Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 8:31
And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep.
31. they besought ] If parekalei be the right reading, it should be rendered “ he besought Him,” for the plural is used in the next verse.
to go out into the deep ] The ‘abyss’ (Hebrew tehom) intended is perhaps the prison of wicked spirits (Rom 10:7; Judges 6; Rev 20:3).
St Mark says “that He would not send them out of the country.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 31. And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep.] In the Chaldaic philosophy, mention is made of certain material demons, who are permitted to wander about on the earth, and are horribly afraid of being sent into abysses and subterranean places. Psellus says, De Daemonibus: “These material demons fearing to be sent into abysses, and standing in awe of the angels who send them thither, if even a man threaten to send them thither and pronounce the names of those angels whose office that is, it is inexpressible how much they will be affrighted and troubled. So great will their astonishment be, that they cannot discern the person that threatens them. And though it be some old woman or little old man that menaces them, yet so great is their fear that they depart as if the person who menaces had a power to kill them.” See Stanley’s Chaldaic Philosophy.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And they besought him,…. That is, all the devils, the whole legion of them, entreated Jesus, under whose power, and at whose dispose they were:
that he would not command them to go out into the deep; meaning, not the deep waters of the sea, for thither they ran the swine at their own request; but the bottomless pit of hell, where others of these spirits lay in chains of darkness; and so the Ethiopic version renders it, “into hell”: they desired, that when they went out of this man, they might not be ordered thither, or remanded to their former prison; for they knew that if he gave the word of command, they must obey; but that they might be suffered to continue in that country, and range about on earth, or be any where, rather than in hell.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Into the abyss ( ). Rare old word common in LXX from privative and (deep). So bottomless place (supply ). The deep sea in Gen 1:2; Gen 7:11. The common receptacle of the dead in Ro 10:7 and especially the abode of demons as here and Rev 9:1-11; Rev 11:7; Rev 17:8; Rev 20:1; Rev 20:3.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Command them. The plural, referring to the legion.
The deep [] . Lit., the bottomless. Transcribed into our abyss, as Rev. Mark has a quite different request, that he would not send them out of the country (v. 10). In Rom 10:7, used of Hades, to which Christ descended; and in Revelation always of the bottomless pit. The demons refer to their place of abode and torment.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And they besought him,” (kai parekaloun auton) “And they appealed to Him,” Mat 8:31. As Lord over all, to whom God had committed all things, which they knew and acknowledged, Joh 3:35; Joh 5:22; Joh 5:27. There were about two thousand of them, if each pig had only one demon, Mar 5:13.
2) “That he would not command them to go out into the deep.” (hina me epitakse mutois eis ten abusson apelthein) “in order that he might not order them to go away into the abyss,” to their final destiny, at that time, Joh 5:27; Mat 8:29; Mar 5:10. The term “abyss” or “underworld” refers to the bottomless pit, the final abode of the Devil and the damned, as used Rev 9:1; Rev 20:1-3.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(31) To go out into the deep.Better, into the abyss. The word is not found in the other Gospels, and it clearly means, not the deep waters of the Galilean lake, but the pit, the bottomless pit of Rev. 9:1-2; Rev. 9:11. The man, identifying himself with the demons, asks for any doom rather than that.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘And they entreated him that he would not command them to depart into the abyss.’
Jesus’ persistence in seeking to cast them out was being effective, and now that He knew the detail of what possessed the man they knew that they could not hide themselves any longer. So they did the next best thing and pleaded that at least they might be spared ‘the Abyss’ (abusson = ‘bottomless, boundless’). This was the name of the place where evil spirits were imprisoned until the final days (Rev 9:1-2; Rev 9:11; Rev 11:7; Rev 17:8; Rev 20:1; Rev 20:3; Compare 1Pe 3:19; 2Pe 2:4; Jud 1:6).
