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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comRobertson Word Pictures - Matthew 8:29 - 8:29
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Thou Son of God (huie tou theou). 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 (hēmin 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 Mat 8:31 we have hoi daimones (the only example in the N.T.). Daimonion is a diminutive of daimōn. In Homer daimōn is used synonymously with theos and thea. Hesiod employed daimōn 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 notes on 1Co 10:20.; note on 1Ti 4:1; note on Rev 9:20; and notes on Rev 16:13. In the Gospels demons are the same as unclean spirits (Mar 5:12, Mar 5:15; Mar 3:22, Mar 3:30; Luk 4:33). The demons are disturbers (Vincent) of the whole life of man (Mar 5:2.; Mar 7:25; Mat 12:45; Luk 13:11, Luk 13:16).