The Great Commentary of Cornelius a Lapide: S. Luke
But in the tombs . 1. The Jews, as I have before said, had their burial places without their cities. Their tombs were large and lofty chambers as it were, so as to afford burial to many, and to be easy of access to the friends and relatives of the departed. This is clear from what we read of the sepulture of Christ, of Abraham, Sarah, and others.
This demoniac then was driven by the devils which possessed him to dwell among the tombs. For these reasons :
1. In order to excite him to greater ferocity, and that he might be the cause of greater fear to the passers-by.
Probably he was like what the French fable to be a “ loup-garou,” i.e. a man who after the manner of a wolf sallies forth by night and preys upon men and animals, while by day he hides himself in tombs and by hollows of the rocks. “ So that no man might pass by that way” (S. Matt viii. 28), because passers-by were attacked and wounded by him. The evil spirits were mostly wont to attack those of a melancholy disposition of mind, as the more easily driven into the madness of despair.
2. Because unclean spirits love to dwell in unclean places. Hence witches hold their sabbaths underneath the gallows.
3. Because the devils rejoice at the death of men, and triumph over the souls of them who are condemned to hell.
4. S. Chrysostom, Euthymius, and Theophylact add that he dwelt amongst the tombs, to persuade men that the souls of the dead are changed into devils, who abide in the sepulchres wherein their bodies are buried. Hence demoniacs from time to time have cried out, I am the soul of Peter, or of Paul, or of John.
Ver. 28. — When he saw Jesus , he cried out , and fell down before Him, S. Mark (chap. v. 6), adds, “ And when he saw Jesus afar off he ran and worshipped him,” i.e. bent the knee before Him. Because he felt the power of Christ’s presence, and was therefore compelled to draw nigh and worship Him, for fear lest, if he acknowledged not the Lord, he might receive greater punishment ; and again, Christ caused him to act thus in order that an opportunity might be afforded for his cure.
Son of God most high. It would seem that the devil, who in the temptation had not recognised Christ, now after so many miracles acknowledged Him to be the Messiah, the Son of God; yet, blinded by pride and hatred, he hesitated to believe that the Son of God had stooped to take upon Him our flesh, and thought it impossible that by His death upon the Cross the whole human race could be redeemed, because, as Aquinas remarks, in many ways God had hindered him from recognising the truth. See S. Mark
Torment me not. Do not cast me out and bind me for ever in hell. See S. Matt viii. 31.
Ver. 29. — For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. From this and similar passages it is clear that the devils are permitted by God to dwell on earth and tempt mankind.
Hence it is the custom of the Church to bury the bodies of the faithful in consecrated ground in order that they may rest therein free from the assaults of evil spirits, and may profit by the prayers of the living.
Ver. 30. — And Jesus asked him , i.e. one of the devils, saying, What is thy name ? For Christ willed that the evil spirit should declare his name, that from it the number of the devils, and thence the mightiness of the power which expelled them, might be known.
And he said , Legion. A legion was composed of 6000 men, and S. Ambrose thinks that this was the exact number of the devils; others, following the Scripture, take the word generally as meaning “many,” “because many devils were entered into him.”
S. Gregory of Nyssa adds, “ The devils, imitating the angelic host, call themselves Legion ; nay more, they would liken themselves to God Himself, who is called the Lord God of Sabaoth, i.e. the Lord of Hosts. For Satan is the counterfeit and mockery of God.”
Learn then how great must be the number and the malignity of the devils, that so many should possess one man. So we read in the life of S. Dominic, that very many devils were cast out of a man by his prayers and entreaties.
Therefore, since we are surrounded on all sides by so many spiritual foes, we must give ourselves continually to watching and prayer, in order to obtain the victory over them, as Antony, who was wont to say that all temptations could be overcome by the Cross of Christ, by calling on Him, and by praying in the spirit. Wherefore if any one determines to serve God perfectly, let him be well assured that he has arrayed against him, not one legion of devils only, but many, even Satan himself and all the dwellers in hell. Hence the Apostle (Eph. vi. 12), “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
Following the example of Christ, S. Hilarion is said to have healed a demoniac possessed by Legion. It is said that after he prayed to the Lord that He would release the afflicted man from his misery, there were heard various voices proceeding from the mouth of the demoniac, and as it were the clamour of much people. And straightway the demoniac was healed, and presented himself not long after with his wife and children at the monastery, bearing gifts in gratitude for his cure.
Ver. 31. — And they besought Him that He would not command them to go out into the deep. For although the devils, whilst they go to and fro on earth, are consumed by the fires of hell, yet it is some gratification to them that they are not shut up in prison, but are permitted to tempt men to sin, and make them sharers in their condemnation . For they hate God and envy men, because men are heirs of that kingdom from which they by pride fell. Emmanuel Sa very appropriately remarks, “ God has appointed a punishment suited to each sin. Hell for the lusts of the flesh; gnashing of teeth for ribald laughter ; thirst for self-indulgence and gluttony ; the worm for an evilly disposed heart ; darkness for ignorance and self-deceit ; the deep for pride, and therefore for the devil and his angels.”
Ver. 32. — And there was there an herd of many swine (about two thousand, S. Mark v. 11) feeding on the mountain (nigh unto the mountain, S. Mark, ibid.). But for what purpose were these swine, inasmuch as they were forbidden to the Jews by the law of Moses? Gadara, although a city of Judaea or rather of Galilee, had, according to Josephus, been assigned by Caesar for a dwelling-place to the Syrians and Gentiles ; who were not prohibited from keeping swine. And again, the Jews might have been feeding the swine, not for their own eating, but for other purposes : to sell them to the Gentiles for the use of the Roman soldiery, or in order to provide lard for the greasing of their chariot wheels.
And they besought Him that He would suffer them to enter into them. The devils made this request :
1. In order that, inasmuch as they were unable to injure men directly, they might injure them indirectly through their property or possessions.
2. That, as actually came to pass, they might stir up the ill-will of the inhabitants against Christ.