SEV Biblia, Chapter 8:29
Y he aquí clamaron, diciendo: ¿Qu tenemos contigo, Jess, Hijo de Dios? ¿Has venido ac a molestarnos antes de tiempo?
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Matthew 8:29
Verse 29. What have we to do with thee] The literal translation of ti hmin kai soi, is, What is it to us and to thee; which perhaps might be understood to imply their disclaiming any design to interfere with the work of Christ, and that he should not therefore meddle with them; for it appears they exceedingly dreaded his power. What have we to do with thee, is a Jewish phrase, which often occurs in the Old Testament, signifying an abrupt refusal of some request, or a wish not to be troubled with the company or importunity of others. Jehu said to the messenger who was sent by Joram to meet him, What hast thou to do with peace? David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? Compare Judges xi. 12; 2 Sam. xvi. 10; 2 Kings ix. 18; Ezra iv. 3; John ii. 4. See the note on "Marki. 24".
Jesus, thou Son of God] Griesbach omits the word Jesus, on the authority of several MSS. of the greatest antiquity and respectability; besides some versions, and several of the fathers. I heartily concur with these MSS., &c., for this simple reason, among others, that the word Jesus, i.e. saviour, was of too ominous an import to the Satanic interest to be used freely, in such a case, by any of his disciples or subalterns.
Art thou come hither to torment us before the time?] From this it appears that a greater degree of punishment awaited these demons than they at that time endured; and that they knew there was a time determined by the Divine Judge, when they should be sent into greater torments.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 29. And behold they cried out, saying , etc.] This is an instance and proof, of the wonderful power of Christ over the devils; and has therefore the note of admiration, behold! prefixed to it, that the devils themselves who had took possession of these men, and made them so fierce and cruel, and outrageous, that there was no passing the way for them; yet upon the sight of Christ, and especially at hearing his orders to come out from them, not only say, but cry out, as being in great consternation, horror, and fear, and with the utmost subjection to him, what have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God ? They had nothing indeed to do with him; they had no interest in his grace, blood, righteousness, and salvation; he was no Saviour for them: but he had to do with them, and that was what they dreaded; and therefore mean, that he would let them alone, in the quiet possession of these men, and not disturb and dislodge them; for they knew that he was Jesus, the Saviour of sinful men, though none of theirs, the true Messiah; and that he was also the Son of God, a divine person, possessed of almighty power, and so an overmatch for them; at whose presence they trembled, and whose all commanding voice they were obliged to obey, though sorely against their wills. Art thou come hither to torment us before the time ? This question implies the apprehension the devils had of Christ as a judge, and their sense of his authority, and power, to punish them; as also that they deserved it, and expected it, nor do they say anything against it; only imagine that the time of their full torment was not yet come; which is generally referred unto the day of judgment, to which they were reserved by the appointment of God; which they had some notion of, and as at a distance; and therefore complain of Christs coming to them now, and expostulate with him about it: though it may be understood of the time they had proposed to themselves, to abide in the men they had possessed, and which they concluded they had a permission for; and nothing could give more torment, pain, and uneasiness, than to be turned out, and remanded to their prison, and restrained from doing more mischief to the bodies and souls of men.
Or whether this may not have some respect to the time of the preaching of the Gospel, and setting up the kingdom of Christ among the Gentiles, the devils might have some hint of, as not yet to be, I leave to be considered, with this observation; that there seems to be a considerable emphasis on the word hither, meaning the country of the Gergesenes, an Heathen country, at least where many Gentiles inhabited: and it is as if they had said, is it not enough, that thou turnest us out of the land of Judea, and hast dispossessed us out of the bodies of men dwelling there; but thou pursuest us hither also, and will not let us have any rest, even in this Heathenish land; though the time is not yet come, for the dissolution of our empire and government in the Gentile world?
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 28-34 - The devils have nothing to do with Christ as a Saviour; they neithe have, nor hope for any benefit from him. Oh the depth of this myster of Divine love; that fallen man has so much to do with Christ, when fallen angels have nothing to do with him! Heb 2:16. Surely here wa torment, to be forced to own the excellence that is in Christ, and ye they had no part in him. The devils desire not to have any thing to d with Christ as a Ruler. See whose language those speak, who will have nothing to do with the gospel of Christ. But it is not true that the devils have nothing to do with Christ as a Judge; for they have, an they know it, and thus it is with all the children of men. Satan an his instruments can go no further than he permits; they must qui possession when he commands. They cannot break his hedge of protectio about his people; they cannot enter even a swine without his leave They had leave. God often, for wise and holy ends, permits the effort of Satan's rage. Thus the devil hurries people to sin; hurries them to what they have resolved against, which they know will be shame an grief to them: miserable is the condition of those who are led captiv by him at his will. There are a great many who prefer their swin before the Saviour, and so come short of Christ and salvation by him They desire Christ to depart out of their hearts, and will not suffe his word to have place in them, because he and his word would destro their brutish lusts, those swine which they give themselves up to feed And justly will Christ forsake all that are weary of him; and sad hereafter, Depart, ye cursed, to those who now say to the Almighty Depart from us __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ ιδου 2400 5628 V-2AAM-2S εκραξαν 2896 5656 V-AAI-3P λεγοντες 3004 5723 V-PAP-NPM τι 5101 I-NSN ημιν 2254 P-1DP και 2532 CONJ σοι 4671 P-2DS ιησου 2424 N-VSM υιε 5207 N-VSM του 3588 T-GSM θεου 2316 N-GSM ηλθες 2064 5627 V-2AAI-2S ωδε 5602 ADV προ 4253 PREP καιρου 2540 N-GSM βασανισαι 928 5658 V-AAN ημας 2248 P-1AP
Robertson's NT Word Studies
8:29 {Thou Son of God} (huie tou qeou). The recognition of Jesus by the demons is surprising. The whole subject of demonology is difficult. Some hold that it is merely the ancient way of describing disease. But that does not explain the situation here. Jesus is represented as treating the demons as real existences separate from the human personality. Missionaries in China today claim that they have seen demons cast out. The devil knew Jesus clearly and it is not strange that Jesus was recognized by the devil's agents. They know that there is nothing in common between them and the Son of God (hemin kai soi, ethical dative) and they fear torment "before the time" (pro kairou). Usually ta daimonia is the word in the New Testament for demons, but in #8:31 we have hoi daimones (the only example in the N.T.). daimonion is a diminutive of daimwn. In Homer daimwn is used synonymously with qeos and qea. Hesiod employed daimwn of men of the golden age as tutelary deities. Homer has the adjective daimonios usually in an evil sense. Empedocles considered the demons both bad and good. They were thus used to relieve the gods and goddesses of much rascality. Grote (_History of Greece_) notes that the Christians were thus by pagan usage justified in calling idolatry the worship of demons. See #1Co 10:20f.; 1Ti 4:1; Re 9:20; 16:13f. In the Gospels demons are the same as unclean spirits (#Mr 5:12,15; 3:22,30; Lu 4:33). The demons are disturbers (Vincent) of the whole life of man (#Mr 5:2f.; 7:25; Mt 12:45; Lu 13:11,16).
