Luke 8:2

2 And certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary who is called Magdalen, out of whom seven devils were gone forth,

Luke 8:2 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 8:2

And certain women which had been healed of evil spirits,
&c.] Of devils, who had possessed them, and were healed by Christ, dispossessing them; (See Gill on Luke 7:21).

and infirmities:
various diseases of body: some were dispossessed of devils, and others freed from bodily disorders; of the first sort was

Mary Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils:
by the order of Christ, for he cast them out, ( Mark 16:9 ) and which shows, that this is to be understood, in a literal sense, of devils, and the dispossession of them by Christ; and not in a figurative sense, of vices, and the expulsion of them by the power of divine grace; for this same phrase is used where real dispossessions are intended: nor need it be thought strange that seven devils should be in one person, when, in this same chapter, we read of a legion in one man, and which also Christ cast out, ( Luke 8:30 Luke 8:33 Luke 8:35 ) . This woman seems to be a different person from her spoken of in the latter part of the preceding chapter, seeing this looks as if it was the first time of her being taken notice of by this evangelist, and is described by a different character. She is called "Magdalene", to distinguish her from others of the same name; the reason of which (See Gill on Matthew 27:56). She is said F4 to be a widow, and so not being bound to an husband, was at leisure to follow Christ.


FOOTNOTES:

F4 Jerom in Mar. xv. 40.

Luke 8:2 In-Context

1 And it came to pass afterwards he travelled through the cities and towns, preaching and evangelizing the kingdom of God: and the twelve with him:
2 And certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary who is called Magdalen, out of whom seven devils were gone forth,
3 And Joanna the wife of Chusa, Herod’s steward, and Susanna and many others who ministered unto him of their substance.
4 And when a very great multitude was gathered together and hastened out of the cities, unto him, he spoke by a similitude.
5 The sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the way side. And it was trodden down: and the fowls of the air devoured it.
The Douay-Rheims Bible is in the public domain.