Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.
On the desolate eastern shore of Gennesaret where Jesus landed in the region of Gadara, a great herd of swine was feeding on the mountainside not far from the demon-possessed men He confronted. When Christ commanded the demons to leave the two men, they begged through them to be allowed to enter the nearby herd, and He suffered them to do so, whereupon the whole drove rushed madly down the steep precipice into the lake and drowned while the men were freed and restored to sane, calm minds. The destruction was Satan's design to bring financial loss upon the owners so Jesus would be held in disfavor and His way hedged up in that region. Its permission was a rebuke to Jews who were raising unclean animals for gain, yet Christ restrained the demons so they could not destroy the keepers and owners as well, showing that even demonic power is under His control and overruled for good. The people counted the loss of the pigs as more than the deliverance of the men, and fearing further loss they rejected Jesus and asked Him to leave, showing how worldly interests lead men to refuse His mercy and drive His Spirit from their hearts. Instead of hindering the work the loss roused the whole country and directed attention to Christ, and the healed men remained as His witnesses and messengers, so that when He returned to Decapolis thousands gathered to hear salvation.
Setting and Immediate Event
The scene belongs to the eastern shore of Gennesaret, reached after a day spent teaching parables beside the Sea of Galilee and healing, when in the evening Jesus, utterly wearied and seeking retirement in a solitary place across the lake, bade His disciples accompany Him and they took Him just as He was into the boat with other boats following. The surrounding country was not uninhabited but was desolate compared with the western side, with towns here and there beside the lake, containing a population more heathen than Jewish and having little communication with Galilee.
There nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine was feeding, on a mountainside not far distant from where Jesus confronted the demoniacs, on the shore below Gadara in the region of the Gadarenes where Jesus landed, close to the men possessed by demons. The demons, speaking through the afflicted men as mediums of communication and begging not to be sent away out of the country, asked after Jesus commanded them to leave the two men to be allowed to enter the nearby herd, and Jesus suffered them to do so. As soon as permission was granted the request took effect upon the animals.
Immediately a panic seized the whole drove and they rushed madly headlong down the steep cliff and precipice and, unable to check themselves upon the shore, plunged into the lake and sea and perished by drowning. The herd that had been feeding quietly near the mountains was thus driven to destruction in full view of the keepers and the shore below.
At the same time the two men were freed from demons and restored to their right minds by His word, with light dawning upon them so their minds became intelligent, their countenances mild, their hands quiet, the raving men suddenly becoming sane and calm and praising the Lord for deliverance and worshiping Him. What had held them in madness was broken, and joyful restoration from bondage took the place of raving.
Satan's Design Overruled for Good
The destruction of the herd was Satan's own purpose and design, to bring considerable financial loss upon the owners so that Jesus would be held in disfavor, to turn the people away from Him and prevent the preaching of the gospel and hedge up His way in that region. Permission for the demons to drive the herd into the sea was at the same time a rebuke to Jews who were raising those unclean animals for gain. Christ restrained the demons so that they could not destroy the keepers and owners as well as the swine or sweep them into the sea, and the preservation of those men was due to His merciful power.
The event laid bare Satan's cruel power over both animals and people, yet even the power of demons is under the control of Christ and the working of evil is overruled for good. Instead of hindering the work, the loss roused the whole country as nothing else could have done, brought Jesus before public notice, directed attention to Christ and His power, and helped awaken the region to its eternal interests and to the kingdom Jesus taught, opening a door to the gospel throughout that region. Though Jesus departed, the men He had healed remained as witnesses to His power, changed from mediums of darkness into channels of light and messengers of the Son of God carrying the good news of His saving power, so that when Jesus returned to Decapolis thousands gathered for days to hear the message of salvation and were convinced He was the Son of God.
Human Response and Warning
The keepers looked on with amazement as the raving men suddenly became sane and calm, and then beheld the drove charge into the sea, whereupon they hurried to give account to the owners and publish the news to all the people. The destruction of the herd brought major financial loss to its owners and stirred the anger and indignation of the people. To them the loss of the pigs mattered more than the deliverance of the men, for they valued the property more than the healing of those possessed by demons. They fixed their minds on their property rather than on the benefit of having Jesus among them, and fearing further loss they rejected Jesus and asked Him to leave.
Their choice shows how worldly interests can lead people to turn Christ away and refuse His mercy and presence. By clinging to temporal gain above spiritual blessing they drive His Spirit from their hearts. The episode also shows that a legion of evil spirits could torment one person, with full possession giving Satan control of soul, body, and spirit. This was seen in a man who tore and cut himself, and the same complete possession can take hold now to rule the mind and body of another and make married life a reign of terror.
The healing of the demoniacs at Gadara took place just before Jesus returned and met Jairus, whose daughter lay at the point of death.
