Matthew § 28

(in Luc. 8. 30.) The two dæmoniacs are also a type of the Gentile world; for Noah having three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japhet, Shem's posterity alone was taken into the inheritance of God, while from the other two sprang the nations of the Gentiles.

(De Cons. Ev. ii. 24.) Whereas Matthew relates that there were two who were afflicted with daemons, but Mark and Luke mention only one, you must understand that one of them was a person of note, for whom all that country was in grief, and about whose recovery there was much care, whence the fame of this miracle was the more noised abroad.

The "other side" must first be understood according to its plain sense. Yet according to an allegorical interpretation, the demoniacs who met the Lord in the country of the Gerasenes, that is, the country of the Gentiles, might be understood to have the appearance of the descendants of Ham and Japheth, Noah's two sons, as distinguished from the Jewish people, who take their origin from Shem the firstborn son of Noah. Or they might be understood as all of those held captive by the devil in the error of idolatry. They are burdened by the chains of their offenses and the fetters of their sins. They were not living in the town, that is, in the covenant community where the law and the divine precepts were in force. Rather, they dwell in the tombs, worshiping idols and venerating the memories of potentates or images of the dead.

The divine nature of the only begotten Son was already scorching the demons in unspeakable flames. Christ was shutting up the fiercest demons in blocked roads. He was undoing the devil's tyranny. "You have come before the time," they cried out. For they knew from the Scriptures that Christ was going to come and would judge them. Treating the incarnation as if it had happened at the wrong time, they pled that he had come in an untimely way. This misrepresentation is not surprising. In their deceptiveness, they did not hesitate to say even this. Yet, although they know that vengeance is to fall upon them, they still say haughtily, "What have you to do with us?" They know that the final Judge in fact has a score to settle with them, inasmuch as they had broken his commandments.

Thus the dæmons held the two men among the tombs without the town, that is, without the synagogue of the Law and the Prophets; that is, they infested the original seats of the two nations, the abodes of the dead, making the way of this present life dangerous to the passers by.

By their coming forth to meet Him is signified the willingness of men flocking to the faith.

But what can be the reason that they love also to dwell in the tombs? They would fain suggest to the multitude a pernicious opinion, as though the souls of the dead become demons, which God forbid we should ever admit into our conception. "But what then wilt thou say," one may ask, "when many of the sorcerers take children and slay them, in order to have the soul afterwards to assist them?" Why, whence is this evident? for of their slaying them, indeed, many tell us, but as to the souls of the slain being with them, whence knowest thou it, I pray thee? "The possessed themselves," it is replied, "cry out, I am the soul of such a one." But this too is a kind of stage-play, and devilish deceit. For it is not the spirit of the dead that cries out, but the evil spirit that feigns these things in order to deceive the hearers. For if it were possible for a soul to enter into the substance of an evil spirit, much more into its own body.

And besides, it stands not to reason that the injured soul should co-operate with the wrong-doer, or that a man should be able to change an incorporeal power into another substance. For if in bodies this were impossible, and one could not make a man's body become that of an ass; much more were this impossible in the invisible soul; neither could one transform it into the substance of an evil spirit. So that these are the sayings of besotted old wives, and spectres to frighten children.

Nor indeed is it possible for a soul, torn away from the body, to wander here any more. For "the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God;" and if of the righteous, then those children's souls also; for neither are they wicked: and the souls too of sinners are straightway led away hence. And it is evident from Lazarus and the rich man; and elsewhere too Christ saith, "This day they require thy soul of thee." And it may not be that a soul, when it is gone forth from the body, should wander here; nor is the reason hard to see. For if we, going about on the earth which is familiar and well known to us, being encompassed with a body, when we are journeying in a strange road, know not which way to go unless we have some one to lead us; how should the soul, being rent away from the body, and having gone out from all her accustomed region, know where to walk without one to show her the way?

And from many other things too one might perceive, that it is not possible for a disembodied soul to remain here. For both Stephen saith, "Receive my spirit;" and Paul, "To depart and to be with Christ is far better;" and of the patriarch too the Scripture saith, that "he was gathered unto his fathers, being cherished in a good old age." And as to the proof, that neither can the souls of sinners continue here; hear the rich man making much entreaty for this, and not obtaining it; since had it been at all possible, he would have come, and have told what had come to pass there. Whence it is evident that after their departure hence our souls are led away into some place, having no more power of themselves to come back again, but awaiting that dreadful day.

Now when He is departed from the sea, there follows another miracle yet more awful. For men possessed with devils, like wicked runaways at sight of their master, said, "What have we to do with Thee, Jesus, Thou Son of God? Art Thou come hither to torment us before the time?"

