“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?” 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. 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.”  

8:28

When He had come to the other side [of the Sea of Galilee], 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.

Jesus met two violent demon-possessed men from the largely Gentile city of Gadara, about eight miles from the southeastern shore Sea of Galilee. These dead souls lived among dead men.

8:29

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?”

These demon-possessed men had a clear and correct theology of the deity of Christ and eternal judgment.

You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! Jas 2:19

8:30

Now a good way off from them there was a herd of many swine feeding.

Swine were unclean animals under Israel’s law. The gospel of Mark says there were about 2,000 pigs there. This was a major economic issue to the community.

8:31 So the demons begged Him, saying, “If You cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of swine.”

These men understood the power of Jesus to do miracles. The word “if” in the Greek assumes that it is true that Jesus would cast them out. There was no doubt in their minds that Jesus was going to cast out the demons.

8:32

And He said to them, “Go.”

Jesus gave the demons permission to go into the herd.

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.

This miracle demonstrates Jesus’ power over Satan’s world.

8:33

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.

The swine herdsmen fled to the owners to tell them of their economic loss.

8:34

And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they begged Him to depart from their region.

The whole city pleaded with Jesus to leave the region. Jesus was not good for their economy! They cared more for their economy than God’s will or Word. This is a demonstration of negative volition towards the King and His Kingdom. These people preferred swine to the Savior.

PRINCIPLE:

It is important to value the spiritual over the material.

APPLICATION:

People today prefer the material over the spiritual. Materialism has become the prevailing worldview of our time. The spiritual world has become blunted by blind domination of this viewpoint. God causes economic reversals to awaken us to the reality of God and His program for time and eternity.

Jesus has authority over all spheres including the demonic world. The Devil and demons do not have unlimited power. It is essential that Christians engage in warfare with the spiritual domain or we will face spiritual defeat.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Eph 6:12