Great Victory, Great Testimony
(But you have to understand the Enemy)
Luke 8:26-39
Parallel accounts
- Matthew 8:28-34
- Mark 5:1-20
- Luke 8:26-39
All place this event after Jesus calms the storm and all agree on major details except…
Where there is disagreement
- Country of the Gerasenes, Gadarenes or Gergesenes?
- Scribal additions to help clarify the area
- Most likely the city of Gergesa
- One demoniac or two?
- Matthew was an eye witness so most likely two
- One most likely stuck out more than the other
Did Jesus do evil?
- One must believe this event happened in order to make such a judgment.
- Jesus is God and can use his creation how he sees fit.
- Some scholars think the herd may have been owned by Jews.
- The people seemed to be more afraid of Jesus power than upset about the loss.
Ancient Hebrew concept of demons
- No real word in Hebrew that carries the connotation of demon as we know
- Hebrew words translated demon refer to idols and false gods
- A vague idea of adversary