For, because the multitudes called Him man, the devils came proclaiming His Godhead, and they that heard not the sea swelling and subsiding, heard from the devils the same cry, as it by its calm was loudly uttering.

Then, lest the thing might seem to come of flattery, according to their actual experience they cry out and say, "Art Thou come hither to torment us before the time?" With this view, then, their enmity is avowed beforehand, that their entreaty may not incur suspicion. For indeed they were invisibly receiving stripes, and the sea was not in such a storm as they; galled, and inflamed, and suffering things intolerable from His mere presence. Accordingly, no man daring to bring them to Him, Christ of Himself goes unto them.

And Matthew indeed relates that they said, "Art Thou come hither before the time to torment us?" but the other evangelists have added, that they also entreated and adjured Him not to cast them into the deep. For they supposed that their punishment was now close upon them, and feared, as even now about to fall into vengeance.

And though Luke and those who follow him say that it was one person, but this evangelist two, this doth not exhibit any discrepancy at all. I grant if they had said, there was only one, and no other, they would appear to disagree with Matthew; but if that spake of the one, this of the two, the statement comes not of disagreement, but of a different manner of narration. That is, I for my part think, Luke singled out the fiercest one of them for his narrative, wherefore also in more tragical wise doth he report their miserable case; as, for instance, that bursting his bonds and chains he used to wander about the wilderness. And Mark saith, that he also cut himself with the stones.

And their words too are such as well betray their implacable and shameless nature. For, saith he, "Art thou come hither to torment us before the time?" You see, that they had sinned, they could not deny, but they demand not to suffer their punishment before the time. For, since He had caught them in the act of perpetrating those horrors so incurable and lawless, and deforming and punishing His creature in every way; and they supposed that He, for the excess of their crimes, would not await the time of their punishment: therefore they besought and entreated Him: and they that endured not even bands of iron come bound, and they that run about the mountains, are gone forth into the plain; and those who hinder all others from passing, at sight of Him blocking up the way, stand still.

Gerasa is a town of Arabia beyond Jordan, close to Mount Gilead, which was in the possession of the tribe of Manasseh, not far from the lake of Tiberias, into which the swine were precipitated.

Gerasa is interpreted 'casting out the dweller,' or, 'a stranger approaching;' this is the Gentile world which cast out the Devil from it; and which was first far off, but now made near, after the resurrection being visited by Christ through His preachers.

It is not without cause that he speaks of them as dwelling among the tombs; for what else are the bodies of the faithless but sepulchres of the dead, in which the word of God dwells not, but there is enclosed the soul dead in sins. He says, So that no man might pass through that way, because before the coming of the Saviour the Gentile world was inaccessible. Or, by the two, understand both Jews and Gentiles, who did not abide in the house, that is, did not rest in their conscience. But they abode in tombs, that is, delighted themselves in dead works, and suffered no man to pass by the way of faith, which way the Jews obstructed.

"And when He was come to the other side into the land of the Gergesenes, there met Him two possessed with demons, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way." While the men in the boat were yet wondering what manner of man this was that even the winds and the sea obeyed Him, the demons come to proclaim the answer. Although Mark and Luke speak of one man who was possessed by a legion of demons (Mk. 5:9, Lk. 8:27), understand that this one man was one of the two mentioned by Matthew, evidently, the more notorious of the two. Jesus came alone towards them, since no one dared to bring them to Him, so fierce were they. They dwelt among the tombs because the demons wish to inspire the belief that the souls of those who have died become demons. Let no one believe this: for when the soul departs from a man, it does not wander about the earth. For the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God (Wisdom of Solomon 3:1), and the souls of sinners are also led away, as was the soul of the rich man.

He continues: And when he came to the other side... Because mention has been made of miracles by which the Lord freed many from external dangers, here are mentioned miracles by which some are freed from internal or spiritual dangers. First, the miracle is mentioned; secondly, the effect (v. 32b). In regard to the first: first is shown the malice of the demons as to the fierceness they exercise against men; secondly, as to uneasiness (v. 29); thirdly, as to wickedness (v. 31). In regard to the first: the place is described; secondly, the ferocity of the demons.

The place was the region of the Gerasenes. "Gerasa" means "ejecting the colonist" or "the approaching stranger", because it was near the gentiles. Two demoniacs met him. Ferocity is shown, first, because he oppressed them; secondly, because they tried to deceive men. But why did the other evangelists mention only one, but he two? The answer is that there were certainly two, but one was better known. And they were fierce, because they harmed not only in a bodily way but also spiritually. Hence they dwelt among the tombs, in order to strike men with terror. Hence the opinion was erroneous, that the demons could return a soul to a dead body, as we read of Simon Magus. But this was not so, because demons pretended in order to deceive men. Hence Porphyry says that the race of devils is fallacious. Therefore, those wizards generally use the bodies of the dead; hence the demons live in the tombs: "You live in tombs and sleep in the shrines of idols" (Is 35:4). For they were so fierce that no one could pass that way: "In the path where I walk the proud", i.e., the demons, "have hidden a trap for me" (Ps 142:3).

