Matthew (Written)

Thursday, 27 March 2025

So the demons begged Him, saying, “If You cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of swine.” Matthew 8:31

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“And the demons, they invoked Him, saying, ‘If You eject us, You permit us to go into the sounder, the pigs’” (CG).

The previous verse noted the sounder of pigs that was feeding in the distance. Now, Matthew continues with, “And the demons, they invoked Him.”

The words are straightforward and continue the same understanding previously displayed, which is that Jesus has total authority over them. It is the same word, parakaleó, used already three times in Matthew which has been translated twice as comforted. In Matthew 8:5 and here, it is active rather than passive. Therefore, it signifies to invoke.

They are looking for a type of comfort by invoking Jesus to withhold His hand of judgment until the set time. In this state of begging Him, they were “saying, ‘If You eject us, You permit us to go into the sounder, the pigs.’”

In Mark’s account, it says Jesus was invoked to not send them out of the country. In Luke’s account, it says Jesus was invoked to not send them into the abyss. Each account is focusing on what the writer thought was the key point for his gospel. There is no contradiction then.

Rather, the conversation may have been something like this:

Jesus: “What is your name?”
Demon guy: “Legion.”
Legion: “Please don’t send us out of the country.”
Jesus: “Eventually you will have to go.”
Legion: “Yes, but please don’t send us to the abyss. It isn’t the set time.”
Jesus: “You must leave this man.”
Legion: “We accept that. Instead of sending us to the abyss, please permit us to go into the sounder of pigs.”

Of course, this is speculation, but a simple example like this shows how each of the gospel narratives could be true at the same time. Matthew, being a Jew, focused on the unclean pigs. Mark, being told the matter from Peter, focused on the demons not wanting to be removed from the surrounding country. But with Jesus there, how could they continue in the country? Luke, being a Gentile doctor, focused on the final destination for their condition, the abyss.

Matthew, above all else, knew pigs were unclean and remembered that these demons would accept being in unclean animals. This would have had all the more impact on him after the law was fulfilled and annulled. He would then come to understand how the Holy Spirit could even descend on unclean Gentiles.

We are being schooled in the workings of God in Christ, and how He is able to make something clean out of something unclean and how He can bring near those who were far away.

Life application: The words of Matthew are perfectly in line with the words in Mark and Luke. What seems contradictory at first fits harmoniously with what could be when thought through. John, as he completed his gospel, said –

“And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen” (John 21:25).

As this is so, John is giving a reason for the brevity of the gospels. Matthew could have meticulously recorded every single word of every conversation that occurred in the presence of the Lord. And Matthew’s gospel would go on and on. It would be a giant, cumbersome, and difficult book to get through.

This would be the case with each gospel. But then each gospel would be identical to the other and they would be superfluous. However, each is an acceptable length to allow an understanding of what God in Christ has done so that we can then accept, by faith, that they are sufficiently presented in order to harmoniously weave together with the other gospels without being burdensomely long.

The things that were not necessary to know have been omitted entirely from the four gospels, such as conversations around the dinner table with Lazarus, Martha, and Mary.

Though such accounts may be interesting, they have no bearing on Jesus’ work and fulfillment of the law. Hence, they are not included in the word. What we have is fully sufficient to allow us, by faith, to accept what God has done in the stream of redemptive history. Therefore, let us have faith and believe.

Lord God, may we be people of faith by accepting Your word for what it is, a reliable and accurate account of what You have done in and through Jesus to restore us to Yourself. Thank You for this precious word that tells us of our wonderful Savior, Jesus! Amen.

Wednesday, 26 March 2025

Now a good way off from them there was a herd of many swine feeding. Matthew 8:30

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“And it is, far from them, a sounder of many pigs feeding” (CG).

In the previous verse, the demon-possessed men called out to Jesus, acknowledging Him as the Son of God and asking if He had come before the set torment time. Matthew now continues with, “And it is, far from them.”

Here is a new word, makran. It signifies a distance, meaning something far away. Paul uses it in Ephesians 2 when speaking of Gentiles once being far off from God but who are now brought near to Him through Christ.

Returning to the words of Matthew, he next says what was far off, a sounder.” This is another new word, agelé. It signifies a drove, as in a herd or flock. The appropriate name for a herd of pigs in English is a sounder. Matthew specifically tells us it is pigs with the next words. It is a herd “of many pigs feeding.”

A third new word is introduced, boskó. The word signifies to pasture. By extension, it includes foddering, grazing (when used reflexively), feeding, keeping, etc. The number of them, according to Mark’s narrative, was about two thousand swine.