Jesus is said to have descended into the Abyss, mentioned in Rom 10:7, but there it simply referred to the boundless world of the departed. However, in Revelation the Abyss is that part of the world of the departed which is the prison of evil spirits (compare 2Pe 2:4; Jud 1:6). ‘Abyss’ is also related to Sumerian apsu, the sea. This is confirmed by the fact that the Septuagint (LXX) translated ‘the deep’ (tehom) of Gen 1:2; Gen 7:11; Gen 8:2 as the ‘Abyss’, paralleling the two (compare also Job 38:16; Psa 33:7; Psa 42:7; Psa 77:16; Isa 51:10; Eze 26:19; Jon 2:5). Ironically therefore it may be that we are to see that the final end of these particular evil spirits was the Abyss after all, for they were later swallowed up by the sea. But note that they did acknowledge Jesus’ right to command what He wanted. They acknowledged it of men did not.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Luk 8:31. And they brought him, &c. It seems from Dan 10:13; Dan 10:20 that different evil genii presided over distinct legions, by the directionsof Satan their prince. These, who perhaps were spirits of distinguished abilities, might be appointed to reside hereabouts, to oppose as much as possible the beneficial designs of Christ; and having made their observations on the character and circumstances of the inhabitants, they might judge themselves capable of doing more mischief here than elsewhere, and on that account might desire leave to continue on the spot. See Mar 5:10. The word , rendered deep in this passage, signifies the place where wicked spirits are punished; as it does likewise, Rev 20:3 where it is translated the bottomless pit: properly it denotes a place without a bottom, or so deep that it cannot be fathomed. The Greeks describe their Tartarus in this manner: and the Jews, when they wrote Greek, did not scruple to adopt their expressions, because they were universally understood. Besides, the Hebrew language did not furnish proper words for these ideas; which was the reason that the first Christians also, when they had occasion to speak of the state of evil spirits, made use of terms purely Greek. See 2Pe 2:4 and Jude, Luk 8:6.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
31 And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep.
Ver. 31. To go out into the deep ] i.e. Hell, that bottomless deep, Rev 20:3 ; 2Pe 2:4 , where they could do no more hurt: which would be another hell unto them. Augustus, consulting Apollo’s oracle, was told, that a Hebrew child had stopped his mouth, and sent him with a mittimus a to hell, &c. (Pucer de Orac. )
a A warrant under the hand and seal of a justice of the peace or other proper officer, directed to the keeper of a prison, ordering him to receive into custody and hold in safe-keeping, until delivered in due course of law, the person sent and specified in the warrant. D
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
31. . ] This word is sometimes used for Hades in general ( Rom 10:7 ), but more usually in Scripture for the abode of damned spirits: see reff. This last is certainly meant here for the request is co-ordinate with the fear of torment expressed above (see Greswell on the Parables, v. (pt. 2) 365, and note on ch. Luk 16:23 ). But, as Bp. Wordsw. remarks, we must distinguish between , the ad interim place of torment, and the lake of fire into which the devil will be cast by Christ at the end: see Rev 20:3 ; Rev 20:10 .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Luk 8:31 . , into the abyss (of Tartarus) instead of Mk.’s , out of Decapolis.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
besought. Greek. parakaleo. See App-134. Not the same word as in verses: Luk 8:28, Luk 8:37, Luk 8:38.
the deep. Greek abussos; not the sea as in Luk 5:4. Occurs nine times: here, Rom 10:7. Rev 9:1, Rev 9:2, Rev 9:11; Rev 11:7; Rev 17:8; Rev 20:1, Rev 20:3.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
31. . ] This word is sometimes used for Hades in general (Rom 10:7), but more usually in Scripture for the abode of damned spirits: see reff. This last is certainly meant here-for the request is co-ordinate with the fear of torment expressed above (see Greswell on the Parables, v. (pt. 2) 365, and note on ch. Luk 16:23). But, as Bp. Wordsw. remarks, we must distinguish between , the ad interim place of torment, and the lake of fire into which the devil will be cast by Christ at the end: see Rev 20:3; Rev 20:10.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Luk 8:31. , into the deep) , LXX. ; often; comp. Rev 9:11; Rev 20:3. In the deep or abyss, 1) They are not worshipped by bad men; 2) They cannot injure men; 3) They feed (brood) upon their own wretchedness, and do not, however, as yet seem to be tortured in that place of confinement. The power of Jesus Christ extends over animals, demons, and the abyss: and the demons acknowledged the fact.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Chapter 49
They Besought Him
I do not pretend to know much about prayer, though I very much want to know how to pray. But this I do know: prayer has something to do with worship. Prayer has something to do with gratitude, praise and thanksgiving. Prayer is primarily a work of the heart. Prayer has something to do with seeking and bowing to the will of God. It has something to do with the glory of God, the welfare of the kingdom of God and faith in Christ.
I know, beyond a doubt, that most of what men and women imagine is prayer and call prayer has nothing whatever to do with prayer. To all who think that prayer is simply asking God to give us what we want and receiving it, I say, Read Luke chapter 8. To those multitudes who vainly imagine that answered prayer is evidence of saving grace, I say, Read Luke chapter 8.
Here is a legion of demons praying to the Lord Jesus Christ, a legion of demons whose request the Lord immediately granted. Here is an entire city pleading with the Son of God to depart from their coasts, a city whose request the Lord Jesus granted on the spot. Here is a saved sinner, one whose heart burned with love and gratitude to Christ, who prayed that the Lord would graciously allow him to stay in his company, the prayer of an earnest soul, whose request the Lord Jesus denied.