(De Civ. Dei, ix. 21.) God was so far known to them as it was His pleasure to be known; and He pleased to be known so far as it was needful. He was known to them therefore not as He is Life eternal, and the Light which enlightens the good, but by certain temporal effects of His excellence, and signs of His hidden presence, which are visible to angelic spirits though evil, rather than to the infirmity of human nature.

(De Civ. Dei, viii. 23.) Either because that came upon them unexpectedly, which they looked for indeed, but supposed more distant; or because they thought their perdition consisted in this, that when known they would be despised; or because this was before the day of judgment, when they should be punished with eternal damnation.

This is no voluntary confession followed up by a reward to the utterer, but one extorted by the compulsion of necessity. A runaway slave, when after long time he first beholds his master, straight thinks only of deprecating the scourge; so the dæmons, seeing the Lord suddenly moving upon the earth, thought He was come to judge them. Some absurdly suppose, that these dæmons knew the Son of God, while the Devil knew Him not, because their wickedness was less than his. But all the knowledge of the disciple must be supposed in the Master.

But both the Devil and the dæmons may be said to have rather suspected, than known, Jesus to be the Son of God.

For the presence of the Saviour is the torment of dæmons.

(Hil. Quæst. V. et N. T. 9, 66.) When the dæmons cry out, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? (1 Cor. 2:8.) we must suppose them to have spoken from suspicion rather than knowledge. For had they known him, they never would have suffered the Lord of glory to be crucified.

But as often as they were tortured by His excellent power, and saw Him working signs and miracles, they supposed Him to be the Son of God; when they saw Him hungry and thirsty, and suffering such things, they doubted, and thought Him mere man. It should be considered that even the unbelieving Jews when they said that Christ cast out dæmons in Beelzebub, and the Arians who said that He was a creature, deserve condemnation not only on God's sentence, but on the confession of the dæmons, who declare Christ to be the Son of God. Rightly do they say, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? that is, our malice and Thy grace have nothing in common, according to that the Apostle speaks, There is no fellowship of light with darkness. (2 Cor. 6:14.)

Here the old serpent has fallen out with himself, since, when he tempted Christ after John's baptism, he approached Him as "the Son of God; "surely intimating that God had a Son, even on the testimony of the very Scriptures, out of which he was at the moment forging his temptation: "If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread." Again: "If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence; for it is written, He shall give His angels charge concerning thee"-referring no doubt, to the Father-"and in their hands they shall bear thee up, that thou hurt not thy foot against a stone.

"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?" Behold, they proclaim Him to be the Son of God, but first they declare their enmity. The demons consider it torment to be prevented from harming men. Understand the demons' words, "before the time," to mean that they thought that Christ, not enduring their great wickedness, would not wait for the time of their punishment. But this is not so; for the demons are permitted to contend with us until the end of the world.

Their uneasiness is shown, because they did not endure the presence of Christ; hence it is said that they cried out: "You shall cry out for pain of heart, and shall wail for anguish of spirit" (Is 65:14). Then they admit God's power, saying, What have you to do with us, Son of God? Absolutely nothing, because there is no conformity between God and Belial. But why did they say this? Because they were seriously afflicting men, and they had heard that Christ would take their power from them. Hence they were really saying: Although we have harmed others, we have done you no harm; therefore, you should not molest us. Again, they were confessing him Son of God. In this the Arians are embarrassed, because if they do not believe the saints, they might at least believe the demons. But it seems that they did not know him, because 1 Corinthians (2:8) says that "if they had known, they would never have crucified the king of glory." The answer is that when the Lord wished, he showed his humanity, but in a way that concealed it from them.

Have you come here to torment us before the time? The demons know that on the day of judgment they must undergo greater torment; when it is said: "Depart you accursed into eternal fire" (Mt 25:41). Some also believe that until the day of judgment the demons do not suffer the punishment of sense but the punishment of damnation. They believe this on account of that phrase, before the time. But Damascene does not accept this: "What death is for men, the fall is for the demons. But when men die, they receive the punishment of sense at once; so also the angels who fall." Some say that the devils always carry their own fire with them. But how can this be, for that fire is corporeal? The answer is that although the fire is corporeal, it possesses something spiritual; hence it tortures them after the manner of something that fetters. For the spirit exceeds the nature of a body; but God binds spirits to bodies, as when the soul is bound to a body, it confers on that body the ability to be moved in accordance with the will of the soul. Just as if a prelacy is given to someone in some church, but he does not reside in it; so, although this fire is corporeal, it can act by reason of something spiritual. To torment us... They regard it as great torment not to be able to harm men. But if they were in hell, they would not be able to harm them thus; and so it is a great torment for them to enter hell.

