Matthew 8:28-34

The healing of the Gadarene demoniacs (Mark 5:1; Luke 8:26). There are real difficulties in connexion with this narrative, but that upon which Professor Huxley laid so much stress in his controversy with Mr. Gladstone, 1889-91, is assuredly the least. Speaking of the destruction of the swine he said, 'Everything that I know of law and justice convinces me that the wanton destruction of other people's property is a misdemeanour of evil example,' as if He, who gives life and health and all things to all men, cannot take back His own gifts when He will. More serious is the difficulty presented by the transference of the devils from the men into the swine (Matthew 8:31). It may, perhaps, be sufficient to remark that it is not certain that this is the true interpretation of the incident. The transference itself could not from the nature of the case have been observed. It was an inference from the request of the devils and the subsequent behaviour of the swine. The word Go used by Jesus may mean 'Go into the swine,' but it may also mean simply, 'Begone,' without implying any such permission. In the latter case the destruction of the swine may have been a natural occurrence, the herd taking fright at the paroxysms and cries of the demoniacs, which became more violent at the moment of their recovery: cp. Mark 1:26; Mark 9:26; Luke 9:42. If the former interpretation is correct, Jesus probably destroyed the swine to convince the insane men that the devils had really left them. The healing itself was certainly a miracle of the most striking kind, whether the men be regarded as really possessed by devils, or as maniacs under that delusion. St. Matthew in recording this miracle made use of another source besides that represented by St. Mark and St. Luke. He speaks of two demoniacs, they only of one.