Matthew chapter 8 contains the stories of numerous healings, including: a leprous man, the centurion's servant, and Peter's mother-in-law. While these are great stories, and I've heard a few sermons preached on them, the one that raises the most questions for me is the final healing - of the two demon-possessed men.
The first intriguing part - is when the demons ask Jesus: "What do you want with us? Have you come to torment us before the time?" So my question is: what is "the time?" Some translations put this as "God's appointed time" or something similar, which helps, but I'm still left wondering what it means, and when this time might be. I have a feeling these demons are referring to the End Times, when they know they will be destroyed - and banished forever from the earth.
The next interesting part is where they ask to be driven into the herd of pigs - and Jesus actually complies with their request. Or does he? Yes, they do go from the men and enter the pigs, but Jesus merely tells them to "Go!" - not where they should - or could - go. So is Jesus bargaining with the demons - or simply telling them:"it doesn't matter where you go - as long as you leave me and these men?"
My next question has to do with the fate of the demons - and whether they meant to cause the herd of pigs to drown themselves in the lake. In v28, we saw that the demon-possessed men were so violent that no one could go near them. Why didn't the demons make the pigs behave similarly - to become so violent that no one could go near them? Instead - though - the pigs were killed almost instantly. It makes me wonder if Jesus knew what would happen to the pigs - and that's why he let the demons enter them...
The final verse in the chapter is also interesting - as the people who heard of Jesus's actions - instead of thanking him for liberating the demon-possessed men - the whole town pleaded with him to leave the region - so that they could live in peace (or thier version of it). You have to wonder what they were afraid of - if they were worried that Jesus would slaughter them - just as the pigs had been slaughtered - or if they just completely misunderstood Jesus and what he was doing (or both)...
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2 comments:
What a great story and, I believe, with allot of symbolism. I personally like the telling of it in Mark 5:1-20 better simply because it gives greater details. There is also a version in Luke 8:26-39. Be that as it may, it is my understanding that these two men (both Mark and Luke mention only one, possibly making a reference to just the one speaking) were Gentiles. Matthew says from the country of the Gergesines, while both Mark and Luke say from the country of the Gadarenes. Nevertheless, I believe them to be Gentiles. This is of note, I believe, because Jesus tells the Gentile woman in Matt. 15:26 (Mk. 7:27) that He had not come to minister to the Gentiles but rather to the Jews (children-Jews; dogs-Gentiles). Such being the case, it could raise the question, was Jesus ministering to the men or simply responding to the demons?
Another item of interest is the fact that these men came "out of the tombs." Luke writes "abode...in the tombs." Said differently, they were living in a grave yard. To me, this symbolizes the fact that all, and most especially the Gentiles at the time this event took place, were/are spiritually dead until we come to Christ. Luke writes that the man "fell down before him (Jesus)," while Mark writes that "he ran and worshipped him (Jesus)." Perhaps this also symbolizes the fact that the Gentiles were soon to be included in God saving grace.
In both Mark and Luke Jesus is said to have asked the "unclean spirit" it's name. The reply was "My name is Legion: for we are many" (Mk. 5:9). It is of note that apparently so many spirits could possess just two men. And Mattew is the only one who writes that the unclean spirits asked Jesus if He had come to "torment us before the time?" Luke writes that the spirits "besought him (Jesus) that he would not command them to go out into the deep."
I agree with Ben and believe "the time" refers to the end of the age. In Revelation 20:2-3 we are told that Satan will be bound and cast into a bottomless pit for a thousand years. Although I don't recall any specific scripture dealing with the fate of unclean spirits, one might assume it to be the same as that of Satan. It is again of note that even unclean spirits may have a greater understanding of their eternal destiny than do most non-believers.
As to the comment in Luke about the unclean spirits being commanded to "go out into the deep," I believe this could either refer to the bottomless pit, as mentioned above, or could possible refer to hell. In 2 Peter 2:4, Peter speaks to the fact that "God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell." Perhaps these unclean spirits feared the same fate.
And I believe the herd of swine is another interesting bit of symbolism. By God's decree, and, therefore, Jewish culture, swine were unclean animals. Does the herd symbolize non-believers? Mark tells us it was "a great herd" while Luke writes "an herd of many swine..." And I've read some commentary that suggests there were as many as 2,000 pigs in the herd. Again, it is amazing to me that demons enough to possess possibly 2,000 swine could all abide in just two men. But back to the symbolism.
To me, this story speaks to salvation and judgment. Some, in this case two, will come to Christ and be saved by the cleansing power of the Lord. Many, in this case the herd of swine, will be controlled by evil and will perish because they allowed themselves to be controlled by Satan. Water is a symbol of both cleansing and judgment. It is of note that the swine ran into the water and were drown. Just as God destroyed the wickedness of the world once with a great flood. Although I'm certain the unclean spirts lived on even as the swine perished, I believe the story symbolizes the fact that both non-belivers (the swine) and evil (the unclean spirits) will perish under God's final judgment.
As for the people wanting Jesus to leave. While many non-believers have rejected the Truth, many don't want believers around as a reminder that what we represent might just be factual. While they may not want to acknowledge God because of their desire for earthly pleasures, neither can they entirely eliminate the possibility. Christians tend to be a constant reminder of that fact.
Rob - you are right that the men Jesus healed were Gentiles. Not everyone who lived in Galilee was an Israelite.
There is obviously some symbolism in the choice of pigs for the demons to inhabit - as well as the choice of a graveyard - seeings as how both of those things were ritually unclean for Jews.
Thanks for all your comments here.
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