(De. Cons. Ev. ii. 24.) Though the words of the daemons are variously reported by the three Evangelists, yet this is no difficulty; for they either all convey the same sense, or may be supposed to have been all spoken. Nor again because in Matthew they speak in the plural, in the others in the singular number; because even the other two Evangelists relate that when asked his name, he answered, Legion, showing that the daemons were many. Now there was not far from thence a herd of many swine feeding; and the daemons prayed him, saying, If thou cast us out hence, send us into the swine.

The swine to which the demons fled symbolize the unfaithful and unclean people who, feeding at some distance by the sea, were living according to the sins of the world. Thus the swine showed themselves to be a ready residence for the demons. Living nearby this worldly sea they are steeped in error and inordinate desire. This made it easy for them to be overcome by the demons.

(Verse 30, 31.) What have we to do with you, Jesus, Son of God? Have you come here before the time to torment us? Now there was a herd of many pigs feeding not far off from them. And the demons begged him, saying, 'This confession is not of free will, which is followed by the reward of the confessor, but of forced necessity, which compels unwillingly, as if fugitive slaves see their master after a long time: they only beg to be spared from the beatings.' So, demons, seeing the Lord suddenly present on earth, believed that they had come to judge. The presence of the Savior is torment for demons. And some people foolishly think that demons know the Son of God, but are ignorant of the devil, because these demons are of lesser evil than the one whose servants they are. Since all knowledge of the disciples must be referred to the teacher, demons as well as the devil are more suspect of understanding the Son of God than knowing Him. No one knows the Father, except the Son, and whoever the Son chooses to reveal him to. (Matthew 11:27)

Now, should any one say, "And wherefore did Christ fulfill the devils' request, suffering them to depart into the herd of swine?" this would be our reply, that He did so, not as yielding to them, but as providing for many objects thereby. One, to teach them that are delivered from those wicked tyrants, how great the malice of their insidious enemies; another, that all might learn, how not even against swine are they bold, except He allow them; a third, that they would have treated those men more grievously than the swine, unless even in their calamity they had enjoyed much of God's providential care. For that they hate us more than the brutes is surely evident to every man. So then they that spared not the swine, but in one moment of time cast them all down the precipice, much more would they have done so to the men whom they possessed, leading them towards the desert, and carrying them away, unless even in their very tyranny the guardian care of God had abounded, to curb and check the excess of their violence. Whence it is manifest that there is no one, who doth not enjoy the benefit of God's providence. And if not all alike, nor after one manner, this is itself a very great instance of providence; in that according to each man's profit, the work also of providence is displayed.

And besides what hath been mentioned, there is another thing also, which we learn from this; that His providence is not only over all in common, but also over each in particular; which He also declared with respect to His disciples, saying, "But the very hairs of your head are numbered." And from these demoniacs too, one may clearly perceive this; who would have been choked long before, if they had not enjoyed the benefit of much tender care from above.

This ("substance"), accordingly, he "squandered; "having been cast by his moral habits far from the Lord, amid the errors and allurements and appetites of the world, where, compelled by hunger after truth, he handed himself over to the prince of this age. He set him over "swine," to feed that flock familiar to demons, where he would not be master of a supply of vital food, and at the same time would see others (engaged) in a divine work, having abundance of heavenly bread.

Now a herd of many swine was feeding at some distance from them. Here he touches on their malice, because they harm not only men but animals as well. Hence it is clear that this did not take place in Judea, because the Jews do not use swine.

(Mor. ii. 10.) For the Devil knows that of himself he has no power to do any thing, because it is not of himself that he exists as a spirit.

The dæmons seeing that there is no longer any place left for them among the Gentiles, pray that they may be suffered to dwell among the heretics; these, seized by them, are drowned in the sea, that is, in worldly desires, by the instigations of the dæmons, and perish in the unbelief of the rest of the Gentiles.

Slaves ask for suitable indignities: "Send us into the swine." Foulness begs to be sent from the tombs into the swine, so that it does not think of getting rid of its bad odors but of changing odors. "Send us into the swine." Plunging from the sky, they seek filth. After living in the upper world, they look for the sloughs of pigs. "Send us into the herd." A herd is sent into the herd, so that a gang of demons is brought forth, and it seems that two men have caused what a great number of pigs could not endure.

