The Meaning of Luke 8:28 Explained

Luke 8:28

KJV: When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not.

YLT: and having seen Jesus, and having cried out, he fell before him, and with a loud voice, said, 'What -- to me and to thee, Jesus, Son of God Most High? I beseech thee, mayest thou not afflict me!'

Darby: But seeing Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus Son of the Most High God? I beseech thee torment me not.

ASV: And when he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the Most High God? I beseech thee, torment me not.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

When  he saw  Jesus,  he cried out,  and  fell down before  him,  and  with a loud  voice  said,  What  have I  to do with  thee,  Jesus,  [thou] Son  of God  most high?  I beseech  thee,  torment  me  not. 

What does Luke 8:28 Mean?

Context Summary

Luke 8:26-39 - "great Things" For One In Great Need
The victim. In referring to but one demoniac the evangelist would probably concentrate attention on the more prominent of the two mentioned by Matthew. There must have been some collusion between the elements of the storm and the demons in this man. Everything seemed to oppose the Lord's assertion of His right to be obeyed. If demons could possess a man with such power, what might not Christ do if we yielded ourselves absolutely to Him! There must have been some secret yielding on this man's part, or his heart had never become a garrison of demons. He mistook Christ's identity, confusing it with that of the demons. Naked; vile; mighty to destroy! What a terrible combination!
His masters. The evil one dreads to be unclothed and would prefer to be in a pig than in the abyss-that word means "without bottom." Once begin to fall, where will it end? The Jews had no right to keep swine, whatever price the Romans were prepared to pay, Leviticus 11:7. Christ left Gadara, but left a preacher there. We are not taken out of the world, but sent to witness to it and against it. [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 8

1  Women minister unto Jesus of their own means
4  Jesus, after he had preached from place to place,
9  explains the parable of the sower,
16  and the candle;
19  declares who are his mother, and brothers;
22  rebukes the winds;
26  casts the legion of demons out of the man into the herd of pigs;
37  is rejected by the Gadarenes;
43  heals the woman of her bleeding;
49  and raises Jairus's daughter from death

Greek Commentary for Luke 8:28

Fell down [προσεπεσεν]
Second aorist active of προσπιπτω — prospiptō to fall forward, towards, prostrate before one as here. Common verb. Mark 5:6 has προσεκυνησεν — prosekunēsen (worshipped). [source]
The Most High God [του τεου του υπσιστου]
Uncertain whether του τεου — tou theou genuine or not. But “the Most High” clearly means God as already seen (Luke 1:32, Luke 1:35, Luke 1:36; Luke 6:35). The phrase is common among heathen (Numbers 24:16; Micah 6:6; Isaiah 14:14). The demoniac may have been a Gentile, but it is the demon here speaking. See note on Mark 5:7; note on Matthew 8:29 for the Greek idiom “What have I to do with thee?” See there also for “Torment me not.” [source]
Fell down [προσέπεσεν]
Mark has προσεκύνησεν , which often implies religious or superstitious feeling, as Matthew 4:9, Matthew 4:10. This is the prostration of abject terror. [source]
Cried out [ἀνακράξας]
The compound verb with ἀνά , up, implies what is conveyed by our phrase, lifting up the voice. See on Mark 5:5. [source]
What have I to do with thee? []
See on Mark 5:7. [source]
Torment [βασαμίσῃς]
See on Matthew 4:24. Luke never uses the word of sickness, as Matthew 8:6. See on Luke 4:41. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 8:28

