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Luke Chapter 8

1. AND it came to pass afterwards, that He went throughout every city and village, preaching and declaring the glad tidings of the kingdom of God; and the twelve with him.
2. And certain women, who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magadalene, out of whom went forth seven daemons;
3. And Johanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna who ministered to Him of their substance.
4. And when much multitude were gathered together, and were come to Him out of every city, He said by a parable;
5. A sower went forth to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down and the birds of heaven devoured it:
6. And other fell upon a rock, and when it sprung up it withered away because it had no moisture:
7. And other fell in the midst of thorns, and the thorns springing up with It choked it:
8. And other fell on good ground, and springing up, bare fruit a hundred fold. When he had said these things, he cried, he that has ears to hear, let him hear.
9. But his disciples asked Him saying, what might this parable be?
10. But He said, to you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to others in parables, that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.
11. But the parable is this: the seed is the word of God;
12. But they by the way side are they that bear; then comes the devil, and takes away the word from their heart, lest believing they should be saved.
13. But they on the rock [are they] who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who for the season believe, and in the season of temptation fall away.
14. But that which fell among thorns are they, who hearing, and going away, are choked by cares and riches and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
15. But that on the good ground are they, who in an upright and good heart hearing the word retain it, and bring forth fruit in patience.
16. But no one lighting a candle covers it with a vessel, or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a candlestick, that they who enter in may see the light.
17. For there is nothing hidden which shall not become manifest, nor concealed, which shall not be known, and come into manifestation.
18. Take heed therefore how you hear; for whoever has, to him shall be given; and whoever has not, from him shall be taken away even that which he seems to have.
19. But His mother and brethren came to Him, and could not commune with Him because of the multitude.
20. And it was told Him [by certain] who said, your mother and your brethren are standing without, desiring to see you.
21. But he answering said to them, my mother and my brethren are these who hear the word of God, and do it.
22. And it came to pass on one of the days that, he went into a ship, and His disciples; and he said to them, let us pass over to the other side of the lake; and they launched forth.
23. But as they sailed, He fell asleep; and there came down a storm of wind on the lake, and they were filled [with water] and were in danger.
24. But they coming to him awoke him, saying, Master, Master, we perish. But He arising rebuked the wind and the raging of the water; and they ceased, and there was a calm.
25. But He said to them, where is your faith? But they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, Who indeed is this, for He commands the winds and the water, and they obey Him?
26. And they sailed down to the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee.
27. But when He went forth to the land [the earth], there met Him out of the city a certain man who had daemons a considerable time, and wore no clothes, and did not abide in the house, but in the tombs.
28. But seeing Jesus, and crying out, he fell down before him, and with a great voice said, what [is it] to me and to you, Jesus, Son of God Most High? I beseech You torment me not:
29. For He commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man: for many times he caught him; and he was kept bound with chains and fetters, and breaking the bonds he was driven of the daemon into the deserts.
30. But Jesus asked him, saying, what is your name? but he said Legion, because many daemons were entered into him.
31. And he besought him not to order them to go out into the deep.
32. But there was there a herd of several swine feeding on the mountain; and they besought him that He would suffer them to enter into them: and He suffered them.
33. But the daemons departing out of the man entered into the swine; and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked.
34. But they that fed them, seeing what was done, fled, and departing told it in the city and in the country.
35. But they went out to see what was done, and came to Jesus, and found the man sitting, out of whom the daemons were departed, clothed, and in a sound mind, at the feet of Jesus; and they were afraid.
36. But they also who saw [it] told them in what manner he that was possessed of demons was healed.
37. And the whole multitude of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear; but He ascending into the ship returned.
38. But the man, out of whom the daemons were departed entreated to be with Him; but Jesus sent him away, saying,
39. Return to your house, and tell how many things God has done for you. And he went his way, publishing through the whole city what things Jesus had done for him.
40. But it came to pass on the return of Jesus, the multitude received him, for they were all waiting for him.
41. And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue; and falling down at the feet of Jesus, he besought him that he would come into his house:
42. For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying: But as he went, the multitudes crowded him.
43. And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, who had spent all her living on physicians, nor could be healed of any,
44. Coming behind him touched the hem of his garment; and immediately her issue of blood was staunched.
45. And Jesus said, who touches Me? but when all denied, Peter, and they that were with Him, said, Master, the multitudes throng you and press, and you say, who touched Me?
46. But Jesus said, some one has touched Me, for I know that power is gone out of Me.
47. But the woman seeing that she was not hid, came trembling, and falling down before Him, she declared to Him before all the people for what cause she had touched Him, and that she was healed immediately.
48. But He said to her, daughter he confident, your faith has saved you; go into peace.
49. While He yet spoke, there comes one from the ruler of the synagogue, saying to him, your daughter is dead; trouble not the Teacher.
50. But Jesus hearing answered him, saying, fear not; believe only and she shall be saved.
51. But entering into the house, He suffered no one to go in, except Peter and James and John, and the father of the maid and her mother.
52. But all wept and bewailed her. But he said, weep not; she is not dead, but sleeps;
53. And they laughed Him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.
54. But He, putting them all out, and laying hold of her hand, uttered his voice, saying, Maid, arise.
55. And her spirit returned, and she arose immediately; and he commanded to give her [something] to eat.
56. And her parents were astonished; but he charged them to tell no one what was done.

