Christ's Resurrection, Appearance to Disciples, and Ascension

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels: 

(Luke 24:1) Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came to the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

At the end of the last chapter, Joseph of Arimathea had laid Jesus's body in his own new and unused tomb.  Some of the women who had been following Jesus saw where He was buried, and went home to prepare spices and ointments for Him.  However, as the Sabbath had begun at 6:00 in the evening on the day Jesus had died, they were not able to bring the spices back to Him that night.  A full second day had passed, the Sabbath, and now it was the morning of the third day that they went back to the sepulchre where Jesus had been buried.  It seems some others, probably women, went with them.

(2) And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.

The account in Matthew had said that Joseph had rolled a huge stone in the doorway of the sepulchre where he had buried Jesus.  The women now found the stone rolled away from the door.  

(3) And they entered in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

The women entered into the sepulchre and found that Jesus's body was not there.

(4) And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed about this, two men stood by them in shining garments.

As the women stood there perplexed about Jesus's missing body, it seems there appeared two angels in the form of men in shining garments.  In the accounts of Matthew and Mark, they spoke of only one angel.  Luke and John spoke of two angels.  I'm sure the angels must have come and gone at will, as it seems they must have surely just appeared before the women, as they certainly would have seen them as they entered into the sepulchre if they had already been there.  Matthew and Mark may have only mentioned one with whom the women had communication and didn't mention the other.  However, in John Gill's Exposition of the Bible, he pointed out that there were two angels because as they were the first witnesses of Jesus's resurrection, it was therefore established He had risen, as scripture tells us often that out of the mouth of two or three witnesses a thing will be established.

(5) And as they were afraid and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead?"

The women were very afraid and while they bowed down their faces to the ground, the angels asked them why they were searching for the living among the dead.

(6) "He is not here but is risen; remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, (7) Saying, 'The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and the third day rise again.'"

The angels told the women that Jesus was not there because He had risen, and then reminded them of Jesus's words telling them how He must suffer and die at the hands of sinful men, but that He would rise again on the third day.  

In studying this, I began to contemplate why it was that Jesus had to be in the tomb for three days before He rose.  Why not right away or why not seven days, the number of perfection?  I am sure He had to be dead in the tomb long enough for people to know that He was really dead.  If he had risen right away, people could have claimed He had only fainted.  If he stayed much longer, His body would have started severely decaying.  And I found this scripture from Psalm 16:10, "For You will not leave My soul in Sheol; neither will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption."  "Sheol" can sometimes mean hell, but it also means "grave" and that definition makes more sense here.  God would not leave Jesus's body in the grave and He would not allow it to become corrupted, or destroyed or decayed.  Although the body begins decaying right away after death, God would not allow Jesus's body to stay long enough to start noticeable decaying.  Of course, God could have prevented it from decaying at all in that span of three partial days.  Although it was counted as the third day that Jesus rose, if you count the hours, it only totaled 36 hours, more like a day and a half.  So as God does all things in perfect timing, He allowed Jesus's body to stay in the tomb long enough that no one could deny that He was really dead, but not so long that it began to decay.  Also Jesus fulfilled a prophecy that He would say of Himself, that just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale for three days, so He would be in the grave three days.

(8) And they remembered His words, (9) And returned from the sepulchre and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.

The women did indeed remember Jesus's words and they left the sepulchre and went back to tell the eleven disciples and the rest of Jesus's followers what they had seen and heard.

(10) It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary mother of James, and other women with them, who told these things to the apostles.

Mary Magdalene, Joanna whom we were told in Luke 8:3 was the wife of Herod's steward Chuza, and Mary the mother of James and also of Joseph and said to be Jesus's mother Mary's sister, as well as other women were the ones who told the apostles what they had seen and heard.

(11) And their words seemed to them as idle tales and they did not believe them.

The eleven disciples, who had heard the words of Jesus just as these women had, did not believe them and thought they were just speaking nonsense.

