Luke 8:28 - Printer Friendly

ESV: When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him and said with a loud voice, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me."

NIV: When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!"

NASB: And seeing Jesus, he cried out and fell down before Him, and said with a loud voice, 'What business do You have with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!'

CSB: When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before him, and said in a loud voice, "What do you have to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torment me!"

NLT: As soon as he saw Jesus, he shrieked and fell down in front of him. Then he screamed, 'Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Please, I beg you, don’t torture me!'

KJV: When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not.

NKJV: When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!”

Throughout Jesus' ministry, demons are drawn to Him and compelled to identify Him (Mark 1:23–24, 34; Luke 4:41). It's unclear why. They recognize Jesus as God with absolute authority over them. We would think they would run from Jesus, but they don't. In this case, they run toward Jesus (Mark 5:6) and fall at His feet in a sign of submission, then beg for mercy.

Luke records the demons saying, "do not torment me." Luke goes on to say, "And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss" (Luke 8:31). Matthew records them saying, "Have you come here to torment us before the time?" (Matthew 8:29). Scripture seems to indicate that some demons who committed particularly egregious sins are locked into the "abyss." They will be released during the tribulation to torment the people (Revelation 9:1–3, 11; 11:7). These may be the same that Peter describes, saying, "…God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment…" (2 Peter 2:4). Many think these are the demons who took human women and had children with them (Genesis 6:1–4). In the end times, all demons will be sent to the lake of fire (Matthew 25:41). Whether they are talking about the abyss or the lake of fire, these demons do not want to be sent away any earlier than necessary.

Ironically, the demons call Jesus the "Son of the Most High God," inadvertently answering the question the disciples asked after Jesus calmed the storm: "Who then is this?" (Luke 8:25). The Most High God is far above idols, false-gods, and demonic forces. Jesus is His Son, "the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature" (Hebrews 1:3).

Luke 8:26–39 records a man's rescue from a legion of demons. This comes just as Jesus has saved the disciples from chaos and nature. The rescued man believes, having seen the light and heard the message (Luke 8:15–18). The townspeople don't listen and are filled with fear. When the once-chained man begs to stay with Jesus, Jesus instead commissions him to spread the good news he has heard and experienced, becoming the apostle to the entire district. Next, Jesus shows His power over sickness and death (Luke 8:40–56) before imbuing that power to His disciples (Luke 9:1–6). Mark also records Jesus' power over Legion while Matthew notes there were two possessed men (Matthew 8:28–34; Mark 5:1–20).

Luke 8 includes portions of three sections of Jesus' Galilean Ministry. The women who support Jesus' ministry bridge the faithful outcasts of chapter 7 to the sower who spreads the news of God's kingdom (Luke 8:1–3). Luke 8:4–18 includes the parables of the sower and the lamp under the jar. These illustrate the importance of hearing Jesus' message with a mind to believe and obey. Luke 8:19–56 presents different faith reactions when Jesus' life, power, and authority elicit questions about His identity.

This passage continues Luke's pattern in the account of Jesus' Galilean ministry: alternating calls to discipleship with stories that describe the discipleship He expects. In Luke 6:17, Jesus transitioned from calling and training the Twelve to a more general call; in Luke 7, Jesus interacted specifically with those with less privilege in society. Chapter 8 reveals how people react when Jesus reveals who He is, mostly through miracles. In Luke 9:18–50, Jesus returns to intense discipleship of the Twelve to give them courage and faith, preparing them for the journey to Jerusalem and what they will witness there.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.