Cornelius a Lapide
Table of Contents
Synopsis of the Chapter
First, Christ, preaching through the villages, sets forth the parable of the seed and the sower. Second, at verse 20, to one reporting that His mother was present, He answers that His brothers and mother are those who hear the words of God and do them. Third, at verse 23, He calms the tempest of the sea. Fourth, at verse 26, He casts out from a man the demon whose name was Legion, and allows it to go into the swine. Fifth, at verse 41, He delivers the woman with an issue of blood, and raises the daughter of Jairus from death.
I explained the first part at Matthew XIII, 3; the second at Matthew XII, 46; the third at Matthew VIII, 23; the fifth at Matthew IX, 18, and Mark V, 25. Therefore the fourth remains here to be explained.
Vulgate Text: Luke 8:1-56
1. And it came to pass afterwards, that He travelled through the cities and towns, preaching and evangelizing the kingdom of God: and the twelve with Him; 2. and certain women, who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary who is called Magdalene, out of whom seven devils had gone forth, 3. and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who ministered unto Him of their substance. 4. And when a very great multitude was gathered together, and hastened out of the cities unto Him, He spoke by a similitude: 5. The sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell by the wayside, and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. 6. And some fell upon rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. 7. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns growing up together with it, choked it. 8. And some fell upon good ground, and being sprung up yielded fruit a hundredfold. Saying these things, He cried out: He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. 9. And His disciples asked Him what this parable might be. 10. To whom He said: To you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to the rest in parables, that seeing they may not see, and hearing may not understand. 11. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12. And they by the wayside are they that hear; then the devil cometh, and taketh the word out of their heart, lest believing they should be saved. 13. Now they upon the rock are they who when they hear, receive the word with joy; but these have no roots, for they believe for a while, and in time of temptation they fall away. 14. And that which fell among thorns, are they who have heard, and going their way, are choked with the cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and yield no fruit. 15. But that on the good ground, are they who in a good and very good heart, hearing the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit in patience. 16. Now no man lighting a candle covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it upon a candlestick, that they who come in may see the light. 17. For there is not any thing secret that shall not be made manifest, nor hidden, that shall not be known and come abroad. 18. Take heed therefore how you hear. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given: and whosoever hath not, that also which he thinketh he hath shall be taken away from him. 19. And His mother and brethren came unto Him; and they could not come at Him for the crowd. 20. And it was told Him: Thy mother and Thy brethren stand without, desiring to see Thee. 21. Who answering, said to them: My mother and My brethren are they who hear the word of God, and do it. 22. And it came to pass on a certain day, that He went into a little ship with His disciples, and He said to them: Let us go over to the other side of the lake. And they launched forth. 23. And when they were sailing, He slept; and there came down a storm of wind upon the lake, and they were filled, and were in danger. 24. And they came and awaked Him, saying: Master, we perish. But He arising, rebuked the wind and the rage of the water; and it ceased, and there was a calm. 25. And He said to them: Where is your faith? Who being afraid, wondered, saying one to another: Who is this (think you), that He commandeth both the winds and the sea, and they obey Him? 26. And they sailed to the country of the Gerasens, which is over against Galilee. 27. And when He was come forth to the land, there met Him a certain man who had a devil now a very long time, and he wore no clothes, neither did he abide in a house, but in the sepulchres. 28. And when he saw Jesus, he fell down before Him; and crying out with a loud voice, he said: What have I to do with Thee, Jesus, Son of the most high God? I beseech Thee, do not torment me. 29. For He commanded the unclean spirit to go out of the man. For many times it seized him, and he was bound with chains and kept in fetters; and breaking the bonds, he was driven by the devil into the deserts. 30. And Jesus asked him, saying: What is thy name? But he said: Legion; because many devils were entered into him. 31. And they besought Him that He would not command them to go into the abyss. 32. And there was there a herd of many swine feeding on the mountain; and they besought Him that He would suffer them to enter into them. And He suffered them. 33. The devils therefore went out of the man, and entered into the swine; and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and was stifled. 