(12) Then Peter arose and ran to the sepulchre, and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering to himself at that which had come to pass.

At least Peter had enough doubt about what the women had told him to go and check it out for himself.  He ran to the sepulchre and stooped down to observe only the linens that had been used to wrap Jesus's body lying there.  He left the tomb contemplating those things he had seen and had heard from the women.

(13) And behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus which was from Jerusalem sixty furlongs.

That same day two of Jesus's disciples, probably not two of the twelve apostles as they weren't named, were going to a village called Emmaus that was about seven and a half miles from Jerusalem.

(14) And they talked together of all these things which had happened.

As they were walking, they were discussing all the things that had recently happened.  They may have been talking about Jesus's betrayal by Judas and His awful crucifixion and the awesome signs from heaven, and they may have been among the disciples who heard what the women had to say that morning.  Whatever it was exactly, they had a lot to contemplate.

(15) And it came to pass that while they communed and reasoned, Jesus Himself drew near and went with them.

While they walked and talked, Jesus Himself came up on them and walked with them.

(16) But their eyes were restrained that they should not know Him.

Although He walked with them, they did not recognize Him.  The way it is written, it seems that Jesus may have veiled their eyes that they should not recognize Him at first.  However, it may be that they were looking downward at the road ahead, probably melancholy over the events they were discussing, and didn't notice Him.

(17) And He said to them, "What manner of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?"

Jesus then spoke to them asking what they were talking about as they walked along and why they were so sad.

(18) And one of them whose name was Cleopas, answering, said to Him, "Are You only a stranger in Jerusalem and have not known the things which have come to pass there in these days?"

This interaction does seem to suggest that their eyes had been supernaturally veiled so as not to recognize Jesus at first.  One of the disciples or followers of Jesus named Cleopas asked Him if He was a stranger in Jerusalem to not have known what had taken place there in the past few days.

(19) And He said to them, "What things?" And they said to Him, "Concerning Jesus of Nazareth who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people."

Jesus asked them what things had come to pass the past few days.  They answered that it concerned Jesus of Nazareth and they described Him as a prophet mighty in deed as in all His miraculous healings and other miracles He performed and mighty in His preaching and teaching before God indicating He had God's blessing, and to all the people.

(20) "And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death and have crucified Him."

They continued telling Jesus what had happened, that the chief priests and rulers delivered Jesus to be condemned to death, and He was indeed crucified.

(21) "But we trusted that it had been He who should have redeemed Israel, and besides all this, today is the third day since these things were done."

This is probably the reason that Jesus had veiled their eyes so as not to recognize Him.  He wanted them to speak aloud what they were thinking about Him, for it seems they still didn't have a full understanding of what He had come to do.  They said they had trusted that He was going to redeem Israel as they would expect an earthly king to do, but it had now been three days since He had been crucified.

(22) "Yes, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, who were early at the sepulchre, (23) And when they did not find His body, they came saying they had also seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive."

It appears they had indeed been witness to what the women had said that morning and told Jesus about it.  They told Him how the women had gone to His sepulchre and did not find His body there, and then went to Jesus's disciples and followers and told them about it and how they had seen angels who told them Jesus was alive.

(24) "And certain of those who were with us went to the sepulchre and found it even as the women had said, but Him they did not see."

They told Jesus that certain of the group who had heard what the women had to say, we know Peter was one of them, went to the sepulchre and found it just as the women had said; they did not see His body.

(25) Then He said to them, "O fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken."

Jesus then rebuked them as foolish and slow to understand all that the prophets had spoken about their Messiah.

(26) "Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?"

As they had been told by the scriptures, if Christ was to redeem them and fulfill the prophecies concerning Him, wasn't He to suffer these things?  Those very things that caused them doubt were the things that proved He was the Messiah.

(27) And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded to them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself.

Jesus then began to explain to them the scriptures from Moses to all the prophets who prophesied about Him just how they spoke of Him.

