Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Matthew: Chapter 8].
situation here. Jesus is represented as treating the demons as
real existences separate from the human personality. Missionaries
in China today claim that they have seen demons cast out. The
devil knew Jesus clearly and it is not strange that Jesus was
recognized by the devil's agents. They know that there is nothing
in common between them and the Son of God (\h•min kai soi\,
ethical dative) and they fear torment "before the time" (\pro
kairou\). Usually \ta daimonia\ is the word in the New Testament
for demons, but in 8:31 we have \hoi daimones\ (the only
example in the N.T.). \Daimonion\ is a diminutive of \daim•n\. In
Homer \daim•n\ is used synonymously with \theos\ and \thea\.
Hesiod employed \daim•n\ of men of the golden age as tutelary
deities. Homer has the adjective \daimonios\ usually in an evil
sense. Empedocles considered the demons both bad and good. They
were thus used to relieve the gods and goddesses of much
rascality. Grote (_History of Greece_) notes that the Christians
were thus by pagan usage justified in calling idolatry the
worship of demons. See 1Co 10:20f.; 1Ti 4:1; Re 9:20; 16:13f.
In the Gospels demons are the same as unclean spirits (Mr
5:12,15; 3:22,30; Lu 4:33). The demons are disturbers (Vincent)
of the whole life of man (Mr 5:2f.; 7:25; Mt 12:45; Lu
13:11,16).
8:32 {Rushed down the steep} (\h•rm•sen kata tou kr•mnou\). Down
from the cliff (ablative case) into the sea. Constative aorist
tense. The influence of mind on matter is now understood better
than formerly, but we have the mastery of the mind of the Master
on the minds of the maniacs, the power of Christ over the demons,
over the herd of hogs. Difficulties in plenty exist for those who
see only folk-lore and legend, but plain enough if we take Jesus
to be really Lord and Saviour. The incidental destruction of the
hogs need not trouble us when we are so familiar with nature's
tragedies which we cannot comprehend.
8:34 {That he would depart} (\hop•s metab•i\). The whole city was
excited over the destruction of the hogs and begged Jesus to
leave, forgetful of the healing of the demoniacs in their concern
over the loss of property. They cared more for hogs than for
human souls, as often happens today.
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