Biblical commentary on the New Testament - The Christian ...

Matthew VIII. 29. 369
absorbed in it. To bring bim out, again, from tbis state, and recover
bim to a consciousness of bimself, Jesus, diverting bim from
tbe inventions of his fancy, inquired bis name, whicb must neces-
sarily bring bim to reflection on bimself. In tbe words of tbe
demoniac, ri i)i.iiv (moT) koI aoi. What have we (or I) to do with
thee ? (corresponds to ^Vi '^^ "*?' Josbua xxii. 24 ; 2 Sam. xvi. 10),
wbicb are bere intended to denote tbe consciousness of complete
distinction of nature, as well as in tbe invocation " Son of God,"
we bave a plain instance of tbe gift of clairvoyance common witb
persons of tbis kind. For altbougb tbe name is not bere used witb
any definite doctrinal idea, yet it denotes a boly character, in wbom
tbe better self, in its enlightened seasons, surmised a helper, but in
whom the hostile power, when it gained the predominance, saw the
judge. Just because of this character of the confession, tbe Saviour
often forhicls it— e. g., Mark i. 34 ; Luke iv. 41, ovk t^ie XaXeXv -a
dainovia, on {jdecaav avrov. (See also Acts x\d. 17.) Bebeving con-
fidence alone, and not knowledge associated with terror, makes tbe
confession of bis name desirable. That it was not forbidden in this
case, was on account of tbe state of tbe unhappy man, who had to
be treated witb great care. According to two of the Evangelists, this
confession was immediately followed by the petition, " do not torment
me." If Ave were to regard the man as the subject speaking, fear of
suffering, which he imagines coming upon bim from Jesus, would not
agree with bis previous approach to our Lord ; from which it must
be supposed that he expected good from bim. But if we suppose
that it is tbe demon speaking through the man, tbe singular does not
agree with the subsequent statement, that many evil spirits have
possession of bim. But that tbe latter view is tbe more con-ect, is
shewn by -rrpb Kaipov, before the time, Mattb. viii. 29. For this sug-
gests the idea, that a period of the victory of light is at band, in
which all the powers belonging to tbe kingdom of darkness shall be
consigned to the abyss {aiivaao^) (See note on Luke x. 18.) But
this idea, con-ect in itself, bears, in its connexion, as uttered by the
demoniac, tbe character of insanity. First, confounding bimself
with the hostile power that ruled in him, he utters in behalf of it a
prayer which stands in contradiction witb the inmost longing of bis
real self ; then again, in the conversation carried on, for the most
part, in the character of the powers of evil, there is blended much
derived from the habits of the sufferer as a man, particularly tbe
phrase, " I adjure thee by God" (Spd^u) oe rbv eeov) (Mark v. 7),
which, of course, suits only bis character as a man. But this very
confusion in the talk of tbe demoniac evinces tbe truth of the nar-
rative ; just as evil is in itself contradictory, so the discourse of tbe
unfortunate subject of evil bkewise appears self-contradictory.
As was hinted above, tbe Saviour would not dispel the power of
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