Luke 8:33

(ubi sup.) But by their being sent down violently into the lake, it is meant that the Church has been purified, and now that the Gentiles are delivered from the dominion of evil spirits, those who refuse to believe in Christ, carry on their unholy rites in hidden places with dark and secret watchings.

Therefore, the demons went out from the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned. This signifies that with the Church now glorified, and the people of the Gentiles liberated from the dominion of …

It is shown, therefore, that from the aforesaid, according to the literal sense, seven notable points can be gathered: first, that the power of Christ's word alone exceeds the strength of infinite thousands of demons; second, that the fury of demons with respect to the …

Third, He is shown to be powerful in saving the infirm in that which is added: The demons therefore went out from the man and entered into the swine: by which departure the man was freed. They went out by the command of divine power, …

Then went the devils out of the man,.... Being obliged by the power of Christ, sore against their wills, having had possession of him a long time: and entered into the swine; possessed them: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake; that is of Gennesaret; or the sea, as the Syriac and Persic versions read; that is, the sea of Galilee, the same with the former: and were choked; in the waters, and died, as the Ethiopic version adds.

Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine - Some critics and commentators would have us to understand all this of the man himself, who, they say, was a most outrageous maniac; and that, being permitted by our Lord, he ran after the swine, and drove them all down a precipice into the sea! This is solemn trifling indeed; or, at least, trifling with solemn things. It is impossible to read over the account, as given here by Luke, and admit this mode of explanation.

The well-known narrative which we have now read, is carefully recorded by all of the first three Gospel-writers. It is a striking instance of our Lord's complete dominion over the evil prince of this world. We see the great enemy of our souls for once completely vanquished — the "strong man" foiled by One stronger than he — and the lion spoiled of his prey. Let us mark, first, in this passage — the miserable condition of those over whom the devil reigns. The picture brought before us is a frightful one.

The well-known narrative which we have now read, is carefully recorded by all of the first three Gospel-writers. It is a striking instance of our Lord's complete dominion over the evil prince of this world. We see the great enemy of our souls for once completely vanquished — the "strong man" foiled by One stronger than he — and the lion spoiled of his prey. Let us mark, first, in this passage — the miserable condition of those over whom the devil reigns. The picture brought before us is a frightful one. We are told that when our Lord arrived in the country of the Gadarenes, "He was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house — but had lived in the tombs." We are also told that although he had been "bound with chains and in fetters — he broke the chains, and was driven by the devil into the wilderness." In short, the case seems to have been one of the most aggravated forms of demon possession. The unhappy sufferer was under the complete dominion of Satan — both in body and soul. As long as he continued in this state — he must have been a burden and a trouble to all around him. His mental faculties were under the control of a "legion" of demons. His bodily strength was only employed for his own injury and shame. It is difficult to conceive of a more pitiable state for mortal man to be in! Cases of bodily possession by Satan, like this, are, to say the least, very rarely met with in modern times. Yet we must not, on this account, forget that the devil is continually exercising a fearful power over many hearts and souls. He still urges many, in whose hearts he reigns, into self-dishonoring and self-destroying habits of life. He still rules many with a rod of iron. He goads them on from vice to vice, and from profligacy to profligacy.