The Lake of Gennesareth, or Sea of Galilee, is a large body of water;
and the River Jordan, which runs through it, causes at all times a
considerable motion in the centre of the lake; when the wind blows
strongly from the S.E., and meets the current of the river, the sea
becomes so rough, that any small vessels are in the greatest danger,
and in this way many are lost. We read, that as they sailed, Jesus
fell asleep. We must remember, that for our sakes Jesus had become
subject to all the pains of hunger, fatigue, cold, &c.; well might He,
therefore, be tired out with his continual labours, for He never
spared Himself, or consulted his own ease or comfort; but was always
at work, going from one place to another, doing good to others. What a
difference between Him and us! For we are unwilling to deny ourselves
in the least thing for the sake of saving trouble to others; nor are
we willing to give up our own wills, even for the sake of pleasing
God.
Whilst Jesus and his disciples were now crossing the Lake of
Gennesareth, "there came down a storm of wind on the lake," and a
"great tempest in the sea," "insomuch that the ship was covered with
the waves," and was filled with water, and in great danger of sinking.
"And Jesus was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow."
The disciples knew where to look for help; they were in jeopardy or
danger, so they "came to Him and awoke him, saying, Master, carest
thou not that we perish? Lord, save us: we perish!"
The fears of the Apostles were at this time stronger than their faith;
they should have felt that sleeping or waking their Lord could
preserve them through every danger. For this they were blamed, for "he
saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?" but He had
compassion on their weakness, for "he arose, and rebuked the winds and
the raging of the water: and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And
the wind ceased, and there was a great calm." After a great storm the
waves naturally continue rough for some hours, but now at a word the
waters of the lake became at once smooth and still. This sudden
ceasing of the storm filled the Apostles, accustomed as they were to
see wonderful works done by Jesus, with astonishment and awe. We are
told, that "the men marvelled, and they feared exceedingly, and said
one to another, What manner of man is this? for he commandeth even the
winds and the water, and they obey him." Such a miracle must have
strengthened the faith of the disciples, and convinced them more and
more, that he who could do such things, was indeed no mere man, but
the Son of God, the Ruler of the universe, to whom all things do bow
and obey. The voyage was now over; the ship reached the shore; and
Jesus and His disciples came into the country of the Gadarenes, or
Gergesenes, where Jesus immediately performed another miracle, on a
man possessed with devils, exceeding fierce. Jesus, pitying the
condition of this unhappy man, commanded the unclean spirit to come
out of him. Then the devil who spake in this poor demoniac, cried out,
"What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God?
Art thou come hither to torment us before the time? I beseech thee,
torment me not." Even the devils acknowledged Jesus to be the Messiah;
and knew well that in the end of the world, all evil spirits would be
driven away into misery and darkness; but he now asks Him not to
interfere with his power before that time. To such a request Jesus
could not, of course, listen: and the devils, finding that they must
leave the poor man whom they had so long tormented, then besought Him
that He would at least suffer them to go away into a herd of swine,
which were feeding nigh unto the mountains, a good way off from them.
"And Jesus said unto them, Go." No sooner was the permission given,
than the evil spirits entered into the swine, and the whole herd ran
violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters:
and they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the
country; and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils.
Pigs were unclean animals, and it was therefore sinful of any Jew to
keep them: if the owners of these swine were Jews, they were justly
punished for their disobedience. Perhaps the Gadarenes were not Jews,
and kept these swine to show that they did not regard or obey the Law
of Moses; if so, it was well for them to see that the Lord God of the
Hebrews could force men to obey His commands. When we read what
happened as soon as the evil spirits took possession of the swine, we
should remember the dreadful fate of all who suffer themselves to be
led or guided by the Devil. There is no escape for them; the swine
could not help themselves, but the Devil has no more power over us now
than we choose to give him. If we resist him, he will not harm us; he
will try, and we may have to fight hard, but if we do, we shall be
more than conquerors through Jesus Christ.
We read that the keepers of the swine fled, and told how they had been
destroyed, and how the demoniac had been healed. The men of the city,
grieved at the loss of their property, and probably afraid that if
Jesus remained amongst them the same sort of thing might happen again,
besought Him to depart out of their coasts: a request in which the
whole multitude of the Gadarenes joined. They had better have besought
Him to remain, and teach them what they should do. It is a dreadful
thing to wish God to leave us undisturbed in our sins! The man who had
been delivered from the power of the Devil, wished, on the contrary,
to go away in the ship with Jesus and his disciples; but he was told
rather to go home to his friends, and tell them what great things the
Lord had done for him. And he did so, and declared through all the
country what great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did
marvel.
After this, Levi, or Matthew, made a feast for Jesus in his own house;
and a great company of Publicans, and of others, and of sinners, sat
down together with Jesus and his disciples. The Scribes and Pharisees
took occasion to find fault with this, and asked the disciples, "How
is it that your Master eateth with publicans and sinners?" But Jesus
told them, that it was to do good to sinners that He was come upon
earth: He reminded them that it was only sick people who had need of a
physician, and that those who thought themselves well, would not send
for one; and that it was the same with Him, for He was come as a
Physician to heal the souls of the sick, and that therefore He must go
amongst those who, feeling themselves to be sinners, wished for
pardon. The Pharisees thought themselves righteous, and therefore they
did not feel the need of a Saviour. After these things, Jesus appears
to have returned into his own city, that is, to Capernaum, where He
had taken up His abode, at those times when He was not occupied in
going about the country.
Here a ruler of the synagogue, named Jairus, came to entreat Jesus to
go and heal his little daughter, who was dying. Jesus immediately went
with him, and on the way He cured a poor woman, whose faith was strong
enough to make her believe that if she did but touch the hem of His
garment she should be made whole. Her hopes were not disappointed, and
Jesus commended her faith. While Jesus was yet speaking with her,
messengers came from the ruler's house to tell him that his daughter
was even now dead. The Lord, however, bid Jairus not to be afraid, for
that if he would only believe, his child should still be made whole.
No doubt the miracle that Jairus had just witnessed strengthened his
faith, and the result was, that his little daughter was restored to
life. On quitting the house of Jairus, two blind men followed our
Lord, who gave them sight; and He also enabled a dumb man to speak, by
casting out the devil which possessed him. The multitudes were filled
with wonder in seeing things which had never been so seen in Israel;
but the Pharisees again declared, "He casteth out devils through the
prince of the devils."
Jesus continued to teach, and to preach, and to heal sicknesses and
diseases, in spite of the unbelief of the people; for though they all
marvelled, and some doubtless became his disciples, many rejected Him,
saying, "Is not this the carpenter's son?" meaning that a man in such
a humble condition of life could not be the Messiah. After this, Jesus
gave his Apostles a more solemn charge or commission for the work they
were to do. For He called the twelve together, and gave them power
against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of
sickness, and all manner of disease; and then He sent them forth two
by two to preach the Gospel, and to heal the sick. The Gospel was to
be first offered to the Jews, and therefore Jesus now commanded the
twelve, "Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the
Samaritans enter ye not, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house
of Israel." And as ye go say, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand."
Jesus also bade the twelve not to make any provision of money or food
for their journey, but to depend on the charity of those to whom they
should preach: promising a blessing to those cities where they would
be well received. Many other things did He say unto them at this time:
and when He "had made an end of commanding His twelve disciples, He
departed thence, to teach and to preach in their cities."
And the twelve also departed, and went through the towns, preaching
the Gospel, that men should repent. And they cast out many devils, and
anointed with oil many that were sick, healing them everywhere.