Luke 8:1-56
CHAPTER 8 VER. 1. _And the twelve_ (apostles) _were with Him, i.e._ they accompanied Jesus as He went through the cities and villages preaching.... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER 8 VER. 1. _And the twelve_ (apostles) _were with Him, i.e._ they accompanied Jesus as He went through the cities and villages preaching.... [ Continue Reading ]
_And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils._ These women followed Christ (1.) out of gratitude, because He had healed their diseases, and cast out the devils which possessed them. (2.) For safety, lest if they were... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward_ (manager or treasurer, according to the Arabic version) _and Susanna and many others which ministered unto Him of their substance._ For they were rich, and grateful to their deliverer, and therefore sought to further His preaching, and to spread the f... [ Continue Reading ]
_Which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it._ The Council of Basle observes that for the right hearing of the word of God there is required, 1. A place fitted to receive it, _i.e._ an honest and good heart. 2. A proper disposition, to "keep" the word when heard; and 3. That... [ Continue Reading ]
_And they arrived at_ (sailed over to) _the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee. _ Gadarenes. Gergesenes (S. Matt.), or as it is written in some MSS., Gerasenes. Some think that one and the same place is here signified, but Adricomius shows that Gadara, and Gerasa or Gergesa wer... [ Continue Reading ]
_And they besought Him that He would not command them to go out into the deep_. For although the devils, whilst they go to and fro on earth, are consumed by the fires of hell, yet it is some gratification, to them that they are not shut up in prison, but are permitted to tempt men to sin, and make t... [ Continue Reading ]
_And there was there an herd of many swine_ (about two thousand, S. Mar 5:2) _feeding on the mountain_ (nigh unto the mountain, S. Mark, _ibid_.). But for what purpose were these swine, inasmuch as they were forbidden to the Jews by the law of Moses? Gadara, although a city of Judæa or rather of Gal... [ Continue Reading ]
_The herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake_ (the lake of Genesareth or sea of Galilee) _and were choked._ S. Jerome writes that the place where this happened was well known in his day. The Syriac gives this rendering, "The whole herd hurried up the mountain, and thence rushed into the... [ Continue Reading ]
_When they that fed them saw what was done they fled_ (lest they also should perish. Titus), _and went and told it in the city and in the country._ To the owners, in order that they might demand redress from Christ, who had given the swine up to the power of the devils, and not blame those who were... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then they_ (the inhabitants of the city and country round about) _went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus._ They first wished to ascertain the extent of their loss. Then they "came to Jesus," to see the author of the mischief which had befallen them, and the man from whom the devils had be... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then the whole multitude_ (the whole city, S. Matt.) _of_ _the country of the Gadarenes round about besought Him to depart from them._ They did not make their request out of humility, because they considered themselves unworthy of the presence of Christ, as S. Jerome thinks, but out of distrust and... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that He might be with Him._ In gratitude for the mercy he had received, and in hope of further benefits. _But Jesus sent him away, saying_,... [ Continue Reading ]
_Return to thy own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee_, by means of Me, that therefore acknowledging Me to be the Messiah, and laying aside their bitter feeling because of the loss of their swine, they may believe and be saved. _And he went his way, and published throughout th... [ Continue Reading ]
VER. 39. _They answered_, &c. Because Christ seemed to imply that they had another father, they wished to learn from Him who he was. We own Abraham, and none other as our father. _Jesus saith unto them, If ye are the children of Abraham, do the works of Abraham._ It is so in the Vulgate. But some G... [ Continue Reading ]
_But now ye seek_, &c. Abraham did not injure any one, but saved Lot, and as many as he could. But the Jews were eager to kill Christ. The Jews (_Perke. Avoth. cap._ v.) draw the same contrast between a disciple of Abraham and of Balaam.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ye do the works of your father._ He persists in saying that they were not Abraham's children, but does not say whose children they were. _Then said they unto Him, We be not born of fornication,_ &c. Origen, Cyril, and Leontius think that in these words they implicitly reproached Him with His own bi... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jesus said,_ &c. Put syllogistically, our Lord's argument runs this, "He who loves God, loves also the Son of God. But ye do not love Me, who am the Son of God. Therefore ye love not God. Just as the Arians, who by denying Christ to be the Son of God, deny the Father also; for if He has not a Son,... [ Continue Reading ]
