13th Week in Ord. Time, Wednesday – 1st July 2020 — Gospel: Mt 8,28-34
Anticipated Judgement
The healing of the two demoniacs shows that Jesus had authority over the spiritual world, or the world of the spirits. Matthew has already pointed out in the account of the temptation in which Jesus overcame Satan, the prince of demons. Now in His public ministry Jesus encountered humans who had been controlled by evil forces, whose lives were completely out of control. Jesus brought deliverance for them from the powers of darkness, with only one authoritative word “Go!” But the way it is stated indicate that Jesus’ Word has all the authority of heaven in it. Matthew once again emphasizes Jesus’ Word power. The rest of the speeches are made by the demons in their initial address to Jesus and their appeal to Him to enter the pigs. The demons knew that Jesus had the power to destroy them, and that there was an appointed time for Him to do that, it was a time of judgment. The irony is that they were afraid of being tortured before the appointed time or curtailing their freedom. The contrast in the story is wonderful. These powerful evil spirits are in a panic, afraid of Jesus, worried that their days are coming to an end, knowing that a judgement is appointed for them. Even though they exerted power over these two poor wretches by tormenting and twisting their lives, yet against Jesus they have no power at all, and they are desperate. In projecting Jesus’ authority over the demons, Matthew previews His power of judgment here (Jn 5,22).
