The Motley Crew Matthew Memorization Members
(Better known as the “Canned Drive Club!”)
December 2, 2009
The Questions
Read Matthew 8:28-34
1. What more do we learn about this event from the parallel passage in Luke 8:26-39?
2. What does this tell us about Scripture?
3. What did the demons know about Jesus that humans tend to miss?
4. Are you ready for that day?
5. Why would the whole town ask Jesus to leave?
6. What would you have done if they were your pigs?
Read Matthew 9:1-8
7. How did these men get the man who was paralyzed to Jesus? See Luke 5:17-26
8. Why was Matthew in such a hurry as he recorded these events?
9. Who had faith?
10. I wonder how the teachers of the law felt when Jesus told them their thoughts?
11. Wouldn't it be great if all our lives were filled in awe and praise of God?
The Motley Crew Matthew Memorization Members
(Better known as the “Canned Drive Club!”)
December 2, 2009
A Few Answers
Read Matthew 8:28-34
This is one of many passages that have parallel accounts in Mark and Luke. For the sake of comparison, all three are given.
Healing
of Demon Possessed Man (Or Men)
Matthew 8:28-34 (NIV) |
Mark 5:1-20 (NIV) |
Luke 8:26-39 (NIV) |
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28When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, 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?" |
1They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. 2When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil [Greek: unclean] spirit came from the tombs to meet him. 3This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain.4For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones. 6When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him.7He shouted at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won't torture me!" 8For Jesus had said to him, "Come out of this man, you evil spirit!" 9Then Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" "My name is Legion," he replied, "for we are many." 10And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area. |
26They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, which is across the lake from Galilee. 27When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs. 28When 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!" 29For Jesus had commanded the evil [Greek: unclean] spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places. 30Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" "Legion," he replied, because many demons had gone into him. 31And they begged him repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss. |
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30Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was feeding. 31The demons begged Jesus, "If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs." 32He 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. |
11A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. 12The demons begged Jesus, "Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them." 13He gave them permission, and the evil spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned. |
32A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into them, and he gave them permission. 33When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned. |
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33Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. 34Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region.
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14Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. 15When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 16Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. 17Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region. |
34When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, 35and 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. 36Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured. 37Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. So he got into the boat and left. |
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18As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. 19Jesus did not let him, but said, "Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you." 20So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis [the Ten Cities] how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed. |
38The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39"Return home and tell how much God has done for you." So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him. |
Concerning “Gadarenes,” in all three Gospels there is the note “Some manuscripts Gadarenes; other manuscripts Gergesenes.”
1. What more do we learn about this event from the parallel passage in Luke 8:26-39?
Only one of the demons was prominent and did the talking – the Gospel writers were human and even though they write by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they still have their individualism which is certainly reflected in the New Testament – further showing the Bible's authenticity.
What we learn from Luke:
The man was naked.
His name was Legion.
The man had been chained.
He started begging AFTER Jesus told him to come out.
The cured man sat at Jesus' feet dressed and also begged to go with Jesus. Jesus told him to go be a witness in his Jerusalem.
A legion, in the Roman army, amounted, at its full complement, to six thousand; but here the word is used, as such words with us, and even this one, for an indefinitely large number--large enough however to rush, as soon as permission was given, into two thousand swine and destroy them.” Jamieson, Faussett, Brown.
2. What does this tell us about Scripture?
Read it all – we will never know it all.
We can't have the fullness of knowledge, yet. But then we will know even as we are known.
God is the center, not man!
3. What did the demons know about Jesus that humans tend to miss?
He was the true Son of God! The demons seemed to always recognize this when Jesus came into their presence. And that a day is set for the final judgment. “Did you come to torture us ahead of time?”
In the previous chapter of Matthew, we see Jesus by the title of “Son of Man.”
