ACC ~ Luke 8 v26 - 39

OVERVIEW:

There are details in the miracle that may sound strange to the ears of one who has never encountered a person possessed by demons: the nakedness, the chains, the madness, the abyss and the destruction of the pigs. But the details clearly show the cruelty of demons when they possess a person. Jesus releases those who are in bondage to the demonic forces and therefore is feared by them. They show haughtiness and pride in the way they address Jesus (CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA). How ironic that the demon possessed who confess Jesus as the Son of God the Most High know better who Jesus is than the heretics (HILARY OF POITIERS).

Jesus asks the name of the demon for the sake of the plan of salvation, since he wants to release this man from the many demons possessing him (CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA). This demoniac was an unclean Gentile from outside Israel, the epitome of Gentiles doomed to death who are caught in the futility of their pagan worship (AMBROSE), which really is the worship of demons. [1]

A change takes place in the demoniac through his conversion as he is freed from his sepulchral prison (PRUDENTIUS). The demons drop out of sight and are not mentioned again. The hearer may wonder what happened to them after the swine drowned. While the narrative provides no answer to that question, several observations may be offered. First, and most striking, is the mercy of Jesus (EPHREM THE SYRIAN). The unclean spirits are now in unclean animals. Swine are a natural abode for demons (AMBROSE). Jesus allows the demons to enter the swine to show that they have no power over them, who are of lower value in God’s creation, and therefore have no power over human beings who are ranked highest in God’s created order (CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA). The presence of Jesus, who is identified by the demon as “Son of God the Most High,” is met with faith by some and with rejection by others—the two reactions explained by the parable of the sower—the two reactions represented by the synagogue and the church (AMBROSE).

[1] 1 Cor 10:20.

8:26-27 | The Demoniac Naked and Living in Tombs

DEMON POSSESSION SHOWS THE CRUELTY OF DEMONS

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: In great misery and nakedness, he wandered among the graves of the dead. He was in utter wretchedness, leading a disgraceful life. He was a proof of the cruelty of the demons and a plain demonstration of their impurity. … Whoever they possess and subject to their power, at once they make him an example of great misery, deprived of every blessing, destitute of all sobriety, and entirely deprived even of reason.

Some say, “Why do they possess people?” I answer those who wish to have this explained that the reason of these things is very deep. Somewhere one of his saints addressed God by saying, “Your judgments are a vast abyss.” [1] As long as we bear this in mind, we will perhaps not miss the mark. The God of all purposely permits some to fall into their power. He does not do this so that they may suffer but that we may learn by their example how the demons treat us and may avoid the desire of being subject to them. The suffering of one edifies many. COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 44. [2]

[1] Ps 36:6 (35:7 LXX).

[2] CGSL 191**.

8:28-31 | The Demons Fear Jesus as Son of God Most High

THE DEMONS’ RESPONSE FEARFUL YET PRIDEFUL

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: The Gerasene, or rather the herd of demons lying concealed within him, fell down before Christ’s feet, saying, “What is there between me and you, Jesus, Son of God Most High? I beseech you, do not torment me.” I ask you to observe here the mixture of fear with great audacity and conceited pride. The words which he is forced to shout are coupled with inflated haughtiness! It is a proof of the pride of the enemy that he ventures to say, “What is there between me and you, Jesus, Son of God Most High?” You certainly know that he is the Son of God Most High. …

I beseech you to again observe the incomparable majesty of Christ who transcends all. With irresistible might and unequalled authority he crushes Satan by simply willing that it should be. COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 44. [1]

[1] CGSL 191-92**.

DEMONS KNOW BETTER THAN HERETICS WHO JESUS IS

HILARY OF POITIERS: Did not the devils know the real nature of this name? It is fitting that the heretics should be found guilty, not by the teachings of the apostles but by the mouth of demons. The latter often exclaim, “What have I to do with you, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?” The truth drew out this reluctant confession, and being forced to obey, their grief testifies to the strength of this nature. This power overcomes them, since they abandon bodies that they have possessed for a long time. They pay their tribute of honor when they acknowledge the nature of Christ. In the meantime, Christ testifies that he is the Son by his miracles as well as by his name. O heretic, where do you find the name of a creature or the favor of an adoption among those words by which the demons admit who he is? ON THE TRINITY 6.49. [1]

[1] FC 25:218-19**.

JESUS ASKS THE DEMON’S NAME FOR THE SAKE OF THE PLAN OF SALVATION

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: Christ asked him and commanded him to tell what his name was. He said, “Legion,” because many devils had entered him. Did Christ ask this because he did not know it, and like one of us, wished to learn something that had escaped him? Is it not perfectly absurd for us to say or imagine any thing like this? Being God, he knows all things and searches the hearts and inner parts. [1] He asked for the plan of salvation’s sake, that we might learn that a great crowd of devils shared the one soul of the man, giving birth a wretched and impure madness in him. He was their work. They certainly are wise to do evil, as the Scripture says, but they have no knowledge to do good. [2] COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 44. [3]

[1] Ps 7:8 (7:9 LXX).

