“The Just Shall Live By Faith”

New King James Version                          Written by: David Hicks

 

Romans 1:17 “ For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."

Galatians 3:11 “But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for "the just shall live by faith."

Hebrews 10:38 “Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him."

“Articles of Faith"

An Orderly Account Of The Greatest Story Ever Told

(A Study in Luke)

Chapter 8:26-39:

This chapter finds the Lord extremely busy about His Fathers work and confirming His identity and words with signs and wonders. We begin this lesson with Jesus healing a demon possessed man. We have discussed the issue of demon possession in a previous lesson; however, here is an excerpt from that lesson to remind us concerning this issue:

“The idea of demonic possession is a difficult subject for many to understand. The King James version uses the phrase “demon possessed”, which comes from the Greek word, ‘ daimonizomai ' or ‘ daimonion ', and are so closely related that they are very seldom rendered any other way. There are many that try to explain these possessions away as mere physical disorders; however, the New Testament as well as the Lord recognized these demons residing in these individuals (even though recognition of these demons usually took place by the presence of illness and mental dementia or disorder).

The presence of this phenomenon can be attributed to a specific need. The need existed in both the Lord and His chosen Apostles to demonstrate that they had power in both heaven and earth. This power over the forces of the great adversary and his servants was proof that Jesus was the Son of God and that His chosen represented that power. In addition, it stood as testimony that the word which they delivered was from God.

As the word was delivered and the testimony of the signs and wonders that followed it made it more sure (II Peter 1:16-21), the need for such events as these dissipated and further mention in the letters dated later in the 1st century show no mention of such events or their need (except by way of reminder, calling on earlier events – John 20:30-31).

The need for such events as these and the other miracles performed by Jesus and His chosen no longer exists; for we have the word once delivered and testified to by the eye witnesses to the mighty events that verify the power behind that word (II Timothy 4:1-5; I Peter 1:22-25; I John 1:1-4; Jude 3).”

With this understanding, let us move into our study!

Text#1:

Luke 8:26-31 “Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee . 27 And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time. And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs. 28 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!” 29 For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.
30 Jesus asked him, saying, “What is your name?”
And he said, “Legion,” because many demons had entered him. 31 And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.”

Also found in: Matthew 8:28-9:1; Mark 5:1-20.

Gadarenes: Also known as Gergesa; this area lies directly across the lake from Magdala. The entire area is called the country of the Gadarenes. When the Lord came across the lake from Capernaum , He landed at the SE corner where the steep bank descends from the eastern highlands into the Jordan Valley .

In the cliffs around this area, tombs have been excavated out of the limestone (some as large as twenty feet square). These tombs are still in existence today!

What Have I to Do With You: As the Lord stepped onto dry land, he was met by a demon possessed man. Matthew's account describes that there are two demon possessed men, while Mark and Luke's account focus on the single demon that seems the fiercest.

When this possessed man had seen the Lord, he fell down and cried out acknowledging Him as the “Son of the Most High God”.

As in many instances prior to this, these demons had made the same recognition that Jesus was the Son of God. It was not an issue of their claims being incorrect that would cause the Lord to rebuke them and cast them out (4:31-37; 40-41; 6:18; vs. 29); but that they have come from nefarious sources (those which the Lord does not want to be associated with). Instead He demonstrated His complete power over these evil sources to the point that they feared Him. James in His letter to Christians would use this fact to show Christians that it is not enough to just believe that Jesus was the Son of God (as these demons believed but feared instead of obeyed); but that we must be obedient to what we believe to achieve a soul saving faith, note:

James 2:19-20 “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?”

Legion: Jesus would ask the demon his name. The response was a name that in New Testament times simply meant a vast number. This is further defined by Luke by this man having many demons within him.

Abyss: The demon's fear is that the Lord will banish them to the place where they had, at least for a time, escaped. The term abyss can also be translated as, ‘bottomless pit'. This term is used to describe the place that has been reserved for the devil and his servants, note:

Matthew 25:41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels”

Romans 10:7 “or, “‘Who will descend into the abyss?'” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).”

2 Peter 2:4 “For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment;”

Jude 6 “And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day;”

There are many who dwell on these places as described in scripture, trying to know more about them than God has revealed (to assume more than delivered). Instead, we need to recognize that it is a place these demons wanted nothing to do with (thus the revealed description has accomplished the necessary point). Likewise, it has been noted that those who reject Jesus as the Christ and His Gospel of salvation, have this same place to consider as their future. This should be the focus, instead of trying to know more about it than has been revealed.

Text #2:

Luke 8:32-39 "Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain. So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them. And He permitted them. 33 Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned.
34 When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. 35 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. 36 They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed. 37 Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. And He got into the boat and returned.
38 Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you.” And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.

Note: After the Lord had uniquely sent the demons back to the pit, the ones responsible for the now dead swine, have run back into town to report the events. When the people of the city came out and found the demon possessed man like a frightened child, who when newly awakened clings to his parents. Great fear came on the town folk, when the witnesses told the means for this man's restoration and they asked the Lord to depart. There may have also been the natural fear of additional loss of property as a concern of these folks.

God Has Done For You: As the man requested to go with Jesus, the Lord instructed instead that he go and tell the others what God had done for him. First, to make sure the town folk understood the power behind the signs that had been told them. Secondly, to confirm to everyone that Jesus was the representative of the power of God among them. This is emphasized by the healed man proclaiming what great things Jesus had done for him.

Next: “Jesus Returns to Capernaum”