34. Which when they that fed them saw done, they fled away, and told it in the city and in the villages. 35. And they went out to see what was done; and they came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at His feet, clothed, and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 36. And they also that had seen, told them how he had been healed from the legion. 37. And all the multitude of the country of the Gerasens besought Him to depart from them; for they were taken with great fear. And He, going up into the ship, returned back again. 38. And the man out of whom the devils were departed, besought Him that he might be with Him. But Jesus sent him away, saying: 39. Return to thy house, and tell how great things God hath done to thee. And he went through the whole city, preaching how great things Jesus had done to him. 40. And it came to pass, when Jesus was returned, the multitude received Him: for they were all waiting for Him. 41. And behold there came a man whose name was Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at the feet of Jesus, beseeching Him that He would come into his house: 42. for he had an only daughter, almost twelve years old, and she was dying. And it happened as He went, that He was thronged by the multitudes. 43. And there was a certain woman having an issue of blood twelve years, who had bestowed all her substance on physicians, and could not be healed by any: 44. she came behind Him, and touched the hem of His garment; and immediately the issue of her blood stopped. 45. And Jesus said: Who is it that touched Me? And all denying, Peter and they that were with Him said: Master, the multitudes throng Thee, and press Thee, and dost Thou say: Who touched Me? 46. And Jesus said: Somebody hath touched Me; for I know that virtue is gone out from Me. 47. And the woman seeing that she was not hid, came trembling, and fell down before His feet, and declared before all the people for what cause she had touched Him, and how she was immediately healed. 48. But He said to her: Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole: go thy way in peace. 49. As He was yet speaking, there cometh one to the ruler of the synagogue, saying to him: Thy daughter is dead, trouble Him not. 50. And Jesus hearing this word, answered the father of the maid: Fear not; believe only, and she shall be safe. 51. And when He was come to the house, He suffered not any man to go in with Him, but Peter and James and John, and the father and mother of the maiden. 52. And all wept and mourned for her. But He said: Weep not; the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. 53. And they laughed Him to scorn, knowing that she was dead. 54. But He taking her by the hand, cried out, saying: Maid, arise. 55. And her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He bid them give her to eat. 56. And her parents were astonished, whom He charged to tell no man what was done.
Verse 1: And the Twelve With Him
1. AND THE TWELVE (Apostles) WITH HIM. — That is, they accompanied Jesus as He went about the villages and preached.
Verse 2: Mary Magdalene, Out of Whom Seven Devils Had Gone Forth
2. AND CERTAIN WOMEN, WHO HAD BEEN HEALED OF EVIL SPIRITS AND INFIRMITIES (that is): MARY WHO IS CALLED MAGDALENE, OUT OF WHOM SEVEN DEVILS HAD GONE FORTH. — These women followed Christ, first, out of gratitude, because they had been healed by Him from demons and diseases; second, for safety's sake, lest, if they departed from Christ their physician, they should again be assailed by demons; third, out of pious devotion, that by His conversation and preaching they might advance in sanctity.
MARY (in Hebrew Maria means bitter sea, namely of penitence, says Bede), WHO IS CALLED MAGDALENE. — From the castle of Galilee called "Magdalum," which was situated near Bethsaida and Capharnaum, where Christ dwelt and taught, and healed demoniacs. Magdalene seems to have been the lady of Magdalum, either by hereditary right, or because she had married the lord of Magdalum; for St. Augustine insinuates that she had been married, homily 23 among the 50, where he calls her not only a harlot but also an adulteress. But she is not an adulteress unless she has a husband, and, leaving him, clings to another. Again the Author of the Commentary on St. Mark, quoted by St. Jerome, chapter XV, 40, calls Magdalene a widow; therefore he thinks she had been married: so also Jansenius, Franciscus Lucas and others. Otherwise John, chapter XII, 1, sufficiently indicates that Magdalene was of Jewish race, coming from Bethany, as also Lazarus and Martha. Hear Adrichomius, in his Description of the Holy Land, p. 141, n. 66: "Magdalum, the castle of Mary Magdalene, where she was both born and healed, whose house, Breydenbach says, is still to be seen there, is situated on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, and has a great plain to the North and West; and it was called Magdalum from the towers and fortifications with which it was magnificently fortified. Whence Jerome, epistle 16, because of Mary Magdalene's diligence and ardor of faith, asserts that she is rightly called 'Magdalene,' that is 'the towered one.' Josephus mentions this castle, writing that king Agrippa sent forces to seize it; however, they did not dare to besiege it."