Chapter VIII. Extracts from the Theological Writings

OF

THE HON. EMANUEL SWEDENBORG.

VERSE 5. And a sower went forth to sow his seed, and as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and it was trodden down, and the birds of heaven devoured it. By the birds of heaven are signified intellectual truths, thus thoughts, and by reason of this signification they also signify things contrary, as phantasies or falsities, which, inasmuch as they appertain to the thought of man, are likewise called birds, as where it is said that, the wicked shall be given for meat to the birds of heaven, and to wild beasts, denoting phantasies and lusts, Isaiah 18:6. Jer 7:33, 16:4: 19:7. Ezek 29:5. The Lord Himself likewise compares phantasies and persuasions of what is false to birds, where He says, "The seed which fell on hard ground was trodden down, and the birds of heaven devoured it," where birds of heaven are nothing else than falses. AC 778.

Verses 5 to 8. To the intent that it may be known how the case is with multiplication and fructification in man's rational principle, it cannot be understood unless it be known how the case is with influx, concerning which it may be expedient to premise these things in general. There appertains to every man an internal man, a rational which is the middle man, and an external; the internal man is that which constitutes his inmost principle, by virtue of which he is a man, and by which he is distinguished from the brute animals, which have not such an inmost principle, and that man is as it were the Lord's gate or entrance, that is, the gate or entrance of the celestial and spiritual things of the Lord into man; what is there transacted cannot be apprehended by man, because it is above all his rational principle from which he thinks; to this inmost or internal man the rational principle is subjected, which appears as the property of man, and into which flow-in through the internal man the celestial things of love and of faith from the Lord; and through this rational principle into the scientifics which are of the external man; but the things which flow in are received according to the state of every one. Unless the rational principle submits itself to the good and truths of the Lord, in this case it either suffocates, or rejects, or perverts the things which flow-in, and still more so when they flow-in into the sensual scientifics of the memory; these are the things to be understood by the seed falling either by the way side, or upon stony ground, or amongst thorns, as the Lord teaches, Matt 13:3-7, Mark 4:3-7. Luke 8:5-8; but when the rational principle submits itself, and believes in the Lord, that is. in his word, then it is like ground or good earth, into which. the seed falls, and bears much fruit. AC 1940.

By seed is signified Divine truth, or the truth of the Word; by falling by the way side and being trodden down_} is signified its being received only by the sensual corporeal principle, and not interiorly, for what is received in the spirit and the heart, this is understood by the seed which fell into good earth; by the birds of heaven which devoured it, are signified raises, for all evils and the falses thence derived reside in man's sensual corporeal principle, wherefore unless he become spiritual and thinks from a. Spiritual principle, he thinks nothing but falses from evil. AE 632.

