never called "sleep." R1939:4
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| 40 And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying. |
Laughed him to scorn – Not appreciating what he meant, even as the disciples did not appreciate the word "sleep" when used in connection with Lazarus. R2617:5
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| 41 And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi;
which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. |
Talitha cumi – In the ordinary Aramaic dialect of the people, a term of endearment to a young maiden. The words are equivalent to, "Rise, my child." --Alford R2618:2
Greek, egeiro, meaning "to awaken, arouse, stir: (Liddell and Scott); a word used in speaking of the temporary awakenings of our Lord's miracles. R1512:2
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| 42 And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment. |
The damsel arose – Awakened temporarily, not counted as a resurrection. OV352:1; R360:2
A foreshadowing, typifying or illustrating the resurrection. R4603:4
Jesus was "the first fruits of them that slept." (1 Cor. 15:20) Christ should be the "first that should rise from the dead." (Acts 26:23) R2618:4
He merely awakened her, leaving her upon the same plane of death on which she had been born, and had thus far lived for twelve years. R2617:6
Nowhere is this designated a resurrection. R2617:1, 2618:2, 360:2
She did not come back from heaven or from hell; was not resurrected, but merely awakened out of the sleep of death. R2618:2
Our Lord's miracles were merely illustrations of the great work which he will do on a world-wide, gigantic scale by and by--through the power and influence of his kingdom. R5060:4
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| 43 And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat. |
Given her to eat – Indicating that the revived ones (in the Millennium) will require clothing, nourishment, and assistance, and will acquire strength gradually. R734:2
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