Luke 8:37, commentary and pictures

The whole multitude around Gadara, seized with great fear after the healing of the demon-possessed men and the destruction of the swine, asked Jesus to leave them, and He went up into the ship and returned back again. Their terror was bound up with dread of further loss of property, for blinded by selfishness and worldliness they counted the lost swine of greater value than the deliverance of the men. In granting their plea He showed that He never forces His presence where He is unwelcome. Though He departed, He did not leave them without light, but left the healed men among them to tell their households and all Decapolis what God had done for them, a testimony that prepared the region to receive Him when He returned. Their choice shows how fear of worldly loss turns hearts from His grace and mercy, a rejection still repeated by professed Christians who by love of gain and dishonest practice in their occupations virtually ask Him to depart.

Fearful Plea for Departure

The whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought Him to depart from them, seized with great fear and terror after the two demon-possessed men were restored and the swine were destroyed. Their fear was fear of further financial loss and calamity and loss of property, alarmed by the destruction of the swine. Blinded by worldliness and selfishness and unbelief, they valued the lost swine more than the deliverance of the men, letting concern for earthly interests and property outweigh gratitude and joy at the healing of the two men. They saw only the magnitude of their loss and refused to consider the advantage of having such a One among them.

They made this request before they had heard His words and teaching, so they did not understand what they were rejecting and had not yet rejected His doctrine. They asked Him to go despite compelling evidence, for those who had crossed the lake with Him had told them of the peril of the previous night and His miracle in stilling the tempest. They themselves saw Him meet and overcome Satan, saw the Prince of Light meet the Prince of Darkness and beheld the supremacy of Christ over Satan, saw the restored men as evidence of His power and mercy, and saw One who could control the elements by the lifting of His finger, cast out demons, and heal the diseased and feeble by a word or the touch of His hand, yet they still begged the Son of God to depart.

Jesus complied with their request and gratified their wish, and with His disciples went up into the ship and departed by boat to the opposite shore and back again.

Mercy Amid Rejection

In granting their wish and leaving their coast, Jesus showed that He never presses His presence where it is not wanted and does not force Himself upon those who do not welcome Him. Though He departed, He did not abandon them to darkness without light. He left the healed men to remain among them as witnesses, who obediently carried to their households and neighbors and throughout the wider region of Decapolis what God had done for them, proclaiming His mercy and the good news that Christ can save men from Satan's power. Their testimony, telling what God had done, remained after Jesus Himself had gone.

That witness prepared the way and opened the region to the gospel, so that Decapolis was made ready to hear the message of salvation when Jesus later returned. Their selfish fear had kept them from listening to Him at the first, which was what Satan intended by turning the blame for the loss of the swine upon Jesus. Their choice shows how fear of worldly loss leads people to turn Jesus from their hearts and to refuse His grace and mercy and teachings when following Him seems likely to cost them worldly interests. Though they had seen the restored men as evidence of His power and mercy, concern for earthly interests outweighed gratitude, and fear of further calamity and financial loss moved them to reject His visit of mercy.

That same rejection is repeated by many professed Christians who never speak the Gadarenes' words yet plainly show by their acts in their various occupations that they do not desire His presence. By exalting the world above His mercy and letting the love of gain crowd out the love of Christ, they ask in effect what Gadara asked in words. By heeding not His injunctions, slighting His reproofs, and practicing dishonesty and avaricious scheming, they virtually petition the Saviour to depart from them.