Luke 8:39

39 Return to thy house, and declare how great things God hath done for thee. And he went his way, publishing throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done for him.

Luke 8:39 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 8:39

Return to thine own house
Which very likely was in the city of Gadara, whither he went, and throughout the whole of which he published the account of the dispossession of the devils from him: Mark adds, "to thy friends"; relations, acquaintance, and countrymen:

and show how great things God hath done unto thee;
for none but God could effect such things, tacitly suggesting to him hereby, that he himself was God. Mark adds, "and hath had compassion on thee": signifying, that what he had done for him, did not arise from merit in the man, but from mercy in himself; (See Gill on Mark 5:19).

And he went his way;
he obeyed the orders of Christ, as love and gratitude obliged him:

and published throughout the whole city;
of Gadara, and not only there, but in the rest of the ten cities, called Decapolis, ( Mark 5:20 ) one of which was this of Gadara, as Pliny relates F15:

how great things Jesus had done unto him;
having cast out a legion of devils from him, clothed him, and brought him to his right mind; and had not only delivered his body from a diabolical possession, but had given him spiritual and saving instructions for his soul, on which he had wrought a real work of grace.


FOOTNOTES:

F15 Lib. 5. c. 18.

Luke 8:39 In-Context

37 And all the people of the country of the Gerasenes round about asked him to depart from them, for they were holden with great fear: and he entered into a boat, and returned.
38 But the man from whom the demons were gone out prayed him that he might be with him: but he sent him away, saying,
39 Return to thy house, and declare how great things God hath done for thee. And he went his way, publishing throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done for him.
40 And as Jesus returned, the multitude welcomed him; for they were all waiting for him.
41 And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus' feet, and besought him to come into his house;
The American Standard Version is in the public domain.