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Matthew 8

When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.

And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,

And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.

And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.

The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.

For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.

But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever.

And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.

When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:

That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.

Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.

And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.

And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.

And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.

And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.

And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.

But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!

And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.

And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?

And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding.

So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.

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.

And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils.

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.

What does Matthew 8:31 mean?

Explanation

The verse Matthew 8:31 refers to the event where Jesus confronts a man, or men, possessed by demons (the account and the number of possessed individuals vary in different Gospel accounts).

The demons recognize Jesus' authority and, instead of simply being expelled into nothingness, they request a specific alternative.

They ask Jesus, if He is going to cast them out, to allow them to go into a nearby herd of swine.

This request is significant as it illustrates the acknowledgement of Jesus's power over spiritual beings and the desperation of the demons to maintain a physical host.

The verse suggests a literal event but also carries deeper meaning relating to spiritual authority, purity laws, and the clash between Jesus' kingdom and demonic forces.

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Historical Context

Matthew 8:31 is situated in the narrative of Jesus' ministry in the region of the Gadarenes or Gerasenes (depending on the Gospel).

During this time, Jewish culture was strictly against the keeping of pigs, as they were considered unclean animals according to Levitical law (Leviticus 11:7).

The presence of a herd of pigs indicates that this area was likely home to a Gentile population.

The historical context suggests a confrontation not just between Jesus and the forces of evil, but also between contrasting cultural and religious practices.

Theological Insights

From a theological standpoint, this verse has inspired several interpretations:

Divine Authority: Theologians see this as a demonstration of Christ's sovereignty over evil spirits.
Evil's Destruction: Some see the eventual destruction of the herd (once the demons enter them and rush into the lake) symbolizing the ultimate defeat of evil by Jesus' ministry.
The Request of Evil: It's considered noteworthy that evil spirits acknowledge their subservience to Christ by requesting rather than acting autonomously.
Jewish Purity: The narrative reflects the Jewish view of swine as impure; the transfer of the impure spirits to the impure animals would have made symbolic sense to a Jewish reader.

Practical Applications

The teachings of Matthew 8:31 can apply to modern life in several ways:

Acknowledgement of Evil: Recognizing that evil is real, but also that it is subservient to the power of Jesus.
Authority of Believers: Encouragement for believers to understand they have authority in Christ over evil influences.
Spiritual Awareness: The need for discernment and awareness of spiritual realities in our surroundings.

Cross-References

Mark 5:1-20 (The parallel account in the Gospel of Mark)
Luke 8:26-39 (The parallel account in the Gospel of Luke)
Psalm 106:37-38 (Condemns the sacrifice to idols and the shedding of innocent blood which can be seen as related to the demonic activity)
1 John 4:4 ("...greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.")
Ephesians 6:12 (Reference to the spiritual struggle against evil forces)

Language Study

The word "devils" in the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible comes from the Greek word "daimonion," which refers to a demon or unclean spirit.

The Greek verb used for "besought" is "parakaleo," meaning to call to one's side, to appeal to, or to entreat.

The word for "suffer" is "epitrepo," which in this context means to permit or allow. The language reflects an urgency and intensity on the part of the demons in their interaction with Jesus.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The narrative of possessing spirits exists across different cultures and religious traditions.

In the ancient Near East, for example, there were various rituals for exorcising demons.

Comparing the Biblical account to these, the authority of Jesus contrasts with other methods relying on incantations or rituals.

The unclean nature of pigs also finds parallels in other cultures where certain animals are considered taboo or associated with evil spirits.

Scientific Perspectives

From a modern scientific perspective, demonic possession is often interpreted and treated as various forms of mental illness.

However, this passage deals with the metaphysical aspect of evil, and the actions described (like the swine running violently down a steep place into the sea to their death) do not neatly map onto scientific explanations.

Usually, this verse is discussed within religious, rather than scientific, frameworks.

commentaries

Commentaries on Matthew 8:31 offer different viewpoints:

William Barclay notes the belief in the time of Jesus that water was a place to which unclean spirits were consigned, hence the demons' entrance into the swine and subsequent drowning.
Matthew Henry comments on how miserable the state of those who are under the power of the unclean spirit truly is, as depicted in this story.
The Expositor's Greek Testament discusses the significance of the event as part of the moral duel between Jesus and the powers of darkness, symbolizing His victory.
John Calvin speaks to the providence of God, allowing this event to happen as a testimony to the power of Christ and as a punishment for the sinfulness represented by the keeping of pigs.

Each of these perspectives offers insight into the complex narrative and spiritual significance of the verse.

Matthew 8

Matthew 8

What does Matthew 8:31 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

commentaries

Want more context?

What does Matthew 8:31 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

commentaries

Want more context?