“As he stepped out
On the land,
A man from the city,
Who had demons,
Met Jesus.
For a long time,
He had worn
No clothes.
He did not live
In a house,
But in the tombs.”
ἐξελθόντι δὲ αὐτῷ ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ὑπήντησεν ἀνήρ τις ἐκ τῆς πόλεως ἔχων δαιμόνια, καὶ χρόνῳ ἱκανῷ οὐκ ἐνεδύσατο ἱμάτιον, καὶ ἐν οἰκίᾳ οὐκ ἔμενεν ἀλλ’ ἐν τοῖς μνήμασιν.
Luke said that as Jesus stepped out on the land (ἐξελθόντι δὲ αὐτῷ ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν), a certain man from the city (ἀνήρ τις ἐκ τῆς πόλεως), who had demons (ἔχων δαιμόνια), met Jesus (ὑπήντησεν). For a long time (καὶ χρόνῳ ἱκανῷ), this man had worn no clothes (οὐκ ἐνεδύσατο ἱμάτιον). He did not live in a house (καὶ ἐν οἰκίᾳ οὐκ ἔμενεν), but in the tombs (ἀλλ’ ἐν τοῖς μνήμασιν). All three synoptic gospels. Matthew, chapter 8:28, Mark, chapter 5:2-3, and Luke here, had Jesus travel to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Mark, like Luke, said that Jesus met a man as he stepped out of the boat. This person came from the tombs, where he lived. No one could restrain him, even with chains, so that this was a strong violent possessed person. Matthew had Jesus meet 2 people possessed by the devil, who were menacing people as they passed by. They too also were coming out of the tombs. These two demonic people were so extremely violent or fierce, that no one could pass by them on their way. Only Luke, who had just one possessed man, said that this man was naked. Does clothing matter to you?
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 