The Great Commentary (Mossman/Cobb English)

And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils . These women followed Christ (1.) out of gratitude, because He had healed their diseases, and cast out the devils which possessed them. (2.) For safety, lest if they were away from their physician, their former ills might again overtake them. (3.) From pious motives, that from His companionship and preaching they might advance in holiness. Mary . In Hebrew, Mary signifies a “ bitter sea ” of repentance. Bede. Called Magdalene. As we have before explained, from the castle or fort near Bethsaida and Capernaum. S. Augustin infers that she was a married woman (Horn. 33), and therefore calls her not a harlot but an adulteress. But according to S. Jerome, the author of the commentary on S. Mark calls her a widow, which is much the same thing ; so also Jansenius, Luke and others. That she was an inhabitant of Judaea, and like Lazarus and Martha lived at Bethany, is clear from SI John xii. 1. Adricomius, in his description of the Holy Land, tells us that the Magdalene’s home was situated on the shore of the sea of Galilee, and towards the northeast looks out on an extensive plain, and that it was called Magdala from the battlements and towers, wherewith it was fortified. Hence Jerome asserts that she was rightly called Magdalene, that is to say, " turreted ” because of her zeal and love. Josephus makes mention of this castle, and tells us that Agrippa fruitlessly sent an expedition against it In the Hebrew then Magdalene signifies (1.) turreted, or towerbearing, from the root migdol, a tower; for she was tall of stature, and of a yet loftier mind. u Thy neck is like the tower of David,” Cant iv. 4. (2.) Or “ magnificent ” (Origen), or “ magnified,” according to Pagninus, because, says Origen, she followed Jesus, ministered unto Him, and beheld the mystery of His Passion. For the root gadal, means, “ to be great and magnificent,” and Digitized by Google 220 the Magdalene was greatly exalted by Christ (3.) Pagninus says that Magdalene means, “remarkable for the standard,” “bearing or raising the standard,” from the root deghol, which, when the letters ghimel and daleth are transposed, signifies a standard. For the Magdalene raised the standard of penitence and love, and of the contemplative life. Like as we read, “ His banner over me was love,” Cant ii. 4. (4). Or otherwise, as the same writer remarks, the name means, “ brought up, nourished,” i.e. led by the teaching of Christ to a holy and a virtuous life. For the Hebrew br)2 gadal means the same thing as to nourish and bring up. Out of whom went seven devils , i.e. seven capital sins, pride, avarice, gluttony, luxury, anger, envy, and careless living. Bede, Theophylact and S. Gregory. For in a literal sense we are to understand that she had. been possessed by devils or evil spirits, as I have before said, and that they had gone out of her, or (S. Mark xvi. 9) been cast out So teach S. Ambrose, Euthymius, Jansenius, and others. We may conclude, therefore, that the Magdalene, because of her wickedness and sins, had been possessed by seven devils, and that with other demoniacs she had been made whole by Christ ; that on her repentance she had obtained pardon and forgiveness, and, no longer under the power of Satan, but filled with the spirit of God, she devoted her whole after life to the service of Christ John of Rochester and others. Seven devils , either seven in actual number, or “seven” in the sense of many, or all ; for, as I have often pointed out, “ seven ” is the sign of multitude or totality

And Joanna, the wife of Chuza , Herod s steward (manager or treasurer, according to the Arabic version) and Susanna , and many others which ministered unto Him of their substance. For they were rich, and grateful to their deliverer, and therefore sought to further His preaching, and to spread the faith. So SS. Plautilla, Priscilla, and many other rich and noble matrons ministered unto SS. Peter, Paul, Clement, and other Roman Pontiffs, and other orders of the clergy. And Susanna, an illustrious woman who, healed by Christ, had Digitized by Google AN HONEST AND GOOD HEART. 221 become His disciple. Her name in the Hebrew signifies M a lily.” On account of the sweet radiance of a heavenly life (Interlinear Gloss), and the golden fervour of her inward affection. Bede

Which in an honest and good heart , having heard the wordy keep it. The Council of Basle observes that for the right hearing of the word of God there is required, 1. A place fitted to receive it, ue. an honest and good heart 2. A proper disposition, to “ keep ” the word when heard ; and 3. That best return, fruit brought forth with patience. A heart is honest and good, says Lyranus, because of the faith which illumines it, and good (optimum) in a higher sense because of grace working in it ; or, as others hold, it is “ bonum ” because disciplined and exercised in virtue, and “ optimum” because of inward peace and consolation. Again, it is “ bonum ” because purified from sin, and “ optimum” because conformed to the will of God (Albertus Magnus) ; or " bonum ” in discerning the truth, and “ optimum ” in its desire of that which is right (Bonaventura) ; or, according to S. Augustin on Ps. vii., " bonum ” on account of the love it bears its neighbour and itself, " optimum ” on account of its exceeding love for God. Hence we may take the Greek, xaX/f xai d yaQjiy to mean the same as the Vulgate M bono et optimo,” for the copula xa/, or “ et,” signifies gradation and increase. They, therefore, who keep the word of God in an honest and good heart bring forth fruit in proportion : good fruit if the heart is good, better if the heart is better, and the best fruit if the heart is perfect, i.e. thirty fold, sixty fold, or one hundred fold. S. Matt xiil 8. And it does not follow of necessity, as Toletus holds, that these words apply to different persons, for the heart of a believer may grow in grace, until at last it is “ optimum,” perfect in sight of God. With patience^ ir tnrofiofjif i.e. in the endurance of labour, disappointment, and sorrow in the plowing, seeding, and harrowing of the soul, and in the long expectation of harvest

