In the Fulness of Time/Part 46

By: Dr. Thomas O. Figart; ©2007

From Matthew 8:28-34, Dr. Figart deals with the topic of demon possession. He explains the legitimacy and limitations of demonic possession, and the effects of being liberated from demons.

Previous Article

Authority over Demonic Forces: Exorcising Demons Matthew 8:28-34

The Legitimacy of Demon Possession 8:28

Matthew 8:28 And when he was come to the other side of the country of the Gadarenes, there met him two possessed with demons, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no man might pass that way.

That part of the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee “in the tetrarchy of Philip, and was part of the Jewish land; for Jesus, who confined himself to his own people, traveled in this tetrarchy as far north as Caesarea Philippi, He was on Jewish territory.” (Lenski, p. 341) Edersheim has quite a dramatic description of the scene, picturing it as occurring at night, and mentions the steep cliff and the limestone caves which served as tombs, which were occupied by the demon possessed men.

The two men are described as “possessed with demons” which is a participle, “being demonized.” This has led some writers to deny the possibility of actual possession, prefer­ring to believe in something less, like oppression or control of some sort. However, Jesus said to one of the demonized, “Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit” (Mark 5:8), and even one of the demons, when speaking to Jesus, said, “If thou cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of swine” (Matthew 8:31). This is more than merely operating from the outside; it is inhabitation of the bodies of these men; thus, demon possession is real!

These men were “exceedingly fierce,” and the one is described as “having been often bound with chains and fetters, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him and the fetters broken in pieces” (Mark 5:4). He was untamable and was “cutting himself with stones” (Mark 5:5). Certainly their minds were affected as well as their bodies, but this is not mental illness as such; it is the work of demons. Later, in Matthew 12:24-29 the ques­tion as to whether or not a real believer can be demon possessed will be discussed. There is no reason to doubt that an unbeliever can be so possessed that the demon can speak through his vocal cords and be able to demonstrate superhuman strength through his body.

The Limitation of demon possession. 8:29-32

They recognize the Person of Christ as Sovereign over them. 8:29a

Matthew 8:29a and behold, they cried out saying, “What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God?”

Mark 5:6-10 gives much more of the conversation between Jesus and the demons. Not only do they recognize Him as “Son of the Most High God” but actually fall down and wor­ship before Him (Luke 8:28; Mark 5:6). This is further proof that this is not merely mental illness; James 2:18 reminds us that “the demons believe and tremble.”

They recognize the Purpose of Christ to torment them in the Abyss. 8:29b

Matthew 8:29b “Art thou come here to torment us before the time?”

Surprisingly, these demons are aware of God’s plan for them, yet they can only worship Christ out of fear, not of love. They tremble before Him, knowing that they, along with Satan, will be cast into the “deep” (Luke 8:31) or the “abyss,” which is always translated “bot­tomless pit” in Revelation 9:1-2, 11; 11:7; 17:18; 20:1-3. Eventually they, along with all unbelievers, will be cast into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:10-15). So now, they wonder how and why, the Lord has come to speed up the process, as it were, before the appointed time!

They recognize the Power of Christ over them. 8:30-32

Matthew 8:30-31 And there was a good way off from them a herd of many swine feeding, So the demons besought him saying, “If thou cast us out, permit us to go away into the swine.”

Once again Mark provides specific details not recorded by Matthew, giving the number of the swine as “about two thousand” (5:13) and the number of the demons: “My name is legion, for we are many.” In the Roman army, according to best authorities, one legion contained from 3000 to 6000 soldiers. Our sure knowledge of the spirit world is confined to Scripture, and apart from this incident we have only a few others where actual numbers of demons in a person are mentioned. Christ cast out seven demons from Mary Magdalene (Mark 16:9) and one man was possessed by a demon who later brought seven more un­clean spirits, who, by the way, are described as “more wicked than himself” to enter and dwell there (Matthew 12:45).

This number, Legion, is astounding when compared with seven or eight! There is also the strange request of the demons to be permitted to inhabit the two thousand swine. Since the “time” of their torment had not yet arrived they said, “What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God?” (v. 29). If they were pleading on the settled purpose of God, then that would certainly have to go according to plan; but just why they asked for this specific alternative is difficult to imagine.

Matthew 8:32 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.

If the herdsmen and/or the owners of the swine were Jews, then it may be that the Lord allowed this destruction of a large herd of animals as a graphic rebuke of their disobedi­ence in owning and profiting from unclean swine. This could also be of some help in ex­plaining why the demons requested this alternative to the embodying of two men. God had used “a lying spirit” to persuade King Ahab to go to Ramoth-Gilead (I Kings 12:19-23), so it is possible that God would allow this unusual circumstance to remind these Jews that He still expected obedience to His laws.

After the demons entered the swine and caused their drowning, they must have been free to continue their evil works elsewhere until the time of their coming judgment.

The liberation from demon possession. 8:33-34

The Effect on the Two Men. 8:33

Matthew 8:33 And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told everything, and what was befallen to those possessed with demons.

Matthew’s abbreviated account does not include the details of the healing, the new self-control and the desire to remain with Jesus. Jesus did not grant this request; instead, He told the man to go home and tell his friends what the Lord had done for him and how He had compassion on him.

The Effect on the people of Gadara. 8:34

Matthew 8:34 And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart from their borders.

You would have thought that the positive results on the men formerly possessed with demons might have made a positive impression of the Gadarenes, and that immediately they would have welcomed Jesus, and accepted Him as the long-awaited Messiah/King. Instead, they reacted negatively, and wanted to thrust Him out of their city. God, however, is never frustrated, so the final word is that Jesus would not allow the healed man to follow Him. Instead, the man “departed and began to publish in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him; and all the men did marvel” (Mark 5:20).

Were any of these men saved? Only “in the fulness of time” will we know the answer to that question!

Read Part 47