As for there being swine there, nothing is said of who owned them. The dietary restrictions of the law forbade the Jews from eating pigs, but nothing is said about owning them. Jews owned horses and donkeys, animals that could not be eaten. People single out the pig as if it couldn’t be touched, something completely false.

If Jews owned them, they could hire foreigners to take care of processing them for selling to the Romans. Or these pigs could have been owned by Gentiles. It is unreasonable to somehow equate the fact that there are lots of pigs to some type of violation of the law. If that were the case, then owning horses would be exactly the same type of violation.

Life application: To this day, the pig is singled out as almost an unspeakable animal by many, even by Christians. The thought of touching one sends terror shivers down the backs of people as if they will get some type of supercharged penalty at the judgment for doing so.

So ridiculous is this that having pictures of them is offensive to some. Muslims have this same attitude. But many Jews or legalistic Christians, who wouldn’t think of having a pig around, own dogs. The Bible is replete with Jews riding horses and donkeys. In fact, the greatest Jew of all is said to have ridden a donkey –

“Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written:
¹⁵ ‘Fear not, daughter of Zion;
Behold, your King is coming,
Sitting on a donkey’s colt.’” John 12:14,15

How can it be that people don’t understand what God is telling us in Scripture? This is so much the case that even normal Christian commentators make wholly erroneous statements about events like this one recorded in Matthew.

Meyer’s NT Commentary says, “Seeing the Jews were forbidden (Lightfoot) to keep swine, as being unclean animals, the herd must either have been the property of Gentile owners, or been the subject of Jewish trade.”

Benson says, “a herd of many swine — Which it was not lawful for the Jews to keep much less to eat.”

Bengel says, “The owners of the swine were either heathens dwelling among the Jews, or Jews greedy of gain.”

There is no hint of such accusations in Scripture. Again, if keeping pigs was against the precepts of the law, it would be true with the horse, mule, and donkey as well.

Saying that the Jews who would do this were “greedy of gain” is preposterous. Rather, it would demonstrate their business acumen, just as if they were raising and selling donkeys.

Be careful about what you believe in commentaries. Once you have learned and accepted something, it is much harder to unlearn or admit you were wrong.

God was giving Israel information about what He would do in Christ when He gave the dietary restrictions to Israel. Now, with the law annulled in Christ, it is unthinkable that professing Christians continue to impose upon themselves precepts that they were never bound to in the first place.

Lord God, help us to carefully consider Your word, keeping it in context and not mishandling the precepts You have laid forth in it for us to learn by. Thank You for this word. It tells us about Jesus and what He has done to free us from bondage. Praise You, O God, for Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Tuesday, 25 March 2025

And suddenly they cried out, saying, “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?” Matthew 8:29

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen).

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“And, you behold! They croaked, saying, ‘What – us and You – Jesus, Son of God. You came here to us before torment time?’” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus had arrived on the opposite shore of the Sea of Galilee. Upon arrival, it mentioned that He had met two men possessed by demons who were very fierce. This was so much the case that nobody could pass by their way. However, Jesus is now near them, and the demons recognize Him. This begins to be seen in Matthew’s next words, which say, “And, you behold! They croaked.”

This is a new word, krazó. It is an onomatopoetic term for the raven’s cry. There are various sounds a raven is noted for, such as a kraaa, a croak, short repeated shrills, knocking sounds, squeaking, and swooshing of their wings. The easiest way to describe them is a croak. As for what they croaked out, they were “saying, ‘What – us and You – Jesus, Son of God.’”

It is a Hebrew form of speaking that is found in the Old Testament, such as in David’s words to some of his men –

“And says, the king, ‘What to me and to you, sons Zeruiah? If he will make light, and for Yehovah said to him, “Make light of David,” and who says, “Why done thus?”’” 1 Samuel 16:10 (CG).

The demons, therefore, are croaking out a desire to know why Jesus has come and what business He has with them. They seem surprised, but they also note that Jesus is the Son of God, thus acknowledging His deity and that He has every right to be wherever He wants at whatever time He desires.

So far in Matthew, Jesus has only been directly called the Son of God by the Traducer in Matthew 4:3 and 4:6. This is now the first time He is called this in front of others. However, chronologically, He was called this earlier, as recorded in John 1 by John the Baptist (John 1:34) and Nathanael (John 1:49).

In this same account, as recorded by Luke, Legion calls Him “Son of the Most High God” (Luke 8:28). As is clear, they understood Him to be God incarnate, not just a man who is called a son of God as occurs elsewhere in both testaments. This is all the more certain based on their next words which call out, “You came here to us before torment time?”