In many passages in the word mention is made of land, and ground, and field; and by land, when in a good sense, is signified the kingdom of the Lord in the heavens and in the earths, thus the church, which is the Lord's kingdom in the earths; in like manner by ground, but in a more limited sense; the same things are also signified by field, but in a sense still more limited; and whereas the church is not the church from doctrinals, only so far as they regard the good of life as an end, or what is the same thing, unless doctrinals be conjoined to the good of life, therefore by field is principally signified the good of life; and to the intent that this good may be the good of the church, the doctrinals, which are implanted in it, must be derived from the word; for without doctrinals, there is indeed the good of life, but not yet the good of the church, thus not yet what is truly spiritual, except only in potency, or the capacity of becoming so, as is the good of life amongst the Gentiles who have not the word, and are therefore ignorant of the Lord. That field is the good of life, in which the things of faith are to be implanted, that is, spiritual truths which are of the Church, may be very manifest from the Lord's parable of the sower; for the subject treated of in that parable is concerning a four fold kind of earth or ground in a field, that is, in the church; that seed in the parable is the word of the Lord, thus the truth which is called the truth of faith, and that good earth is the good which is of charity, is evident, for it is good in man which receives the word; the hard way denotes what is false; stony denotes what is true which has no root in good; thorns denote evils. AC 3310.

It is truth, which is meant by seed in a field, concerning which the Lord speaks in the parable of the sower; he who sows is the Lord, and the seed is his word, thus truth; seed by the way side appertains to those who have no concern about truth; seed on stony ground appertains to those who have concern about truth, but not for its own sake, thus not interiorly; seed among thorns appertains to those who are in the cravings of evil; but seed in good earth appertains to those, who love the truths which are in the word from the Lord, and from Him do them, thus bring forth fruits. That these things are meant is manifest from their explication by the Lord. From these considerations it is evident that the truth of the word cannot gain root with those who have no concern about truth; nor with those who love truth exteriorly and not interiorly; nor with those who are in the cravings of evil; but with those with whom the cravings of evil are dispersed by the Lord. With these latter the seed is rooted, that is, truth in their spiritual mind. Doc. Life, DLife 90.

By seeds are signified truths from the Word, or which man receives from the Lord, for it is said afterwards that the Son of Man is the sower; by what is stony is signified historical faith, which faith is the faith of another in a man's self, for he believes a thing to be true, not because he sees it in himself, but because another person, in whom he confides, has said so; by ground is signified spiritual good, because this receives truth as ground receives seeds; by the sun arising is signified the love of self, and by being parched and withered is signified that it is adulterated and perishes; hence it is evident, what is signified by those words of the Lord in a series, namely that truths derived from the Word or from preaching, and implanted from infancy, are adulterated and perish, when man begins to think from himself, by cravings derived from self love; all things indeed, which are in the Word, are truths, but they are adulterated by the ideas of thought concerning them and by applications, whence the truths belonging to him are not truths except merely as to utterance; the reason of this is, because all the life of truth is from spiritual good, and spiritual good resides in the superior or interior mind, which is called the spiritual mind. This mind cannot be opened with those who are in self love, for in singular things they have respect to themselves, and if they elevate their eyes to heaven, still the thought of their spirit sticks in self regard, and hence from the fire of its own glory excites sensual, external and corporeal things, which have been learned from childhood, to imitate the affections belonging to the spiritual man. AE 401.

There are some persons who love the world above all things, and do not admit any truth which may withdraw them from any false principle of their religion, saying with themselves, what is this to me? I have nothing to do with it; thus they reject it instantly on hearing it, and if they hear, they suffocate it. People of this description act nearly in the same manner when they hear preaching, retaining nothing of it but expressions, and not any thing of the substance. In consequence of thus acting in regard to truths, they do not know what good is, for good and truth act in unity, and it is impossible to know what evil is from the good which is not grounded in truth, unless that it also may be called good, which is effected by reasonings from falses. These are they who are understood by the seeds which fell among thorns, concerning which the Lord thus speaks, "Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. These are they who hear the Word, but the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the Word, that it becomes unfruitful." DP 278.

Verse 8. He that has ears to hear let him hear. In the internal sense of the Word ears signify obedience, by reason also of the correspondence which is between hearing and obeying, which correspondence likewise lies concealed in the very expression itself To Hear, and more in the expression To Hearken, the origin of which correspondence is from the other life, where they who are obedient and compliant belong to the province of the ear, yea, correspond to hearing itself, which is an arcanum hitherto unknown. That ears have this signification may be manifest from several passages in the Word; suffice it at present to adduce only what is written in Isaiah, "Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and besmear their eyes, lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and their heart understand," Is 6:10, where to see with the eyes is to understand, and to hear with the ears is to perceive with affection, consequently to obey. Also where the Lord says, "He that has ears to hear let him hear," nothing else is signified. AC 2542.