They did not ask to be sent into men, because they saw Him by whose excellence they were tortured existing in human shape. Nor did they ask to be sent into sheep, because sheep are by God's institution clean animals, and were then offered in the temple of God. But they requested to be sent into the swine rather than into any of the other unclean animals, because this is of all animals the most unclean; whence also it has its name 'porcus,' as being 'spurcus,' filthy, and delighting in filthiness; and dæmons also delight in the filthiness of sin. They did not pray that they might be sent into the air, because of their eager desire of hurting men. And he saith unto them, Go.

The demons asked this so that they could drown the swine, and thus the owners would be grieved and would not welcome Christ.

If you cast us out, send us out into the swine. But why did they not ask that he send them into men? Because they saw that he was solicitous about caring for men. But why into the herd of swine? Because they were close by. Also because it is a very unclean animal. So, to designate uncleanness, he permits them to enter the swine. And this seems to be signified in Job (41:3): "Will he multiply supplications to you? Will he speak soft words to you?"

(in Luc. 8.) Or; The swine are they that delight in filthy manners; for unless one live as a swine, the devils do not receive power over him; or at most, only to try him, not to destroy him. That the swine were sent headlong into the lake, signifies, that when the people of the Gentiles are delivered from the condemnation of the dæmons, yet still they who would not believe in Christ, perform their profane rites in secret, drowned in a blind and deep curiosity.

(Verse 32, 33.) If you cast us out, send us into the herd of pigs. And He said to them: Go. And they, going out, went into the pigs. And behold, the whole herd rushed headlong into the sea, and they died in the water. But the shepherds fled; and coming into the city, they announced all these things, and about those who had demons. Not that the Savior granted the demons what they were asking, He said, go: but so that through the destruction of the pigs, an opportunity for salvation would be given to the people. For when the shepherds see these things, they immediately report them to the city. Let Manichaeus be ashamed, if the souls of men and beasts are of the same substance and from the same author, how is it that for the salvation of one man, two thousand pigs are choked?

The Saviour bade them go, not as yielding to their request, but that by the death of the swine, an occasion of man's salvation might be offered. But they went out, (to wit, out of the men,) and went into the swine; and, lo, the whole herd rushed violently headlong into the sea, and perished in the waters. Let Manichæus blush; if the souls of men and of beasts be of one substance, and one origin, how should two thousand swine have perished for the sake of the salvation of two men?

But for what intent did the devils destroy the swine? Everywhere they have labored to drive men to dismay, and everywhere they rejoice in destruction. This, for instance, the devil did with respect to Job, although in that case too God suffered it, but neither in that case as complying with the devil, but willing to show His own servant the more glorious, cutting off from the evil spirit all pretext for his shamelessness, and turning on his own head what was done against the righteous man. Because now also the contrary of what they wished came to pass. For the power of Christ was gloriously proclaimed, and the wickedness of the demons, from which He delivered those possessed by them, was more plainly indicated; and how they want power to touch even swine, without permission from the God of all.

And if any would take these things in a hidden sense, there is nothing to hinder. For the history indeed is this, but we are to know assuredly, that the swinish sort of men are especially liable to the operations of the demons. And as long as they are men that suffer such things, they are often able yet to prevail; but if they are become altogether swine, they are not only possessed, but are also cast down the precipice. And besides, lest any should suppose what was done to be mere acting, instead of distinctly believing that the devils were gone out; by the death of the swine this is rendered manifest.

Now, should any one say, "And wherefore did Christ fulfill the devils' request, suffering them to depart into the herd of swine?" this would be our reply, that He did so, not as yielding to them, but as providing for many objects thereby. One, to teach them that are delivered from those wicked tyrants, how great the malice of their insidious enemies; another, that all might learn, how not even against swine are they bold, except He allow them; a third, that they would have treated those men more grievously than the swine, unless even in their calamity they had enjoyed much of God's providential care. For that they hate us more than the brutes is surely evident to every man. So then they that spared not the swine, but in one moment of time cast them all down the precipice, much more would they have done so to the men whom they possessed, leading them towards the desert, and carrying them away, unless even in their very tyranny the guardian care of God had abounded, to curb and check the excess of their violence. Whence it is manifest that there is no one, who doth not enjoy the benefit of God's providence. And if not all alike, nor after one manner, this is itself a very great instance of providence; in that according to each man's profit, the work also of providence is displayed.