(28) And they drew near to the village where they went, and He made as though He would have gone further.

The disciples came to their destination at Emmaus, but Jesus appeared to be going on further.

(29) But they constrained Him, saying, "Abide with us for it is toward evening and the day is far spent." And He went in to tarry with them.

The disciples asked Jesus to stay with them, still not realizing who He was.  They said because it was late in the day and evening was coming, He should stay with them, and He did.

(30) And it came to pass, as He sat at the meal with them, He took bread and blessed and broke and gave to them. 

When Jesus sat down with the disciples for a meal, He took the role of the master of the house and took bread, broke it, and gave it to them, just as He had done so many times before when He was with His disciples.

(31) And their eyes were opened and they knew Him, and He vanished out of their sight.

It was at that point that the disciples' eyes were opened and they knew it was Jesus who sat with them, but then He vanished out of sight.

(32) And they said to one another, "Didn't our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the way and while He opened to us the scriptures?"

The two disciples then talked with each other about how their hearts had indeed burned with passion at Jesus's words and His knowledge of the scriptures.  It was as if they were saying, "Of course, it was Jesus!  Who else but Him could stir our hearts so?"

(33) And they rose up the same hour and returned to Jerusalem and found the eleven gathered together and those who were with them, (34) Saying, "The Lord is risen indeed and has appeared to Simon!"

The two disciples rose up immediately and returned to Jerusalem where they found the eleven apostles gathered together with other disciples with them.  The apostles told the returning disciples that the Lord had indeed risen and had appeared to Simon Peter.  It's interesting that none of the Gospels tell of this encounter, not even Mark, who was thought to be Peter's scribe.  However, the fact that it did happen is backed up by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:5.

(35) And they told about the things on the road and how He was known by them in breaking of bread.

The two disciples then told the others about how they had met Jesus on their way to Emmaus, but He wasn't made known to them until His breaking of bread at their meal.

(36) And as they spoke Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them and said to them, "Peace to you."

While the two disciples were telling their story, Jesus Himself appeared in the midst of them all and saluted them with, "Peace to you."

(37) But they were terrified and frightened and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

It's interesting that they were so frightened and thought they were seeing a spirit when they had just then been talking about how Jesus had appeared to some of them.  But the account in John tells us it was night and they had assembled together in a shut and presumably locked house because they were afraid of the Jews.  The fact that Jesus just appeared having not come through a door and not making a sound took them very much by surprise.

(38) And He said to them, "Why are you troubled? And why do thoughts arise in your hearts?"

However, Jesus spoke to them and asked why they were troubled at His appearance.  By "thoughts" I think He meant "doubts".  Why were they having doubts about whether or not they were really seeing Him?

(39) "Behold My hands and feet, that it is I Myself; handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have." (40) And when He had spoken this, He showed them His hands and feet.

Jesus told them to look at Him, specifically at His hands and feet which surely showed the wounds He had received from being nailed to the cross.  He told them to touch Him and see that He was flesh and bones and not a spirit.  Then He showed them His hands and His feet.

(41) And while they still did not believe for joy and wondered, He said to them, "Have you here any meat?"

It's not that the disciples did not believe Jesus at all, it was just so incredible and filled them with such joy that they couldn't believe their own eyes.  Then Jesus asked them if they had any food.  I doubt Jesus really needed to eat at that point, but it was another point of proof that He was indeed flesh and bones.

(42) And they gave Him a piece of broiled fish and of a honeycomb. (43) And He took it and did eat before them.

The disciples gave Jesus a piece of broiled fish and a piece of honeycomb which He did indeed eat.

(44) And He said to them, "These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms concerning Me."

Jesus may have been referring to His words that would follow, or perhaps more likely He was saying that the things they had witnessed were the fulfillment of the words He had previously spoken to them regarding His death and resurrection, prophecies that had been written by Moses, the prophets, and in the psalms.

