Luk 8:27-29 | KingComments | STEP | They continue their boat trip and come in the country of the Gerasenes. The location is specified as the country “which is opposite Galilee”. The Lord goes there to seek and deliver a poor demon-possessed man. After the need of the disciples and the salvation by Him we see in this history the need of one individual person and the liberation from it by Him. The disciples’ need had to do with their service for Him. They had Him with them in their need. It was only about trusting Him. The need of the man in the next history is totally different. He is completely distanced from the Lord and completely in the power of satan. When the disciples were in need, they called to the Lord’s help; the man cried that he had nothing to do with Him. In both cases, the Lord shows His power and outcome. When they have left the boat and come out onto the land, He and His disciples are not warmly welcomed. For the disciples it does mean further teaching. After having experienced the power of the natural elements in the boat, they now enter an area where satan is lord and master. A man from the city meets Him. It is not just any man. Luke describes a man who is completely in the power of satan. The man walks around without any self-respect, naked and without any shame. Nor does he live in a house, but in the tombs, the area of death. There is no normal talking either. When he sees the Lord, he falls down before Him. Loudly he says that there is no connection between him and the Lord. But he does acknowledge His power to judge him. He asks the Lord not to torment him because he knows that this is the judgment that awaits him. The voice of the man is the voice of the demons. The demons have taken such full possession of this man that the words they express are attributed to him. The Lord has come here to deliver men from the power of satan. He commanded the unclean spirit, which is one of the causes of the man walking around shamelessly naked, to come out of him. The evil spirit is not only unclean, but also violent and powerful. It is a spirit that cannot be tamed by people and cannot be bound by any human power. Many times it has been tried to control the man by tying him with chains and shackles. It was all in vain because he broke the bonds. Restlessly he is driven by the demon into the desert.