When Jesus calmed the storm in the Sea of Galilee, his disciples who were with him in the boat wondered, “What sort of man is this, whom even the winds and the sea obey?” (Mt 8:27). Jesus is not just a healer or a miracle worker. He is like God in the Old Testament who rules the raging sea, and stills its swelling waves (Ps 89:10). The Gadarene demoniacs address him as “Son of God.” This is not a confession of Jesus’ divinity but an attempt of the demons to control Jesus by recognizing his “name.” But Jesus is the “stronger man” who binds the strong man (Satan or Beelzebul) and plunders his property (Mt 12:29). He drowns the demons into the sea. The pagan population of Gadara think Jesus is another “demon” or one of the gods, albeit a more powerful one, and so they beg him to leave their district. Better the “old demons” they are familiar with than this mysterious one. But Jesus has come to deliver human beings from what oppresses them, and evil spirits are humans’ foremost tormentors. Jesus has power over evil spirits and will share this power to his disciples.

Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. Isaac grew, and on the day of the child’s weaning Abraham held a great feast.

Sarah noticed the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham playing with her son Isaac; so she demanded of Abraham: “Drive out that slave and her son! No son of that slave is going to share the inheritance with my son Isaac!” Abraham was greatly distressed, especially on account of his son Ishmael. But God said to Abraham: “Do not be distressed about the boy or about your slave woman. Heed the demands of Sarah, no matter what she is asking of you; for it is through Isaac that descendants shall bear your name. As for the son of the slave woman, I will make a great nation of him also, since he too is your offspring.”

Early the next morning Abraham got some bread and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. Then, placing the child on her back, he sent her away. As she roamed aimlessly in the wilderness of Beer-sheba, the water in the skin was used up. So she put the child down under a shrub, and then went and sat down opposite him, about a bowshot away; for she said to herself, “Let me not watch to see the child die.” As she sat opposite Ishmael, he began to cry. God heard the boy’s cry, and God’s messenger called to Hagar from heaven: “What is the matter, Hagar? Don’t be afraid; God has heard the boy’s cry in this plight of his. Arise, lift up the boy, and hold him by the hand; for I will make of him a great nation.” Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. She went and filled the skin with water, and then let the boy drink.

When Jesus came to the territory of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs who were coming from the tombs met him. They were so savage that no one could travel by that road. They cried out, “What have you to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?” Some distance away a herd of many swine was feeding. The demons pleaded with him, “If you drive us out, send us into the herd of swine.” And he said to them, “Go then!” They came out and entered the swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea where they drowned. The swineherds ran away, and when they came to the town they reported everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs. Thereupon the whole town came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him they begged him to leave their district.