Luke 8:29Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

It is indicative of the enemy's arrogance that he would challenge, “What do I have in common with you, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?” He acknowledges that He is indeed the Son of the Most High, recognizing Him as the Creator and Sovereign of heaven and earth and all that exists within it; yet, how can he presume to claim dominion over what rightfully belongs to Him, assuming for himself a glory that is not his? He demands worship, all the while asserting that He can have no connection with the One whom he has, by his actions, effectively sought to displace from the glory that is rightfully His. All humanity belongs to Him, yet you have wickedly led them astray, drawing them away from the true Lord and Creator, and into the depths of sin, turning them into your own worshippers; and still you dare to say, “What do I have to do with you?” What ruler would permit those under his authority to suffer at the hands of invaders? What shepherd would remain apathetic and uninvolved while wild animals ravage his flock? Even if against your better judgment, acknowledge your identity and the One before whom you stand. Utter words that reflect your position: “I beseech you, do not torment me.” “For He commanded the spirit to depart from the man.” Consider the unparalleled greatness of Christ, who transcends all things. With unmatched power and supreme authority, He vanquishes Satan merely by His will. He does not even permit the adversary to resist His commands with so much as a gaze. For him, there is only fire and combustion—this was the intent of Christ: as the blessed psalmist expressed, “the hills melted like wax in the presence of the Lord.” In another passage, it is said, “Touch the hills, and they smoke.” The psalmist likens the proud and lofty forces of evil to mountains that, when touched by divine fury, dissolve like wax before the might of our Savior. Moreover, they emit smoke, a precursor to the flames that await unclean spirits.

They may lack foresight into the future, yet they recall the prophecies. Zechariah foretells, "And it will be in that day, the Lord will destroy the names of idols from the earth, and they will no longer be mentioned ... And I will burn out the unclean spirit from the earth" (Zechariah 13:2). From these words, we perceive that demons will not endure indefinitely, nor will their malevolence persist eternally. In terror of their fate, they declare, "You have come to destroy us" (Mark 1:24; Matthew 8:29). Nonetheless, desiring to remain on earth and driven away from humanity, whom they know will be judged, the demons request permission to inhabit the swine.

What sort of swine are these? Are they not those to whom it is said, "Do not give holy things to dogs, and do not cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet" (Matthew 7:6)? These represent those who, like unclean creatures devoid of speech and reason, tarnish the inherent beauty of virtues through their vile actions. They plunge into the abyss, unconcerned about the consequences. As if sliding down a steep decline into depravity, they are overwhelmed by life's currents and perish as if suffocated. The one who hesitates to navigate the tumultuous waters of indulgence cannot inhale the Spirit of life.

Thus, we observe that individuals inflict torment upon themselves. If some did not live like swine, the adversary would hold no power over them, or if he did, he would not destroy them but merely test them. Perhaps, following the Lord's coming, the devil can no longer tempt the righteous and instead seeks only to bring ruin to the frivolous, just as a thief targets the unarmed rather than the fortified and harasses the vulnerable, knowing that the strong would disregard and condemn him.

However, someone might question: why does God permit the devil to act? I would respond that this is for the righteous to be tested and the wicked to face their consequences; such is the result of sin. Scripture reveals that the Lord sends illness, trembling, evil spirits, blindness, and various scourges upon the sins of the unrighteous. Now, let us return to our discussion.

They acknowledged Jesus as the Son of the Most High God, perhaps hoping that this acknowledgment could sway the Lord's will through a form of flattery. However, the Lord permitted this declaration for the benefit of those aboard the ship. Witnessing the astonishing works He performed on the sea, they were filled with wonder, asking one another, “Who is this, that the winds and the sea obey Him?” They realized He was indeed the Son of the Most High God. Even the devil inadvertently fulfills the purposes of God, not through good intentions but rather as part of a larger divine plan. Thus, some esteemed saints have observed that evil can advance the good, not through any goodwill.