Therefore Magdalene in Hebrew, first, is the same as towered or tower-bearing, from the root מגדל migdal, that is tower: for she herself was tall and of lofty stature in body, and even more so in soul, according to Canticles IV, 4: "Thy neck is as the tower of David." See what was said there. Second, Magdalene is the same as "magnificent," says Origen, tract 35 on Matthew; or "magnified," says Pagninus in Nom. Hebr. Because, Origen says, "she had followed Jesus, and ministered to Him, and beheld the mystery of His passion." For the root גדל gadal means to be great and magnificent; Magdalene indeed was wonderfully exalted to the height of grace by Christ. Third, Magdalene, says Pagninus, is the same as "marked with a banner," or "leading a banner," or "raising it," from the root דגל deghel, that is banner, by metathesis or transposition of the letters ג ghimel and ד daleth. For Magdalene raised up the banner of supreme penitence, fervor, and love of Christ, as well as of the contemplative life, according to Canticles II, 4: "He set in order charity in me;" in Hebrew דגלו diglo, that is, His banner over me is charity, that is, she raised the banner of charity over herself; see what was said there. Fourth, Magdalene, says Pagninus, is the same as "educated, nourished," namely by the words of Christ, both external and internal, unto all virtue and sanctity. For the root גדל gadal also means to nourish and educate.
OUT OF WHOM SEVEN DEVILS HAD GONE FORTH. — that is, Christ had expelled the seven capital vices, namely pride, avarice, gluttony, lust, wrath, envy, and sloth, say Bede and Theophylact here, and St. Gregory, homily 33. This is correct, but mystically. For here literally true demons are to be understood, for these are the evil spirits, as I said before; and these are properly said to go out and, as Mark says, to be cast out. So St. Ambrose, book On Solomon, chapter V; Euthymius, Jansenius and others here. It seems therefore that Magdalene, because of her crimes, had been possessed by seven demons, and was freed from them by Christ among other demoniacs, repented of her sins, and, having obtained pardon from Him, clung to Him indivisibly, being now possessed not by a demon but by God, and having been made a temple of the Holy Spirit. So Roffensis, book On the One Magdalene, Jansenius and others. "Seven," precisely, or "seven," that is many; for the number seven is a symbol of multitude and universality, as I have often noted.
Verse 3: Joanna and Susanna
3. And Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward (Syriac, "steward;" Arabic, "treasurer"), and Susanna and many others, who ministered unto Him of their substance. — For they were wealthy and grateful to Christ their liberator, and being devoted to Him they were eager to promote and spread His preaching and faith. So formerly at Rome St. Plautilla, St. Flavia Domitilla, St. Lucina, St. Priscilla, St. Pudentiana, St. Praxedes and other noble and wealthy matrons sustained St. Peter, St. Paul, St. Clement, St. Pius, St. Caius, St. Marcellus and other Roman Pontiffs with their Presbyters and Deacons.
AND SUSANNA. — This was an illustrious matron healed by Christ, and thus a disciple of Christ and His nurse. In Hebrew Susanna means lily; because of the fragrant whiteness of heavenly life, says the Interlinear Gloss, and because of the golden ardor of interior love, says Bede.
Verse 15: In a Good and Very Good Heart
15. THOSE WHO IN A GOOD AND VERY GOOD HEART... KEEP THE WORD OF GOD. — The Council of Basel notes here that for the word of God to be rightly heard, first, a suitable place is required, when it says: "In a good and very good heart;" second, the due manner, when it says: "Hearing they keep the word;" third, the best fruit, when it says: "They bring forth fruit in patience." "In a good heart," by illuminating faith; "and very good," by operating grace, as Lyranus says; or, as others have it, "good," by the exercise of discipline and virtue, "and very good," by the comfort of interior contemplation and consolation; or, from Albert, "good," that is, clean from sin, "and very good," that is, conformed to the divine will. Or, as Bonaventure, "good," so that truth may be in the intellect; "and very good," so that rectitude may be in the affection. Or, as St. Augustine in Psalm VII, "good," by love of neighbor and of oneself, "and very good," by love of God above all things.