_Why do ye not understand_, &c. Because cleaving to your pride, avarice, hatred, and enmity against Me, ye will not hear Me and understand. "They could not hear," says S. Augustine, "because they refused to be corrected by what they heard;" but (as says the Gloss) ye are of the devil, and have elect... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ye are of your father the devil._ "Not by descent but by imitation," says S. Augustine, quoting Ezek. xvi. 4; and adding, "The Jews, by imitating their impieties, found for themselves parents, not of whom to be born, but with whom they would be lost, by following their evil ways." S. Epiphanius (_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Which of you_, &c. This is to anticipate an objection of the Jews. For they might say, "We do not believe thee, because thou art a violater of our law, in healing the sick on the Sabbath-day." Produce any other charge against Me, and I will submit to your disbelieving Me. My healing on the Sabbath... [ Continue Reading ]
_He that is of God,_ &c. He here assigns the true reason for the unbelief of the Jews, because they were born not of God, but of the devil; that is, ye do not listen to the spirit and instinct of God, but of the devil. For the devil has blinded your hearts with covetousness, hatred, and envy of Me.... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Jews answered and said_, &c. They used to say it, though it is written nowhere else. But why did they call Him a Samaritan? (1.) Because He associated with the Samaritans. (2.) Because He came from Galilee, which was near Samaria. (3.) Because the Samaritans were partly Jews and partly Gentiles... [ Continue Reading ]
_I have not a devil,_ &c. As loving truth He denies the false charge, but though all-powerful He returns not their reproach. "God, though receiving an injury, replies not with words of contumely; and thou, when insulted by thy neighbours, shouldest abstain from their evil words, lest the exercise of... [ Continue Reading ]
_I seek not,_ &c. It is God the Father who will most sharply punish those who seek not My glory, but in every way dishonour and discredit Me. S. Chrysostom. It may be said, "This is contrary to what Christ says (v. 22), _The Father judgeth man_." But there Christ speaks of the public and general ju... [ Continue Reading ]
_Verily, verily, I say_. He says this not from indignation but from pity of the Jews, showing that He is seeking not His own glory, but their salvation. "I say in very truth," and as S. Augustine thinks, he means _I swear_, "that if ye keep My commandments ye shall never die the death of the soul; y... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now we know_, &c. "The devil suggests to Thee such proud and absurd boasting, that Thy word will drive away death from those who believe in Thee, when we see that Prophets and holy men, as Abraham, all died. But as says S. Gregory (_Hom._ xviii.), looking only to the death of the body, they were da... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jesus answered_, &c. This was in answer to their question _, Whom makest thou Thyself?_ He refers all His glory to His Father from whom He is, and who is God. What I say of Myself is of no value or weight, and that not only with you, as S. Chrysostom says, but with others. For in every court no one... [ Continue Reading ]
_Yet ye have not known Him,_ &c. (1.) Ye know not the true God whom ye worship; ye know Him not to be one in essence and threefold in person, for ye think Him to be one in Person, as He is one in essence. Ye know not that God is a Father, and that He begat Me His Son, and that we two by our Breath p... [ Continue Reading ]
_Your father Abraham_, &c. He longed for it with exulting mind; "He feared not, but exulted," says S. Augustine. "Believing he exulted with hope, that he might see by understanding." It is a catachresis. But what day? S. Augustine understands by it, that day of all eternity, wherein from all eternit... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou art not yet_, &c. So that Abraham on his part could have seen Thee, and rejoiced at the sight. Irenæus hence infers that Christ lived fifty years on earth (_adv. Hær._ ii. 39, 40). But it is the common opinion that He was on earth for only thirty four (and those not complete) years. S. Chrysos... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jesus said_, &c. That is, _I am God._ The word _am_ denotes eternity, which is ever present, and has no past or future. I am eternal, immutable, and ever the same. So S. Augustine, Bede, S. Gregory. I as God exceed the age of Abraham not by fifty years, but by infinite durations of years. For as Te... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then they look up_, &c., as a blasphemer, who placed Himself above Abraham, and made Himself equal to God. Blasphemers were ordered to be stoned (Lev 24:16). It is clear that these Jews were not those who were said to have believed in Him (as Theophylact supposes), but the others who were opposed t... [ Continue Reading ]