22 And it came to pass on one of the days, that he entered into a ship, himself and his disciples; and he said to them, Let us pass over to the other side of the lake; and they set off from shore. 23 And as they sailed, he fell asleep; and a sudden squall of wind came down on the lake, and they were filled [with water], and were in danger; 24 and coming to [him] they woke him up, saying, Master, master, we perish. But he, rising up, rebuked the wind and the raging of the water; and they ceased, and there was a calm. 25 And he said to them, Where is your faith? And, being afraid, they were astonished, saying to one another, Who then is this, that he commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him?
26 And they arrived in the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee. 27 And as he got out [of the ship] on the land, a certain man out of the city met him, who had demons a long time, and put on no clothes, and did not abide in a house, but in the tombs. 28 But seeing Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus Son of the Most High God? I beseech thee torment me not. 29 For he had commanded the unclean spirit to go out from the man. For very often it had seized him; and he had been bound, kept with chains and fetters; and breaking the bonds he was driven by the demon into the deserts. 30 And Jesus asked him saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: for many demons had entered into him. 31 And they besought him that he would not command them to go away into the bottomless pit. 32 And there was there a herd of many swine feeding on the mountain, and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into those; and he suffered them. 33 And the demons, going out from the man, entered into the swine, and the herd rushed down the precipice into the lake, and were choked. 34 But they that fed [them], seeing what had happened, fled, and told [it] to the city and to the country. 35 And they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting, clothed and sensible, at the feet of Jesus. And they were afraid. 36 And they also who had seen it told them how the possessed man had been healed. 37 And all the multitude of the surrounding country of the Gadarenes asked him to depart from them, for they were possessed with great fear; and he, entering into the ship, returned. 38 But the man out of whom the demons had gone besought him that he might be with him. But he sent him away, saying, 39 Return to thine house and relate how great things God has done for thee. And he went away through the whole city, publishing how great things Jesus had done for him.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Luke 8:22-39
Commentary on Luke 8:22-40
(Read Luke 8:22-40)
Those that put to sea in a calm, even at Christ's word, must yet prepare for a storm, and for great peril in that storm. There is no relief for souls under a sense of guilt, and fear of wrath, but to go to Christ, and call him Master, and say, I am undone, if thou dost not help me. When our dangers are over, it becomes us to take to ourselves the shame of our own fears, and to give Christ the glory of our deliverance. We may learn much out of this history concerning the world of infernal, malignant spirits, which though not working now exactly in the same way as then, yet all must at all times carefully guard against. And these malignant spirits are very numerous. They have enmity to man and all his comforts. Those under Christ's government are sweetly led with the bands of love; those under the devil's government are furiously driven. Oh what a comfort it is to the believer, that all the powers of darkness are under the control of the Lord Jesus! It is a miracle of mercy, if those whom Satan possesses, are not brought to destruction and eternal ruin. Christ will not stay with those who slight him; perhaps he may no more return to them, while others are waiting for him, and glad to receive him.