We learn this important lesson from this occurrence: That we should love God and diligently hear and believe His Word, as these people in our text did; that then God will provide us with our daily bread. It may be that not all of the people then fed were truly pious; but since there were those among them who feared God with all their heart, and cared more about hearing His Gospel than about eating, the Lord provided also for their bodily wants and gave them food before they expected it. By this deed He intended to tell them that man should first seek the kingdom of God, hear His Word and believe in Him; but also that each one should do with diligence what His calling bids him do, and that, as to the rest, He would provide. Though we are not rich and cannot count our dollars by the thousand, we shall have what we need. We cannot eat money, nor gold and silver, neither stones and the like; we must have bread, the produce of the ground. If we are so situated that we cannot thus gather the food from the fields; if we have neither house nor garner, neither farm nor garden, we will nevertheless obtain enough bread, if we have but faith and trust in God. Such providential care is witnessed every day. Of a penniless scholar, who is diligent and pious, God often makes a great doctor; to a poor maidservant, who fears God and is faithful in the performance of her duties, He gives a good husband and home. Similar examples, of daily occurrence, teach us how God assists the poor, while they who do not fear Him nor love His Word, or are otherwise dishonest and indolent, remain miserable beggars and thriftless all the days of their life. (Luther’s House Postil, Sermon for Laetare, Volume 1, p. 285-286)

We are to learn from this report of the casting out of a devil the most consoling truth that Christ is the Lord over the devil and his realm; and, further, that this work, then begun in the body, did not terminate, but still continues in the Church of Christ, and will continue until the judgment day. For the accomplishment of this work Christ has instituted the necessary means; namely, Holy Baptism, the Lord’s Supper, the Word and Absolution, also other offices pertaining to the ministry, whereby the devil is to be cast out from the people, so that they may become free from his thralldom and that his kingdom may be destroyed. For it is plainly written in this respect: Verbum meum non redibit vacuum – My Word shall not return void. As the rain which falls upon dry land produces vegetation and blossoms, thus does the Word of God, most assuredly, produce fruit in some hearts. The Holy Spirit is connected with the Word to illumine, incite and purify the hearts, that they may be set free from the tyranny and oppression of the devil. This transaction is not visible to the outward eyes, as it was when Christ cast out the devil; it may be entirely imperceptible to the world, which is indeed not worthy to see the least spark of divine light and power, and which is blind, reviles, abuses and defames that which is good, as it did even here in the presence of Christ. We, however, who have and believe the Word, ought to perceive and know this truth which is so full of comfort, that God has ordained among us the means whereby we can and must continually cast out devils.  (Luther’s House Postil, Sermon for Oculi, Volume 1, p. 272-273)