Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 8:28
When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, [thou] Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not.
28. What have I to do with thee ] i.e. Why should’st thou interfere with me? 2Sa 16:10; 2Sa 19:22. See Luk 4:24. Baur refers to obvious imitations of this narrative in the story of the Lamia expelled by Apollonius of Tyana (Philostr. Luk 4:25).
Son of God most high ] Probably the epithet was customary in exorcisms or attempted exorcisms, and hence we find it used by another demoniac (Act 16:17). Jesus is not so called elsewhere, except in Luk 1:32.
torment me not ] “The demons…believe and tremble,” Jas 2:19. On this conception of torment see Mar 1:24; Mat 18:34.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 28. Jesus, thou Son of God most high] The words Jesus and God are both omitted here by several MSS. I think it is very likely that the demons mentioned neither. They were constrained in a summary way to acknowledge his power; but it is probable they did not pronounce names which were of such dreadful import to themselves. The words which they spoke on the occasion seem to have been these, What is it to thee and me, O Son of the most high? See Clarke on Mt 8:29.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
When he saw Jesus,…. Even afar off, at some considerable distance, he ran towards him, Mr 5:6.
He cried out, and fell down before him; that is, the man possessed with the devil did so, under his impulse, and through his agitation of him:
and with a loud voice said; which was the unclean spirit in the man:
what have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God, most high? I beseech thee torment me not; i.e. before the time;
[See comments on Mt 8:29].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Fell down (). Second aorist active of , to fall forward, towards, prostrate before one as here. Common verb. Mr 5:6 has (worshipped).
The Most High God ( ). Uncertain whether genuine or not. But “the Most High” clearly means God as already seen (Luke 1:32; Luke 1:35; Luke 1:36; Luke 6:35). The phrase is common among heathen (Num 24:16; Mic 6:6; Isa 14:14). The demoniac may have been a Gentile, but it is the demon here speaking. See on Mark 2:7; Matt 8:29 for the Greek idiom ( ). “What have I to do with thee?” See there also for “Torment me not.”
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Fell down [] . Mark has prosekunhsen, which often implies religious or superstitious feeling, as Mt 4:9, 10. This is the prostration of abject terror.
Cried out [] . The compound verb with ajna, up, implies what is conveyed by our phrase, lifting up the voice. See on Mr 5:5.
What have I to do with thee? See on Mr 5:7.
Torment [] . See on Mt 4:24. Luke never uses the word of sickness, as Mt 8:6. See on ch. Luk 4:41.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “When he saw Jesus he cried out,” (idon de ton lesoun anakraksas) “Then upon beholding Jesus he cried out,” in hysterical obsession, with a bloodcurdling cry, Mat 8:29; Mar 5:5. Evil spirits are tortured at the presence of an holy being, and it appears that even heaven and her holy ones would be a torment to them.
2) “And fell down before him,” (prosepesan auto) “And fell toward and before him,” to worship Him, Mar 5:6.
3) “And with a loud voice said,” (kai phone megale eipen) “And in a great and loud voice said,” as demons always know who Jesus is, and acknowledge Him with trembling, Jas 2:19; Mar 5:7.
4) “What have I to do with thee,” (ti emoi kai soi) “What do I have to do with you?” Much like the demoniac in the synagogue at Capernaum as related Mar 1:23-27; Mat 8:29. It was an unearthly shriek of an agonized and terrorized soul, Luk 16:24.
5) “Jesus thou Son of God most high?” (lesou huie tou theou tou hupsistou) “Jesus, heir-Son of the most High God?” the living and true God. The phrase is used only two other times in the New Testament, Luk 1:32; Act 16:17, where it is used in the latter case by another demoniac that knew and acknowledged who Jesus was and is, Mar 5:7.
6) I beseech thee, torment me not.” (deomoi sou me basanises) I beg you, do not torment me,” Mar 5:7. So confused and fearful is the demon possessed that sometimes the person, and sometimes the indwelling demon or demons, are said to cry out in hysteria; They tormented men but did not want to be tormented themselves, but they reap what they sow, Gal 6:7-8. Mat 8:29 indicates that two demons cried out simultaneously, “art thou come to torment us before the time,” the time appointed for our being cast into hell, Mat 25:41; Rev 19:20. Fallen angels or demons are now said to be “under chains,” divine limitations or restrictions of their activities, reserved or in hold, until the judgment, 2Pe 2:4; Jud 1:6.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(28) What have I to do with thee?Note the exact agreement with St. Marks report rather than St. Matthews, both as to there being but one demoniac, and as to the words used by him.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘And when he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, “What have I to do with you, Jesus, you Son of the Most High God? I beseech you, torment me not.” ’
When the man saw Jesus he was forced to acknowledge Him. Crying out that he had nothing in common with Jesus he addressed Him as the Son of the Most High God and begged that he might not be tormented. He was aware of the powerful authority of Jesus and of His divine power. In what was now mainly Gentile territory this was more than an ascription of Messiahship. It was an acknowledgement of deity. By acknowledging Jesus’ supreme rank he hoped to avoid punishment. The Most High God was a title used by foreigners of the God of Israel, and it may well be that as a Gentile the man hoped that Jesus would not interfere with him on Gentile territory if properly addressed. Let Jesus return to His own territory leaving him unmolested. Compare here the almost similar approach taken by the evil spirits in Luk 4:34; Luk 4:41, the main difference being in the method of address. But there it was on Jewish territory.