On the desolate eastern shore of Gennesaret where Jesus landed in the region of Gadara, a great herd of swine was feeding on the mountainside not far from the demon-possessed men He confronted.
When Christ commanded the demons to leave the two men, they begged through them to be allowed to enter the nearby herd, and He suffered them to do so, whereupon the whole drove rushed madly down the steep precipice into the lake and drowned while the men were freed and restored to sane, calm minds.
The destruction was Satan's design to bring financial loss upon the owners so Jesus would be held in disfavor and His way hedged up in that region.
Its permission was a rebuke to Jews who were raising unclean animals for gain, yet Christ restrained the demons so they could not destroy the keepers and owners as well, showing that even demonic power is under His control and overruled for good.
The people counted the loss of the pigs as more than the deliverance of the men, and fearing further loss they rejected Jesus and asked Him to leave, showing how worldly interests lead men to refuse His mercy and drive His Spirit from their hearts.
Instead of hindering the work the loss roused the whole country and directed attention to Christ, and the healed men remained as His witnesses and messengers, so that when He returned to Decapolis thousands gathered to hear salvation.
Setting and Immediate Event
The scene belongs to the eastern shore of Gennesaret, reached after a day spent teaching parables beside the Sea of Galilee and healing, when in the evening Jesus, utterly wearied and seeking retirement in a solitary place across the lake, bade His disciples accompany Him and they took Him just as He was into the boat with other boats following. The surrounding country was not uninhabited but was desolate compared with the western side, with towns here and there beside the lake, containing a population more heathen than Jewish and having little communication with Galilee.
There nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine was feeding, on a mountainside not far distant from where Jesus confronted the demoniacs, on the shore below Gadara in the region of the Gadarenes where Jesus landed, close to the men possessed by demons. The demons, speaking through the afflicted men as mediums of communication and begging not to be sent away out of the country, asked after Jesus commanded them to leave the two men to be allowed to enter the nearby herd, and Jesus suffered them to do so. As soon as permission was granted the request took effect upon the animals.
Immediately a panic seized the whole drove and they rushed madly headlong down the steep cliff and precipice and, unable to check themselves upon the shore, plunged into the lake and sea and perished by drowning. The herd that had been feeding quietly near the mountains was thus driven to destruction in full view of the keepers and the shore below.
At the same time the two men were freed from demons and restored to their right minds by His word, with light dawning upon them so their minds became intelligent, their countenances mild, their hands quiet, the raving men suddenly becoming sane and calm and praising the Lord for deliverance and worshiping Him. What had held them in madness was broken, and joyful restoration from bondage took the place of raving.
Satan's Design Overruled for Good
The destruction of the herd was Satan's own purpose and design, to bring considerable financial loss upon the owners so that Jesus would be held in disfavor, to turn the people away from Him and prevent the preaching of the gospel and hedge up His way in that region. Permission for the demons to drive the herd into the sea was at the same time a rebuke to Jews who were raising those unclean animals for gain. Christ restrained the demons so that they could not destroy the keepers and owners as well as the swine or sweep them into the sea, and the preservation of those men was due to His merciful power.
The event laid bare Satan's cruel power over both animals and people, yet even the power of demons is under the control of Christ and the working of evil is overruled for good. Instead of hindering the work, the loss roused the whole country as nothing else could have done, brought Jesus before public notice, directed attention to Christ and His power, and helped awaken the region to its eternal interests and to the kingdom Jesus taught, opening a door to the gospel throughout that region. Though Jesus departed, the men He had healed remained as witnesses to His power, changed from mediums of darkness into channels of light and messengers of the Son of God carrying the good news of His saving power, so that when Jesus returned to Decapolis thousands gathered for days to hear the message of salvation and were convinced He was the Son of God.
Human Response and Warning
The keepers looked on with amazement as the raving men suddenly became sane and calm, and then beheld the drove charge into the sea, whereupon they hurried to give account to the owners and publish the news to all the people. The destruction of the herd brought major financial loss to its owners and stirred the anger and indignation of the people. To them the loss of the pigs mattered more than the deliverance of the men, for they valued the property more than the healing of those possessed by demons. They fixed their minds on their property rather than on the benefit of having Jesus among them, and fearing further loss they rejected Jesus and asked Him to leave.
Their choice shows how worldly interests can lead people to turn Christ away and refuse His mercy and presence. By clinging to temporal gain above spiritual blessing they drive His Spirit from their hearts. The episode also shows that a legion of evil spirits could torment one person, with full possession giving Satan control of soul, body, and spirit. This was seen in a man who tore and cut himself, and the same complete possession can take hold now to rule the mind and body of another and make married life a reign of terror.
The healing of the demoniacs at Gadara took place just before Jesus returned and met Jairus, whose daughter lay at the point of death.