Why did the demons ask to be cast into the herd of pigs, and why did the pigs then run into the water to be drowned?
I do not understand why the demon legion begged Jesus not to cast him off to a "distant place" why would it matter? And why would being placed into a herd of pigs that would then be drown benefit the demons?
Mark 5:9 - 17
ESV - 9 And Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" He replied, "My name is Legion, for we are many. 10 And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country.
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Asked January 06 2014
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Amber Gronlund
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For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
P Jackson
Good day!
I am not sure if I am totally grasping what everyone is saying. If the legion of devils would not die when cast into the herd of swine when they drown, why would Jesus do that? I guess I do not understand if demons die or just keep on living forever?
I think I understand why they did not want Jesus to cast them into a distant country because they have found the people in Gadarenes likely sources for their habitation?
Just a side note. I am always saddened at the effect they had on this one person as described in the scripture that he was always crying and cutting himself.
Thanks so much for any comments you have.
Flame Lighter
First the far place, or as Luke says "the abyss" is a different plane where thresholds cannot be crossed by humans once they are there until the day of judgement (think Lazarus and the rich man). These thresholds seem to require much effort from the demons to get back to this plane, so they plead to be put into the pigs.
Pigs are spiritually symbolic of unclean people (think: do not cast your pearls before swine or the proverb about a ring in a pig's snout referring to a type of woman...unclean and wicked). Seas are spiritually symbolic of peoples, and drowning is symbolic of a path toward eternal damnation (think: those seeds among thorns).
So the demons begged Jesus to stay in the material world and to be placed into wicked people (those receptive who do not have the Holy Spirit) only to lead them head long into destruction with the rest of those who were already succumbed to the world and its empty pursuits toward destruction.
Kieran O'Donnell
I think Jesus has even shown patience with the demons here! He didn't completely take away their will, He reasoned with them. If Jesus treats demons this way, then how much more will he reason with us?
Jesus is like, i will have the human back, but you can have the pigs. If Jesus had just cast the demons out of the human then that would of tormented the evil spirits. Jesus is also showing his authority. The pigs wouldn't of really meant much to the evil spirits so they just drowned them. Evil spirits want to hurt us and God the most by tormenting us, tempting us to sin, and using us to hurt God. Jesus is showing that God is love.
Ken Pitt
I think the pigs could tell when they had been entered and ran down the embankment and downed themselves instead of allowing themselves to be possessed. We should be so wise.