The Dark Reason Why Demons Asked Jesus for the Pigs

The Dark Reason Why Demons Asked Jesus for the Pigs

Why the demons asked Jesus for the pigs. The first confrontation between Jesus and Satan resulted in Jesus’ victory over temptations, as narrated in Matthew 4: 1-11. He continues to invade and dominate two of Satan’s main strongholds: the realm of the spiritual world, by exercising authority over demons in Matthew 8:28-34, and the realm of sickness and disease, by healing a paralytic in Matthew 9: 1-8. After the storm miraculously calmed, Jesus and his disciples continued their journey across the Sea of Galilee. The next incident focuses exclusively on Jesus, without mentioning the disciples, as in Matthew 8: 28-34. Upon reaching the other side in the region of the Gerasenes, Jesus encounters two demon-possessed men who came from the tombs. They were so violent that no one could pass by. They shouted, What do you want with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time? Some distance away, a large herd of pigs was grazing. Demons begged Jesus, If you cast us out, send us into the herd of pigs. He told them, Go. They came out, entered the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the hill into the lake and drowned. Those tending the pigs fled to the city and told everyone, including about the demon- possessed men. Then the whole city went to meet Jesus, and when they saw him, they asked him to leave their region. Matthew directs our attention even further to Jesus to answer the exasperated question, What kind of man is this? The group arrives on the other side in the region of the Gerasenes. Jesus is now in the Decapolis, a predominantly Gentile territory, which explains the presence of pigs, an animal considered unclean by the Jews according to Leviticus 11:7. In Deuteronomy 14:8, it is also stated that the pig is unclean since, although it has a cloven hoof, it does not chew the cud. The term Gadarenes refers both to the town of Gadara, located about 5 miles southeast of the Sea of Galilee, and to the surrounding region. This likely included the small village of Garasa, currently Kersa or Kersi, located on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee and traditionally considered the site of the exorcism. When Jesus arrived in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men who came from the tombs met him, as recounted in Mark 5: 1-20 and Luke 8: 26-39, which only record one demon- possessed man. In Mark 5: 1-20, they arrived at the other side of the sea in the region of the Gerasenes, and a man possessed by an unclean spirit met Jesus coming out of the tombs. This man lived among the tombs, and no one could subdue him, not even with chains. He had frequently been chained by his feet, but he broke the chains and tore apart the shackles.

No one was strong enough to dominate him. Night and day, among the tombs and in the mountains, he screamed and injured himself with stones. Seeing Jesus from afar, he ran and prostrated himself before him, shouting, What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of God? Most High, I beg you in God’s name not to torment me. Jesus was commanding, Unclean spirit, come out of this man! Jesus asked him, What is your name? He replied, My name is Legion, for we are many. And he begged Jesus earnestly not to send them out of that region. There was a large herd of pigs grazing on the hillside, and the demons asked Jesus, Send us the pigs so that we may enter them. Jesus gave them permission, and the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs. The herd of approximately 2,000 pigs rushed down the hillside toward the sea and drowned. The herdsmen fled and told what had happened in the city and in the countryside. People went to see what had happened. They saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were frightened. Those who saw everything told others what had happened with the demon- possessed man and with the pigs, and they began to ask Jesus to leave their region. When Jesus got into the boat, the man who He had been possessed by demons and begged Jesus to stay with him, but Jesus refused, telling him, Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you and how he has had mercy on you. The man left and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone was amazed. Great crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and the region beyond the Jordan followed Jesus. The situation was dangerous, as the two men were so violent that no one could pass by. They were known and feared by the general public. The demons, like Satan, quickly recognized Jesus status as the Son of God, as narrated in Matthew 4:3-6. This is a title that the disciples will eventually use when they develop a better understanding of his uniqueness as the one to whom the Father revealed himself as his beloved Son, according to Matthew 16:16, Matthew 14:33, Matthew 3:17, and Matthew 17:5. But coming from the The demons use of the title announces their recognition that another stronghold of Satan, the spiritual world, is being invaded and dominated. The demons contrast with the disciples in verse 27, for they know who Jesus is. However, despite this understanding, they are still demons. To know Jesus but hate him is demonic. The question the demons ask Jesus can be either harsh or gentle, depending on the context. In Mark 1:24, they are presented in a hateful and fearful manner. The title Son of God should probably be understood in its richest sense. The demons recognize Jesus not only in terms of his power but also of his person; he was the Messiah, the Son of God. The second question indicates that the demonic hosts will be tortured and rejected eternally, as in Jude 6. By asking the question, they recognize that Jesus is the one who will perform that judicial duty at the appointed time, thus confirming the full meaning of Son of God. The fact that Jesus is limiting their activity before the definite time indicates that Jesus casting out of demons was a sign that the The kingdom was approaching. These demons seemed well aware of a predetermined time for the judgment of Satan’s troops. What do you want with us, Son of God? they cried.

Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time? This foreshadows the arrival of the kingdom as well as the invasion and conquest of Satan’s strongholds, despite the fact that the hour of final judgment awaits the return of Jesus in glory, as in Matthew 4:17 and Matthew 12: 28-34. The demons begged Jesus to accept their offer, which he did. After receiving permission from Jesus, the demons left the men and entered the herd of pigs. When the demons entered the herd, the pigs went mad and threw themselves off a cliff into the Sea of Galilee. Ironically, the demons attempt to avoid eternal punishment led to the destruction of their earthly hosts. Jesus had no reason not to accept their offer, as it served his purposes. First, it resulted in the men liberation from the demons. Second, pigs were considered unclean creatures according to Jewish tradition. Therefore, a suitable emblem and a safe haven for the demons. Third, accepting their proposal did not alter the demons final fate on Judgment Day. Therefore, Jesus accepted their proposal since the demons were essentially doing Jesus work for him. More importantly, Jesus was not sinning by accepting the demons suggestion. On the other hand, Jesus encounter with Satan in the desert was completely different. If Jesus yielded to Satan requests, he would be led into disobedience. As a result, Jesus rebuked Satan with the Scriptures and refused to give in to Satan demands. This is the main distinction between the two cases. The demons request in Matthew 8 did not lead Jesus to sin, while Satan demands on Jesus were designed to lead him into sin. The demons begged to be sent to a nearby herd of pigs, which would not have been an unpleasant idea for the Jews, who considered pigs and demons to be of the same order. Jesus warned his disciples not to cast pearls before swine, as in Matthew 7: 6. According to Peter, False teachers are people who will revert to their pagan nature, as in 2 Peter 2:22. However, since the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee is a Gentile area, this was not a wild herd but pigs being raised for market. Their owners would be devastated if they lost this enormous herd, which Mark estimates at around 2,000 in Mark 5:13. The demons request to enter the pigs has an additional deadly purpose. Demons are known for inflicting harm and agony on God creation and do everything possible to fuel hostility against Jesus and his invasion of Satan stronghold, as in Matthew 17:14-20.

The destruction of the pigs leads the Gentiles of the region to ask Jesus to leave, as in Matthew 8:34. This response is a sad commentary on the perversion of their values, for one would expect them to rejoice in a victory over Satan demons, but as one commentator states, throughout the centuries the world has rejected Jesus prefers pigs. Jesus does not destroy demons; instead, he allows evil to run its course in this world until the day everything will be set right. The outcome of the exorcism is not mentioned in Matthew, but Mark and Luke observe that the demon-possessed Gerasene man begged to join Jesus. However, Jesus instructs him to return home and tell his family and friends how much God did for him, as in Luke 8: 38-39 and Mark 5:18-19. Seeing the disciples with Jesus, the formerly demon -possessed man desires to be like them, but Jesus sends him back to his homeland to testify. In a sense, the twelve would be fishers of men, but among his own people, this Gentile, now a follower of Jesus, would be a fisher of men. However, in light of verses 33 and 34, the loss of the herd becomes a means of exposing the true values of the people of the area: they prefer pigs to people and pigs to the Savior, as in Matthew 8:18. Verse 34 reveals the sinful nature of humanity. Jesus has just cast demons out of two men and sent evil spirits into a herd of pigs, which rushed toward a cliff and into the sea where they drowned. When the shepherds told the people of the nearby town what had happened, the entire community was furious with the Savior. Their main concern was the potential economic downturn and loss of business. They were more worried about their financial well-being than their spiritual health. When they saw Jesus approaching the town, they asked him to leave. Unfortunately, we are guilty of the same mistake. We become accustomed to living with sin and don’t want to think about God eliminating it, especially if that means the loss of perceived pleasures or income. But clinging to sin is one of the most toxic things we can do. The end of this story is significant in its overall meaning. It shows once again that Jesus ministry is not restricted to the Jews but foreshadows his mission to the Gentiles. It also shows that opposition to Jesus is not exclusively Jewish. In that sense, it confirms The fact that the opponents in Matthew are not chosen based on race but according to their response to Jesus reflects on our propensity for sin and resistance to allowing God to remove it, especially when it involves the loss of pleasures or income. This reflection is deeply rooted in Scripture. The Bible often addresses the conflict between earthly desires and obedience to God. In Matthew 6: 19-24, Jesus speaks about the impossibility of serving two masters, emphasizing that we cannot serve both God and riches. This teaching highlights the idea that loyalty to sin and the pursuit of material gain can distance us from God.

The story of the Gadarenes, where the locals prefer their pig-based economy to Jesus, illustrates a recurring pattern in Scripture where people often choose worldly interests to the detriment of what is spiritually right. In Romans 12:1-2, Paul exhorts Christians not to conform to the pattern of this world but to be transformed by the renewing of their minds so that they may discern what is right. The will of God suggests that resistance to sin and spiritual transformation are fundamental to faith. The ministry of Jesus extending to the Gentiles is a central theme in the New Testament. Ephesians 2: 11-18 discusses how Christ removed the barrier between Jews and Gentiles, creating in himself a new people. This inclusion of the Gentiles in the promise of salvation reflects the universality of God love and mercy. This reinforces the idea that opposition to Jesus and his message is not based on ethnicity or cultural background, but on the disposition of the heart to respond to him. The narrative in Matthew also highlights that opposition to Jesus transcends racial and cultural barriers. In the Acts of the Apostles, we see that the gospel extends beyond Jewish borders, reaching diverse cultures and peoples. In Acts 10, for example, Peter has a vision that leads him to understand that the gospel is for everyone, not just Jews. This demonstrates that Jesus message is inclusive, calling all people, regardless of their origin, to repent and return to God. Therefore, the episode of the The Gadarenes and subsequent lessons highlight a key principle of Christianity: salvation and God truth are open to all, and the real obstacle is human reluctance to abandon sin and follow Christ. This truth challenges followers of Christ to examine their own lives, priorities, and loyalties, aligning them with the teachings and example of Jesus. In conclusion, our question for today is: When did you first feel God presence? Comment below and subscribe to the channel. Feel free to watch other videos on the channel. God bless you.