Similarly, Luke recounts the event, noting that when the man saw Jesus, he cried out, knelt before Him, and said loudly, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beseech You, do not torment me!" In this account, Luke clarifies that Jesus ordered the unclean spirit to depart from him.

Acknowledging the veracity of all three Gospel accounts, we can construct a possible sequence of events. When the demon-possessed men caught sight of Jesus from a distance, they cried out, affirming who He was and questioning His presence. Then, one of the demon-possessed men, who could not be restrained, ran toward Jesus, fell at His feet, and worshipped Him. Jesus commanded, "Come out, unclean spirit, from this man." Instead of expressing gratitude, the afflicted man shouted in response, "What do You want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!"

With the sequence of events established, we must ask whether the actions and words of the demon-possessed man can be attributed entirely to him as a self-directed individual. This wild man, who had long retreated to desolate coastal rocks, lived in caves, and lacked community with others, surely would have had no knowledge of Christ's identity or His coming. Yet, upon seeing Jesus, he acknowledges Him by name, questions Him reproachfully, runs to Him, falls to his knees, and appears to seek deliverance from some dread. When Jesus commands the unclean spirit to exit, the man does not thank Him but instead desperately claims, "What do You care about me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!"

This contradictory behavior suggests a conflict within him; he approaches Jesus in reverence, performing the actions typical of one seeking salvation from great distress or an adversarial force, yet his spoken words convey sentiments at odds with this reverence. It becomes evident that he is not speaking for himself; his speech unwittingly reflects the will, fears, and desires of another—specifically, the malevolent force that had afflicted him with torment. The indication that this man was indeed possessed by evil spirits is underscored by Jesus’ command for the unclean spirit to exit him.

For those who doubt the existence of such spirits, it would be beneficial to ponder the inconsistency between the demon-possessed man’s words and actions, along with the true intentions he ought to have expressed to Jesus. Upon reflection, they may recognize that another voice articulated through the lips of the afflicted man. The inevitable question arises: Who was this other voice? What other answer could they attribute to this inquiry other than that provided in the Gospel?

The oppressive and savage conditions of such shelters, filled with fears and torments, offered no respite to the tormented souls, particularly one who seemed entirely beyond reach. Though they attempted to restrain him, in his violent outbursts, he manifested a strength beyond the ordinary, often breaking free from any bindings. Abandoned to the desolation of the wild ravines, he filled the day and night with his anguished cries as he roamed, posing a danger to both himself and others as he struck the stone. The other man, though less overtly afflicted, still struggled against the overwhelming demonic influence that overshadowed his humanity. They bravely approached Jesus, sensing in Him the presence of the Savior and Redeemer from the darkness that had ensnared them, and they fell prostrate before Him in worship. Then, through the unclean spirits, they cried out in terror, pleading with the Savior not to torment them before their appointed time.

When Jesus commanded the unclean spirit to leave the man, He inquired, “What is your name?” The man, clouded in darkness, was stripped of his identity, and the unclean spirit responded on his behalf, declaring “Legion,” akin to a Roman army unit of about 6,000 soldiers, comprising both infantry and cavalry. The evil spirits begged Jesus not to banish them from that region or cast them into the abyss. Nearby, on a mountainside, there was a considerable herd of pigs, likely owned by the Gentiles who populated the eastern shore of Lake Gennesaret. They entreated Christ, “If You drive us out, grant us permission to enter into the herd of swine.” The Lord, in response, granted them permission, saying, “Go.” As St. John Chrysostom observes, He complied with the demons not out of persuasion but for distinct reasons: to demonstrate His divine power to the residents of that area and to make evident the malevolence of the demons from which He liberated those they possessed—showing that even swine could not be harmed without the will of the Almighty. The unclean spirits exited the man and entered the pigs, causing the entire herd of nearly two thousand to rush down a steep bank into the lake, drowning in the waters.