(45) Then He opened their understanding that they might understand the scriptures.

Jesus opened the disciples' hearts and minds and gave them a full understanding of the scriptures concerning Him.

(46) And said to them, "Thus it is written and thus it behooved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day."

Jesus told His disciples, having given them full understanding, that it had been written in scripture and it was necessary for Christ to suffer and die and then be risen from the dead on the third day.

(47) "And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations beginning at Jerusalem."

Jesus added that repentance of sin and the forgiveness of it should be preached in Christ's name to all nations, but beginning at Jerusalem to God's chosen people.

(48) "And you are witnesses of these things."

Jesus declared to His disciples that as they had been witnesses to His life, His suffering, His death, His resurrection, and His fulfillment of the scriptures, they could therefore witness to all nations.

(49) "And behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you, but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high."

Jesus assured them that He would send the promise of His Father, the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17 and 26).  However, He told them to stay in Jerusalem until they had received that power of the Holy Spirit descending upon them.

(50) And He led them out as far as Bethany and He lifted up His hands and blessed them.

Jesus led the disciples out to the district of Bethany, not the actual town, for later in Acts it will tell us they returned from the Mount of Olives which was in the district of Bethany.  He then lifted up His arms and blessed them.

(51) And it came to pass while He blessed them, He was parted from them and carried up into heaven.

While Jesus was blessing His disciples, He was carried up into heaven.  Jesus's ascension into heaven did not occur the same day as when He appeared to all His apostles and ate fish.  Scripture later states that He spent forty days on earth after His death appearing to many others (Acts 1:3).

(52) And they worshipped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.

The disciples praised and adored Jesus and then with great joy returned to Jerusalem to stay as Jesus had told them to do.

(53) And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

The disciples spent their time in Jerusalem in the temple continually praising and blessing God until that day when they would receive His gift of the Holy Spirit.  Their days of mourning had ended, and they were filled with the assurance of redemption.  They, and every saved Christian after them, should be full of joy that their Savior had descended from heaven, died, risen, and ascended back to heaven to save them from their sin and give them eternal life.  Amen, that is, so be it, verily, firm, it is true and certain.

Jesus's Power Over Storms, Demons, and Death

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Luke 8:1) And it came to pass afterward, that He went throughout every city and village, preaching and showing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God, and the twelve were with Him,

At the end of the last chapter, Jesus had been eating a meal with a Pharisee who had invited Him to his house after He had been teaching and curing many people of various sorts of afflictions.  After that episode, He continued teaching throughout every city and village, bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God.  His twelve apostles were with Him.

(2) And certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, (3) And Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, who ministered to Him from their substance.

Along with the twelve apostles, there also went with Jesus many women, including Mary Magdalene, out of whom Jesus had cast out seven demon spirits.  There went also Joanna who was the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, which meant he was the manager of the property of Herod Antipas.  Joanna had also been healed by Jesus, but we aren't told if it was from evil spirits or some other infirmity; and it is likely she was now a widow who followed Jesus and ministered to Him out of her substance.  A woman named Susanna was also one who had been healed by Jesus and followed Him, and even though not much is written about her, we might assume she was a woman of means who could afford to minister to Jesus from her substance.

(4) And when many people were gathered together, and had come to Him out of every city, He spoke by a parable.

When many people had gathered together around Jesus from the surrounding cities and villages, He began to teach them with the following parable.

(5) "A 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."

Jesus began telling the parable of the sower, which was described in the gospels of both Matthew and Mark.  A sower went out to sow his seed and some of it fell by the wayside, the edges of the field, where it was trodden down by people who walked along those edges of the field, and some was devoured by birds.

(6) "And some fell upon a rock, and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away because it lacked moisture."

Some of the seed fell upon rocks and therefore had no roots in the soil, as the other gospel writers told it.  As soon as it had sprung up, it withered away.

(7) "And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it."

