Καὶ ἰδοὺ ἔκραξαν λέγοντες· τί ἡμῖν καὶ σοί, Ἰησοῦ υἱὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ; ἦλθες ὧδε πρὸ καιροῦ βασανίσαι ἡμᾶς; (Matthew 8:29)
And behold, they cried out, saying: “What [is] to us and to you, Jesus, Son of God? Have you come here before the appointed time to torment us?”
This verse records the cry of the demoniacs who encounter Jesus in the region of the Gadarenes. The grammar is emotionally charged—exclamations, rhetorical questions, and idiomatic expressions combine to reveal deep theological realities. Through tense, case, and syntax, the narrative portrays the demons’ recognition of Jesus’ identity and their dread of premature judgment.
Exclamatory Surprise: καὶ ἰδοὺ ἔκραξαν
The interjection ἰδού (“behold”) heightens the drama of the scene. The verb ἔκραξαν (aorist indicative active of κράζω, “they cried out”) introduces the demons’ loud, desperate outcry. The aorist conveys a single, forceful event of shouting in response to Jesus’ presence.
Participial Bridge: λέγοντες
The present participle λέγοντες (“saying”) functions adverbially, connecting the act of crying out with the speech that follows. The present tense suggests immediacy and continuity: their cry is inseparable from their words.
Idiomatic Confrontation: τί ἡμῖν καὶ σοί
This Semitic idiom, literally “what [is] to us and to you?”, is a formula of confrontation. Grammatically, it joins two datives (ἡμῖν, “to us” and σοί, “to you”) in a rhetorical question. The sense is: “What do we have to do with you?” or “Why are you interfering with us?”
The demons recognize Jesus as an adversary whose presence means their undoing. The idiom underscores the clash between realms of authority.
Recognition of Identity: Ἰησοῦ υἱὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ
Here the vocative case (Ἰησοῦ, υἱὲ) is direct address, identifying Jesus explicitly as “Son of God.” The genitive τοῦ Θεοῦ marks divine parentage. Grammatically and theologically, the demons declare more than many humans yet realize: Jesus’ divine sonship.
Eschatological Fear: ἦλθες ὧδε πρὸ καιροῦ βασανίσαι ἡμᾶς;
The aorist indicative ἦλθες (“have you come”) sets the question in prophetic immediacy. The adverb ὧδε (“here”) localizes the encounter, while πρὸ καιροῦ (“before the appointed time”) situates it in eschatological expectation. The infinitive βασανίσαι (“to torment”) expresses purpose or result.
The question reveals the demons’ theology: they know a final judgment is decreed but dread its premature arrival. The grammar itself conveys their terror at the intrusion of eschatological reality into the present.
Syntax Table: Grammar of Fear
| Greek Phrase | Grammar Role | Interpretive Insight |
|---|---|---|
| ἰδοὺ ἔκραξαν | Interjection + aorist verb | Marks sudden, dramatic outcry |
| λέγοντες | Present participle | Connects shouting with speech content |
| τί ἡμῖν καὶ σοί | Datives in idiomatic construction | Semitic idiom of rejection / confrontation |
| Ἰησοῦ υἱὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ | Vocative + genitive | Direct address, confession of divine sonship |
| ἦλθες… βασανίσαι ἡμᾶς; | Aorist verb + infinitive purpose | Fear of eschatological judgment |
Grammar as Theology of Judgment
Matthew 8:29 shows how even demons speak with theological clarity. The idiom τί ἡμῖν καὶ σοί expresses conflict, the vocative confesses Jesus’ divine identity, and the infinitive clause reveals their dread of judgment. The grammar itself mirrors the spiritual reality: where Jesus is present, the powers of darkness tremble at their appointed end.
