Luke 8,26-36
Jesus Heals a Man with a Demon
26 Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee.
27 When Jesus had stepped out onto the land, He was met by a man from the city who was possessed by demons. For a long time, he had worn no clothes and had not lived in a house, but among the tombs.
28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell before Him, and said in a loud voice, “What have You to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me.”
29 For Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. Many times the spirit had seized him; though he was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the wilderness.
30 Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “Legion,” because many demons had entered him.
31 They begged Jesus not to command them to go into the abyss.
32 A large herd of pigs was feeding on the hillside, and the demons begged Him to let them enter the pigs. He gave them permission.
33 The demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.
34 When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they ran off and reported it in the city and countryside.
35 The people went out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at Jesus’ feet, clothed and in his right mind—and they were afraid.
36 Those who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed.
37 Then all the people of the surrounding region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. So He got into the boat and left.
38 The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with Him, but Jesus sent him away, saying,
39 “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” So the man went away and proclaimed throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.
Introduction
Hello everyone, I am Kiki. The Chinese name of our second phase of the program is 读经大讲堂, and the English name is Bible Study.
We will use a relaxed and enjoyable learning approach to take you into a new world of learning. Each time, I will give a personal summary and analysis from a learner’s perspective, and then Sister Ingrid will help me with deeper study and discussion with everyone.
I hope this interesting and interactive process will bring new knowledge and experience to you all. The following is my interview with Sister Ingrid on related issues. Today is the twentieth lecture on the Gospel of Luke. Everyone is welcome to leave a comment for discussion!
2. My Summary of the Twentieth Bible Study on Luke
Jesus and His disciples sailed across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. As soon as He stepped onto land, a man possessed by many demons ran to meet Him.
This man lived among tombs, wore no clothes, and broke every chain that tried to hold him. When he saw Jesus, he shouted, “Son of the Most High God, please don’t torture me!”
Jesus asked the man his name, and he replied, “Legion,” because many demons lived inside him. The demons begged Jesus not to send them into the abyss, but instead into a herd of pigs grazing nearby. Jesus agreed, and the demons left the man and entered the pigs. The herd immediately rushed down a steep bank into the lake and drowned.
The herdsmen ran into town to report what had happened. People came out and found the man sitting calmly with Jesus, clothed and in his right mind—they were afraid. After hearing the story, they begged Jesus to leave their region.
Before returning to the boat, the healed man asked to follow Jesus. Instead, Jesus told him to go home and tell everyone how much God had done for him. The man obeyed and proclaimed the power and kindness of Jesus throughout the whole region.
Now, Sister Ingrid will give a further summary.
3. Sister Ingrid’s Comment
When we read this story, we must focus on what kind of people the inhabitants of Gerasa were. They raised pigs, even though pigs were considered unclean animals according to God’s law. They showed disrespect to God by doing what they pleased.
Even though the disciples had traveled by boat with Jesus to this area, it appears that Jesus went alone to meet the man. Perhaps the disciples were afraid of going to such a strange and dangerous place.
When the man was healed and the pigs drowned, the people seemed more concerned about losing their pigs than rejoicing that one of their own had been restored.
At the end of the story, Jesus told the man to stay and be a witness to the greatness and goodness of the Lord.
When we are surrounded by hard-hearted people who don’t want to hear about God, it may be that God asks us to remain there as a living testimony of His kingdom.
In the end, the people of that region continued to live without respect for God. On Judgment Day, they will have no excuse, for they had seen the power of the Lord with their own eyes.
4. Question & Answer Section (Based on the Twentieth Lesson in Luke)
1. Why did the demon-possessed man live among the tombs and wear no clothes?
Because he was possessed by many demons, which drove him to live in isolation among the tombs.
2. What name did the man give when Jesus asked, and why?
The demons answered, “Legion,” a term used for a Roman army unit, to indicate that many demons possessed him.
3. Why did the demons beg Jesus not to send them into the abyss?
The abyss (Tartarus) is a place where the worst demons are imprisoned. When Jesus establishes His thousand-year reign on earth, Satan will also be confined there before being thrown into the lake of fire.
4. What happened to the pigs when the demons entered them?
They rushed into the water and drowned.
5. How did the townspeople react when they saw the healed man?
They were shocked and afraid.
6. Why did the people ask Jesus to leave their region?
They valued sinful and impure things, such as raising pigs in defiance of God’s law, and they wanted nothing to do with Jesus.
7. What did Jesus tell the healed man to do?
To go home and tell others what the Lord had done for him.
8. How did the healed man obey Jesus?
Although he wanted to follow Jesus and leave the wicked place, he stayed and gave testimony about the greatness of the Lord.
9. What does this story teach us about Jesus’ authority over evil?
Jesus has complete authority over evil. We can call on Him for help and to reveal the cause of spiritual problems.
10. Have you seen someone radically transformed?
Yes—my own life. When I chose to walk fully with Jesus, leaving behind worldly compromises, I was transformed. Reading the Bible became a joy instead of a burden.
I used to smoke, and though I tried to quit many times—once for 3 months, another time for 11 months—I always returned to cigarettes. But when I gave the burden to Jesus, He set me free. One day, I felt strongly that my current pack would be my last. I finished it and never bought another.
My sister Kiki has also grown steadfast in Christ through our podcast sessions, and I am thankful we can serve together in this work.