Some of the sower's seed fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with the seed and choked it.

(8) "And other fell on good ground, and sprang up and bore fruit a hundredfold." And when He had said these things, He cried, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"

The rest of the seeds fell on good ground, rooted in good soil, and it came up and produced fruit a hundredfold.  Jesus then exhorted His listeners to really hear and understand His parable.

(9) And His disciples asked Him, saying, "What might this parable be?"

Jesus's followers asked Him what His parable meant.

(10) And 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."

Jesus told His disciples that they were privileged to be able to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God.  It was given to them to understand spiritual things, but to others the parables would not be understood in a spiritual sense.  He referenced Old Testament scripture that spoke of people seeing and hearing, but not understanding (Isaiah 6:9, Jeremiah 5:21).  To those who were being led by the Holy Spirit, they might have the ears to understand.  However, those with no regard for spiritual things would not be able to understand the parables Jesus told.  In that way, the beautiful mysteries of the kingdom of God were hidden from people who had no real desire to understand, and Jesus did not cast His pearls before swine (Matthew 7:6).

(11) "Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God."

Jesus began explaining the parable to His disciples.  The seed represented the word of God.

(12) "Those by the wayside are they who hear; then comes the devil and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved."

The seed that fell by the wayside that was trampled and devoured by birds represented those who heard the word of God, but before they could truly understand and come to salvation, that word was trampled by the world and snatched away by Satan, represented by the birds.  Satan's purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10), so he must divert the attention of one who has heard the word in any way he can in order to destroy and kill the one who might be otherwise saved if he retained God's word.

(13) "They on the rock, which when they hear, receive the word with joy, but these have no root, who for a while believe and in time of temptation fall away."

The seed that fell on the rocks represented those who heard the word of God and received it with genuine joy, but it was more of a head knowledge and joy, and never became rooted in their hearts.  They believed for awhile, but that belief quickly withered away when temptation came.

(14) "And that which fell among thorns are they who when they have heard, go forth and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to perfection."

The seed that fell among thorns represents probably a huge number of Christians today.  They hear the word and believe it, but it is choked by the busyness of this life, and they bring forth no real fruit of their faith.

(15) "But that on the good ground are those which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience."

The seed that fell on good ground represented the word that was planted in a good and honest heart where it took root and brought forth fruit with endurance and perseverance, which is the more complete definition of the original word "hupomone" that was translated as "patience."  Patience in the Bible is sometimes called longsuffering.  When you think of patience that way, it fits here perfectly.  Bringing forth fruit with patience is bringing it forth even through long suffering with endurance and perseverance.

(16) "No man when he has lit a candle, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a candlestand that those who enter in may see the light."

It's as if Jesus was saying, "Let your fruit appear openly."  When that light is lit in our hearts, it should not be hidden there, but should be revealed that those who come in contact with us will see it.

(17) "For nothing is secret that shall not be made manifest, neither hidden that shall not be known and come abroad."

There are no secrets in this world.  God sees all.  There is nothing hidden in the hearts that will not be known and come to light.  Regarding the secret mysteries of the kingdom of God (v. 10), that which was hidden in parables, would come to light abroad in the entire world.  What might seem hidden to the disciples at that time would not remain hidden as nothing remains hidden.

(18) "Take heed therefore how you hear; for whoever has, to him shall be given, and whoever has not, from him shall be taken even that which he seems to have."

Jesus cautioned His disciples to be careful about how they heard the truths and doctrines He would teach, that it not be with a careless ear, for whoever had knowledge of the doctrines of Christ and had spiritual gifts and abilities to spread that knowledge, would be given more knowledge and spiritual gifts.  However, those who did not have true spiritual knowledge would lose even what they thought they had.  That way they could not pass on false spiritual knowledge to others, endangering their souls.

(19) Then came to Him His mother and His brothers and could not come at Him for the press.

Jesus's mother and brothers came seeking Him but could not approach Him because the crowd of people pressed in on Him so.

