Tuesday Devo
Scripture Reading:
Luke 8:26-39
26 So they arrived in the region of the Gerasenes, across the lake from Galilee. 27 As Jesus was climbing out of the boat, a man who was possessed by demons came out to meet him. For a long time he had been homeless and naked, living in the tombs outside the town.
28 As soon as he saw Jesus, he shrieked and fell down in front of him. Then he screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Please, I beg you, don’t torture me!” 29 For Jesus had already commanded the evil spirit to come out of him. This spirit had often taken control of the man. Even when he was placed under guard and put in chains and shackles, he simply broke them and rushed out into the wilderness, completely under the demon’s power.
30 Jesus demanded, “What is your name?”
“Legion,” he replied, for he was filled with many demons. 31 The demons kept begging Jesus not to send them into the bottomless pit.
32 There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby, and the demons begged him to let them enter into the pigs.
So Jesus gave them permission. 33 Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned.
34 When the herdsmen saw it, they fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran. 35 People rushed out to see what had happened. A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been freed from the demons. He was sitting at Jesus’ feet, fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid. 36 Then those who had seen what happened told the others how the demon-possessed man had been healed. 37 And all the people in the region of the Gerasenes begged Jesus to go away and leave them alone, for a great wave of fear swept over them.
So Jesus returned to the boat and left, crossing back to the other side of the lake. 38 The man who had been freed from the demons begged to go with him. But Jesus sent him home, saying, 39 “No, go back to your family, and tell them everything God has done for you.” So he went all through the town proclaiming the great things Jesus had done for him.
26 So they arrived in the region of the Gerasenes, across the lake from Galilee. 27 As Jesus was climbing out of the boat, a man who was possessed by demons came out to meet him. For a long time he had been homeless and naked, living in the tombs outside the town.
28 As soon as he saw Jesus, he shrieked and fell down in front of him. Then he screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Please, I beg you, don’t torture me!” 29 For Jesus had already commanded the evil spirit to come out of him. This spirit had often taken control of the man. Even when he was placed under guard and put in chains and shackles, he simply broke them and rushed out into the wilderness, completely under the demon’s power.
30 Jesus demanded, “What is your name?”
“Legion,” he replied, for he was filled with many demons. 31 The demons kept begging Jesus not to send them into the bottomless pit.
32 There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby, and the demons begged him to let them enter into the pigs.
So Jesus gave them permission. 33 Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned.
34 When the herdsmen saw it, they fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran. 35 People rushed out to see what had happened. A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been freed from the demons. He was sitting at Jesus’ feet, fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid. 36 Then those who had seen what happened told the others how the demon-possessed man had been healed. 37 And all the people in the region of the Gerasenes begged Jesus to go away and leave them alone, for a great wave of fear swept over them.
So Jesus returned to the boat and left, crossing back to the other side of the lake. 38 The man who had been freed from the demons begged to go with him. But Jesus sent him home, saying, 39 “No, go back to your family, and tell them everything God has done for you.” So he went all through the town proclaiming the great things Jesus had done for him.
Commentary from the ESV Study Bible:
8:28 When he saw Jesus, he … fell down before him. See note on Mark 5:6. For the demons’ knowledge of Jesus’ identity, see Luke 4:41. I beg you reveals the subservience of the demons. The significance of do not torment me becomes clear in Luke 8:31.
8:29 For many a time heightens the man’s plight. He had commanded indicates that the demon did not come out the first time Jesus commanded it to.
8:30 Legion indicates thousands of demons but may be an intentional overstatement. Cf. note on Mark 5:9. Mary Magdalene’s plight of being possessed by seven demons (see Luke 8:2) is exponentially exceeded by this man’s situation.
8:31 abyss. The final destination of Satan and his angels; cf. Matt. 25:41; 2 Pet. 2:4; Rev. 20:3.
8:32–33 A large herd of pigs reveals that this is a Gentile region, since pigs were forbidden for Jews (Lev. 11:7; Deut. 14:8)
8:35 The demoniac’s salvation is confirmed by: the drowning of the pigs; his sitting at the feet of Jesus instead of being among the tombs, bound with chains and shackles (vv. 27, 29); his being clothed rather than naked (v. 27); and his being in his right mind (cf. Mark 5:15). afraid. See notes on Luke 1:65–66; 7:16; 8:47. The drowning of so many pigs also verifies that a large number of demons were in the man.