Inasmuch as reception is from man which conjoins him with the Lord, and thus makes him spiritual, therefore the Lord said, he that has ears to hear let him hear.

The above words were spoken to the intent that every one who is of the Church may know, that to know and understand the truths and goods of faith, or doctrinals, and likewise the Word, does not make the church, but to hearken, that is, to understand and do, for this is signified by having an ear to ear. AE 108.

Verse 10. That seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. It is said, lest they should convert themselves, and I should heal them, since if they had been converted and healed, they would have profaned; and it is according to the law of Divine Providence, that no one should be let interiorly into the truths of faith and goods of charity by the Lord, only so far as he can be kept in them even to the end of life, and in case he was let in, he would profane holy things. DP 270.

Verse 12. Then comes the devil, and takes away the Word from their heart, lest believing they should be saved. On this subject, as described by Luke, mention is made of the devil, but in Mark he is called satan, by reason that by the seed which fell on the way is signified truth derived from the Word, which is only received in the memory, and not in the life, and since this is taken away both by what is evil and what is false, mention is therefore made both of the devil and satan, since, by the devil is signified the hell from whence come evils, and by satan the hell from whence come falses. AE 740

Verse 15. And bring forth fruit in patience. To bring forth fruit in patience signifies to do truths and goods, although men live amongst falses and evils, that is, amongst those who are in falses and evils. AE 813.

Verse 18. Whosoever has, to him shall be given; and whoever has not, from him shall be taken away, even that which he seems to have. They who come into the other life, are all brought back into a life similar to what they had in the body, and afterwards with with the good are separated evils and falses, that by goods and truths they may be elevated of the Lord into heaven; but with the wicked goods and truths are separated, that by evils and falses they may be conveyed into hell according to the Lord's words above. The reason of the separation of evils and falses with the good is, lest they should hang between evils and goods, and that by goods they may be elevated into heaven; and the reason of the separation of goods and truths with the wicked is, lest by any goods belonging to them they should seduce the well-disposed, and that they may secede by evils amongst the evil who are in hell. AC 2449.

In case evil could not be separated from good, and good from evil, no man could either be in heaven or in hell, yet every man must be either in the one or in the other, and cannot be in both; thus he would at one time be in heaven, and at another time in hell, and whilst he was in heaven he would be active for hell, and whilst in hell he would be active for heaven; thus he would destroy the life of all around him, heavenly life with the angels, and infernal life with the devils, in consequence of which the life of every one would perish, for every one must have his own life, since no one lives in another's life, still less in opposite life. Hence it is that the Lord, with every man after his decease, when he becomes a spirit or spiritual man, separates good from evil; good from evil with those who are interiorly in evil, and evil from good with those who are interiorly in good, agreeable to the above words, "Whosoever has, to him shall be given; but whoever has not, from him shall be taken away even that which he seems have." DP 227. see also DP 17.

Verse 19. But His mother and brethren came to Him, &c. By brother is signified the good of love, the ground of which signification is, because in heaven no other affinities are given but what are spiritual, thus no other fraternities; for they do not there become brothers from nativity, and they likewise, who have been brothers in the world, do not there know each other, but every one knows another from the good of love, they who are most closely conjoined, as brethren, and the rest, according to conjunction by good, as relations and as friends. Hence it is that by brother in the Word is signified the good of love, as the Lord teaches where He says, My mother and My brethren are they who hear the Word of God and do it. AE 46.

That the human [principle] belonging to the Lord was a servant, before it was made Divine, may be manifest from several passages in the prophets; the reason is, as has been occasionally before shown, that the Human [principle] belonging to the Lord was nothing else than a servant before He put it off, and made it Divine. The Human [principle] belonging to Him was from the mother, thus was infirm, having along with it an hereditary principle thence derived, which by temptation combats he overcame, and altogether expelled, insomuch that He had nothing remaining of the infirm and hereditary principle from the mother; yea at length he had not any thing from the mother, so that He put off altogether what; was maternal, and was no longer her son, as He himself also says, "My mother and brethren are those who hear the Word of God and do it :" And when He put off this Human [principle], He put on the Divine Human, from which He called Himself the Son of Man, also the Son of God, and by the Son of Man is signified essential truth, and by the Son of God essential good, which His Human essence had when made Divine; the former state was that of His humiliation, but the latter, of His glorification AC 2159.

