Demons, Pigs, Restoration, and Rejection
Scripture presents demons not as mythological creatures, but as real beings involved in historical and future events. Jesus encountered many of them during His earthly ministry, and in His encounters, He healed the persons whom the demon or demons had taken residence.
Demons are fallen angels who joined with Satan when he rebelled against God after the creation events in Genesis. The Bible does not tell us of their origin, but it does allude to them being created somewhere in the creation of the heavens and earth, and how some were imprisoned in an abyss to be released later to torment unrepentant mankind during the Great Tribulation.
In today’s message we are going to look at the story of the demon possessed men in Matthew 8:28-34. This story can also be found in Mark 5:1-14 and Luke.8:26-39, each one carrying some other details because they are from different viewpoints but conveying the same meaning and application. So, using the story from Matthew, which I will break into three sections, and in each section, we will get an understanding of the situation, then applying it to you and me.
When He had come to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way. And suddenly they cried out, saying, “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?”
Matthew 8:28-29
This story picks up in the morning after Jesus had healed multitudes of people of their afflictions’ and shortly after He calmed the seas for their trip across the lake. In our scripture here it says that they met two demon possessed men, while in Mark and Luke it says He met one man. Don’t let this difference raise doubt to the bible, as some would see this as a contradiction, but remember that this story is being conveyed by three different people who concentrated so some different items. In all three stories there was two men who were possessed. While Matthew put the two men into view, Mark and Luke only concentrated on the one who did the talking. Besides, where one person is more remarkable, it is not uncommon to mention that one person alone. One could say, “I met John downtown today,” and later in telling the account mention that his family was with him. This would not be considered contradictions or poor reporting.
When we combine all the details from Matthew, Mark, and Luke about these men it gives an understanding that these men are a superman. Consider the description of Mark and Luke about him: First, he is super strong because he can break all the iron chains that bind him and no one can tie him (Mark 5:3, 4) also he has a unique habit where he likes to hit himself with a stone and apparently not feel any pain (Mark 5:5). Second, he is super brave because day and night he roams between the cemetery and the hills screaming (Mark 5:5). Third, he was super smelly, because he lived in a cemetery, among decomposed corpses (Mark 5:2). Fourth, he was super fierce and scary, so much so that no one dared to take that path to the lake because of him. Fifth, he was super naked, because Luke wrote that he did not wear any clothes (Luke 8:27), so he ran naked to Jesus. An extraordinary sight for the disciples.
These men lived alone in a cemetery with the most despicable circumstances. They lived alienated from social life. Their life habits which allowed the demon entrance into their lives has quarantined there to an isolated part of the city. People keep their distance from them and don't want to be in touch with them because they were terrified of them. Them lived like animals because they were dominated by demons.
Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:9-11
Upon seeing Jesus, even the demons run towards them worshipping Jesus, and at the same time crying out, “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?” So, what do these possessed men mean by this? It shows that the demons within them understand that at some point in the future they will face their punishment for rebelling against. What they are saying to Jesus is they did not think that time was now and was wondering if Jesus did indeed come to punish them for their rebellion. It also shows that unlike a lot of us, they recognized who Jesus was and the authority given to Him.
You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!
James 2:19
It is going to be a sad time when those who refuse to believe in Jesus will have to give a reason why they choose not to believe. Because the bible tells us that we have one life and then the judgement. At least the demons tremble at the name of Jesus, but the unrepentant world wants to eliminate the very mention of His name.
Now a good way off from them there was a herd of many swine feeding. So the demons begged Him, saying, “If You cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of swine.” And He said to them, “Go.” So when they had come out, they went into the herd of swine. And suddenly the whole herd of swine ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and perished in the water.
Matthew 8:30-32
Okay, we discussed the demons, now let’s add the pigs to the mix. Normally when Jesus casted a demon out of a person they went to a void, or a nowhere place, which in Luke 11 is called “dry places.”
“When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.”
Luke 11:24-26
An unclean spirit is another way of saying demon. From our first two sections of our message scripture, along with the one I just read, we can see the desires and goals of demons…to destroy you and can you from seeing your place in heaven. Once casted out the demons no longer can do what they desire to do, that is inhabit a being and slowly destroy it. That is why it is important for us to have a clean house, which refers to your body and soul, but it must not be empty! After our body and soul is cleaned, we need to invite Jesus into our house and allow the Holy Spirit to take up residence so there will be no room for demons to come back in. So, let me put your mind to rest for those with the question, can Christians be demon-possessed? The answer is no, and the Bible teaches that they cannot. We might be attacked and caused a great deal of trouble in the spiritual battles of life by unclean spirits; but if the Holy Spirit is indwelling the Christian, as the Bible affirms, then demons cannot. We are told in the Bible to resist the devil and he will flee from us; how we resist the devil is by submitting to God. Apparently, there are too many easier places for evil to lodge than in a Spirit-controlled Christian who is aware of Satan’s devices and resists them.