‘Son of the Most High God.’ Compare Dan 3:26; Dan 4:2; Gen 14:20-22; Num 24:16; Isa 14:14; Act 16:17. The title Most High God was also used in Jewish-Hellenistic syncretistic religion. It is, however used in the Psalms nineteen times to indicate the supremacy of God, so that it may simply signify their recognition of Jesus’ total supremacy.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Luk 8:28. What have I to do with thee, &c.? This way of speaking has been used bywriters in all the ancient languages, and is applied both to personsand things. With respect to persons, it is used, sometimes by superiors towards inferiors; at other times, by one equal to another; and again, at other times, by inferiors towards their superiors; and the sense must vary according to the different circumstances of the persons whom it respects. For when an inferior thus addresses his superior, which is the case here, it is to be considered only as an expostulation; and in that sense the devils might use this form of expression to Christ: for that they did it in an expressive manner, is evident from the worship which they paid him at the same time; as likewise from their petition to himimmediately afterwards, that he would permit them to go into the swine. And therefore, his being their judge seems to occasion no impropriety in the expression; for a criminal may, and often does expostulate with his judge: but the inconsistencyof it, as coming from the demoniacs themselves, has been shewn already in the preceding note. It is evident indeed from many passages in the evangelists, that Christ frequently forbad not only the devils, but men likewise, in public, to acknowledge him to be the Son of God; the reasons for which have been already repeatedly given: but at other times he thought proper to permit such a declaration in private, and particularly from his disciples, as we find Mat 16:15; Mat 16:28. And as to the case of these demoniacs among the Gadarenes, there seems to have been the greatest propriety at that time, not only for his permitting the devils to confess him, as they do, to be the Son of God, but likewise to worship him. For it does not appear that any other persons were then present but Christ himself and his disciples, except the demoniacs; and this was not long before he sent forth his disciples before him to preach and to heal, &c. Mat 10:7-8 and therefore, what could be more proper, or give them higher encouragement to hope for success in this great work, than to see the devils thus subject to their Master, and paying homage to him, as they had a little before seen the winds and the waves obey his command in their passage thither? Now the power given them in their commission, as recorded Mat 10:8 was to heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: if therefore the last, cast out devils, had meant no more than to cure madmen, surely it would not have been placed after raising the dead.Again, in ch. Luk 10:1 we are told that Christ appointed and sent out seventy other disciples, who are said, Luk 8:17 to have returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject to us through thy name. Where it is plain that they did not mean mere madmen, by our Saviour’s answer,Rejoice not that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Jesus. App-98. Demons irreverently use this sacred name, as is done by so many to-day: but His own disciples called Him “Master ‘(Luk 8:24) and “Lord”. See Joh 13:13.
What have I, &c. See note on 2Sa 16:10.
most high. The Lord called thus elsewhere only in Mar 5:7. Compare Luk 1:32, Luk 1:5; Luk 6:5.
beseech. See App-134. Not the same word as in verses: Luk 8:31, Luk 8:32, Luk 8:37, Luk 31:41.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
he cried: Luk 4:33-36, Mat 8:29, Mar 1:24-27, Mar 5:6-8, Act 16:16-18
What: Luk 8:37, Luk 8:38
I beseech: Isa 27:1, 2Pe 2:4, 1Jo 3:8, Jam 2:19, Rev 20:1-3, Rev 20:10
Reciprocal: 1Ki 17:18 – What have I Job 21:14 – they say Jer 11:15 – What Mat 8:34 – they besought Mat 12:43 – seeking Mat 14:33 – Of Mar 3:11 – the Son Mar 5:7 – that Mar 5:22 – he fell Luk 4:7 – worship me Luk 4:34 – what Luk 8:31 – they Luk 16:23 – being Act 16:17 – the most Act 19:15 – General Rom 8:15 – the spirit 1Co 14:25 – falling Rev 18:2 – become
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
8
The devils knew Christ because they were fallen angels and had seen him before they were cast out of heaven. (See 2Pe 2:4; Jud 1:6.) Torment me not. The devils knew that if they had to leave this world they would have to go back to the place of torment into which they were cast when they first sinned.