Moreover, for "good and very good," the Greek is καλῇ καὶ ἀγαθῇ, that is honorable and good, namely by excellence, that is best and most honorable: for the conjunction "and" contains gradation and augmentation, as if to say: Those who keep the word of God in an honorable and good, nay most honorable and best heart, these will bring forth fruit according to the measure of their honorableness and goodness, so that, if the heart be good, they bring forth good fruit; if better, greater and better; if best, the greatest and best, namely thirty-fold, sixty-fold, and a hundred-fold, as Matthew has it, chapter XIII. Therefore τὸ "good and very good" need not be referred to different persons, as Toletus wishes, as if some were of a good heart, others of a very good: for any faithful person growing in virtue can and ought first with a good, then with a better, and at last with a very good heart to receive the word of God, and thus to produce the best fruit, and this is what τὸ "good and very good" suggests. For the Greek joins "good" and "very good" together, as I said; and the Syriac, which translates, in a humble and good heart; others, in a beautiful and good heart.
IN PATIENCE. — In Greek ἐν ὑπομονῇ, that is endurance and toleration, namely of labors, afflictions and sorrows in plowing, sowing, harrowing, weeding, etc., and awaiting the harvest itself with long-suffering patience.
Verse 26: The Country of the Gerasens
26. And they sailed (they arrived by sailing. So the Syriac. Whence manuscript codices read, "they sailed across") to the country of the Gerasens, which is over against Galilee. — "Gerasens," in Greek is Gadarenes; the Greek in Matthew has Gergesenes. Hence some think this is one and the same place, so variously called, and thus having three names. But Adrichomius, in his Description of the Holy Land, shows from St. Jerome in On Hebrew Places, from Josephus and others, that "Gadara" is different from "Gerasa" or "Gergesa." For these were two distinct cities, but from either one the whole region was called "of the Gadarenes," or "of the Gerasens" or "of the Gergesenes." Our Interpreter everywhere translates "of the Gerasens," because this name was the better known.
Verse 27: A Man Who Had a Devil, Dwelling in the Sepulchres
27. AND WHEN HE WAS COME FORTH TO THE LAND, THERE MET HIM A CERTAIN MAN WHO HAD A DEVIL NOW A VERY LONG TIME, AND HE WORE NO CLOTHES, NEITHER DID HE ABIDE IN A HOUSE, BUT IN THE SEPULCHRES. — "A man:" Matthew says there were two, but here one was more notable and more savage; for he was possessed by a legion of demons. Therefore Luke and Mark name him alone.
BUT IN THE SEPULCHRES. — Note first, that the Jews did not have their tombs within the city, lest by contact with them they should be defiled and contract the legal irregularity by which they were kept from the temple; but outside the city in the fields and mountains, as I said before. Their tombs were high and wide, like chambers, so that many could be buried in them together, and even the living could enter them, and bring in the bodies of their dead, as is plain from the tomb of Christ, Sarah, Abraham and others. Thus then this demoniac dwelt in the sepulchres, because he was driven there by demons. You will ask why? I answer first, that the demons might exercise greater savagery upon him there, and strike horror into passers-by, as they do in lycanthropes, that is, in men whom they transform into wolves. The French call them "loups-garous." And perhaps this demoniac was a "lycanthrope," or similar to one: for such a one is most savage and, like a wolf, goes out of his house at night — it prowls among cattle and men, kills and devours all, and frequents solitary places, the tombs of the dead, and horrible caves, hides itself in them, and often howls in the manner of wolves, as Fernelius, Paulus Ægineta, and others teach, whom Guilielmus Eder cites and follows in his book On the Sick of the Gospels, chapters 5 and 11, where he shows that this demoniac was a lycanthrope and suffered from melancholy and lupine mania, which physicians call lycanthropy, by which those afflicted imagine themselves to be wolves, and like wolves they howl and rage against those they meet with fists, teeth, and kicks, "so that no one could pass by that way," says Matthew, without being immediately attacked and torn to pieces by them. Note here that the demon especially invades melancholics and abuses their melancholy to drive them into sadness and despair, or into anger, rage, and fury.
Second, because the demon, most filthy and foul, assumes most filthy and foul bodies, and inhabits similar places, namely tombs full of bones and corpses. Hence witches also customarily hold their assemblies with the demon and dance beneath gallows. See Delrio, in his Magics. Third, to signify that demons delight in the death of men and dwell among the dead, namely the damned in hell. Fourth, Chrysostom, Euthymius, and Theophylactus add that he did this to persuade men that the souls of dead men are transformed into demons, who therefore sit beside the bodies buried in the tomb. Hence demoniacs, says Chrysostom, repeatedly cry out: I am the soul of Peter, or of Paul, or of John.
