Speaking Peace.—Luke 8:22-40

Notes

1. Mark gives us the words that Jesus used in stilling the tempest: "And He arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm." Mark 4:39. This is one of the miracles that is recorded that we may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing, we might have life through His name. John 20:31. A few texts will indicate the lesson that we may learn from it. "The wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt." Isa. 57:20. "I will hear what God the Lord will speak; for He will speak peace unto His people, and to His saints; but let them not turn again to folly." Ps. 85:8. "For He is our peace," and He came preaching peace. Eph. 2:14, 17. "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Rom. 5:1. Just as the word of Christ quieted the sea, so His word to us, if we receive it as His word, will give peace to the soul. "Great peace have they which love Thy law; and nothing shall offend them," or cause them to stumble. Ps. 119:165. "O that thou hadst hearkened to My commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea." Isa. 48:18. So when God speaks peace to us, it is by speaking righteousness; and we have that righteousness if we hear His word with meekness. "Incline your ear, and come unto Me; hear, and your soul shall live." Isa. 55:3.

2. The account in Mark, like the one in Luke, mentions only one man possessed with devils; but in Matthew it is stated that there were two men. All that it is necessary to bear in mind in order to see that there is no contradiction, is that neither Mark nor Luke says that there was only one man. One of them was doubtless more prominent than the other, and special attention is directed to him by Mark and Luke, who give more of the details than Matthew does.

3. In this lesson we have an example of Christ's triumph over a legion of devils. Satan, the chief of the devils, is Apollyon, the Destroyer. Rev. 9:11. Christ is "the Prince of peace." Isa. 9:6. The devils, true to their nature, were tormenting the poor man,—driving him to and fro like the waves of the sea by the winds. Christ, true to His nature, spoke peace, and the troubled soul had rest. What a perfect parallel this miracle was to that which preceded it! Let this word ever be the joy of the tempted one, "Christ is more powerful than Satan; He has spoiled principalities and powers." "These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16:33.

4. All the blessings that Christ had come to bestow upon the Gadarenes, and of which they had such ample and striking evidence, were nothing to them compared with the loss of their swine. Of course their trouble was on account of the loss of the money value of the hogs, so that their case is precisely that of thousands who choose this present world instead of Christ. Bunyan has aptly illustrated this by the man intent on selecting from the garbage with a muck rake, and oblivious of the crown of glory above his head. We may well pray, "Deliver us from the muck rake."

5. The man out of whom the devils were cast wanted to be with Jesus. That was a most natural desire; but Jesus said to him, "Return to thine own house, and show how great things God hath done unto thee." God saves men for service. "Ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." 1 Peter 2:9, Revised Version. But, although the Lord sends us out to service, instead of allowing us now to dwell in His personal presence, beholding His face, He does not leave us alone, for He says, "Lo, I am with you alway." Matt. 28:20.

6. Note also that, although the people refused to have Jesus with them, He did not utterly forsake them. They would not have Him among them, so He left a representative. "Ye are My witnesses, saith the Lord." Isa. 43:10. "And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world." "And the glory which Thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as We are one: I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them, as Thou hast loved Me." John 17:11, 22, 23.