Thank you for the observation and application question from Matthew 8:28–34, “When you read Matthew 8:28-34, what do you get from this section?”
The text says this: “When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes,[c] two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. 29 “What do you want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?” 30 Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was feeding. 31 The demons begged Jesus, “If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.” 32 He said to them, “Go!” So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water. 33 Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. 34 Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region.”
A. Here are some observations that I see from the text:
- The text states that there are demons in this world (vs. 28).
- The text states that the demons can possess a person (vs. 31).
- The text states that the demons can communicate through the person (vs. 29).
- The text states that the demons know their final destiny (vs. 29a, 31).
- The text states that the demons have extraordinary strength/power that exceeds normal human strength (vs. 28c).
- The text implies that the demons prefer to live in ungodly places (vs. 28b).
- The text states that the demons can be driven out of the person with who has the proper authority or position to do so (vs. 29a,
- The text states that demons can possess animals although they prefer humans (vs. 32a).
- The text states that the demons drove themselves through the pigs over the cliff, not that Jesus sent them over the cliff (vs. 31–32).
- The text doesn’t state what happened to the demons who ran over the cliff (vs. 32b).
- The text does not state what happened to the demon-possessed persons after the demons left them (vs. 34).
- The text states that the townspeople didn’t welcome Jesus but wanted him to leave their area (vs. 34).
B. Applications from this passage.
- Believers must be careful not to assert that all mental illness is demonic possession. Discernment is needed.
- Believers may be able to communicate with a demon if that demon wishes to reveal himself to that person.
- Believers must be aware that there can be more than one demon living within the person’s body.
- Believers may be able to exercised a demon/demons from a person by the authority and power of Jesus.
- Believers must be aware that demons are looking for a host to live in. Thus one must careful not to open oneself to the occult world.
SUMMARY: Confronting a demon possessed person is more an exception than the norm since the demon doesn’t want to be discovered.
-Kingston