The Great Commentary of Cornelius a Lapide: S. Luke
3. Because unclean spirits delight in unclean things. Hence the devil is said to be worshipped by the witches in form of a he-goat. But from this entreaty S. Antony, according to S. Athanasius, infers the powerlessness of the devils. “ For how,” he says, “ can they who are fain to seek permission to enter into the herd of swine, have any real power over man, made in the image of God. Great, my , are our means of defence against the hosts of Satan : an honest and pure life, and unfeigned faith towards God. Believe me, Satan fears the prayers and fasting, the meekness and self-denial, the humility and contempt of vainglory, the compassion and self-command , and above all the heart purified by the love of Christ, of those who are living godly lives. For the old serpent, the worst enemy of man, knows that he lies under the feet of the righteous according to the word of the Lord which saith, ‘ Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy.’” S. Luke x. 19.
And He suffered them . Christ granted the request of the devils :
1. To show that He had power over the evil spirits, and that they without His leave could do no evil to swine, much less to men. Hence, as we have seen, S. Antony says that they are not to be feared.
2. To demonstrate the number, strength and malevolence of the devils, and to make manifest by their expulsion the greatness of His power and glory. S. Chrysostom, Theophylact, and Euthymius .
3. To refute the error of the Sadducees, who say that there is “neither angel nor spirit,” Acts xxiii. 8. Hilary. Rupert adds, That the Gadarenes were Jews, who kept swine contrary to the laws, and that the destruction of the herd was a punishment for their disobedience ; but this interpretation I have shown to be wrong.
Mystically . Christ did this to show men, who, after the manner of swine wallow in fleshly lusts and pleasures, that they in like manner are rushing into the abyss of hell, and also to teach us that we must account the loss of our earthly possessions as of small account compared with the destruction of the soul. For He permitted the devils to enter into the herd of swine in order to free the demoniac from their power; and to show how impure were the minds of the Gadarenes, and therefore how fitted they were to be possessed by devils ; and yet further to intimate that those who live after the manner of swine fall an easy prey to the power of Satan.
Ver. 33. — The herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake (the lake of Genesareth or sea of Galilee) and were choked. S. Jerome writes that the place where this happened was well known in his day. The Syriac gives this rendering, “ The whole herd hurried up the mountain, and thence rushed into the sea.”
Ver. 34. — When they that fed them saw what was done they fled (lest they also should perish. Titus), and went and told it in the city and in the country . To the owners, in order that they might demand redress from Christ, who had given the swine up to the power of the devils, and not blame those who were in charge of the herd for their loss.
Ver. 35. — Then they (the inhabitants of the city and country round about) went out to see what was done ; and came to Jesus . They first wished to ascertain the extent of their loss. Then they “came to Jesus,” to see the author of the mischief which had befallen them, and the man from whom the devils had been cast out. For their loss was so great that they were anxious to see whether there was any possibility of redress.
And found the man out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus , clothed, and in his right mind. It is very probable that the man, as soon as the devils were cast out, fell on his knees at the feet of Christ to give Him thanks, and that when bidden to sit down, in reverent humility he placed himself at Jesus’ feet.
And they were afraid. Lest Christ should punish them because of their anger and murmurings against Him, and perhaps give them up to the power of the devils.
Ver. 37. — Then the whole multitude (the whole city, S. Matt) of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought Him to depart from them. They did not make their request out of humility, because they considered themselves unworthy of the presence of Christ, as S. Jerome thinks, but out of distrust and fear, lest His continuing amongst them might cause them further loss. For they knew that Jesus was a Jew by nation, a holy man, and possessed of divine power, and that they were Gentiles of an alien race. They therefore feared lest He might inflict further punishment upon them because of their different religion and their past sins. They feared as did the widow of Sarepta, when she exclaimed, “ What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God ? Art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son ? ” 1 Kings xvii. 18.
Therefore not from any ill-will, but rather from a reverential awe, they besought Jesus to depart out of their coasts. For sinners, knowing that righteousness and sin cannot exist together, fear the presence of holy men, because of the zeal with which they seek the correction of sinners and the punishment of sin.
And He went up into the ship , and returned back again , from the country of the Gadarenes to Capernaum. S. Matt. ix. 1. For He would not force Himself or His ministration on those who were unwilling to receive them.
Ver. 38. — Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that He might be with Him . In gratitude for the mercy he had received, and in hope of further benefits.
But Jesus sent him away , saying,
Ver. 39. — Return to thy own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee, by means of Me, that therefore acknowledging Me to be the Messiah, and laying aside their bitter feeling because of the loss of their swine, they may believe and be saved.
And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city (in Decapolis, S. Mark. v. 20) how great things Jesus had done unto him. This city was in the neighbourhood of Gadara, and near it were the tombs in which the demoniac used to dwell. It is very probable that, besides Jews, some of its inhabitants were Gentiles and unbelievers ; to them, therefore, he would tell of his belief in Christ, in order to lead them to acknowledge the Son of God. S. Ambrose and S. Chrysostom.
Mystically . S. Gregory explains (Moral., lib. vi. cap. xvii.), that “ Christ here would teach us to prefer the contemplative to the active life.” For when our thoughts are once awakened to divine truths, we are unwilling to be taken up again with earthly concerns, and refuse to be burdened with our neighbours’ wants and necessities . We seek the quiet of contemplation, and long for nothing but that which without labour refreshes the mind. But truth bids us return home, and show what great things have been done unto us in order that the mind may be first exercised in working, and then refreshed by contemplation.