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

man.

01 Ki.19.20.

Yet if He had wished to own Himself a mere man, this would have been constrained and unnatural. He was the son of Joseph, the son of David, and also the Son of God; yet His peculiarity was this, that such an one as He should have become man. Therefore He uses the title as distinguishing Him, "The Word was made flesh." He was "found in fashion as a man." He is called the Son of man, because He has a human nature; the Son of God, because He has a divine nature; and He is as really God as He was seen to be man. Yet these natures He has mysteriously united in one person, just as Father, Son and Holy Ghost, are one God. How ashamed and grieved should we be for our sins, when we find that Christ on that account had so lowly a condition! and how thankful to Him should we be, and willing to serve Him by all manner of self-denial, when we find Him undergoing such hardships for us.

21. And another of his disciples. This alludes to another request made at the same time (Luke 9. 61), to bid a farewell. It is supposed to have been one of Zebedee's children. See Blunt, Matt. 4. 21, note. From the narrative in Luke 9. 59, it would seem that this was one who at Christ's call to follow Him made this reserve about what seemed a special filial duty. Suffer me-give me this permission. First-before following, or as a first obligation, before the command of Christ should be obeyed. Elijah permitted Elisha to go and bid adieu.

22. Let the dead. Even his most sacred duty as a child, should give way to Christ's call. "They left their nets and father." "He that

p Mar.4.37,&c. Lu.8.23, &c.

loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me." "Seek first the kingdom of God" is the only rule. Enough can be found to do such services who are not inclined to "follow me." Let the dead in trespasses and sins, who are not of my disciples, attend to this business, and bury the dead. That belongs to a department quite apart from yours. You have no concern with that now. Leave it to those who belong there. This is a kind of proverbial expression. Let the dead in sin have to do with the dead under sin. You have higher concerns. Luke says he was ordered to go preach. The duties of this life, our own families, are not to be neglected, but when Christ calls we are bound to follow, no matter what may stand in the way. And as there can be no higher claims upon us than this, we must forsake father and mother, if need be, for His sake. If they would hinder our following Him, we must separate from them, rather than from our Lord and Saviour, and His work. This was really a case of half-way service and compromise; for in Luke it is added, in conclusion, no man having put his hand to the plough and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."

23. A ship.-A fisherman's boat. Mark mentions that there were several boat-loads of followers (4.36). He had delivered several parables during the day (recorded in Matt. ch. 13), and now He gave commandment to depart, and was detained by the scribe and the disciples. We should always have Christ with us.

24. See Mark 4. 37, for the powerful effects of the storm. It was a sudden and violent squall of wind

26 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. 27 But the men marvelled,

q Job 38.11. Ps.89.9; 107.29.

a hurricane. Christ was in the stern of the boat (Mark 4. 38), asleep on a pillow (as it was at night). Difficulties and perils may be expected in the performance of duty. Duties will not exempt us from natural calami

ties.

25. Awoke him. They had seen His marvellous power, and they naturally appealed to Him, seeing Him asleep and unconscious, as it would seem, of the danger. -T Lord save us : we perish. This is the substance of a prayer for deliverance. Our necessity pleads for God's ability. A proper sense of our inability prompts to earnest prayer. Christ, when He may seem asleep, may always be awaked by His disciples.

26. They should have believed Him as well when He was asleep, as when He was awake. Christ only complains at our fear, not at our confidence, and graciously gives us more demonstrations. They had little faith, for they had great fear. They had some faith, for they flew to Him, and prayed for His help as their only hope. Sharp admonitions and splendid deliverances may go together. Christ spoke first to them-then to the tempest.- -T Rebuked. restrained the fury of the elements, as having them in His power, and even subject to His word. A great calm. This showed the miracle, that the result

28 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,

r Mar.5.1. Lu.8.26.&c.

was so sudden and complete. Psalm 107. 23-30.

27. Marvelled-wondered, were surprised. The elements would not obey the word of any mere man. He must have been God. This was the impression made on the mind of the beholders. Christ performed miracles by His own power. Moses divides the sea and brings water from the rock by special direction of God, and in dependence on Him-never by his own strength. This difference shows how much greater than Moses is Christ. "Even as he that buildeth the house hath more honour than the house." Christ has given every man sufficient evidence for his belief.

OBSERVE, 1. Christ has embarked in the same vessel with every true disciple. He identifies himself with us, and His interests with ours. 2. Christ is very man-He sleeps. And He is very God-" even the winds and the sea obey Him." 3. The Church is the vessel in which Christ and His disciples are embarked together. It is liable to tempests and perils. "Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall never slumber nor sleep." 4. It is a great calm when Christ has rebuked the tempests of the soul. "Peace, be still." Blessed is He "who stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumults of the people."