In the Church of the Gentiles, or the primitive Christian Church, all were called brethren from charity; they were also called brethren by the Lord, who hear the Word and do it, Luke 8:21, where they who hear are such as have faith, and they who do are such as have charity. AC 367.

Verse 23. But as they sailed, He fell asleep; and there came down a storm of wind on the lake, and they were filled [with water], and were in danger. By the sea is here signified hell, and bp the wind influx thence. AR 343.

The combat of the Lord with hell may be compared with resistance against the whole ocean, rushing forth with its waves into countries and cities, all its fences being broken down; the subjugation of hell by the Lord is also understood by His restraining the sea when He said, peace be still, Mark 55:38, 39; for by the sea is there signified hell, as in several other passages: From a similar Divine power the Lord at this day fights against hell with every man who is regenerating, for hell assaults all such with diabolical fury, so that unless the Lord resisted, and subdued it, man must, of necessity sink under it. TCR 123.

By the wind of a storm and the elevated waves of the sea thereby occasioned, are signified temptations, inasmuch as spiritual temptations are effected by a rushing in of falses into the thoughts, whence comes remorse of conscience, and pains of mind; those things are signified by the wind of a storm, and by lifting up the waves on high; the like is signified by these words in Luke, "But as they sailed He fell asleep, and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; but He arising rebuked the wind and the raging of the water." This miracle of the Lord, like all others, involves arcana of heaven, and interior things of the Church; the great storm of wind, so that the waves rushed into the ship, and filled it, signifies spiritual temptations, and Jesus arising and rebuking the wind, and saying to the sea peace be still, signifies liberation from them. AE 419.

By this storm was represented the state of the men of the Church, when they are in a natural principle, and not yet in a spiritual one, in which state the natural affections, which are various lusts originating in the loves of self and of the world, rise up, and cause various motions in the mind; in this state the Lord appears as absent, which apparent absence is signified by the Lord being asleep; but when they come out of a natural state into a spiritual one, then these motions cease, and the mind becomes tranquil; for the tempestuous motions of the natural man are appeased by the Lord, when the spiritual mind is opened, and the Lord through it flows-in into the natural mind. Inasmuch as the affections which are of the love of self and of the world, together with the thoughts and reasonings thence derived, are from hell, for they are cravings of every kind which thence rush into the natural man, therefore they are also in the spiritual sense signified by wind and by the waves of the sea, and hell itself by the sea, as may also be manifest from this consideration, that it is said that, the Lord rebuked the wind; and in Mark, "Jesus awaking rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, be silent, be dumb, and the wind rested and there was a great calm," Mark 4:39. This could not be said to the wind and to the sea, unless by them be understood hell, whence tempestuous motions of the mind grounded in various lusts rush forth. AE 514.

Verse 27. There met Him out of the city a certain man who had daemons a considerable time, and did not abide in the house, but in the tombs. The reason why they who were obsessed by daemons did not abide in the house, but in the tombs, was, because during their abode in the world, they were in false principles grounded in evil, or in knowledges from the Word, which they made dead by applying them to the confirmation of evils, also to the destruction of the genuine truths of the Church, especially of the truths relating to the Lord, to the Word, and to a life after death, which dead knowledges in the Word are called traditions; hence it was that they who were obsessed by such as became daemons were in tombs, and the daemons themselves were afterwards cast out into the swine, who plunged themselves into the sea, Matt 8:31, 32, 33. The reason why they were cast into the swine was, because during their abode in the world, they lived in sordid avarice, for such avarice corresponds to swine, and hence signifies swine; the reason why they plunged themselves into the sea was, because the sea there signifies hell. AE 659.

Verses 43 to 49. And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, coming behind Him, touched the hem of His garment, and immediately her issue of blood was staunched, &c. That the woman labouring with an issue of blood, when she touched the border of the Lord's garment, was healed; and in general, that as many as touched the border of His garment, were healed, Matt 14:36. Mark 6:56, signified that from the Divine [being or principle] in the extremes or ultimates health went forth; for that in the ultimates of good and truth, which are from the Divine [being or principle], there is strength and power, see AC 9836. AC 9917.

