Stilling the Tempest; the Demoniac of Gadara

Notes

The Demoniac of Gadara.

Notes

1. The Master was weary, and in calm trust He slept. We may well believe that "the prince of the power of the air" saw in the circumstances a good opportunity to destroy Him, hence the storm which constantly increased in power. The strong, hardy fishermen were afraid, and doubtless uttered, as their own efforts seemed futile and their fate certain, all three appeals recorded by the evangelists, indicating their increasing fear and intense desire for their Lord's direction at such a time. First came, "Lord, save us, we perish." Then, as the storm increased, "Master, Master, we perish!" Then as He slept on seemingly unmindful, there is a tone of reproach in their cry, "Master, carest Thou not that we perish?" They did not yet know that "anywhere with Jesus" was safety; that,

> "No water can swallow the ship where lies > The Master of ocean and earth and skies."

2. "Gadara, now Umkeis, a fortified chief city of Decapolis, of considerable importance in the time of Christ, and having many Greek inhabitants. It lay south of the river ⟦Hieromax?⟧, seven miles southeast of the Sea of Galilee, upon a level summit of a steep, limestone hill. . . . The country of the Gadarenes extended to the Jordan and the Sea of Galilee."—"Bible Dictionary," American Tract Society.

3. Other evangelists mention two demoniacs. One was probably much worse and more fierce than the other. His first yielding to Satan may have been in the path of pleasure. He came at last to know that service in that way was the greatest bondage of the whole man. The man longed for freedom. He tried to pray for deliverance; but the demons made him pray for the departure of Jesus. The evil spirits used his tongue to plead for themselves. But beyond this discordant voice, Jesus heard the cry of the imprisoned soul, and set the captive free.

The word "deep" is from the same Greek word as "bottomless pit" in Rev. 20:1, meaning abyss, the place where Satan will be cast with his angels. They seemed to know that their doom was assured. The time had not come for the execution of that judgment.

4. "The demons were permitted to sweep a herd of swine into the sea; and to the dwellers of Gadara the loss of these outweighed the blessings which Christ had bestowed, and the divine Healer was entreated to depart. This was the result which Satan designed to secure. By casting the blame of their loss upon Jesus, he aroused the selfish fears of the people, and prevented them from listening to His words. . . . But the purposes of Christ were not thwarted. He allowed the evil spirits to destroy the herd of swine as a rebuke to those Jews who were raising these unclean beasts for the sake of gain."—"Great Controversy," page 515.

5. Telling what great things the Lord has done ought to be the mission of every redeemed soul. How quickly God's message would go if every one professing His name would so respond! And this man began his work near home. There is a lesson in this for us.