And the unclean spirit tearing him, &c. Tearing (Vulg. discerpens), not by lacerating or mutilating the man who was possessed by him, for Luke says ( Luke 4:35) that he did no harm to him, but by contorting and twisting his limbs this way and that, as if he wished to tear him piecemeal. For the Greek ×£× ×‘×¡ï¢×¤×¤×©, signifies to pull or tear in pieces. The devil did this through rage and madness, that being compelled by Christ to go out of the Prayer of Manasseh , he might injure him as much as he could. But the nearer and the more powerful the grace of Christ Isaiah , the more impotently does the devil rage. For, observe, the devil only raised a dreadful tempest, but one that was vain and ineffectual. For he cannot hurt when Christ forbids. Christ permitted it for three reasons1. That it might be plain that this man was really possessed by the devil2. That the malice and wrath of the demon might be made apparent3. That it might be clear that the demon went forth, not of his own wil...