Inasmuch as the Lord's garments signified Divine Truths, therefore they also who touched the hem of his garments were healed. AE 195.

Verse 55. And her spirit returned, and she arose immediately, &c. That by spirit, when predicated of man, is signified what is true or what is false, and his life from one or the other, is grounded in this consideration, that by Spirit is properly meant the spirit, which is in man and thinks, and he thinks either from truths or from falses; but, as was said just above, there are two things which make the life of man, understanding and will; the life of the understanding is to think from truths or falses, and the life of the will is to affect or to kindle with love those things which the understanding thinks. These two lives of man correspond to the two lives of his body, which are the life of the respiration of the lungs, and the life of the pulsation of the heart; by this correspondence the spirit is united to the body with man, therefore spirit is called from wind both in the original tongue, and in several Other languages, on which account also to expire is expressed by sending forth the spirit, and this likewise in the Word. AE 183.

Chapter VIII. Translator's Notes and Observations.

VERSE. 1 Preaching and declaring the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. A distinction is here made between preaching[in the original Greek, cherusson] and declaring the glad tidings of [in the original Greek.....] preaching having more respect, to the affection of divine and heavenly good in the will, whilst declaring the glad tidings of has more respect to the illumination of divine and heavenly truth in the understanding. Thus both expressions combined have reference to and mark the divine and heavenly marriage of good and truth, with which the whole word is replenished.

Verse 15. But that on the good ground are they who in an upright and good heart, &c. What is here rendered upright and good is expressed in the original Greek by the terms chalos and agathos, the term chalos having respect to what is beautiful in form, thus more to truth in the understanding, as the term agathos has more relation to the principle of good in the will. Thus both expressions combined have reference to and mark the heavenly marriage of good and of truth.

Verse 17. For there is nothing hidden which shall not become manifest, nor concealed, which shall not he known, and come into manifestation. A distinction is here made between what is hidden and what is covered, also between what become manifest and what is known and comes into manifestation, which distinction cannot possibly be apprehended, unless as applied to the two distinct principles of the human mind, called Will and Understanding.

Verse 18. Take heed therefore how you near, &c. What is here rendered Take heed, is expressed in the original Greek by the term zlepete from zleto, which signifies to see, and which is thus significative of an act of the understanding in the exploration of truth, as the necessary security against admitting error, or what is contrary to truth.

Verse 23. And they were filled [with water],and were in danger. It is remarkable, that in the original Greek no mention is here made of water, but only of the disciples being filled, and being in danger. The reader therefore is left to form his own conclusion concerning the filling here spoken of, since it may have relation to the fears and apprehensions with which the disciples w ere filled, as well as to the water.

Verse 24. And they coming to Him awoke Him, saying, Master, Master, we perish. The original term here rendered Master is Epistata, which properly means Overseer.

Verse 25. Who indeed is this? In the common version of the New Testament, this passage is rendered, What manner of Man is this} but the original Greek is, Tis aga outos esin, which is literally Who indeed is this ? where it is to be noted, that no mention is made of Man or the Manner of Man, but a particular stress is laid on the term aba, or indeed, which is omitted in the common version.

Verse 28. What [is it] to me and to you? This is a literal rendering from the original Greek. The same form of expression occurs in John 2:4, where the Blessed Jesus addresses his mother in the very same words which are here addressed to him by the man possessed with a daemon.

I beseech you, torment me not. It is remarkable that the original Greek term, here rendered torment, is basanuios from basanizo, which properly signifies to explore, and is used probably in that sense by the daemon, since there is every reason to conclude, that the greatest of all torments to a wicked spirit is to be explored a s to his wicked principles and persuasions.

Verse 29. And he was kept bound with chains and fetters, and breaking the bands he was driven of the daemon into the deserts. We have no authority from which to decide on the distinct signification of the three terms here applied, to denote the binding of the afflicted sufferer, whose history is here recorded. One thing however is certain, that each term has a distinct meaning, and that this meaning has relation to the spiritual state of the person to whom it is applied.