And besides what hath been mentioned, there is another thing also, which we learn from this; that His providence is not only over all in common, but also over each in particular; which He also declared with respect to His disciples, saying, "But the very hairs of your head are numbered." And from these demoniacs too, one may clearly perceive this; who would have "been choked" long before, if they had not enjoyed the benefit of much tender care from above.

For these reasons then He suffered them to depart into the herd of swine, and that they also who dwelt in those places should learn His power. For where His name was great, He did not greatly display Himself: but where no one knew Him, but they were still in an insensible condition, He made His miracles to shine out, so as to bring them over to the knowledge of His Godhead. For it is evident from the event that the inhabitants of that city were a sort of senseless people; for when they ought to have adored and marvelled at His power, they sent Him away, and "besought Him that He would depart out of their coasts."

But for what intent did the devils destroy the swine? Everywhere they have labored to drive men to dismay, and everywhere they rejoice in destruction. This, for instance, the devil did with respect to Job, although in that case too God suffered it, but neither in that case as complying with the devil, but willing to show His own servant the more glorious, cutting off from the evil spirit all pretext for his shamelessness, and turning on his own head what was done against the righteous man. Because now also the contrary of what they wished came to pass. For the power of Christ was gloriously proclaimed, and the wickedness of the demons, from which He delivered those possessed by them, was more plainly indicated; and how they want power to touch even swine, without permission from the God of all.

And if any would take these things in a hidden sense, there is nothing to hinder. For the history indeed is this, but we are to know assuredly, that the swinish sort of men are especially liable to the operations of the demons. And as long as they are men that suffer such things, they are often able yet to prevail; but if they are become altogether swine, they are not only possessed, but are also cast down the precipice. And besides, lest any should suppose what was done to be mere acting, instead of distinctly believing that the devils were gone out; by the death of the swine this is rendered manifest.

And mark also His meekness together with His power. For when the inhabitants of that country, after having received such benefits, were driving Him away, He resisted not, but retired, and left those who had shown themselves unworthy of His teaching, having given them for teachers them that had been freed from the demons, and the swine-herds, that they might of them learn all that had happened; whilst Himself retiring leaves the fear vigorous in them. For the greatness withal of the loss was spreading the fame of what had been done, and the event penetrated their mind. And from many quarters were wafted sounds, proclaiming the strangeness of the miracle; from the cured, and from the drowned, from the owners of the swine, from the men that were feeding them.

"He said to them, 'Go!' " The foul-smelling animals are delivered up, not at the will of the demons but to show how savage the demons can become against humans. They ardently seek to destroy and dispossess all that is, acts, moves and lives. They seek the death of people. The ancient enmity of deep-rooted wrath and malice is in store for the human race. Demons do not give up easily unless they are forcibly overcome. They are doing the harm they are ordered to do. Therefore the foul-smelling animals are delivered up that it may be made clear to the demons that they have permission to enter the swine but not to enter humans. It is by our vices that we empower them to do harm. Similarly, by our power of faith we tread on the necks of demons. They become subject to us under Christ who is triumphant.

Christ granted the demons their request in order to show how great is their bitterness towards men, and that if they had the power, and were not prevented as they are by God, they would do worse things to us than they did to the swine. For God protects those possessed by demons so that they do not kill themselves.

Christ's concession follows: And he said to them, "Go." But the Lord seems to have heard the demons. It should be said that he did not hear, but in his wisdom he permitted what happened, to show the malice of the demons; because if the Lord had not restrained them, they would have rushed into men as they rushed into the swine. But when the Lord permitted some demons, he did not permit entirely; for he put a restriction on them as in Job (2:6). Hence to designate this he permitted them to enter the swine. Also, to show that they could do nothing without God's permission; again, so that man might recognize his own dignity, since he permitted so many swine to be killed for the welfare of one man.

The execution of the command follows: And the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea. In this is signified that no one can be entirely destroyed by the devil, unless he presents himself as swine, i.e., entirely unclean. Hence Revelation (18:21): "So shall Babylon, the great city, be thrown down with violence"; "But these, like irrational animals, receiving the reward of their unrighteousness" (2 Pt 2:13).

(in Luc. 8.) That they that fed the swine, fled and told what was done, signifies that even the leaders of the wicked though they shun the law of Christianity, yet cease not to proclaim the wonderful power of Christ.

The herdsmen fled at the sight of the divine power and reported to the town what had happened. The people entreated the Lord to depart from their district. This may symbolize the leaders of the Jews or the priests of idols, who, dispensing the food of their errors to unclean and unfaithful people, are feeding them like swine to perpetual death.