8:36 The man is described as healed, which can also be translated “saved” (Gk. sōzō).
8:37 So he … returned. In “orderly” (1:3) fashion, Luke completes the story concerning the townspeople before completing the story of the demoniac. for they were seized with great fear. While fearful reverence and awe are appropriate in the presence of Jesus, the fear of these townspeople is negative and seems to be a wrongful, superstitious fear of Jesus’ mysterious power, and perhaps a fear of further loss of their property, for their fear does not draw them to Jesus.
8:29 For many a time heightens the man’s plight. He had commanded indicates that the demon did not come out the first time Jesus commanded it to.
8:30 Legion indicates thousands of demons but may be an intentional overstatement. Cf. note on Mark 5:9. Mary Magdalene’s plight of being possessed by seven demons (see Luke 8:2) is exponentially exceeded by this man’s situation.
8:31 abyss. The final destination of Satan and his angels; cf. Matt. 25:41; 2 Pet. 2:4; Rev. 20:3.
8:32–33 A large herd of pigs reveals that this is a Gentile region, since pigs were forbidden for Jews (Lev. 11:7; Deut. 14:8)
8:35 The demoniac’s salvation is confirmed by: the drowning of the pigs; his sitting at the feet of Jesus instead of being among the tombs, bound with chains and shackles (vv. 27, 29); his being clothed rather than naked (v. 27); and his being in his right mind (cf. Mark 5:15). afraid. See notes on Luke 1:65–66; 7:16; 8:47. The drowning of so many pigs also verifies that a large number of demons were in the man.
8:36 The man is described as healed, which can also be translated “saved” (Gk. sōzō).
8:37 So he … returned. In “orderly” (1:3) fashion, Luke completes the story concerning the townspeople before completing the story of the demoniac. for they were seized with great fear. While fearful reverence and awe are appropriate in the presence of Jesus, the fear of these townspeople is negative and seems to be a wrongful, superstitious fear of Jesus’ mysterious power, and perhaps a fear of further loss of their property, for their fear does not draw them to Jesus.
Study Questions:
- In verse 26 Jesus casts out some demons. Back to Genesis 3, God promised there would be war and hostility between Satan and humans. The devil seeks to do nothing other than to steal, kill and destroy every good work of God. But God also promises that the seed of the woman, or Jesus, would crush the serpent. Jesus has triumphed over this enemy. This is why the demons begged Jesus not to torture them. They knew their place. The enemy trembles in fear at the name of Jesus. The next takeaway was that Jesus gives us a glimpse of the coming VICTORY. He gives us a small taste of the coming freedom, peace and rest. A peak at of the justice that is coming when evil and sin and Satan will be destroyed and gone forever when Satan is finally thrown into the bottomless pit. What does it do to your faith to think about the fact that we are on the winning side and our enemy has already be defeated? How should it change the way we see trials in our life? How should it change the way we pray?
- It's interesting to note some of the people's reaction to this miraculous display of Jesus' divine power. While some were amazed and believed, others were fearful and asked Jesus to leave. Some people respond the same way today. They are afraid to fully surrender to his power. They fear what it might cost them. Following Jesus means changing, and some people decide that's simply asking too much of them. When you look at your life, is there anything you're holding back? Is there something in you that's afraid that if you fully surrender to him that he might ask you to do something you don't want to do? Or ask you to give something up that you enjoy? Ask God to search your heart and give you the courage to surrender.
Pray:
- That you would remember that you are with Jesus, and at his name every knee will bow.
- That you would have the courage to surrender every part of your life to him.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
4. Can a person be good enough to go to heaven? No. Because Jesus rose from the dead proving He is God, I believe a person is saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
(John 1:12, 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 4:1-25, 5:1-2, 6-11, 6:23, 10:1-4, 10:9; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 2:1-9; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Titus 3:4-7)
(John 1:12, 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 4:1-25, 5:1-2, 6-11, 6:23, 10:1-4, 10:9; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 2:1-9; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Titus 3:4-7)
No Comments