5:16,17
Word of what had happened, both to the man and to the pigs, spread and the people began to plead with Jesus to leave. Why did they do this? Salvation was among them, but they didn’t want it. It could be a combination of fear at the power of Jesus, and a fear of more economic loss. Two thousand pigs must have been worth a fair amount.
5:18-20
Jesus began to leave, giving the people what they had asked for. It has often been said that the worst thing God can do to a person is to give them what they want. The previously demon-possessed man begged to go with Jesus. Jesus would not allow this. Instead He told him to go to his own people and tell them how much the Lord had done for them. This is in contrast to the instruction often given to demons and Jews not to tell anyone. Why the difference? Maybe because Jesus these people were predominantly Gentiles, so there was no risk of them getting the wrong idea (i.e. thinking Jesus was a military messiah). It would also prepare the ground for the later spread of the gospel. The man did as he was told, and the people were amazed. A gentile man was more obedient than the Jewish people.
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