Luke 8:22-39
Good morning, RTB’ers!
I’ve encouraged us to read two or more translations each day. Today the ESV says that the boat was filling with water… (v. 23b). The NASB says that they began to be swamped. That’s a more graphic picture. A boat filling is different than a boat being swamped!
In our Avanza time with the Hispanic kids we read Bible stories from the Jesus Storybook Bible. One of our stories is this calming of the storm. But the writer of this story has a different take on it that I had never heard or considered before. As Jesus calms the storm, the author notes that the God Who spoke all things into being simply spoke to the wind and the waves, “Be still”. That is, Jesus was the Master of the wind and the waves and all created things and they knew Him and His voice and they listened to Him and obeyed. They knew Him from Him having created them! Fascinating!! We’ve seen Jesus with power over the supernatural – casting out demons with just a word. Now we see Him with power over all created things! Fascinating!! Let that sink in! What a Glorious God we serve!
Many days ago I mentioned that a Roman legion was comprised of soldiers under 60 centurions. That means that a Roman legion had some 5,000 to 6,000 soldiers. When the demon responded to Jesus asking him his name, he said “Legion”, Did he mean that 5,000 to 6,000 demons had entered his body? Or maybe just many demons…? What is your interpretation? (It’s a lot!)
Blessings!
I am really struck by both your comments: first, the wind and waves knowing the voice of God, who created them; and also Legion possibly a reference to the Roman legion of soldiers. I hope I will remember these possibilities.
I was also struck by the next sentence where the demons are “imploring Him not to command them to go away into the abyss.” ( I also see “the deep” and “bottomless pit” for abyss.) Apparently the demons don’t want to be sent back into Hell— possibly even a terrifying place for demons! I would never have thought of that before. I don’t usually spend time thinking about Hell, and have actually felt that we aren’t supposed to think about it much, so this was a truly new thought for me.