Or this may be understood in another way, for there may be more than one spiritual meaning, namely, we can look upon these two demoniacs in a larger sense as two [Gentile] peoples (as we noted before)9 who by the word and grace of Christ were freed from the bond of the demons. Perhaps we may interpret the swine as heretics who, driven from the community of believers, are known to have migrated. If so, the herdsmen could be viewed as architects of heresies and teachers of falsehood who are feeding these heretical swine as it were with the foul and unclean food of disreputable teachings, feeding them not for life but for death. For these wayward teachers are feeding them, not the heavenly bread nor the food of a wholesome life but the most foul and unclean teachings of falsehood.

And mark also His meekness together with His power. For when the inhabitants of that country, after having received such benefits, were driving Him away, He resisted not, but retired, and left those who had shown themselves unworthy of His teaching, having given them for teachers them that had been freed from the demons, and the swine-herds, that they might of them learn all that had happened; whilst Himself retiring leaves the fear vigorous in them. For the greatness withal of the loss was spreading the fame of what had been done, and the event penetrated their mind. And from many quarters were wafted sounds, proclaiming the strangeness of the miracle; from the cured, and from the drowned, from the owners of the swine, from the men that were feeding them.

He continues with the amazement of the swineherds: Hence the herdsmen fled and told everything. They told something sad and something joyful: sad about the swine, but joyful about the cured demoniac. By those herdsmen are signified the synagogue rulers, who for the sake of temporal things contradict Christ as much as they can.

(in Luc. 8.) When struck with terror, they entreat Him to depart from them, they signify a great number who, well satisfied with their ancient life, show themselves willing to honour the Christian law, while they declare themselves unable to perform it.

The town from which they came to meet the Lord, asking him to leave their district, represents the synagogue, which did not want to receive the Lord and Savior of the human race even after witnessing his divine power. He therefore returned to his own town. Because he was rejected by the synagogue, he came to his church, which is properly called the city of Christ. On seeing him, the Gerasenes entreated the Lord to depart from their district. Such people are also found among us. Out of faithlessness they compel the Lord and Savior of the world to depart from the district of their hearts, for according to Scripture, "the Holy Spirit will not enter a perverse soul or dwell in a body enslaved to sin."

Or; The town is a type of the Jewish nation, which having heard of Christ's works goes forth to meet its Lord, to forbid Him to approach their country and town; for they have not received the Gospel.

They entreat him to leave their district, not out of pride on their part (as many believe) but out of humility. They judge themselves unworthy of the Lord's presence, just as Peter after the catch of fish fell before the Savior's knees and said, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord."

(Verse 34) And behold, the whole city went out to meet Jesus, and when they saw Him, they begged Him to pass through their borders. They ask Him to pass through their borders, not out of pride as some think, but out of humility by which they judged themselves unworthy of the Lord's presence, just as Peter, falling to the knees of the Savior in the catch of fish, said: Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man (Luke 5:8).

Otherwise; This request may have proceeded from humility as well as pride; like Peter, they may have held themselves unworthy of the Lord's presence, Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord. (Luke 5:8.)

The inhabitants of the city begged Jesus to leave because they were grieved and thought that they would suffer something worse thereafter. You, O reader, learn that where there is swinish life, it is not Christ Who dwells there, but demons.

Then he mentions the amazement of the entire populace, and the whole city went out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their neighborhood. But why? Because he had caused them a great loss. Therefore, they feared that if he stayed there longer, he would cause more. In the same way some fear to be with Christ on account of temporal loss, as Isaiah (30:11) says: "Leave the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more of the holy one of Israel." Or, another way: they acted not from malice but from devotion, because they regarded themselves unworthy. Peter says something similar: "Depart from me, because I am a sinful man" (Lk 5:8).

(De Cons. Ev. ii. 25.) That Matthew here speaks of his own city, and Mark calls it Capharnaum, would be more difficult to be reconciled if Matthew had expressed it Nazareth. But as it is, all Galilee might be called Christ's city, because Nazareth was in Galilee; just as all the Roman empire, divided into many states, was still called the Roman city. Who can doubt then that the Lord in coming to Galilee is rightly said to come into his own city, whatever was the town in which He abode, especially since Capharnaum was exalted into the metropolis of Galilee?

(ubi sup.) And if we adopt this supposition, we must say that Matthew has omitted all that was done from the time that Jesus entered into His own city till He came to Capharnaum, and has proceeded on at once to the healing of the paralytic; as in many other places they pass over things that intervened, and carry on the thread of the narrative, without noticing any interval of time, to something else; so here, And, lo, they bring unto him a paralytic laying on a bed.

On seeing him, the Gerasenes entreated the Lord to depart from their district. Such people are also to be found among us. Out of faithlessness they compel the Lord and Savior of the world to depart from the district of their hearts. According to Scripture, "The Holy Spirit will not enter a perverse soul or dwell in a body enslaved to sin."

