7 Incredible Lessons from the Story of Jesus Casting Demons into Pigs

The early chapters of Matthew after the Sermon on the Mount are full of the incredible works that Jesus did, which verified His identity as the Messiah, fulfilled the prophecies in the Scripture - what is now called the Old Testament - and blessed the people around Him. He cleansed a leper, healed the servant of a Roman Centurion, healed Peter’s mother-in-law, and calmed a storm. Jesus and the disciples crossed over the Sea of Galilee and landed in a region known as Gadarene or Garasene.

This region, generally agreed on by scholars to be the Decapolis, was one that was heavily under Greek influence. Unlike the region of Israel on the other side of the Sea of Galilee that was predominantly Jewish, and that kept Jewish customs and religious practice, the Roman and Hellenistic culture was strong here. The Decapolis was a group of ten cities focused on commerce and trade, and had temples to foreign deities. Jesus would come here several times during His earthly ministry. Theologians and Biblical historians believe this area would have had a higher amount of demonic activity due to the lack of focus on religion and the presence of paganism.

What Happened

When Jesus landed at the Decapolis, two men possessed by demons approached him. Two of the Gospel accounts focus on one individual, who was possessed by a horde of demons calling themselves Legion. The possessed men were living in the tombs, rejected by society. The Biblical accounts mention there had been attempts to shackle at least one of the men, but he would break loose and cut himself with stones. Jesus commanded the demons to leave the men, but they begged to inhabit a nearby herd of pigs, rather than go to the pit. Jesus allows them to do so, and the pigs throw themselves off a cliff.

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1. This Event Confirms the Demons Knew Who Jesus Was the Whole of His Earthly Ministry.

Over the course of His time on earth, Jesus revealed Himself to people through miracles and teachings. The Holy Spirit would select individuals to divinely show Jesus’ true nature. At His baptism, the Father and the Spirit together testified to His true identity. Some people learned slowly, some quickly, and some never saw the Truth.

The demons were able to identify Him immediately, and called Him by His title as the Son of God. People who deny the existence or divinity of Jesus have been fully deceived, because even the demons address Him as God.

2. The Demons Know They Will Spend Eternity in Hell.

One of the most interesting things that happens is a statement by the entities, “Have you come here to torment us before the time?” (Matthew 8:29b). In Luke it says, “And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss” (8:31). The Bible is clear that Satan and his armies will spend eternity in hell. Jude says many of them are even now, “kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day” (1:6b), and the Book of Revelation says they will be thrown into the Lake of Fire.

It is apparent from what the demons say they know, even before the death and resurrection of Jesus, they will not win in the conflict between themselves and God.

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The Jews and Greeks living in the Decapolis participated in a sharing of culture that tended to lead toward more Hebrew people taking on foreign and pagan practices, rather than the other way around. It is notable the livestock nearby were pigs, an unclean food a faithfully religious Hebrew person would have avoided. When the Jews in the northern regions of Israel opened themselves up to pagan practices, and living outside the boundaries God set for them, they opened themselves up to demonic activity.

Extrabiblical records indicate a belief the Decapolis was known for possession The Bible says, “For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God” (2 Corinthians 6:14b-16a). While this passage is primarily dealing with Christians marrying unbelievers, many theologians point out the implications about the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. If the Spirit is in someone, then something evil, like a demon, cannot inhabit them.

Because they turned away from the one God and embraced false religions, these two men were subjected to demonic possession. It is important to reject practices of the world, because they are not the things of God. Even if a believer cannot be possessed, they are taking in things that are evil, and oppose the Lord. Christians can also be subjected to spiritual attacks, even if they are not possessed, so it is still important not to indulge in evil in the world.

4. Animals Do Not Have the Holy Spirit.

Animals do have personalities, a mind, and a will. The Bible shows that God loves His Creation, including the animals, but He did not make all living things in His image. Only people have that blessing, and people were responsible for disobeying God and bringing sin into the world. Animals, in essence, do not need the Holy Spirit, because they are not walking in a relationship with God. The Bible is silent on the eternal state of animals. Because the demons were able to inhabit the pigs, the do not have the Holy Spirit, but they do not need the Holy Spirit to guide them, and to bear spiritual fruit, because the relationship between animals and their Creator is different than the ones between people and God.

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This passage has been controversial because of the implications of how animals should or should not be treated. However, upon close examination of all three passages, several things become clear. Jesus did not order the pigs to throw themselves off a cliff. The Bible also asserts that, “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God” (Luke 12:6). There is no reason to infer that God would be needlessly cruel to the pigs.

The demons also would not have wanted to kill the pigs, as the reason they wanted to inhabit something was so they would not go to the pit, “Have you come here to torment us before the time?” (Matthew 8:29b).

The language strongly suggests the pigs threw themselves into the sea with Mark saying, “and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea” (5:13b). And Luke mirrors this language: “the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned” (8:33b). This account is also the only one in the Bible where demons attempt to possess an animal, and it fails. While animals are certainly subject to the suffering brought on by living in a fallen world, the text implies there is also a natural aversion to the demonic, though this idea is never fully explored and clarified.

6. People Only Know So Much about the Supernatural, by God’s Design.

This passage is one of the more detailed accounts of demonic activity in the Bible, and it still leaves a lot of information vague. It raises a lot of questions the Bible chooses not to answer.

Daniel wrote about angels and demons warring with one another, and the Book of Revelation gives glimpses into the greater cosmic battle beyond the veil that is not currently accessible to humanity. Whenever people encounter this evil, they are overcome. God chooses to limit what humans can know about angels and demons. He does not want us to worship them or to pursue contact with them; the Bible only shows angels making first contact with people being blessed by God, not the other way around.

In part, accepting that God is in control and putting faith in Him is part of the human experience, and knowing too much about supernatural evil, especially for those who are not believers and do not have the Holy Spirit, can lead to an overindulgence in it. Paul encouraged believers, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Philippians 4:8). Christians should not spend their time meditating on demons, which are wicked and evil, as it does not fill them with good fruit.

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Demons are servants of Satan, rebelling against God, His plan, His ways, and His righteousness. Despite aligning themselves against the Lord, they had no power before Him. They acknowledged His position, His authority over them, and His power to send them to torment. When He commanded them to leave, they had to leave. This ultimate authority is repeated over and over. Jesus can take away disease, control nature, and will reign forever as the righteous King.

The Bible says in three different places that every knee shall bow before Jesus Christ.

“By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: ‘To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance” (Isaiah 45:23).

“For it is written, ‘As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God’” (Romans 14:11).

“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11).

If even the demons acknowledge the authority of Jesus Christ, and if the Bible says that one day every knee shall bow before Jesus Christ, then His authority is absolute. Christians acknowledge this fact during their life, but also embrace His sacrifice on the cross as their only path to eternal salvation.

God extended grace and mercy to people, which He did not offer to the angels who rebelled against Him. Any time the supernatural is discussed in the Bible, it is an intriguing look behind the veil between the physical world and God’s realm. Reading these passages earnestly can help empower believers to live a life more fully for God, and navigate the difficulties of this life.

Sources

Kennedy, David. Gerasa and the Decapolis A ‘Virtual’ Visit in Northwest Jordan. New York: Bloomsbury, 2007.

Smith, James, Ph.D. Jesus: Heaven’s King A Commentary on Matthew’s Gospel. 2016.

Thomson, J.E.H. A Visit to the Region of the Decapolis. Stirling: James Hogg and Co., 1901.

Wilmington, H.L. Wilmington’s Guide to the Bible. Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, 1981.

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