And they arrived at (sailed over to) the country oj the GadareneSy which is over against Galilee . Digitized by Google 222 Gadarenes . Gergesenes (S. Matt.), or as it is written in some MSS., Gerasenes. Some think that one and the same place is here signified, but Adricomius shows that Gadara, and Gerasa or Gergesa were two distinct cities, but that the surrounding country was named indifferently after either. The Vulgate translates “ the country of the Gerasenes,” because this was the best known name

And when he went forth to land there met him out oj the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes , neither abode in any house , but in the tombs. “ A man.n S. Matt says there were two. But as this one was the fiercer, and possessed by a legion, S. Luke and S. Mark mention him alone. But in the tombs . 1. The Jews, as I have before said, had their burial places without their cities. Their tombs were large and lofty chambers as it were, so as to afford burial to many, and to be easy of access to the friends and relatives of the departed. This is clear from what we read of the sepulture of Christ, of Abraham, Sarah, and others. This demoniac then was driven by the devils which possessed him to dwell among the tombs. For these reasons : 1. In order to excite him to greater ferocity, and that he might be the cause of greater fear to the passers-by. Probably he was like what the French fable to be a " loup-garou,” i.e. a man who after the manner of a wolf sallies forth by night and preys upon men and animals, while by day he hides himself in tombs and by hollows of the rocks. “ So that no man might pass by that way” (S. Matt viii. 28), because passers-by were attacked and wounded by him. The evil spirits were mostly wont to attack those of a melancholy disposition of mind, as the more easily driven into the madness of despair. 2. Because unclean spirits love to dwell in unclean places. Hence witches hold their sabbaths underneath the gallows. 3. Because the devfls rejoice at the death of men, and triumph over the souls of them who are condemned to helL Digitized by Google THE LEGION OF DEVILS CAST OUT. 223 4. S. Chrysostom, Euthymius, and Theophylact add that he dwelt amongst the tombs, to persuade men that the souls of the dead are changed into devils, who abide in the sepulchres wherein their bodies are buried Hence demoniacs from time to time have cried out, I am the soul of Peter, or of Paul, or of John

When he saw Jesus , he cried out , and fell down before Him, S. Mark (chap. v. 6), adds, “ And when he saw Jesus afar of£ he ran and worshipped him," ue. bent the knee before Him. Because he felt the power of Christ’s presence, and was therefore compelled to draw nigh and worship Him, for fear lest, if he acknowledged not the Lord, he might receive greater punishment ; and again, Christ caused him to act thus in order that an opportunity might be afforded for his cure. Son of God most high. It would seem that the devil, who in the temptation had not recognised Christ, now after so many miracles acknowledged Him to be the Messiah, the Son of God; yet, blinded by pride and hatred, he hesitated to believe that the Son of God had stooped to take upon Him our flesh, and thought it impossible that by His death upon the Cross the whole human race could be redeemed, because, as Aquinas remarks, in many ways God had hindered him from recognising the truth. See S. Mark iv. 12. Torment me not. Do not cast me out and bind me for ever in hell. See S. Matt viii. 31

For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. From this and similar passages it is clear that the devils are permitted by God to dwell on earth and tempt mankind. Hence it is the custom of the Church to bury the bodies of the faithful in consecrated ground in order that they may rest therein free from the assaults of evil spirits, and may profit by the prayers of the living

And Jesus asked him , ix, one of the devils, sayings What is thy name ? For Christ willed that the evil spirit should declare his name, that from it the number of the devils, and thence the mightiness of the power which expelled them, might be known. Digitized by Google 224 And he said , Legion. A legion was composed of 6000 men, and S. Ambrose thinks that this was the exact number of the devils; others, following the Scripture, take the word generally as meaning “many,” “because many devils were entered into him.” S. Gregory of Nyssa adds, “ The devils, imitating the angelic host, call themselves Legion ; nay more, they would liken themselves to God Himself, who is called the Lord God of Sabaoth, i.e. the Lord of Hosts. For Satan is the counterfeit and mockery of God.” Learn then how great must be the number and the malignity of the devils, that so many should possess one man. So we read in the life of S. Dominic, that very many devils were cast out of a man by his prayers and entreaties. Therefore, since we are surrounded on all sides by so many spiritual foes, we must give ourselves continually to watching and prayer, in order to obtain the victory over them, as Antony, who was wont to say that all temptations could be overcome by the Cross of Christ, by calling on Him, and by praying in the spirit Wherefore if any one determines to serve God perfectly, let him be well assured that he has arrayed against him, not one legion of devils only, but many, even Satan himself and all the dwellers in helL Hence the Apostle (Eph. vi. 12), “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Following the example of Christ, S. Hilarion is said to have healed a demoniac possessed by Legion. It is said that after he prayed to the Lord that He would release the afflicted man from his misery, there were heard various voices proceeding from the mouth of the demoniac, and as it were the clamour of much people. And straightway the demoniac was healed, and presented himself not long after with his wife and children at the monastery, bearing gifts in gratitude for his cure

Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that He might be with Him . In gratitude for the mercy he had received, and in hope of further benefits. But Jesus sent him away , saying