678 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And with many such parables,.... As those of the tares, of the leaven in three measures of meal, of the treasure hid in the field, the pearl of great price, the net cast into the sea, and of the Scribe instructed unto the kingdom of God; which though not related at length here, are by the Evangelist Matthew, in Matthew 13:24 together with others...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
But without a parable spake he not unto them,.... For the above reason, as well as for the accomplishment of Scripture; [See comments on Matthew 13:34], [See comments on Matthew 13:35]. And when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples: after they returned with him from the sea side, to the house in Capernaum, where he usually was...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the same day, when the even was come,.... After he had finished his parables among the multitude, and had explained them to his disciples: he saith unto them; his disciples, let us pass over unto the other side: that is, of the sea of Galilee, or lake of Gennesaret, to the country of the Gadarenes, and Gergesenes; with a view for retirement...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And when they had sent away the multitude,.... Who had been attending him all day on the sea shore; though they seem to have been dismissed by Christ, when he went into the house, and privately interpreted the parables to his disciples: see Matthew 13:36, wherefore it is possible, that upon Christ's going to the sea shore again, in order to take...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And there arose a great storm of wind,.... Called Laelaps, a wind that is suddenly whirled about upwards and downwards, and is said to be a storm, or tempest of wind with rain; it was a sort of a hurricane: and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was full; of water, and ready to sink. Beza says in one copy it read, βυθιζεσθαι, and so in one...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he was in the hinder part of the ship,.... That is, Christ was in the stern of the ship: the Persic version renders it, "he was in the bottom of the ship, in a corner", but very wrongly; here he was asleep on a pillow, which some say was a wooden one, framed at the stern: however, he was fast asleep on it, being greatly fatigued with the work...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he arose and rebuked the wind,.... He arose from off his pillow, and stood up; and in a majestic and authoritative way reproved the wind, as if it was a servant that had exceeded his commission; at which he shows some resentment: and said unto the sea, peace, be still; as if that which was very tumultuous and boisterous, and threatened with...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he said unto them,.... His disciples, why are ye so fearful? since he was with them in person, whose power to keep and preserve them, they had no room to question, when they reflected on the miracles they had so lately seen performed by him: how is it that ye have no faith? That is, in exercise: faith they had, but it was very small, and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And they feared exceedingly,.... That is, the men in the ship, the mariners to whom the ship belonged, and who had the management of it: and said to one another, as persons in the greatest amazement, what manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him? Surely this person must not be a mere man; he must be more than a man; he must...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And they came over unto the other side of the sea,.... Of Galilee, or Tiberias; into the country of the Gadarenes: in the Evangelist Matthew it is called, "the country of the Gergesenes", as it is here in the Arabic and Ethiopic versions. The Vulgate Latin reads, "of the Gerasenes", and so some copies, from Gerasa, a place in the same country; but...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And when he was come out of the ship,.... As soon as he was landed, immediately there met him out of the tombs, a man with an unclean spirit. The Jews have a notion, that a man by dwelling among the tombs, becomes possessed with an unclean spirit: hence they say of one that seeks to the dead, or a necromancer (o), this is he that starves himself,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Who had his dwelling among the tombs,.... Which is one of the characters of a madman among the Jews; who say it is (q) "the sign of a madman, that he goeth out in the night, הקברות והלן בבית, "and lodges among the tombs", and rends his garments, and loses what is given to him.'' The same they say, in the same place, of an hypochondriac, and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains,.... Trial had been made several times, to no purpose; his arms had been bound with chains, and his feet with fetters, which was very proper to prevent doing hurt to himself, and injury to others: and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces; as if...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And always night and day, he was in the mountains,.... And this being in an Heathen country, would have rendered him an unclean person, if he had not been possessed with an unclean spirit; for so runs one of the Jewish canons (s): "he that walks in an Heathen land, on mountains and rocks, is unclean.'' And in the tombs: which very likely were on...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
But when he saw Jesus afar off,.... For it seems the tombs among which this man dwelt, were at some distance from the sea shore: wherefore when it is said, Mr 5:2, that this man met Jesus, as soon as he came out of the ship: the meaning that he then came forth to meet him, as he might do upon sight of persons landing afar off; though he might not...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And cried with a loud voice,.... The man possessed with the devil; or the devil in him, making use of his voice, expressing great fear, dread, and horror, at the appearance of Christ in these parts: and said, what have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? The devils in the man, own the being of a God, and his supreme government...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
For he said unto him,.... Or he had said unto him, as soon as he came up to him, and fell before him; even before he had confessed, and adjured him; and which indeed drew out the confession from him, that he was superior to him, and therefore became his supplicant: come out of the man, thou unclean spirit; which was said with so much authority and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he asked him, what is thy name?.... Which question Christ put, not for his own sake; for he was not ignorant of his name, nor of the number of the unclean spirits which were in the man; but partly, that it might be known what a miserable condition this poor man was in, being infested, and vexed with such a large company of devils; and partly,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he besought him much,.... The devil that was at the head of this legion, who had the rest under his command, he, in their name, and on their behalf, entreated Jesus with great earnestness. This shows the authority Christ has over the devils, and their subjection to him; they are not only obliged to quit their former possession, when he gives...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Now there was there, nigh unto the mountains,.... Where this man often was, Mr 5:5 according to Beza, the mountains of Galaad, which ran through that country, or the mountains that surrounded Tiberias. Some copies, as the Alexandrian copy and others, read "at", or "about the mountain", in the singular number. The Vulgate Latin and Arabic versions...