Mark 5:7 I adjure thee by God [ορκιζω σε τον τεον]
The demoniac puts Jesus on oath (two accusatives) after the startled outcry just like the one in Mark 1:24, which see. He calls Jesus here “son of the Most High God” (υιε του τεου του υπσιστου — huie tou theou tou hupsistou) as in Luke 8:28 (cf. Genesis 14:18.). [source]
Luke 8:38 Besought [ἐδέετο]
Imperfect: was beseeching. See on prayers, Luke 5:33. Rev., prayed. Beseech is used to render παρακαλέω (Mark 5:10). See on consolation, Luke 6:24. Παρακαλέω , beseech, is used of prayer to God in only one instance, 2 Corinthians 12:8, where Paul besought the Lord to remove the thorn in the flesh. Frequently or requests to Christ while on earth. Δεομαι , to pray, often of prayer to God (Matthew 9:38; Luke 10:2; Acts 8:22). It is noticeable that in Luke 8:28, where the demons address Christ as the Son of the highest God, they say δέομαι , I pray. In Luke 8:31, Luke 8:32, where they ask not to be sent away, and to be allowed to enter into the swine, they say παρακαλέω , I beseech. The restored man, recognizing Jesus' divine power, prayed ( ἐδεῖτο ) to be with him. The distinction, however, must not be closely pressed. The two words seem to be often used interchangeably in the New Testament. [source]
John 2:4 What have I to do with thee [τί ἐμοὶ καὶ σοὶ]
Literally, what is there to me and to thee. See on Mark 5:7, and compare Matthew 8:29; Matthew 27:19; Mark 1:24; Luke 8:28. It occurs often in the Old Testament, 2 Samuel 16:10; 1 Kings 17:18, etc. Though in a gentle and affectionate manner, Jesus rejects her interference, intending to supply the demand in His own way. Compare John 6:6. Wyc., What to me and to thee, thou woman? [source]
John 2:4 Woman [γυναι]
Vocative case of γυνη — gunē and with no idea of censure as is plain from its use by Jesus in John 19:26. But the use of γυναι — gunai instead of μητερ — mēter (Mother) does show her she can no longer exercise maternal authority and not at all in his Messianic work. That is always a difficult lesson for mothers and fathers to learn, when to let go. What have I to do with thee? There are a number of examples of this ethical dative in the lxx (Judges 11:12; 2Sam 16:10; 1Kings 17:18; 2Kings 3:13; 2Chron 35:21) and in the N.T. (Mark 1:24; Mark 5:7; Matthew 8:29; Matthew 27:19; Luke 8:28). Some divergence of thought is usually indicated. Literally the phrase means, “What is it to me and to thee?” In this instance F.C. Burkitt (Journal of Theol. Studies, July, 1912) interprets it to mean, “What is it to us?” That is certainly possible and suits the next clause also. Mine hour is not yet come This phrase marks a crisis whenever it occurs, especially of his death (John 7:30; John 8:20; John 12:23; John 13:1; John 17:1). Here apparently it means the hour for public manifestation of the Messiahship, though a narrower sense would be for Christ‘s intervention about the failure of the wine. The Fourth Gospel is written on the plane of eternity (W. M. Ramsay) and that standpoint exists here in this first sign of the Messiah. [source]
Acts 16:17 The Most High God [του τεου του υπσιστου]
Pagan inscriptions use this language for the Supreme Being. It looks like supernatural testimony like that borne by the demoniacs to Jesus as “son of the Most High God” (Luke 8:28. Cf; also Mark 1:24; Mark 3:11; Matthew 8:29; Luke 4:41, etc.). She may have heard Paul preach about Jesus as the way of salvation. [source]
Hebrews 7:1 This Melchizedek [ουτος ο Μελχισεδεκ]
The one already mentioned several times with whose priesthood that of Christ is compared and which is older and of a higher type than that of Aaron. See Genesis 14:18-20; Psalm 110:1-7 for the only account of Melchizedek in the Old Testament. It is a daring thing to put Melchizedek above Aaron, but the author does it. Moffatt calls Hebrews 7:1-3 “a little sermon” on Hebrews 6:20. It is “for ever” Old word for cutting He is called “priest” and note του υπσιστου — tou hupsistou applied to God as the Canaanites, Phoenicians, Hebrews did. It is used also of Zeus and the Maccabean priest-kings. The demons apply it to God (Mark 5:7; Luke 8:28). [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 8:28 mean?

Having seen then - Jesus having cried out he fell down before Him and in a voice loud said What to me to You Jesus Son - of God the Most High I implore of You not me You might torment
Ἰδὼν δὲ τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἀνακράξας προσέπεσεν αὐτῷ καὶ φωνῇ μεγάλῃ εἶπεν Τί ἐμοὶ σοί Ἰησοῦ Υἱὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ Ὑψίστου δέομαί σου μή με βασανίσῃς

Ἰδὼν  Having  seen 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: εἶδον 
Sense: to see with the eyes.
τὸν  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰησοῦν  Jesus 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰησοῦς  
Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor.
ἀνακράξας  having  cried  out 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀνακράζω  
Sense: to raise a cry from the depth of the throat, to cry out.
προσέπεσεν  he  fell  down  before 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: προσπίπτω  
Sense: to fall forwards, fall down, prostrate one’s self before, in homage or supplication: at one’s feet.
φωνῇ  in  a  voice 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: φωνή  
Sense: a sound, a tone.
μεγάλῃ  loud 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: μέγας  
Sense: great.
εἶπεν  said 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
ἐμοὶ  to  me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
σοί  to  You 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 2nd Person Singular
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.
Ἰησοῦ  Jesus 
Parse: Noun, Vocative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰησοῦς  
Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor.
Υἱὲ  Son 
Parse: Noun, Vocative Masculine Singular
Root: υἱός  
Sense: a son.
τοῦ  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Θεοῦ  of  God 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.
Ὑψίστου  Most  High 
Parse: Adjective, Genitive Masculine Singular, Superlative
Root: ὕψιστος  
Sense: highest, most high.
δέομαί  I  implore 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Middle or Passive, 1st Person Singular
Root: δέομαι  
Sense: to want, lack.
σου  of  You 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 2nd Person Singular
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.
με  me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
βασανίσῃς  You  might  torment 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: βασανίζω  
Sense: to test (metals) by the touchstone, which is a black siliceous stone used to test the purity of gold or silver by the colour of the streak produced on it by rubbing it with either metal.