(20) And it was told Him, saying, "Your mother and your brothers stand outside desiring to see You."

The account in Matthew stated that Jesus had ceased talking to the multitude that had gathered from every city (v. 4) and He had gone into a house where the disciples had then asked Him about the parable of the sower.  Apparently, a crowd had gathered at the house and that is where Mary and Jesus's brothers had come to see Him.  Someone told Jesus that His mother and brothers were outside wishing to see Him.

(21) And He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."

Jesus took that opportunity to demonstrate that there was no closer bond among men than the one between man and his Lord, when that man embraced Him with true faith and adherence to God's word.  "There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother" (Proverbs 18:24).

(22) Now it came to pass on a certain day that He went into a ship with His disciples, and He said to them, "Let us go over to the other side of the lake." And they launched forth.

On another day Jesus and His disciples boarded a ship where He told them to go over to the other side of the lake, which was Lake Gennesaret or the Sea of Galilee.  They set sail.

(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 jeopardy.

As they sailed to the other side of the lake, Jesus slept.  A windstorm came upon them, and their boat was filling up with water and they were in danger, at least seemingly so.

(24) And they came to Him and woke Him, saying, "Master, Master, we perish!" Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water, and they ceased and there was a calm.

The disciples came to Jesus and woke Him up, declaring they were about to perish.  Jesus rose up, rebuked the wind and the raging sea, and they ceased, and all was calm.

(25) And He said to them, "Where is your faith?" And they being afraid, wondered, saying to one another, "What manner of man is this! For He commands even the wind and water, and they obey Him."

Jesus rebuked His disciples, asking where their faith was.  After all, He had said, "Let us go to the other side."  He didn't say there would be no dangers along the way, but they were going to the other side; Jesus said so.  I love this!  I recently heard a teaching on this that pointed that out.  Jesus said, and there was no need to fear any danger.  "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me..." (Psalm 23:4).  The disciples marveled at Jesus's action in calming the sea for even the winds and the water obeyed Him.

(26) And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee.

Their ship arrived at the country of the Gadarenes which was across the sea from Galilee.

(27) And when He went forth to land, there met Him out of the city a certain man who had devils a long time, and he wore no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs.

When Jesus stepped on the land from the boat, a man came out of the city to meet Him.  He was a man who had had demons for a long time, and he wore no clothes and didn't live in a house, but among the tombs.

(28) When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before Him, and with a loud voice, said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of God most high? I beseech You, do not torment me!"

When the man saw it was Jesus, possessed by the demon inside of him, he cried out in a loud voice and fell down before Jesus.  The demon recognized Jesus and asked what it had to do with Jesus, admitting He was the Son of the most high God.  Then it begged Jesus not to torment it.

(29) (For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him, and he was kept bound with chains and in shackles, and he broke the bonds, and was driven by the devil into the wilderness.)

It seems the demon begged Jesus not to torment it when Jesus had commanded it to come out of the man.  The parenthetical statement goes on to tell how powerful it had been against the man it possessed, breaking the chains and shackles that had been used to bind him, and driving him into the wilderness.

(30) And Jesus asked him, saying, "What is your name?" And he said, "Legion," because many devils had entered into him.

Jesus would have certainly already known the name of the demon that possessed the man, but for the sake of the observers, to understand the miserable state of this poor man possessed by such a demon, He asked it its name.  The demon answered "Legion" because there were many demons that had possessed the man.

(31) And they beseeched Him that He would not command them to go out into the deep.

The demons begged Jesus not to send them into the abyss or hell.  They understood that they must obey Him; they had no power against Him, so they begged Him not to send them to hell.

(32) And there was there a herd of many swine feeding on the mountain, and they besought Him that He would allow them to enter into them. And He permitted them.

