Luke 8:39

Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(39) Throughout the whole city.—The city was, of course, according to the reading adopted, Gerasa, or Gadara.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

8:22-40 Those that put to sea in a calm, even at Christ's word, must yet prepare for a storm, and for great peril in that storm. There is no relief for souls under a sense of guilt, and fear of wrath, but to go to Christ, and call him Master, and say, I am undone, if thou dost not help me. When our dangers are over, it becomes us to take to ourselves the shame of our own fears, and to give Christ the glory of our deliverance. We may learn much out of this history concerning the world of infernal, malignant spirits, which though not working now exactly in the same way as then, yet all must at all times carefully guard against. And these malignant spirits are very numerous. They have enmity to man and all his comforts. Those under Christ's government are sweetly led with the bands of love; those under the devil's government are furiously driven. Oh what a comfort it is to the believer, that all the powers of darkness are under the control of the Lord Jesus! It is a miracle of mercy, if those whom Satan possesses, are not brought to destruction and eternal ruin. Christ will not stay with those who slight him; perhaps he may no more return to them, while others are waiting for him, and glad to receive him.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See this passage explained in the Matthew 8:23-34 notes, and Mark 5:1-20 notes.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Lu 8:26-39. Demoniac of Gadara Healed.

(See on [1602]Mt 8:28-34; and Mr 5:1-20).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

See Poole on "Luke 8:26"

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Return to thine own house,.... Which very likely was in the city of Gadara, whither he went, and throughout the whole of which he published the account of the dispossession of the devils from him: Mark adds, "to thy friends"; relations, acquaintance, and countrymen:

and show how great things God hath done unto thee; for none but God could effect such things, tacitly suggesting to him hereby, that he himself was God. Mark adds, "and hath had compassion on thee": signifying, that what he had done for him, did not arise from merit in the man, but from mercy in himself; See Gill on Mark 5:19.

And he went his way; he obeyed the orders of Christ, as love and gratitude obliged him:

and published throughout the whole city; of Gadara, and not only there, but in the rest of the ten cities, called Decapolis, Mark 5:20 one of which was this of Gadara, as Pliny relates (o):

how great things Jesus had done unto him; having cast out a legion of devils from him, clothed him, and brought him to his right mind; and had not only delivered his body from a diabolical possession, but had given him spiritual and saving instructions for his soul, on which he had wrought a real work of grace.

(o) Lib. 5. c. 18.

Geneva Study Bible

Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published {l} throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.

(l) That is, the city of the Gadarenes: and though Mark says that he preached it in Decapolis, these accounts do not differ, for Pliny records in lib. 5, chap. 18, that Gadara is a town of Decapolis: so that Decapolis was partly on this side of Jordan, and partly on the other side.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Luke 8:39. ὑπόστρεφε: it was good for the man that he should return to his home and people, and tell them what had befallen him through the mercy of God (ὅσα ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεός). It was good for the people also. They needed a missionary greatly.—καθʼ ὅλην τὴν πόλιν, over the whole city. Mk. says in Decapolis.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

39. shew how great things God hath done unto thee] This command valuably illustrates one of the reasons why our Lord commanded reticence in other instances. To the region of Gadara He did not intend to return, and therefore the proclamation of a miracle would not cause Him to be surrounded by curious crowds.

Bengel's Gnomen

[39. Σοὶ, unto thee) Every one can be the weightiest witness of those things which have been vouchsafed to himself by the Divine favour.—V. g.

Luke 8:39

Vincent's Word Studies

Shew (διηγοῦ)

Rather relate, recount, with the idea of telling the story throughout (διά). See on declaration, Luke 1:1.

Throughout the whole city

Mark says in Decapolis.

How great things (ὅσα)

Lit., how many things, and thus according with recount. Declared all things throughout, as many as Jesus had done.