8:28-34
Jesus now heals two demon-possessed men. The demons had such a hold over them, and made them extremely violent. However the demons were in fear of Jesus, they knew He was going to drive them out, and they pleaded to be sent into a nearby herd of pigs. Why they wanted this was not clear, but it proved to be a big mistake. Jesus sent them into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed off a cliff and into the lake and died. Demons only bring destruction. The whole town sent out to Jesus and asked him to leave. Why did they do this? Maybe because they knew they should not have been keeping pigs.
Matthew gives a much shorter account than we find in Mark (5:1-17) and Luke (8:26-37). Matthew also mentions two men, Mark and Luke only one. Tombs and evil spirits, demon possession, as is still the case today. It is possible that there were two demon possessed men, but Mark and Luke are focusing on the one who was at the forefront of the matter. Note that Matthew pays hardly any attention to the men themselves. Instead, his focus is on the demons, how Jesus dealt with them and the reaction of the town’s people. The region is variously called Gadarenes, Gergesenes or Gerasenes. The two men were so violent that no one dared have anything to do with them.
Notice that Matthew does not mention the two men who had been set free. Matthew seems to be focusing on the reaction of people. So if we look at this chapter as a whole, we see that people considered outcasts (lepers and Gentiles) were freely accepted and demonstrated faith. Peter’s mother-in-law was healed. Then there was Jesus making clear the cost of following Him, it is no light decision. Now we have people outrightly rejecting Jesus. The reaction and response of people to Jesus is not a simple matter. There will be all sorts of reactions from all sorts of people.
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