Satan's purpose is to make humanity like him, and for that purpose he sends his demons to seek to wreck our life. "The encounter with the demoniacs of Gergesenes had a lesson for the disciples, which also applies to us today. It showed the depths of degradation to which Satan is seeking to drag the whole human race, and the mission of Christ to set men free from Satan's power. Those wretched beings, dwelling in the place of graves, possessed by demons, in bondage to uncontrolled passions and loathsome lusts, represent what humanity would become if given up to satanic jurisdiction. Satan's influence is constantly exerted upon men to distract the senses, control the mind for evil, and incite to violence and crime. He weakens the body, darkens the intellect, and debases the soul. Whenever men reject the Savior’s invitation, they are yielding themselves to Satan. Multitudes in every department in life, in the home, in business, and even in the church, are doing this today. It is because of this that violence and crime have overspread the earth, and moral darkness, like the pall of death, enshrouds the habitations of men. Through his specious temptations Satan leads men to worse and worse evils, till utter depravity and ruin are the result.”
It is for this reasons that the demons requested to go into the herd of pigs, they knew that Jesus would not allow them to go into another human being, and they did not want to go to the “dry place.” At first glance you may be wondering why pigs are there if they are considered unclean by Jewish law. Well, a look at the political map of the day will indicate that this was largely Gentile territory. It was in this part of the land that the Decapolis was established—the league of ten, largely Gentile, cities. According to the book of Mark, the herd in question was 2000 pigs. Also, the books of Mark and Luke tell us that the demons’ name was legend, which indicated that there were thousands of demons within the two men.
The irony is, is that the demons were afraid of being tortured before the appointed time; but in the meantime, they would torture and torment these two poor souls. How this demonic activity in the region came about, we do not know. But it seems that in the Gospels and in the Book of Acts when the truth of Christ began to make significant inroads into the lives of people to rescue them from sin and death, there was plenty of spiritual opposition. We saw this at the outset of the Gospel with Herod trying to destroy Jesus. He was not acting alone, as he was acting on Satan’s desire to destroy Jesus.
Okay, so the demons need something to inhabit so that they can continue their torment of mankind. In their thinking, if we go into the pigs we remain on the earthly plain, with opportunities to hurt man. But they did not realize that the pigs would rather die than be inhabited by unclean spirits, so the pigs throw themselves into the lake and drown. What the humans tolerated and lived with these unclean animals could not. The sudden shock to their systems of the evil spirits drove them into the sea. Some quick facts about pigs: one, they are considered smarter than dogs, and two, pigs can swim. By the pigs taking their own lives, it forced the demons to go to the “dry place” …rather clever of Jesus, don’t you think? The demons thought they were getting away with something slick, but we sometimes forget that Jesus knows all things.
Then those who kept them fled; and they went away into the city and told everything, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they begged Him to depart from their region.
Matthew 8:33-34
In Marks version of the story the people had tried to chain the demon possessed men, but they would break the chains and shackles. Now they rush to see the man who had done what they could not do. Also, the fear of the people is gone now that Jesus has calmed the two men, and provided them with clothing, as they were naked before.
This is the part where we see the restoration of the two men. Once they were insane, fierce, violent, naked, self-destructive, excluded from society, and full of demons. But after an encounter with Jesus, they are whole again, calm, at peace, clothed, free of demons, able to return to their homes and families, able to get a job, able to support themselves. In being restored to their right mind, Mark’s version tells us that he begged to go with Jesus. Whether it was for worship or safety we don’t know, but rest assured he knew that Jesus made difference in his life, and they wanted to continue to be a part of what Jesus was doing. But Jesus told them, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.” How wonderous it must have been for them to realize they could go home, once again being with friends and family.
Not to say that any of us have demons, but we sometimes can be our own demons when we do things contrary to Jesus. Like the demon possessed men we too can be whole when we change our ways and put away those things that attempt to quarantine us in sin. Worship Jesus and be made whole.
But the amazing thing is that when they saw Jesus, they pleaded with Him to leave their region. Why would they not welcome Him as the great deliverer, the one who could solve the problems and needs of humans? Perhaps they thought only of their loss of the pigs. Or, perhaps they were more afraid for themselves, for this was no ordinary prophet in their midst, but one who judges and casts out evil. Perhaps they did not want that kind of power coming into their region, for they might have had a lot to give up as well. We do not know, as we do not understand why some believe and some do not. But they did not want Him there among them. And so, the gospels record this as one of the great rejections of Christ despite all the evidence of who He was.
The main point of the passage, then, is that Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, has absolute authority over all the spirit world, over Satan, over demons, and over those whom they control. That he expelled this legion of demons shows this authority; and it was a preview of the final judgment of these evil spirits.
But that final judgment would not occur until there was the victory at the cross when the head of the Serpent would be crushed (Gen 3:15). When his disciples tried to prevent the arrest of Jesus, Jesus made it clear that He was in control and would die. He said that He could ask His Father and His Father would send legions of angels to destroy the world. But then, the Scripture would not be fulfilled. There was a judgment to be fulfilled before the final judgment of evil, and that judgment would take place at the cross. Once that was achieved, then it would be just a matter of time before Christ would put down all enemies.
The immediate response of people to this revelation about Christ is to worship and to serve Him as the true Son of God. And we should also take great comfort and encouragement in the fact that He has complete control over the forces of evil in the world. Knowing the power of Christ casts out all fear.
