1.
And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.
And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.
[Into the country of the Gadarenes.] So also Luke: But Matthew, into the country of the Gergesenes. And, which ought not to be passed over without observation, Mark and Luke, who call it the country of the Gadarenes; make mention only of one possessed person; but Matthew, who calls it the country of the Gergesenes; speaks of two. We know what is here said by commentators to reconcile the evangelists. We fetch their reconciliation from the very distinction of the words which the evangelists use, and that from those conclusions:
I. We say the region of the Gergesenes was of broader extent and signification than the region of the Gadarenes was, and that the region of the Gadarenes was included within it. For whether it were called so from the old Gergashite family of the Canaanites, or from the muddy and clayey nature of the soil, which was called Gergishta by the Jews, which we rather believe; it was of wider extension than the country of the Gadarenes; which denoted only one city, and the smaller country about it, and that belonged to Gadara. But this country comprehended within it the country of Gadara; of Hippo, and of Magdala, if not others also.
II. We say Gadara was a city of heathens, (hence it is less marvel if there were swine among them) which we prove also elsewhere, when we treat of the region of Decapolis.
III. We say there were two possessed persons according to Matthew, one a Gadarene; another coming from some other place than the country of Gadara; namely, from some place in the country of the Gergesenes.
IV. We believe that that Gadarene was a heathen; and that Mark and Luke mentioned only him on set purpose, that so they might make the story the more famous. Any one skilled in the chorography of the land of Israel might understand that the country of the Gadarenes was of heathen possession: they therefore mark him with that name, that it might presently be perceived that Christ now had to do with a heathen possessed person; which was somewhat rare, and except the daughter of the Syrophoenician woman, without any example. Matthew would describe the greatness of the miracle; he therefore mentions two most miserably possessed persons: but Mark and Luke choose out only one; and him more remarkable for this very thing, that he was a Gadarene; and by consequence a heathen. These things, well weighed, do not only confirm the concord between the evangelists, but render the story far clearer. For,
First, It is to be marked that the devil adjures Christ not to "torment" him, Mark 5:7, which is not elsewhere done by him: as though he were without Christ’s jurisdiction among the heathens. And,
Secondly, Christ does not elsewhere ask any about their name, besides this alone, as being of more singular example and story.
Thirdly, The heathen name legion; argues him a heathen concerning whom the story is.
Fourthly, The devils besought him much that he would not send them out of the country; for being among heathens, they thought they were among their own.
Our Saviour, therefore, healed those two in Matthew together, the one, a Gadarene and heathen, and the other from some other place, a Gergesene and a Jew; and that not without a mystery; namely, that there should be comfort in Christ both to Jews and Gentiles, against the power and tyranny of Satan. Of those two, Mark and Luke mention the more remarkable.
2.
And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,
3.
Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:
4.
Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.
5.
And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.
6.
But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,
7.
And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.
8.
For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.
9.
And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.
And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.
[My name is Legion.] I. This name speaks a numerous company, the devil himself being the interpreter; "Legion (saith he) is my name; for we are many."
And among the Jews, when a man would express a great number of any thing, it was not unusual to name a legion; "R. Eliezer Ben Simeon saith, It is easier for a man to nourish a legion of olives in Galilee; than to bring up one child in the land of Israel."
II. Among the Talmudists, a legion bespeaks an unclean company; at least, they reckoned all the legions for unclean: "The Rabbins deliver: a legion that passeth from place to place, if it enter into any house, the house is thereby become unclean. For there is no legion which hath not some carcaphalia. And wonder not at this, when the carcaphalion of R. Ismael was fastened to the heads of kings." "’Carcaphal ’ (saith the Gloss) is the skin of a head pulled off from a dead person, which they make use of in enchantments."
III. What the Romans thought of their legions; take from the words of Caesar to the Spaniards: "Did ye not consider, if I were overthrown, that the people of Rome have ten legions; which could not only resist you, but pull down even heaven itself?" What then is the power of "more than twelve legions of angels"!
10.
And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.
11.
Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.
12.
And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.
13.
