The Unwanted Deliverer
Introduction: The Cost of Freedom
We live in a thoroughly sanitized and materialistic age. Our sophisticated elites have explained away the demonic, relegating it to the realm of pre-scientific superstition or, at best, a clumsy metaphor for psychological trauma. When we encounter a passage like this one, our first instinct is to tame it, to domesticate it, to make it palatable for our modern sensibilities. But the gospel is not meant to be palatable; it is meant to be powerful. It is not a gentle suggestion; it is an invasion.
This account of the Gadarene demoniacs is a raw, untamed display of the collision of two kingdoms. On one side, you have the kingdom of darkness, represented by tombs, demonic possession, uncleanness, violence, and social chaos. On the other, you have the Kingdom of God, embodied in the person of Jesus Christ, who has just demonstrated His authority over the natural world by calming the storm. Now He steps ashore in Gentile territory, enemy territory, to demonstrate that His authority is not limited to the wind and the waves. He has authority over the spiritual realm as well.
This story forces a question upon us that is deeply uncomfortable, a question that every generation must face. What is the true cost of deliverance? We all say we want freedom. We want healing. We want society to be fixed. But what happens when the Deliverer shows up and His methods disrupt our economic stability? What happens when allegiance to Christ costs us our pigs? The reaction of the Gadarenes is not some ancient, bizarre response. It is the default response of the human heart. It reveals what we truly worship. This passage is a spiritual diagnostic test, and the results are often grim. It forces us to decide whether we prefer the Son of God or a herd of swine.
The Text
And when He came to the other side, into the region of the Gadarenes, two men who were demon-possessed met Him as they were coming out of the tombs. They were so extremely violent that no one could pass by that way. And behold, they cried out, saying, “What do we have to do with You, Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?” Now there was a herd of many swine feeding at a distance from them. And the demons began to plead with Him, saying, “If You are going to cast us out, send us into the herd of swine.” And He said to them, “Go!” And coming out, they went into the swine; and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the waters. Now the herdsmen ran away, and went to the city and reported everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs. And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw Him, they pleaded with Him to leave their region.
(Matthew 8:28-34 LSB)
The Face of the Enemy (v. 28-29)
Jesus lands on the shore and is immediately confronted by the local welcoming committee from hell.
"And when He came to the other side, into the region of the Gadarenes, two men who were demon-possessed met Him as they were coming out of the tombs. They were so extremely violent that no one could pass by that way." (Matthew 8:28 LSB)
Notice the setting. This is Gentile country, a place of spiritual darkness. The men are coming from the tombs, a place of death and ceremonial uncleanness. This is a vivid picture of what demonic influence does. It isolates men from community, drives them to the places of death, and fills them with uncontrollable violence. They were a public menace, a terror that shut down commerce and travel. This is the kingdom of Satan in miniature: chaos, fear, and death.
And when they see Jesus, the demons who possess them speak. Their reaction is immediate and revealing.
"And behold, they cried out, saying, 'What do we have to do with You, Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?'" (Matthew 8:29 LSB)
Here we find that demons are better theologians than many liberal pastors. First, they have a perfect Christology. They know exactly who Jesus is: the "Son of God." There is no confusion, no doubt. The powers of darkness recognize divine authority when they see it. Second, they have a coherent eschatology. They know there is a final judgment, a designated "time" for their ultimate torment, and they know Jesus is the one who will execute that judgment. Their terror is not that they will be judged, but that Jesus is showing up ahead of schedule. They see His presence as a premature D-Day invasion.
Their question, "What do we have to do with You?" is the eternal cry of rebellion. It is the voice of Cain, the voice of Pharaoh, the voice of every sinner who wants God to stay in His lane and leave them alone. It is a declaration of autonomy. But in the face of the Son of God, this declaration is not a statement of power, but a shriek of terror.
Sovereign Authority and Desperate Negotiations (v. 30-32)
The demons know the battle is already lost. Their only hope is to negotiate the terms of their surrender.
"Now there was a herd of many swine feeding at a distance from them. And the demons began to plead with Him, saying, 'If You are going to cast us out, send us into the herd of swine.'" (Matthew 8:30-31 LSB)
The presence of a large herd of pigs confirms we are in Gentile territory. For the Jews, swine were the epitome of uncleanness. This was a pagan economy. The demons, desperate not to be sent into the abyss, see the pigs as a potential refuge. This tells us something about their nature. They are parasitic; they long for a host, any host, through which they can work their destructive will.
Jesus' response is a testament to His absolute and effortless authority.
"And He said to them, 'Go!' And coming out, they went into the swine; and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the waters." (Matthew 8:32 LSB)
One word. Not a complex ritual, not a protracted struggle. Just one sovereign command: "Go!" And the legion of demons obeys instantly. The result is a dramatic, visible demonstration of two things. First, it shows the sheer destructive power of the demonic. The moment they enter the pigs, their inherent nature takes over, and the result is immediate, suicidal chaos. This is what they were doing to the two men, only in a slower, more agonizing way. Second, it shows what God thinks of two human souls made in His image. Jesus considers the liberation of these two men to be worth more than an entire herd of pigs, which was likely the entire town's retirement plan. He values people over property. He values souls over swine.
The Economics of Salvation (v. 33-34)
The aftermath of this spiritual triumph reveals the true spiritual state of the region.
"Now the herdsmen ran away, and went to the city and reported everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs. And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw Him, they pleaded with Him to leave their region." (Matthew 8:33-34 LSB)
The report goes out. The herdsmen tell everyone what happened, both to the pigs and to the men. And the whole city responds. They come out to meet Jesus. You would expect a parade. You would expect them to fall at His feet in gratitude. Two of their most tormented citizens have been miraculously restored. The public menace is gone. The road is safe again.
But that is not what happens. They see the healed men, clothed and in their right minds, and then they look at the sea where their economic security just drowned. And they do the math. They were perfectly content to have two men living in a spiritual and psychological hell, so long as their pork business was thriving. The presence of Jesus, the true Healer, was a greater threat to their way of life than a legion of demons. And so, they deliver their verdict. They beg Him to leave.
They chose their pigs over the Prince of Peace. They preferred a manageable evil to a disruptive salvation. They loved their money more than their neighbors, and they loved both more than God. And Jesus, in a terrifying act of judgment, grants their request. He gets back in the boat and leaves.
Conclusion: Choosing Your Kingdom
It is easy for us to sit back and condemn the Gadarenes for their foolish, materialistic choice. But we must see that their choice is presented to us every single day. The gospel of Jesus Christ is an invasion into the comfortable paganism of our own lives and our own culture.
Jesus comes to us and offers to cast out the demons of our age, the demons of sexual chaos, of greed, of bitterness, of political idolatry. He offers us freedom and healing. But this deliverance always comes at a cost. It will cost us our cherished sins. It may cost us our social standing. It may cost us our financial comfort. It will certainly cost us our autonomy. The Kingdom of God will disrupt the kingdom of self.
When Jesus begins to heal our land, some people's pigs are going to die. When He cleanses a man from pornography, the profits of a wicked industry take a hit. When He restores a marriage, the divorce lawyers lose a client. When He saves a soul, the devil loses a subject. Salvation has economic and social consequences.
The question this passage leaves us with is brutally simple. When Jesus shows up and His work of salvation begins to threaten your personal herd of swine, what will your reaction be? Will you rejoice that men are being freed from the tombs, even if it disrupts your comfort? Or will you, like the terrified citizens of the Gadarenes, look at the Lord of life and liberty and ask Him, politely, to leave you alone with your demons and your pigs?
They made their choice, and Jesus left them to it. Be careful what you ask for. He might just give it to you.