[2] Jer 4:22.

[3] CGSL 192**.

THE NAKED DEMONIAC REPRESENTS THE GENTILES

AMBROSE: We know that in the Gospel according to Matthew, two men attacked by demons met Christ in the country of the Gerasenes. [1] Here St. Luke introduces one such man as naked. Whoever has lost the covering of his nature and virtue is naked. I think that we should not idly disregard but seek the reason why the Evangelists seem to disagree about the number. Although the number disagrees, the mystery agrees. A man who has an evil spirit is a figure of the Gentile people, covered in vices, naked to error, vulnerable to sin. EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 6.44. [2]

FREED FROM HIS SEPULCHRAL PRISON

PRUDENTIUS:

In his sepulchral prison the savage demon had broken

Fetters of iron that bound him; he darts forth and kneels before Jesus.

But the Lord sets the man free and orders the devil to madden

Herds of the swine and to plunge with them into the depths of the vast sea.

SCENES FROM SACRED HISTORY 36. [3]

[1] Mt 8:28.

[2] EHG 208**.

[3] FC 52:190.

8:32-33 | The Exorcism of the Demons

THE DEMONS ENTERED THE SWINE

EPHREM THE SYRIAN: The Gadarenes established a ruling for themselves that they would not come out or view the signs of our Lord. Consequently he drowned their swine so that they would have to come out against their will. “Legion,” which had been chastened, is a symbol of the world. He commanded the demons to enter the swine and not the man. He, concerning whom they had said, “It is by Beelzebub that he casts out,” [1] engaged in battle against Satan on the mountain and against Legion, the chief of his force. [2] When they entered the swine, he drowned them at that very moment. The force of the merciful One who was keeping watch over this man was known by this. They were begging him not to send them out of that region and not to send them to Gehenna. COMMENTARY ON TATIAN’S DIATESSARON 6.26. [3]

[1] Lk 11:15.

[2] Cf. Mk 5:13.

[3] ECTD 127-28*.

THE DEMONIAC LIVES LIKE A SWINE, SO SWINE RECEIVE HIS DEVILS

AMBROSE: People are the authors of their own tribulation. If someone did not live like a swine, the devil would never have received power over him. If he did receive power, it would be power not to destroy but to test him. After the Lord’s coming, the devil could already not corrupt the good, so perhaps he now does not seek the destruction of all people but only of the fickle. A mugger does not lie in wait for armed men but for the defenseless. He who understands that the strong will despise him or the powerful destroy him troubles only the weak with wrongs. Someone says, “Why does God permit this to the devil?” I say, “So that good people may be tested and the wicked punished, for this is the punishment of sin.” This is also according to the law, because the Lord sends fever, trembling, evil spirits, blindness, and all scourges according to the punishment of sinners. [1] EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 6.48-49. [2]

[1] See Deut 28:59.

[2] EHG 210**.

8:34-37 | The Response of the Herdsmen and the Townspeople

DEMONS HAVE NO POWER OVER SWINE OR US

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: We may also learn this from what befell the herd of swine. Wicked demons are cruel, mischievous, hurtful and treacherous to those who are in their power. The fact clearly proves this, because they hurried the swine over a precipice and drowned them in the waters. Christ granted their request that we might learn from what happened that their disposition is ruthless, bestial, incapable of being softened, and solely intent on doing evil to those whom they can get into their power.

If there is anyone among us who is wanton, swinish, filth loving, impure and willingly contaminated with the abominations of sin, God permits such a one to fall into their power and sink into the abyss of damnation. It will never happen that those who love Christ will become subject to them. It will never happen to us as long as we walk in his footsteps, avoid negligence in the performance of what is right, desire those things which are honorable, and belong to that virtuous and praiseworthy lifestyle that Christ has marked out for us by the precepts of the gospel. COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 44. [1]

[1] CGSL 193-94**.

8:38-39 | The Response of the Demoniac

THE DEMONIAC GOES FROM SYNAGOGUE TO CHURCH

AMBROSE: It says, “The herdsmen saw this and fled.” [1] Neither professors of philosophy nor leaders of the synagogue can offer any cure when people perish. Christ alone takes away the sins of the people, provided they do not refuse to submit to healing. He does not want to cure the unwilling and soon abandon the weak for whom it seems that his presence is a burden, like the peoples of the Gerasenes. They went out from that country, which appears to be an image of the synagogue, and begged him to depart from them, because they were very afraid. … Why does Christ not accept the healed man but advise him to return home? Perhaps this occurs to avoid a cause of boasting and give an example to unbelievers, although that home may be an inn by nature. Since he received the healing of his mind, Christ commanded him to depart from the tombs and the graves [2] and to return to that spiritual home. He who had in him the grave of the mind became a temple of God. EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 6.50, 53. [3]

[1] Mt 8:33.

[2] Mt 8:28.

[3] EHG 210-11**.