19. § 57. The two demoniacs
CH. VIII. 28-34.
CH. IX. 1.
saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?
30 And there was a good way off from them a herd of many swine, feeding.
31 So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.
32 And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters. 33 And they that kept them, fled, and went their ways into the city, and told everything; and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils.
34 And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts.
CH. IX.
AND he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city.
CH. V. 1-21.
name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.
10 And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.
11 Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.
12 And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.
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. 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.
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. 16 And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine.
17 And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.
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.
19 Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy
Matth. VIII. 30, a good way off. | There is no contradiction here between Matth. and Mark. The demoniacs met Jesus on the shore, as he came out of the ship. Luke VIII. 27. The swine were within sight, on the ascending ground, Luke VIII. 32, at the side of the mountain, Mark V. 11, which was at some distance from the shore where they stood. Matth. VIII. 30. Mark V. 11, herd of swine. | Since swine were held in abhorrence by the Jews, how happened a herd of them to be feeding by the sea of Tiberias? The answer shows the accuracy of the Evangelist and his intimate knowledge of the local circumstances of Judea: for it appears from Josephus, Antiq. XVII. 11. 1, that Gadeon was a German city, the inhabitants of which, therefore, were not Jews. BLUNT, Veracity, &c. sect. II. 6. SEC. 57.]
of Gadara. S. E. coast of the Lake of Galilee.
CH. VIII. 26-40.
What is thy name? And he said,
Legion: because many devils were entered into him.
31 And they besought him, that he would not command them to go out into the deep.
32 And there was there a herd of many swine feeding on the mountain:
and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them.
33 Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked.
34 When they that fed them saw what was done, they fled, and went and told it in the city and in the country.
35 Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of
Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind:
and they were afraid.
36 They also which saw it, told them by what means he that was possessed of the devils was healed.
37 Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about, besought him to depart from them;
for they were taken with great fear.
And he went up into the ship, and returned back again.
38 Now, the man out of whom the devils were departed, besought him that he might be with him. But
Jesus sent him away, saying.
Luke viii. 35, sitting at the feet of Jesus.] Here is a reference to an Eastern custom, which affords internal evidence of the truth of the narrative. The master sat on a higher seat, and the scholars sat at his feet. Sitting at the feet, was the posture of a learner; and indicated the reverence and submission due to the teacher. Thus Moses says of the people, to whom God gave the law from mount Sinai, - "they sat down at thy feet." Deut. xxxii. 3. Isaiah, speaking of Abraham, who was taught of God, says "he called him to his foot." Is. xli. 2. Mary "sat at Jesus's feet and heard his words." Luke x. 39. Paul was brought up "at the feet of Gamaliel;" Acts xxii.
3; studied law with him. And the restored maniac sat down at Jesus's feet, in the posture of a humble learner, desiring no other wisdom than to be taught of him.
§ 57. The two demonian
| MATTHEW. | MARK. CH. V. 1-21. friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee. 20 And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him. And all men did marvel. 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. | | --- | --- |
§ 58. Levi's feast.
| CH. IX. 10-17. 10 And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why catch your Master with publicans and sinners? 12 But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. 13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. 14 Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not? 15 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bride-chamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast. 16 No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment: for that | CH. II. 15-22. 15 And it came to pass, that as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many, and they followed him. 16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he catch and drinketh with publicans and sinners? 17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole, have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. 18 And the disciples of John, and of the Pharisees, used to fast: and they come, and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John, and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not? 19 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bride-chamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days. 21 No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else | | --- | --- |
² Hos. VI. 6; 1 Sam. xv. 22.
Matth. ix. 10, in the house.] Both Mark and Luke state that this was in Matthew's own house; and Luke calls it a great feast, made in honor of Jesus. The omission of sec. 57, 58.]
of Gadara. S. E. coast of the Lake of Galilee.
CH. VIII. 26-40.
39 Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way and published throughout the whole city, how great things Jesus had done unto him. 40 And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him: for they were all waiting for him.
Capernaum.
CH. V. 29-39.
29 And Levi made him a great feast in his own house; and there was a great company of publicans, and of others that sat down with them.
30 But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?
31 And Jesus answering, said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.
32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
33 And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink!
34 And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bride-chamber fast while the bridegroom is with them?
35 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.
36 And he spake also a parable unto them: No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old: if otherthis fact by Matthew, not only shows his modesty and humility, but adds much to the weight of evidence in his favor, both as a man, and as a witness. See BLUNT'S Veracity of the Gospels, Sect. i. 4. § 58. Levi's feast.
CH. IX. 10-17.
which is put in to fill it up, taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse.
17 Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved. CH. II. 15-22.
the new piece that filled it up, taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse.
22 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles. § 59. The raising of Jairus's daughter.
CH. IX. 18-26.
18 While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live. 19 And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples.
20 (And behold, a woman which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment.
21 For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.
22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.) CH. V. 22-13.
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,
23 And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter hath at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live. 24 And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.
25 And a certain woman which had an issue of blood twelve years,
26 And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,
27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.
28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.
29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.
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?
31 And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
32 And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.
SEC. 58, 59.]
Capernaum.
| LUKE. CH. V. 29-39. wise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new, agreeth not with the old. 37 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. 38 But new wine must be put into new bottles, and both are preserved. 39 No man also having drunk old wine, straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better. | JOHN. | | --- | --- |