They use a new word, kairos, which signifies a particular time. Another common word for time in Greek is chronos, which is time that continues to move forward (think of a chronometer), whereas kairos speaks of a particular time such as a season, a set time, an opportune moment, etc.

The demons acknowledge that there is a torment time coming when the demons will be punished, and more, they understand that Jesus is the One who will mete out the punishment. This is not something a regular man will be in charge of. The words leave no doubt about their knowledge that Jesus is the incarnate Lord God.

Life application: Hebrews 2 says that God has not put the world to come in subjection to angels. Instead, He has given that authority to the Son. If Jesus were an angel (meaning a created being) then it would not be referring to Him. The same logic applies to evaluating this verse in Matthew.

God has given authority to the Son to punish both the fallen angels and the humans who fail to come to God through Him. This is seen in Matthew 25:41 –

“Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.’”

The demons (fallen angels) in Matthew 8 have a place prepared for them, along with the devil. As the judgment of all beings is not granted to angels (meaning created beings), then it logically follows that Jesus is not an angel. However, this is the doctrine of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. They claim that Jesus is the archangel Michael

It is true that the same word in both Hebrew and Greek, which is translated as “angel,” can simply mean a messenger, and this is what both John the Baptist and Jesus are called in Malachi 3:1. But context determines the meaning and the context is that the Messenger of Malachi 3:1 is the Lord, Yehovah.

Care needs to be taken when evaluating Scripture. Be certain to take all things you are taught with a grain of salt until you have verified them yourself. The deity of Jesus Christ is key to a right relationship with God. Any gospel message that is presented, and which denies this fundamental precept, it is a false gospel. Jesus is the Lord God.

Glorious God, thank You for sending Jesus to redeem us from sin. We know that You united with humanity in the Person of Jesus, and we hail You for what You have done. May we never deny the truth that Jesus is our Lord God! Amen.

Monday, 24 March 2025

When He had come to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way. Matthew 8:28

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“And He, having come into the beyond, into the country of the Gergesenes, two demon-possessings, they met Him, coming out from the tombs – exceedingly dangerous – so too, not anyone capacitate to pass through that way” (CG).

In the previous verse, the disciples marveled at the capability of Jesus to silence the storm, asking who He could be. Matthew next records, “And He, having come into the beyond.”

In other words, they had left Capernaum, sailed across the Sea of Galilee, and had then arrived on the other side, having gone “into the country of the Gergesenes.” Depending on what source text is used, or what book (Matthew, Mark, or Luke) is being evaluated, the area arrived at could be –

Gergesenes
Gadarenes
Gerasenes

Charles Ellicott notes the following: “Gadara was a city east of the Sea of Galilee, about sixteen miles from Tiberias. … Gerasa was a city in the Gilead district, twenty miles east of the Jordan, described sometimes as belonging to Cœle-Syria, sometimes to Arabia. … There was no city named Gergesa, but the name Gergesenes was probably connected with the older Girgashites, one of the Canaanite races that occupied the country before the invasion of Israel (Genesis 10:16; Genesis 15:21; Joshua 3:10; Joshua 24:11; et al.). Apparently, however, from the last passage referred to, they were on the western side of the Jordan. It is, on the whole, more likely that the reading was a mistake, than that the old tribe still remained with its old name; but it is possible that the name of Gerasa may represent an altered form of Girgashim.”

Both Matthew’s and Mark’s gospels say that the herd of pigs noted in the account rushed into the sea. Luke says they rushed into a lake (meaning the Sea of Galilee). Therefore, the location now must be on the shore of the sea, not some place 20 miles from the Jordan.

Despite this, Albert Barnes rightly states, “There is no contradiction, therefore, in the evangelists. He came into the region in which the two cities were situated, and one evangelist mentioned one, and the other another. It shows that the writers had not agreed to impose on the world; for if they had, they would have mentioned the same city; and it shows. also, they were familiar with the country. No men would have written in this manner but those who were acquainted with the facts. Impostors do not mention places or homes if they can avoid it.”

As for their arrival, Matthew next says, “two demon-possessings, they met Him.” Another seeming problem arises. Matthew says two but Mark and Luke only note a man in the singular. Again, there is no contradiction. This occurs elsewhere in the gospels where one person is noted here and two there.

If there are two, then there is one. Mark and Luke are giving specific focus to one of the men who they encountered. Of these two people possessed with demons, it next says they were “coming out from the tombs.”