29 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? 30 And there was, a good way

28. The last incident showed His power over the elements; this, over the evil spirits. Together, they exhibit His prerogative in the natural and spiritual world. He came now to the country of the Gadarenes (Mark) or Gergesenes (for the region was called by the name of either Gadara or Gergesa, which lay in the same district) on the other side, or S. E. coast of the lake or sea across from Capernaum.—¶ Two possessed with devils. Such a case was an awful symbol of depravity in the heart. The devils were allowed such a fearful manifestation on earth, the better to manifest Christ's work of destroying the works of the devil. Mark (5.2) and Luke (8. 27) mention only one demoniac, because his case was the more special and striking of the two. He was a heathen, as would seem. Josephus says, "it was a Grecian city, and swine were kept there, which was not lawful among the Jews." According to Mark, he was 66 possessed of an unclean spirit;" and according to Matthew, he was 66 exceeding fierce." His case was remarkable, too, because he showed his gratitude for the miracle. Luke 8. 35, 38.--T Coming out of the tombs. This place (Gadara) is remarkable for a great number of tombs, hewn out of the white limestone rocks and richly carved. See "Biblical Geography" S. S. Union.

29. What have we to do with thee? was a common form of question, implying some troublesome interference. So the next words explain. The devil here recognizes Christ as the Son of God, and as the Saviour Jesus, but not as their Saviour. Christ has

swine, feeding.

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

32 And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out,

8 Job 1.10-12; 2.3-6. t De.14.8. Is.65.3,4. nothing to do with the devils, or with lost spirits for their salvation. The "spirits in prison," to whom Christ preached in the days of Noah (1 Pet. 3. 19), were they who are now spirits in prison, but who were waited on then in God's "long-suffering" (vs. 20). This is plain from (1 Pet. 4. 6), where the reference being to these, it is added, "For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead," &c. Before the time; that is, the appointed time, as the Greek work is. The devils believe in God and tremble (James 2. 19). From the Epistles of Peter (2 Pet. 2. 4), and Jude 6, we learn that fallen spirits are reserved in chains unto the judgment of the great day. They refer to this time, and doubtless they are kept in constant terror of this time (see Rev. ch. 20. 21). In Luke 8. 31, the devils entreat not to be sent into the abyss-or hell.

was "

30. A good way off. That is, on the same plain, or on the brow of a hill sloping down to the water. Mark says, "nigh unto the mountains." It there," that is, in direct view, but some distance from the spot where they stood.--¶ A herd (a flock) of many swine. Mark says, " about two thousand " (5. 13).

31. Here they entreat permission to be sent into the herd of swine, and Christ's authority over them is here acknowledged.

32. The unbelieving Greeks were wont to ridicule the Jewish laws, especially on account of their prohibiting the use of swine's flesh as food. This entering of the devils into the swine would have a meaning in this respect, and would be likely to show

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.

33 And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing,

them the sacredness of these laws, and to keep up this awful distinction between the holy and the profane.

The case of the fig-tree-the casting out of the money-changers in the temple, and this, are instances of Christ's vindictive acts, and the only instances of loss attending the exercise of His authority. "These are hints," says Bengel, "of a future punishment.- - Perished. The dev, ils from these two men fill the whole herd, and the possessed brutes could not live long. It is of mere mercy that men possessed of the devil should not immediately perish.

33. Fled. They were terrified at this. They saw this wonderful change in the men that were possessed, and the strange effects upon the swine. Luke says they saw the demoniac "sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind." They were astonished at the awful power of God over evil spirits, and doubtless it seemed to them a judgment of the God of the Jews upon these animals that were held in abomination by the Jewish laws; and so they feared a judgment also upon themselves, as keepers of swine, which was a business forbidden by those laws.

34. The whole city. There was a general turning out at this report of Christ's doings; for it was plain that Christ had power over property and life, and men were universally alarmed. They wished him to go away, lest they might lose their property by this means, or suffer other damage. So many beg Christ to depart from them, "and choose iniquity rather than affliction" (Job 36. 21), or the inconvenience even of attending to His claims. We should desire Christ to

and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils.

34 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.

u Job 21.14. Lu.5.8. Ac.16.39.

be always near us, because He alone can deliver us from difficulties, or support us under trials, and His presence can give peace to our souls. The cured demoniac begs the privilege of following Christ (Luke 8. 38). We should seek this. If He is not near us, we are in danger of being possessed by evil tempers, and thoughts, and desires, and falling under the power of sin. "Deliver us from evil." The true wisdom is to take Him for our portion as He is offered in the gospel, so that we may have Him for a friend at all times, "our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." The demoniac was cured, and an interesting account of the result upon him is found in Mark and Luke. He besought Christ to allow of his accompanying Him, but our Lord told him to speak His praises at home. Luke 8. 38, 39. OBSERVE, the men who merely saw His power were terrified and begged Him to depart. But the poor demoniac, who felt His goodness also, begged to remain with Christ. A mere sight of Divine power drives us away from God; an insight of His power and love draws us near to Him. Such cures of bodily diseases as are recorded in the history of Christ are intended to be symbolical of the removal of spiritual diseases by the power and grace of the Great Physician (Ed. Calvin, p. 436, note). All scripture is given for doctrine, for reproof, &c. "Carnal hearts prefer their swine before their Saviour, and had rather lose Christ's presence than their worldly profits."-Burkitt. Christ often grants the wish of devils and of wicked men, but with calamitous results to themselves.