There was a huge herd of swine there feeding on the mountain, and the demons begged Jesus to allow them to enter into the swine.  Jesus allowed them.  Why would Jesus allow the demons to bargain with Him?  Again, it was for the benefit of the witnesses to see exactly what end there was for those possessed by demons.

(33) Then the devils went out of the man and entered into the swine, and the herd ran violently down a steep place into a lake and were drowned.

Apparently, this bargaining of the demons took place while they were still within the man, beginning when Jesus had commanded them to come out of him.  That shows that it was Jesus Himself who allowed them to bargain and plead, as they would have immediately gone out of the man against their will when Jesus commanded, but He permitted them this for the benefit of the witnesses.  The demons then went out of the man and into the herd of swine, and the herd ran violently over a cliff, into the lake, and were drowned.

(34) When they who fed them saw what was done, they fled and went and told it in the city and in the country.

When those who fed the swine, which totaled about 2000 head, according to the account in Mark, saw what happened to the herd, they ran away and told what had happened far and wide, in the city and in the country.

(35) Then they went out to see what was done and came to Jesus and found the man out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind; and they were afraid.

When people heard the story of what had happened, they went out to see for themselves and went to Jesus where they found the man who had been possessed by the demons sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind.  This made them afraid.

(36) They also who saw it told them by what means he who was possessed of the devils was healed.

The eyewitnesses to what had happened told the people who came out to see for themselves, the details of how it was that the man who had been possessed came to be healed.

(37) Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes all around besought Him to depart from them, for they were taken with great fear; and He went into the ship and returned.

The entire country of the Gadarenes begged Jesus to leave them because they were so afraid.  One can only assume that they feared some great loss as had happened to the herd of swine, for if their fear was a reverential one for this prophet or God, they would have wanted to learn more and see others healed by Him.  They seemed to have more selfish concern for their possessions than they did for the miraculous healing of one of their own.  That may have been another reason why Jesus allowed the demons to have what they wished.  What a vivid example of unrepentant sinners it was that the Gadarenes, when they witnessed an awesome miracle in that Jesus could command devils, and what those devils were able to do to destroy their hosts, and what peace and right-mindedness Jesus gave, they yet chose to drive Him out of their country.  They chose their possessions over the gift of Jesus, and Jesus obliged and returned from whence He came.

(38) Now 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 your own house and show what great things God has done to you." And he went his way and published throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done to him.

It seems there was one man in the whole country of the Gadarenes who chose to follow Jesus, the man who had been healed of the demons.  He asked Jesus to allow him to follow Him, but Jesus sent him back to his home to be a witness for Him.  At this time, that was where he could better serve, to give his testimony to all he could reach, for they had rejected Jesus and sent Him away.  The man did just that, reporting all the things Jesus had done for him throughout the city.

(40) And it came to pass that, when Jesus returned, the people welcomed Him, for they were all waiting for Him.

In striking contrast to the Gadarenes, when Jesus returned, those people had been waiting for Him and welcomed Him gladly.

(41) And behold, there came a man named Jairus and he was a ruler of the synagogue; and he fell down at Jesus's feet and besought Him that He would come into his house.

A man named Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, came up to Jesus and fell down at His feet and begged Him to come to his house.

(42) For he had one only daughter about twelve years of age, and she lay dying. But as He went, the people thronged Him.

Jairus asked Jesus to go to his house because there his only daughter, only twelve years old, was dying.  As Jesus went with him toward his house, the multitude of people crowded Him.

(43) And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, who had spent all her living on physicians but could not be healed by any, (44) Came behind and touched the border of His garment, and immediately her issue of blood stopped.

Among the crowd was a woman who had had an issue of blood for twelve years.  She had spent her whole livelihood on doctors, but none had ever healed her.  She came up behind Jesus and touched the border of His garment and immediately her issue of blood stopped.  The account in Mark told us she had purposed to touch Jesus's garment to be healed, and indeed, she was.

