The Demoniacs, and Other Miracles of Healing

Notes

Reading.

Luke 8:26-56; "Desire of Ages," pp. 337-342.

1. Gadara was the fortified capital of Perea, the "country of the Gadarenes" or Gergesenes. It was about eight miles southeast from Tiberias. The present ruins of the city are about two miles in circumference. The tombs were in the sides of the cliffs, round about the city, some of which are still preserved, and used by Arabs for dwellings.

2. Mark and Luke speak of but one demoniac coming to Christ, while Matthew introduces two. The lesson here given follows the two former accounts, simply because they are more complete in detail. While two demoniacs were present, probably one of them made the prominent demonstrations, which would explain why only one is mentioned by the two evangelists.

3. "It was in mercy to the owners of the swine that this loss had been permitted to come upon them. They were absorbed in earthly things, and cared not for the great interests of spiritual life. Jesus desired to break the spell of selfish indifference, that they might accept His grace. But regret and indignation for their temporal loss blinded their eyes to the Saviour's mercy."—Desire of Ages, p. 338, 339.

4. Jesus readily complied with the selfish request of the Gergesenes to leave their coasts, even though He was deprived of the needed rest He had sought in crossing the lake; for He knew that, although He was to be absent in person, the restored demoniac would proclaim the truth instead. The record states that he "began to publish in Decapolis," meaning ten cities, the things Jesus had done for him. Pliny says that this district reached from Damascus on the north to Philadelphia on the south, and from Scythopolis on the west to Canatha on the east. Six other cities than those here mentioned were included: Hippos, Gadara, Pella, Gerasa, Dion, and Raphana. All of these cities except Scythopolis were on the east side of the Jordan. "The two restored demoniacs were the first missionaries whom Christ sent to preach the Gospel in the region of Decapolis. For a few moments only these men had been privileged to hear the teachings of Christ. Not one sermon from His lips had ever fallen upon their ears. They could not instruct the people as the disciples who had been daily with Christ were able to do. But they bore in their own persons the evidence that Jesus was the Messiah. They could tell what they knew, what they themselves had seen and heard and felt of the power of Christ. This is what every one can do whose heart has been touched by the grace of God. . . . This is the witness for which our Lord calls, and for want of which the world is perishing."—Desire of Ages, p. 340.

5. These "minstrels" were hired mourners, who kept up continual discord on wind instruments, accompanied with wild howls of lamentation. The number of these mourners was in proportion to the wealth of the afflicted family.