Here is a new word, mnémeion. Specifically, it means a remembrance, as in a monument. As such, it then provides the thought of a tomb where one is laid and a remembrance is implied. These demon-possessed men were there, and they were “exceedingly dangerous.”

Another new word is found here, chalepos. It is found only one more time, in 2 Timothy 3:1, where it speaks of perilous or difficult times. It signifies that which is dangerous, but it can also be applied to the state of a person by saying he is fierce or furious. The context will decide the intent.

Of them, it next says, “so too, not anyone capacitate to pass through that way.” The men were so violent that people avoided the area lest they be harmed. In the gospel records of Mark and Luke, the one that they focus on explained that the demons in him were named Legion, signifying many demons possessed him.

His violence was so great that Luke records that “he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness” (Luke 8:29).

One can see that because of this, while Matthew focused on the fact that there were two of them, the other two narratives wanted to highlight this one man who was an especially terrible case.

Life application: With a little bit of mental effort, difficulties between the gospel narratives are seen to be not impossible contradictions. It is good to remember that these are eyewitness accounts. As such, people’s perspectives will naturally be different, and they will focus on different things.

Further, the fact is that when two accounts are exceedingly similar, those who want to dismiss the Bible will use that as an excuse, saying they were merely copied from one account to the next.

In other words, no matter what God has revealed in His word, there is always someone who is there to tear it apart and challenge it as if it is corrupt. The corruption can be found in their own mirror. They have failed to accept the written word of God for what it is.

Lord God, we pray for Your word to be held in the highest esteem among churches who proclaim You. When pastors, preachers, and teachers fail to uphold it for what it is, it can only damage the listeners who are waiting to be instructed by it. May we carefully and contemplatively consider it, and may we expect that from our spiritual leaders as well. Amen.

Sunday, 23 March 2025

So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” Matthew 8:27

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“And the men, they wondered, saying, ‘What kind, He is – this – that even the winds and the sea, they obey Him?’” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus reprimanded the winds and the sea. In doing so, a great calm came about. Now, Matthew continues with, “And the men, they wondered.”

The word translated as wonder has already been seen in verse 8:10 when Jesus wondered at the great faith of the centurion. Now, the word is applied to the attitude of the disciples toward Jesus. The word signifies a sense of admiration, but it must have been much more than that in the case of the disciples.

They surely admired His power to control the elements through His word, but that is something otherwise unheard of. Because of this, Matthew next notes that they were “saying, ‘What kind, He is – this?’”

A new word is introduced here, potapos. It is a word coming from pote, when or what kind, and pou, where or in what place. Together, they give the sense of “what possible sort?” Today, we might say, “What on earth?” or “Who on earth?”

It is a question looking at the broadest scope and conveying the idea of “Out of everywhere and every place, I can’t think of anything comparable!” This was because, as they next say, “that even the winds and the sea, they obey Him?”

Searching the sum of their lives’ memories and all of the cumulative things they had been taught or heard over the years of their lives, they were at a complete loss of knowing another instance of such an event taking place.

The only time such things ever occurred in all of their knowledge base would be the hand of the Lord effecting such an event as recorded in their Scriptures, such as –

“So they picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging. ¹⁶ Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice to the Lord and took vows.” Jonah 1:15, 16

The disciples would have known this story as well as the other miracles of the Lord, but this did not extend to the power of mere men. And so how could Jesus have effected such a wondrous miracle as He did?

Life application: It is again evident in the words of the apostles that they had no idea of the true nature of Jesus’ character. It is true that they would have considered Him the Messiah, but the Messiah was just a man who would be sent to deliver Israel!

How could He also be a man who could calm the raging seas? The disciples are being schooled on the nature of Jesus, and yet they continue to fail to understand who He truly is. This continues on today.

People read the word, and if they have been told that Jesus is not God, blinders remain firmly fixed over their eyes. It is as if the words their eyes alight on are soaked with water and have turned to blobs of ink, impossible to decipher.

It is proper to come to the Bible without presuppositions and to search out what it says by laying aside what we want the word to say or what we have been told it says. Until we have checked out what we have been told, let us be sure to let the Lord speak to us through His word.

By doing this, along with prayer for Him to reveal His word to us, we will be allowing Him to speak. This is how it is intended to be when we read His word.

Lord God, we pray for Your word to be revealed to us as You intend. Help us to put aside our presuppositions, biases, and desires concerning Your word and instead look for what You intend to convey through what You have spoken as is recorded there. May it be so, O God. Amen.