(45) And Jesus said, "Who touched Me?" When all denied, Peter and those who were with Him said, "Master, the multitude throngs You and presses You, and You say, 'Who touched Me?'"

Jesus immediately asked who had touched Him.  Everyone denied touching Him, but Peter and those with Him asked how He could ask such a question when it was obvious a crowd of many people pressed in on and touched Him.  Of course, we know that Jesus already knew who had touched Him, but for the benefit of the woman and the witnesses, including Peter and the disciples, He asked the question.

(46) And Jesus said, "Somebody has touched Me, for I perceive that power has gone out of Me."

Jesus said, in an answer to Peter, that He knew someone had touched Him for He felt power going out of Him.  It's not as if Jesus had not willed the power to go forth from Him and heal the woman.  It was not as if His healing power went out from Him just because people touched Him, or else the people who crowded Him would have also been healed.  Jesus said this to make a point and bring everyone's attention to just what had happened.  It was one of those teaching moments of Jesus.

(47) And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before Him, she declared to Him before all the people for what reason she had touched Him, and how she was healed immediately.

When the woman saw that what she had done in secret was not a secret to Jesus, she came to Him, trembling, and fell down before Him.  She confessed the reason she had sought to touch Him and told how she had been healed immediately.

(48) And He said to her, "Daughter, be of good comfort; your faith has made you whole; go in peace."

Jesus told the woman to be at peace; He was not angry with her.  On the contrary, He recognized her faith and told her that is why she had been healed, and she could go in peace.

(49) While He was still speaking, there came one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, "Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Master."

While Jesus was still speaking to the woman, someone came from Jairus's house and told him that his daughter had died, so he should not trouble Jesus.

(50) But when Jesus heard, He answered him, saying, "Fear not; believe only, and she shall be made whole."

I believe it was by design that Jesus tarried with the woman who had the issue of blood.  Not only had valuable lessons been taught with the woman, but now Jesus could show that there was no need to fear even in the most hopeless situation when one had faith in Jesus.  And of course, He would demonstrate His power over death.

(51) And when He came into the house, He permitted no man to go in except Peter, James, John, and the father and the mother of the girl.

When Jesus came to Jairus's house, He only allowed Peter, James, and John, and of course, the parents of the girl, to go into the house.  There was no reason to allow a crowd of people to trample all over Jairus's house, but as was Jesus's usual custom, there would be two or three witnesses to establish a thing as truth (Deuteronomy 19:15, Matthew 18:16).

(52) And all wept and bewailed her, but He said, "Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping."

All the people who were already in the house wept and mourned over the girl.  However, Jesus told them not to weep because she was not dead, only sleeping.

(53) And they laughed Him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.

The people in the house only laughed and ridiculed Jesus because they knew the girl was dead.

(54) And He put them all out, and took her by the hand and called, saying, "Maid, arise."

Jesus put all those people out.  It is not helpful to have a bunch of non-believers and naysayers when one is holding onto faith in the seemingly impossible.  Besides, what kind of people were they, who were supposedly mournful over the girl, but then could turn so quickly to laughter and ridicule at so solemn a moment?  They were unworthy to be witnesses of this great miracle.  Jesus did not cast His pearls before swine (Matthew 7:6).  He then took the girl by the hand and called out to her to arise.

(55) And her spirit came again and she arose immediately, and He commanded to give her food.

The girl's soul and life returned to her, and she rose up from her bed immediately.  Jesus commanded her parents to give her some nourishment.

(56) And her parents were astonished, but He charged them that they should tell no one what was done.

The girl's parents were obviously amazed, but Jesus told them not to publish far and wide what was done there in private.  Of course, everyone could see that the girl was now alive, but after all, Jesus had said she was only sleeping.  There was no need to publish the details of this miracle and bring about the wrath of the Pharisees before the proper time.

This chapter began with Jesus preaching and teaching, and culminated with his restoring life to a dead girl.  That is, of course, the reason He came, to give us life, and life more abundantly (John 10:10).