And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.
14.
And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done.
And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done.
[Told it in the country.] Told it in the fields. But to whom? To them that laboured, or that travelled in the fields? So Mark 6:36; That they may go away into the ’fields’ round about, and buy themselves bread. From whom, I pray, should they buy in the fields? And Mark 5:56; And wheresoever they entered into towns or ’fields,’ they laid the sick in the streets; or markets. What streets or markets are there in the fields?
"Rabba saith, That food made of meal, of those that dwell in the fields, in which they mingle much meal; over it they give thanks." Dwellers in the field; saith the Gloss, are inhabitants of the villages. And the Aruch saith, "private men who dwell in the fields": that is, in houses scattered here and there, and not built together in one place, as it is in towns and cities.
15.
And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.
And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.
[In his right mind.] Firm; or sound of understanding; in Talmudic speech.
16.
And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine.
17.
And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.
18.
And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.
19.
Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.
20.
And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.
21.
And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea.
22.
And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet,
23.
And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.
And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee; come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.
[My little daughter.] "A daughter from her birthday, until she is twelve years old complete, is called ’little,’ or ’a little maid.’ But when she is full twelve years old and one day over, she is called ’a young woman.’"
24.
And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.
25.
And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,
26.
And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,
And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,
[And had suffered many things of many physicians.] And it is no wonder: for see what various and manifold kinds of medicines are prescribed to a woman labouring under a flux: "R. Jochanan saith, Bring (or take) of gum of Alexandria the weight of a zuzee; and of alum, the weight of a zuzee; and of crocus hortensis the weight of a zuzee; let these be bruised together, and be given in wine to the woman that hath an issue of blood; etc.
"But if this does not benefit, take of Persian onions thrice three logs; boil them in wine, and then give it her to drink, and say Arise from thy flux
"But if this does not prevail, set her in a place where two ways meet; and let her hold a cup of wine in her hand; and let somebody come behind her and affright her, and say, Arise from thy flux.
"But if that do no good, take a handful of cummin, and a handful of crocus, and a handful of foenum groecum. Let these be boiled in wine, and give them her to drink, and say, Arise from thy flux."
But if these do not benefit, other doses and others still are prescribed, in number ten or more, which see, if you please, in the place cited
"Let them dig seven ditches: in which let them burn some cuttings of such vines as are not circumcised;
27.
When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.
28.
For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.
29.
And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.
30.
And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?
31.
And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
32.
And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.
33.
But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.
34.
And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.
35.
While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?
36.
As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.
37.
And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.
38.
And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.
39.
And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.
40.
And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying.
41.
And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.
And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.
[Talitha kumi.] "Rabbi Jochanan saith, We remember when boys and girls of sixteen and seventeen years old played in the streets, and nobody was offended with them." Where the Gloss is, Tali and Talitha is a boy and a girl.
[Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.] Talitha kumi signifies only Maid, arise. How comes that clause then, I say unto thee; to be inserted?
I. You may recollect here, and perhaps not without profit, that which was alleged before; namely, that it was customary among the Jews, that, when they applied physic to the profluvious woman, they said, "Arise from thy flux"; which very probably they used in other diseases also.
II. Christ said nothing else than what sounded all one with, Maid, arise; but in the pronouncing and uttering those words that authority and commanding power shined forth, that they sounded no less than if he had said, "Maid, I say to thee, or I command thee, arise." They said, "Arise from thy disease"; that is, "I wish thou wouldst arise": but Christ saith, Maid, arise; that is, "I command thee, arise."
42.
And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.
43.
And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.
And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.
[He commanded that something should be given her to eat.] Not as she was alive only, and now in good health, but as she was in a most perfect state of health, and hungry: "The son of Rabban Gamaliel was sick. He sent, therefore, two scholars of the wise men to R. Chaninah Ben Dusa into his city. He saith to them, ’Wait for me, until I go up into the upper chamber.’ He went up into the upper chamber, and came down again, and said, ’I am sure that the son of Rabban Gamaliel is freed from his disease.’ The same hour he asked for food."