“There was an appointed time in which demons would face their judgment, and they seem to have viewed Jesus’ arrival on the scene as an illegitimate change in God’s plan regarding the time when their sentence would be executed.” Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary. Also in John Gill's Exposition of the Bible.
Philippians 2:10-11 (New
International Version)
10
that
at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in
heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11
and
every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to
the glory of God the Father.
Pastor Eddie told the story of a pastor who during his Sunday sermon, asked the congregation to study Philippians, Chapter 5. The next Sunday, he asked, “And how many of you studied Chapter 5?” About half the congregation raised their hands. And the pastor continued, “And now I will continue with my sermon for the day, “The Sin of Lying.”
4. Are you ready for that day?
Whether it be today or at the end of the age there will be a time to stand before God and at that time Faith in His Son as our Saviour will be the only quality that is judged. Jerry Alldredge had a friend go to work for a few minutes on Thanksgiving Day telling his wife I'll be back before the pies are done. He had a heart attack and died before he got back home.
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:8-10.
There was a question about the word “demon.” The English word comes directly from the Greek, which is δάιμονίζομάί (Daimonizomai), that is, to be under the power of a demon.
There was a discussion of physical illness verses spiritual possession (not always distinguished in ancient times), and the necessity for a rite of exorcism.
5. Why would the whole town ask Jesus to leave?
They were more worried about their economic circumstance than about the souls of men being delivered from the chains of the devil.
Also, they were afraid, both because of what had just happened, and by what might happen next!
Are we more concerned about property or people?
6. What would you have done if they were your pigs?
Called my insurance agent and said, “You are not going to believe this one.” How many times in the church today do we worry more about the economic circumstances than we do about the souls of men being delivered from the chains of the devil? “From this O Lord deliver us.”
If the insurance agent doesn't believe me, I can get the whole town to back me up!
Read Matthew 9:1-8
Again, this is one of many passages that have parallel accounts in Mark and Luke. For the sake of comparison, all three are given.
Jesus
Heals a Paralytic
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Matthew 9:1-8 |
Mark 2:1-12 |
Luke 5:17-26 |
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1 Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. 2 Some men brought to him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven." |
1A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 2So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. 3Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. 4Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. 5When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven." |
17One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there. And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick. 18Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. 19When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. 20When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven." |
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3 At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, "This fellow is blaspheming!" 4 Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, "Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? 5 Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? 6 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...." Then he said to the paralytic, "Get up, take your mat and go home." 7 And the man got up and went home. 8 When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men. |
6Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7"Why does this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" 8Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, "Why are you thinking these things? 9Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, take your mat and walk'? 10But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . . ." He said to the paralytic, 11"I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." 12He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!" |
21The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, "Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?" 22Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, "Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? 23Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? 24But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...." He said to the paralyzed man, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." 25Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. 26Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, "We have seen remarkable things today." |
7. How did these men get the man who was paralyzed to Jesus? See Luke 5:17-26
They lowered him through another man's roof!
Time to make another call to the insurance agent!
8. Why was Matthew in such a hurry as he recorded these events?
If seems that Matthew had so much he wanted to write that he simply wanted to get to the main parts of the ministry of Jesus. Maybe he even knew the other writers were going to fill in some of the gaps.
Mention was made of other 1st century writings that might have existed concerning the ministry of Jesus.
9. Who had faith?
The paralytic might have – but Jesus only points out the faith of the men who brought him. In other words their faith in Jesus was strong enough to bring healing to their friend.
10. I wonder how the teachers of the law felt when Jesus told them their thoughts?
Uh oh.
A “deer in the headlights” look. Astonishment! Maybe a bit of fear, too.
11. Wouldn't it be great if all our lives were filled in awe and praise of God?
Then I have sure got to get me out of the way. Tough task.
That would be the Kingdom on Earth, as it is in Heaven.
We closed with prayer.
Final Greetings
Philippians, Chapter 4
21 Greet all the saints in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me send greetings.22 All the saints send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar's household.
23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.