Verse 28: Jesus, Son of the Most High God
28. HE, WHEN HE SAW JESUS, FELL DOWN BEFORE HIM, AND CRYING OUT WITH A LOUD VOICE, SAID: WHAT HAVE I TO DO WITH YOU, JESUS, SON OF THE MOST HIGH GOD? I BESEECH YOU, DO NOT TORMENT ME. — Mark adds, chapter 5:6: "And seeing Jesus from afar, he ran, and adored Him," namely adoring Him on bended knee. You ask, why did the demon do this? I answer: because he felt the efficacy of Christ's presence, and so was compelled by Christ to run to Him and adore Him; for he feared that if he did not go to meet Christ and adore Him, he would be more severely punished by Him. Therefore Christ compelled him to do this, so that by this means an occasion would be given for the miracle He was about to perform, namely the healing of the demoniac; for this reason Christ directed His journey there and was passing by these tombs, in order to heal this exceedingly fierce demoniac.
SON OF THE MOST HIGH GOD. — From this it appears that the demon, who during the threefold temptation of Christ had not recognized Him, now after so many and such great miracles, recognized from them that He was the Messiah, the Son of God, but in such a way that, blinded by pride and hatred of Christ, he hesitated and was reluctant to believe that the Son of God had humbled Himself to assume human flesh, much less did he believe that the human race was to be redeemed through His cross and death, because, as St. Thomas says, he was in many ways prevented by God from discovering this. See what was said on Mark 4:11. "Do not torment me," that is, do not expel me from this man, and banish me to hell, and there confine me. See what was said on Matthew 8:31.
Learn here how great is the multitude and malice of demons, that a legion of them should beset one man. Thus in the recently augmented Life of St. Dominic we read that a certain impious man who spoke against the Rosary and its fifteen mysteries, which St. Dominic preached everywhere, was seized and possessed by fifteen thousand demons, all of whom St. Dominic, laboring long and hard with his prayers and exorcisms, expelled.
Verse 29: Driven by the Demon Into the Deserts
29. FOR HE COMMANDED THE UNCLEAN SPIRIT TO GO OUT FROM THE MAN. FOR DURING MANY TIMES IT HAD SEIZED HIM, AND HE WAS BOUND WITH CHAINS AND FETTERS UNDER GUARD, AND HAVING BROKEN THE BONDS HE WAS DRIVEN BY THE DEMON INTO THE DESERTS. — Behold, all these things indicate that he was a lycanthrope, as I said at verse 27. From this and similar passages it is clear that many demons are not in hell, but dwell in this air, on earth, in water, in mountains, caves, forests, and deserts (where formerly they called themselves Fauns and Satyrs; Isaiah, chapter 13:21 and chapter 34:14, calls them "hairy ones"), and this until the day of judgment, by God's permission, so that they may tempt men. So says St. Athanasius, in the Life of St. Anthony; and St. Augustine, book 11 of The City of God, chapter 33. Hence it is a pious custom of the Church that the faithful be buried in cemeteries and sacred places blessed by the Bishop, so that through this blessing demons may be kept away from those places, and so that the faithful there may pray to God for those buried there. By this means the phantoms and specters of demons are driven away, as men of gravity and experience at Arras in Belgium related to me. For when I visited the cemetery in the evening, I saw many lighted candles burning there, and very many people praying. When I inquired the reason, I heard that hideous phantoms used to appear there at night, but after the use of lights and prayers for the dead, they had vanished.
Verse 30: My Name Is Legion
30. AND JESUS ASKED HIM, SAYING: WHAT IS YOUR NAME? — "Him," namely one demon, the chief one, who was speaking in the possessed man on behalf of the others. Christ wanted him to reveal his name, so that from that name the multitude of demons, and thereby the power and authority of Christ who was casting them out, might be made manifest.
AND HE SAID: LEGION. — A legion contains six thousand, and St. Ambrose considers that there were precisely that many demons in this man: "He was afflicted not by one demon," he says, "but by the assault of an entire legion." More simply, Euthymius, Victor, and Toletus consider that he called himself "Legion" not precisely, but in a general sense, because they were many; hence he adds: "Because many demons had entered into him." Gregory of Nyssa adds: The demons, he says, imitating the angelic legions, call themselves a Legion, indeed imitating and rivaling God Himself, who is called the Lord of Sabaoth, that is, of armies and angelic legions. For Lucifer is the ape of God.
