THE OBSCURE REASON why the demons asked JESUS for the pigs

Why did the demons ask Jesus for the pigs? The first confrontation between Jesus and Satan resulted in Jesus's victory over temptations, as narrated in Matthew 4:1-11. He continues to invade and dominate two of Satan's main strongholds: the domain of the spiritual world, by exercising authority over demons in Matthew 8:28-34, and the domain over illness, 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 recounted in Matthew 8:28-34. Upon reaching the other side, in the region of the Gerasenes, Jesus encountered two men possessed by demons who were coming from the tombs.

They were so violent that no one could pass that way. They cried out, "What do you have to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?

" At a distance, there was a large herd of pigs grazing. The demons begged Jesus, "If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs. " He said to them, "Go!

" They came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water. Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town, and reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region.

Matthew further directs our attention to Jesus by answering the exasperated question, "What kind of man is this? " The group arrives at the other shore in the region of the Gadarenes. Jesus is now in the Decapolis, a predominantly Gentile territory, which explains the presence of pigs, an animal considered unclean by the Jews.

When Jesus arrives in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs meet him, as reported in Mark 5:1-20 and Luke 8:26-39. In Mark 5:1-20, they reached the other side of the sea in the region of the Gerasenes, and a man possessed by an unclean spirit meets Jesus coming out of the tombs. This man lived in the tombs, and no one could restrain him, not even with chains, for he had often been chained hand and foot; but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet.

No one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day, among the tombs and in the hills, he would cry out and cut himself with stones. When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him.

He shouted at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God's name, don't torture me! " For Jesus had said to him, "Come out of this man, you impure spirit.

" Then Jesus asked him, "What is your name? " "My name is Legion," he replied, "for we are many. " And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.

A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. The demons begged Jesus, "Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them. " He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs.

The herd, about 2,000 in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned. Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.

Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man and told about the pigs as well. Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region. As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him.

Jesus did not let him but said, "Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you and how he has had mercy on you. " So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and all the people were amazed. Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and the region across the Jordan followed Jesus.

The situation was dangerous because the two men were so violent that no one could pass that way; they were known and feared by the general public. The demons, like Satan, quickly recognized Jesus's 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 whom the Father revealed to be his beloved Son, according to Matthew 16:16, Matthew 14:33, Matthew 3:17, and Matthew 17:5.

However, coming from the demons, the 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 Matthew 8:27, for they know who Jesus is; however, despite this understanding, they remain demons. Knowing Jesus but hating him is demonic.

The question that the demons ask Jesus can be both harsh and kind, depending on the context. In Mark 1:24, it is presented in a hateful and fearful manner. The title "Son of God" probably should 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 acknowledge that Jesus is the one who will perform this 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 appointed time indicates that the expulsion of demons by Jesus was a sign that the kingdom was approaching. These demons seemed to be well aware of a predetermined time for the judgment of Satan's troops: "What do you want with us, Son of God?

" they shout. "Have you come here to torment us before the 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 Jesus's return in glory, as in Matthew 4:17 and Matthew 12:28-34, the demons begged Jesus to accept their proposal, which he does. After receiving permission from Jesus, the demons leave the men and enter the herd of pigs. When the demons entered the herd, the pigs went crazy and rushed 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 proposal, as it served his purposes. First, it resulted in the men's liberation from the demons.

Second, the pigs were unclean creatures according to Jewish tradition, therefore an appropriate emblem and safe haven for the demons. Third, accepting their proposal did not alter the demons' ultimate fate on the day of judgment. Therefore, Jesus accepted their proposal, for the demons were essentially doing Jesus's work for him.

More importantly, Jesus was not sinning by accepting the demons' suggestion. On the other hand, Jesus's encounter with Satan in the wilderness was completely different. If Jesus were to yield to Satan's demands, he would be led into disobedience.

As a result, Jesus rebuked Satan with the Scriptures and refused to give into his demands. This is the main distinction between the two cases: the petition of the demons in Matthew 8 did not lead Jesus to sin, whereas Satan's demands on Jesus were intended to lead him to sin. The demons begged to be sent to a nearby herd of pigs, which would not be an unpleasant idea for the Jews, who considered pigs and demons of the same order.

Jesus warned his disciples not to cast pearls before pigs, as in Matthew 7:6. According to Peter, false teachers are people who will return to their pagan nature, as in 2 Peter 2:22. However, since the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee was a Gentile area, this was not a wild herd but pigs being raised for the market.

Their owners would be devastated if they lost this huge herd, which Mark estimates at about 2,000, as in Mark 5:3. The demons' request to enter the pigs has an additionally deadly purpose; demons are known to inflict harm and agony on God's creation and do everything possible to fuel hostility against Jesus and his invasion of Satan's 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's demons. However, as a commentator has asserted, throughout the centuries, the world has rejected Jesus because it prefers the pigs. Jesus does not destroy the demons; instead, he allows evil to run its course in this world until the day when everything will be corrected.

The outcome of the exorcism is not mentioned in Matthew, but Mark and Luke note that the demon-possessed man from the region begged to join Jesus. However, Jesus instructs him to go home and tell his family and friends how much God has done for him, as in Luke 8:38-39 and Mark 5:18-19. Upon seeing the disciples with Jesus, the former demoniac desires to be like them, but Jesus sends him back to his hometown to testify.

In a sense, the twelve would be fishers of men among his own people; that 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 to expose the true values of the people in the area; they prefer swine to people and hogs to the Savior, as in Matthew 8:34. This verse reveals the sinful character of humanity.

Jesus has just cast out demons from two men and sent the evil spirits into a herd of pigs, which rushed toward a cliff and into the sea, where they drowned. When the herdsmen told what happened to the inhabitants of the nearby city, the whole community became enraged with the Savior. What was their main issue?

It was the potential economic downfall and loss of business. They were more concerned about their economic well-being than their spiritual health. When they saw Jesus approaching the city, they asked him to leave.

Unfortunately, we are guilty of the same mistake. We have grown accustomed to living with sin and do not want to think about God removing it, especially if it means losing perceived pleasures or income. But holding on to sin is one of the most toxic things we can do.

The end of this story is significant in its entirety; it shows once again that Jesus's ministry is not limited to the Jews but prefigures the mission to the Gentiles. It also shows that opposition to Jesus is not exclusively Jewish. In that sense, it confirms that the opponents in Matthew are not chosen based on race but according to their response to Jesus.

Reflecting on our propensity for sin and resistance to allowing God to remove it, especially if it implies the loss of pleasures or income, is deeply rooted in. . .

Scripture, the Bible, often addresses the conflict between earthly desires and obedience to God. In Matthew 6:19-24, Jesus talks 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 lead us away from God.

The story of the Gadarenes, where the inhabitants prefer their pig-based economy to Jesus, illustrates a recurring pattern in Scripture, where people often choose worldly interests over what is spiritually right. In Romans 12:1-2, Paul urges Christians not to conform to the pattern of this world, but to be transformed by the renewal of their minds so that they may discern the will of God. This suggests that resistance to sin and spiritual transformation are fundamental to faith.

Jesus's ministry, 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 Gentiles in the promise of salvation reflects the universality of God's love and mercy.

It reinforces the idea that opposition to Jesus and His message is not based on ethnicity or cultural origin, 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 various 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 for Jews. This demonstrates that Jesus's message is inclusive, calling all people, regardless of their background, to repent and turn to God. Therefore, the episode of the Gadarenes and the subsequent lessons highlight a key principle of Christianity: salvation and God's truth are open to all, and the true 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 of the day is: When did you first feel the presence of God? Comment below and subscribe to the channel.

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