PrevMatthew 8:33Next

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 8:33 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 8:33 details the aftermath of an event where Jesus exorcises demons from two possessed men.

This verse specifically focuses on the reaction of the swineherds, who were tending to pigs that ended up being the recipients of the cast-out demons.

The herdsmen are terrified and flee to the city, where they recount everything that happened, including the dramatic healing of the men who were previously possessed by demons.

The verse highlights the impact of Jesus' miracle on the local population and sets the stage for the contrasting reactions from different groups: fear and avoidance from the swineherds and, as implied by other verses surrounding this event, potential curiosity and amazement from the townspeople who would hear the account.

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

This event takes place in the region of the Gerasenes, which is east of the Sea of Galilee, in a predominantly Gentile area, as indicated by the presence of pigs, an animal considered unclean by Jewish law.

During the time of Jesus' ministry, Jewish people commonly believed in the existence of spirits and demons that could possess individuals.

Theological Insights

In Christian theology, this verse demonstrates Jesus' divine authority over evil spirits, reinforcing the belief in his power to heal and purify.

Furthermore, this incident also brings up a debate on the destruction of the pigs and the economic loss for the swineherds, as it raises questions about the value of human salvation versus economic prosperity.

From another perspective, some may view the possessed men as symbolic of those living under the oppression of sin and evil, with Jesus offering liberation and restoration – a primary message of the Gospel.

Practical Applications

For modern readers, this verse can serve as a reminder of the transforming power of encountering Christ.

People may feel compelled to share their experiences of change and healing with their community, just as the swineherds did, even if that sharing might come with misunderstanding or fear.

Moreover, it also prompts discussions about prioritizing spiritual welfare over material possessions or worldly losses.

Cross-References

Mark 5:14-15: "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."
Luke 8:34-36: "When they that fed them saw what was done, they fled, and went and told it in the city and in the country."

Language Study

The key terms of this verse in the original Greek include:

"kept" (ἐποίμαινον): This verb generally means to tend to or to shepherd.
"fled" (ἔφυγον): This verb denotes to run away or escape, indicating a response born of fear or astonishment.
"told" (ἀπήγγειλαν): This verb can be interpreted as to report or declare, emphasizing the transfer of information about the event.
"possessed" (δαιμονιζομένων): This adjective describes the men as being under the influence of demons.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Similar stories of exorcism and supernatural occurrences are also found in other ancient cultures and religions.

For example, within the Greco-Roman world, there were tales of gods and heroes overcoming spirits and otherworldly entities.

In the broader context of religious traditions, the power to exorcise often signifies an individual's spiritual authority.

Scientific Perspectives

From a modern scientific viewpoint, what the Bible describes as "possession" might be interpreted through the lens of psychological or neurological conditions.

However, scientific methodologies do not account for the spiritual or supernatural, which are central to this biblical narrative.

Commentaries

Different scholars and theologians offer varying interpretations of this verse.

Some commentaries focus on the historical and cultural context, such as the economic impact of the loss of the swine.

Others might emphasize the theological importance of Jesus' power over evil and his compassion for the possessed men.

Still, others may discuss the literary style of the Gospel of Matthew and the broader narrative arc it presents for the ministry of Jesus.

Matthew 8

Matthew 8

What does Matthew 8:33 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 8:33 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?