Mystically; When driven out of Judæa, He returns into His own city; the city of God is the people of the faithful; into this He entered by a boat, that is, the Church.

We should understand his town as none other than Nazareth, for he was called a Nazarean.

(Chapter 9, Verses 1-2) And Jesus got into a boat and crossed over, and came to his own city. And behold, they brought to him a paralytic lying on a bed. And Jesus seeing their faith, said to the paralytic: Take heart, my son, your sins are forgiven. By his city, we understand none other than Nazareth, from where he is also called the Nazarene. And they brought him, as we said before, a paralytic lying on a bed, because he himself was not able to enter. But Jesus, seeing not the faith of the one who was being offered, but of those who were offering, said to the paralyzed man: Have confidence, my son, your sins are forgiven you. Oh, wonderful humility! He calls despised and weak, dissolved in the joints of all his limbs, his son, whom the priests did not consider worthy of touching. Or certainly he calls him son because his sins are forgiven him. According to the allegory, sometimes the soul, lying in its body, with all the powers of its limbs dissolved, is offered to the Lord to be healed by the perfect teacher, and if it is healed by his mercy, it receives such great strength that it immediately carries its bed.

Or; This city may be no other than Nazareth, whence He was called a Nazarene.

By His own city here he means Capernaum. For that which gave Him birth was Bethlehem; that which brought Him up, Nazareth; that which had Him continually inhabiting it, Capernaum.

(Serm. 50.) The Creator of all things, the Lord of the world, when He had for our sakes straitened Himself in the bonds of our flesh, began to have His own country as a man, began to be a citizen of Judæa, and to have parents, though Himself the parent of all, that affection might attach those whom fear had separated.

(ubi sup.) Christ has no need of the vessel, but the vessel of Christ; for without heavenly pilotage the bark of the Church cannot pass over the sea of the world to the heavenly harbour.

"And He entered into a boat, and passed over, and came into His own city. And, behold, they brought to Him a paralytic, lying on a bed." "His own city" means Capernaum, for it was there that He was living. He was born in Bethlehem, raised in Nazareth, and lived for an extended length of time in Capernaum. This paralytic is not the same as the one mentioned in John (Jn. 5:2-9), for that one was beside the Sheep's Pool in Jerusalem, while this one was in Capernaum. And that one had no one to help him, while this one was carried by four men, as Mark says (Mk. 2:3-12), who lowered him through the roof, a fact which Matthew omits.

"And Jesus seeing their faith." Either the faith of the men who brought the paralytic, for Jesus often worked a miracle on account of the faith of those who brought the one sick; or, of the paralytic himself. "Said to the paralytic, Take courage, child; thy sins be forgiven thee." Jesus calls him "child," either as one of God's creatures, or because he believed. To show that the man's paralysis is a result of his sins, Jesus first forgives him his sins.

The miracles recounted above were against temporal dangers; here he mentions ones against spiritual dangers. He does two things: first, he shows how he helps those who come to him; secondly, how he searches out those he heals (v. 35).

In regard to the first: first, he presents the remedy against sin; secondly, against death (v. 18).

In regard to the first: first, he presents the remedy against sin by forgiving; secondly, by drawing sinners to himself (v. 10).

And first he draws the background to the favor; secondly, he mentions the favor itself (v. 4b).

First, the place is mentioned; secondly, the devotion of those presenting (v. 2).

He says, therefore, And getting into a boat, he crossed over. This is connected with the preceding, because they begged him to leave; consequently, he entered a boat. Hence he gives to understand that if some say, "Depart from us, we do not desire the way of your commandments" (Jb 21:14), he departs at once. So, he gets into a boat. This boat signifies the Cross or the Church. He came to his own city, i.e., into the city of the pagans who had been given to him: "Ask of me and I will make the nations your heritage" (Ps 2:8). But why do Mark and Luke say that this was done in Capernaum, but Matthew says Nazareth, which was his city. The answer is that one city was Christ's by reason of birth, and this was Bethlehem; another by reason of upbringing, and this was Nazareth; another by reason of habitation and of working miracles, and this was Capernaum. Therefore, it is well said, into his own city. Hence Luke (4:23): "The things we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in your own country." Augustine answers another way: Because Capernaum was the most famous city in Galilee, it was a kind of metropolis. And just as if someone were from a suburb of Paris, it would be said that he was from Paris on account of its being well-known, so the Lord, being from the boundaries of Capernaum, was said to be from there. Or, in another way, because the evangelists omit something; hence something can be added, namely, that he passed through Nazareth and came to Capernaum. Then it was that they offered him.