Luke 8:35 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid.

NIV: and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.

NASB: And the people came out to see what had happened; and they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting down at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they became frightened.

CSB: Then people went out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and found the man the demons had departed from, sitting at Jesus’s feet, dressed and in his right mind. And they were afraid.

NLT: People rushed out to see what had happened. A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been freed from the demons. He was sitting at Jesus’ feet, fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid.

KJV: Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.

NKJV: Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid.

Pig herders have just watched about two thousand pigs (Mark 5:13) spontaneously charge down a hill and rush into the Sea of Galilee where they drown (Luke 8:33). Astonished—and probably afraid that they will have to pay for the pigs—the herders spread the word in the nearby city and the surrounding countryside (Luke 8:34). According to Matthew, the herdsmen "told everything, especially what had happened to the demon-possessed men" (Matthew 8:33). The entire city as well as the district come out to see the spectacle (Matthew 8:34; Luke 8:37). When they arrive, they find that the local madman is completely restored.

The people know this man very well. They had repeatedly bound his hands and feet and kept him under guard, possibly in the city (Luke 8:29). They've also seen him break the ropes fastened to his feet, as well as the handcuffs on his wrists, and flee to the tombs (Luke 8:27). There, he tends to strip off his clothing, cry out, and gash his flesh with stones (Mark 5:5). The sudden transformation terrifies them.

The disciples don't necessarily know the man's history, but they have seen additional changes. When they arrived, the man had charged Jesus, crying out, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me" (Luke 8:28; cf. Mark 5:6–7). Now, the man calmly sits at Jesus' feet, so at peace that he begs Jesus to take him along (Luke 8:38).

The Gospels describe several people as sitting at Jesus' feet—the position of a student before his rabbi—including a sinful woman (Luke 7:38), a woman who chooses to learn rather than engage in the customs of hospitality (Luke 10:39), and a Samaritan (Luke 17:16). In that era, this was an unthinkably unusual group for a Jewish rabbi.

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.