AT HIS FEET. — It is likely that the man, as soon as he had been freed from the Legion, fell upon his knees at Christ's feet and gave Him immense thanks; but, having been commanded by Christ to sit, he chose out of humility and reverence toward Christ the place of sitting at Christ's feet.
AND THEY WERE AFRAID, — lest Christ should punish them more severely, on account of the loss of the swine, since they were ill-disposed toward Him and murmuring, and perhaps might send those same demons into themselves.
Verse 36: How He Had Been Healed From the Legion
36. AND THEY ALSO WHO HAD SEEN IT TOLD THEM HOW HE HAD BEEN MADE WHOLE FROM THE LEGION.
Verse 37: They Besought Him to Depart
37. AND THE WHOLE MULTITUDE (Matthew viii: "the whole city") OF THE REGION OF THE GERASENES ASKED HIM TO DEPART FROM THEM: FOR THEY WERE TAKEN WITH GREAT FEAR. — Lest Christ should bring upon them greater calamities. Therefore they did not do this out of humility, because they considered themselves unworthy of Christ's presence, as St. Jerome thinks on Matthew viii, but out of distrust and fear, lest Christ's presence should inflict greater harms upon them: for they saw that Jesus was by nation a Jew, a holy man, powerful and divine; and that they themselves were Gentiles, foreign to the Jews. Therefore they feared He might chastise them more heavily for their different religion and for their past sins; just as the widow of Sarepta was afraid when, upon her son's death, she said to Elijah whom she had received as a guest: "What have I to do with thee, O man of God? art thou come to me that my iniquities should be remembered, and that thou shouldst slay my son," III Kings XVII, 18. Therefore not out of hatred, but out of religion and religious fear, they begged Jesus to depart from their region: for sinners think that holy men are a source of harm and vengeance to them, because they suppose that wickedness cannot dwell together with uprightness and holiness, but is chastised and destroyed by it on account of the zeal of the saints by which they pursue sins and sinners.
AND JESUS GOING UP INTO THE SHIP, RETURNED — from Gadara, where He had healed the demoniac, into Galilee, whence He had come, by crossing and passing over again the sea of Galilee, and He returned to Capernaum, as is clear from Matthew IX, 1. For He did not wish to present and thrust Himself and His doctrine upon the Gadarenes against their will.
Verse 38: Return to Thy House and Tell What God Hath Done
38. AND THE MAN FROM WHOM THE DEVILS HAD DEPARTED BESOUGHT HIM THAT HE MIGHT BE WITH HIM. — For it was pleasant to him to be with Christ, inasmuch as from Him he had received so great a benefit and hoped for more.
Dimisit (Greek ἀπέλυσε, dismissed) AUTEM EUM JESUS, DICENS: RETURN TO THY HOUSE, AND TELL HOW GREAT THINGS GOD HATH DONE TO THEE — through Me, so that from this they may acknowledge Me to be the Messiah, and may believe in Me and be saved, and therefore lay aside the bitterness they have conceived against Me on account of the drowning of the swine.
AND HE WENT THROUGH THE WHOLE CITY (indeed through all the Decapolis, as Mark says, cap. v, 20) PUBLISHING HOW GREAT THINGS JESUS HAD DONE FOR HIM. — This city was near Gadara; for close by, this demoniac had dwelt in the tombs, and there he had been healed by Jesus and freed from the legion of demons. Therefore it is likely that in it, besides Jews, there were many Gentiles and unbelievers: to them therefore he preached the faith in Christ, that they might believe in Him as God and the Son of God. So St. Ambrose here, and St. Chrysostom, homily 29 on Matthew.
A mystical reason is given by St. Gregory, Moralia, book VI, chap. XVII, at the end, namely that Christ here wills to teach that the active life must come before the contemplative: "For when," he says, "we perceive even a little of divine contemplation, we are no longer willing to return to human things, and we refuse to be burdened with the needs of our neighbors: we seek the repose of contemplation, and we love nothing else but this, which refreshes the soul without labor. But Truth, when it has healed us, sends us home, and bids us relate the things that have been wrought with us, so that, namely, the mind may first toil in work and afterwards be refreshed by contemplation."