What are we to learn from these things? Why are they here recorded in the Book of God? May God the Holy Spirit who caused theses words to be written now teach us their meaning.
Praying Devils
First, in Luk 8:31-33, we see devils praying; and the Lord Jesus Christ immediately grants the request of a legion of demons. The Lord Jesus answered their prayer, doing exactly what they requested
And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep. And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them. Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked.
Even the demons of hell when terrified by the impending wrath and judgment of God pray; but such prayer is not prayer at all. The very demons of hell are under the command of the Son of God, totally controlled by him, and they both know it and acknowledge it; but such an acknowledgement is not true worship.
As the herd of swine was plunged into destruction by the influence of those demons, the demons who possessed the poor Gadarene, so the influence of hell that possesses unbelieving men and women will destroy their souls, unless the Son of God intervenes.
Praying Reprobate
Second, in Luk 8:37, we see an entire city of lost, reprobate sinners pleading with the Son of God to leave them, and he did. The Lord Jesus answered their prayer, doing exactly what they requested, just as he answered the prayer of the demons who possessed the Gadarene.
Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them; for they were taken with great fear: and he went up into the ship, and returned back again.
What an awesome, frightful sight this is! At the request of these men, the Son of God, the Lord of Glory, the Saviour of the world, went up into the ship and returned back!
What possessed these men to make such a request? They knew exactly what the Lord had done. They knew his power. They saw the evidence of his goodness, grace and saving majesty sitting before them. Yet, they prayed not for him to work among them, for them, in them and with them, but for him to depart from them! Why?
These men prayed for the Holy Lamb of God to leave their city. They begged the Dispossessor of demons to depart from them. They wanted the Healer of mens souls to leave them, their wives and their children. They asked the King of Glory to depart from their town. They prayed for the Saviour of the world to leave them alone. Why?
Why did these men beg such a man to depart from their coasts? Would the Gadarenes prefer to have a wild, demon possessed man roaming their streets than the Son of God? Obviously they did; but why? I will give you the answer in one short sentence: They loved the world and refused to give it up.
These men were convinced in their own consciences that they would lose much if the Son of God stayed among them. Therefore, counting the cost, they said, Give us the world! Give us the demons of hell, if you must; but give us the world and leave us alone! And that is exactly what he did!
Nothing has changed. All men by nature are exactly like these Gadarenes. We all prefer the raging, unbridled, uncontrolled lusts of our hearts, the horrid dominion of Satan, the dark influence of hell, the pursuits and follies of the world to the sweet dominion of the Son of God and the mercy, love and grace of God he brings. John Trapp observed, Take up your cross is a hard saying. Therefore Christ must be prayed to be gone, lest all our pigs be drowned.
There is a day of grace, a time of visitation from the Lord, which if despised will become a day of wrath, vengeance and eternal ruin. Light despised will be turned into darkness. Mercy spurned will bring eternal misery. Let us take heed that we do not sin the sin of the Gadarenes (Job 21:14; Hos 4:17; Pro 1:23-33; Pro 29:1). Let it rather be our constant prayer, O Lord God, do not leave us to ourselves!
Yet, even in this, I am reminded of Gods great mercy to our souls. Arent you? There was a time, not long ago, when we, too, besought the Son of God that he would depart from us. Did we not? Thank God, he refused to grant us our hearts desire. He refused to leave us alone. He refused to leave us to ourselves. He refused to give us up. He cried for us, How shall I give thee up?
Nothing less than a miracle of grace, nothing less than the intervention of sovereign mercy, nothing short of omnipotent love stepping into our lives could cause us to turn and seek the Lord our God, whom we most vehemently despised all our lives.
A Believers Request Denied
Third, in Luk 8:38-39 the Holy Spirit gives us another highly instructive picture. Here is a saved sinner praying for permission to ever abide in the Lords presence, whose request the Lord Jesus graciously denied.
Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying, Return to thine own house, and show how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.
Without question, the man before us is a true believer. He is a heaven born soul. Not only had the demons been cast out of him, the Son of God had established his throne in him. Can you picture him? There he is sitting at the Saviours feet, beaming with gratitude. He is clothed in the garments of salvation, filled with praise. He is, for the first time in his life, in his right mind. This newly regenerate, heaven-born soul was full of love, gratitude, joy and zeal.
Did you ever notice how striking the differences are in the ways our Master dealt with men? To this man he refused permission to forsake his family and homeland. He commanded the rich young ruler to forsake all and follow him. The healed leper was strictly charged to tell no man what the Master had done for him. Another was not even allowed to go home and bury his father. Our Saviour knew what was in the hearts of all. He knew precisely what each case before him required, and he dealt with each according to the needs of their situation.
Why did the Lord Jesus refuse this mans earnest request? It was, without question, the prayer of an earnest, loving, grateful, adoring heart. There was nothing selfish or self-serving in it. But the Master would not allow this man to go with him for good reasons. Our Master knows, far better than we the best place for us. This was an act of great mercy to the Gadarenes. This was a marvellous display of goodness to this mans family. In a word, the Lord Jesus refused to grant the request of this mans lips, so that he might give him the request of his heart (Rom 8:26; Mat 6:9-13).
By refusing to allow this saved sinner to go with him, the Lord Jesus secured his best place and circumstances in which to glorify God. The Son of God graciously ordered his steps to walk in the will of God (Pro 3:5-6). The Master graciously used him to build up the kingdom of God. The Lord Jesus graciously led him not into temptation but delivered him from evil.
This young convert wanted to go immediately with Christ and become a preacher; but the Lord would not allow it. How many there are who have mistaken a desire to be a preacher for a call to the ministry. It is not. The Lord Jesus sent him home to his family and friends with a message to deliver to them.
The Master would not allow him to go where he wanted to go or do what he wanted to do; but he was given something far better, far more useful to do. God made him a witness to his own community. Now, thats a preacher! The Lord told him exactly what to tell those of whom he would be a witness. He was sent to tell his family and friends what great things the Lord had done for him and how he had compassion on him.
And this sinner, saved by the grace of God, did what the Lord told him to do. And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel. Notice the language here. He was told to publish what great things the Lord had done. So he told everyone what great things Jesus had done. He knew that Jesus is Lord. He learned it by experience from the Lord himself.
The Lord Jesus graciously used this man in Decapolis for the good of many. The next time the Saviour came into the region, he was readily received. Many came to him. Many were healed by him. Multitudes were fed by his hand (Mar 7:31 to Mar 8:1). Mercy came to many, because one sinner saved by grace faithfully told other sinners what great things the Lord had done for him!
What a wonderful change grace had wrought in the Gadarene! He who was a madman, possessed of the devil, was immediately so transformed by the saving grace of Christ that he desired never to leave his Lords side. Is this not the case with every child of God, when delivered from the power of darkness and translated from the cruel bondage of sin and death in to the kingdom of Gods dear Son? Once we have tasted that the Lord is gracious, we cannot but long to be absent from the body, and present with the Lord. But this must not immediately be the case. To abide in the flesh is more needful. Saved sinners are to go home to their lost families and friends, and proclaim the praises of him who hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light.
Christ has, by his saving grace, made us members of his church upon earth. In this capacity we are to serve him and the souls of eternity bound sinners, until the time he has appointed comes to take us home. None of us will live here beyond that appointed time. And that appointed time cannot be too long, if God our Saviour will be pleased to employ us for the welfare of his chosen. Mr. Hawker wrote, Let this make us happy in waiting all the days of our appointed time, until our change come. Until then, may God give us grace to make it our lives business to tell our family and friends, and all who will hear us, what great things the Lord hath done for us, and hath had compassion on us.
Fuente: Discovering Christ In Selected Books of the Bible
they: Luk 8:28, Job 1:11, Job 2:5, Phi 2:10, Phi 2:11
the deep: “The abyss,” says Dr. Doddridge, “the prison in which many of these fallen spirits are detained; and to which some, who may, like these, have been permitted for a while to range at large, are sometimes by Divine justice and power remanded.” Mat 25:41, Rev 9:2, Rev 19:20, Rev 20:2, Rev 20:3, Rev 20:14, Rev 20:15
Reciprocal: 2Pe 2:4 – but Rev 9:1 – the bottomless
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1
Deep is from ABUSSOS which is defined by Thayer as follows: “Bottomless, unbounded; the pit; the abyss.” He also explains it to mean, “The immeasurable depth; a very deep gulf or chasm in the lowest of the earth; the common receptacle of the dead, Rom 10:7, and especially as the abode of demons, Luk 8:31; Rev 9:1; Rev 11:7; Rev 17:8; Rev 20:1; Rev 20:3.”
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Luk 8:31. Into the abyss. There can scarcely be a reasonable doubt that this means hell, the place of punishment for evil spirits. We must distinguish between abyss, the ad interim place of torment, and the lake of fire into which the devil will be cast by Christ at the end: see Rev 20:3. (Alford.) The respite obtained by their entering into the herd of swine was a very brief one.