Jesus, Matthew is a long gospel. (No pun intended.)
So two Demoniacs come "out of the tombs" to meet Jesus. I've never heard the word "demoniacs" before. It reminds me of the movie "Flashdance". "I'm a demoniac, demoniac for your love...". But maybe that's just me.
The demoniacs asked Jesus to be sent into a bunch of pigs, which he did. Then all the pigs threw themselves off a cliff. The swineherds, suddenly out of a job, ran to town and told everyone about the lack of pig. The town, now without pork, asked Jesus to leave.
Not incomprehensible. Jesus shows up, the town's food and income runs off a cliff and Jesus seems to be the cause. WWYouD? Perhaps not the smartest thing Jesus ever did. He could have sent the demoniacs into a plot of weeds. Just sayin'.
Then Jesus gets on a boat and goes home. C'ya! Sorry bout the pigs!
12 comments:
just as an aside, remember that this gospel was written by and for Jews... who didn't care much for pork. Jesus probably never touched the stuff, either.
Well, you've tackled one of the hardest of all the Jesus stories to understand, from a spiritual point of view. I almost guffawed out loud here in the library in San Antonio when I read your opening line.
FWIW, I once wrote a dramatic version of this story. It reflects my own search for the meaning of this strange tale.
http://www.reallivepreacher.com/node/851
sorry to repost, but my story is the one from Mark's gospel, which is a better telling, I think.
I think that it is disturbing that the towns people cared maore about pigs than a human being. I agree that it is terrible what happened to the pigs, but it does a good job of showing what is of upmost value to Jesus, humn life.
...plus he was jewish, he had no love for pigs.
My sister had a pet pig. It was an extremely smart, nasty, selfish critter. I'd have applauded if Jesus used it to get rid of a demon and hurled it off a cliff.
Also, This American Life's TV series had a show on what pig farms have become that have me thinking I may never eat pig again. Unless it got to run around in fields and have sex by itself before it became my bacon. Because really, what they're raising as a pig in those farms is hardly a pig anymore. Gross.
(here ends my random thoughts about pigs. Hi, Hugh. I love your blog.)
Here's that episode:
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/TV_Episode.aspx?episode=6
I thought Jews didn't eat pigs anyway. What gives? LOL
Jews didn't but the demoniac(s) and townsfolk of this story are not Jews. they are foreigners. Perhaps Romans, perhaps Greek, but clearly not Jewish.
Hi! I found this through Real Live Preacher's website. Now I have visions of flashdancing demoniacs stuck in my head. Thanks for that.
I hope you don't mind me linking this entry on my own blog. It may attract all of two people.
Hugh
One of my favorite takes on the story of the demonic suicidal pigs and Jesus walking on the water is the disciples' fear was not about Jesus but about the multitude of dead pigs bobbing in the water around them.
Peace
Milton
I always liked this story. I may be wrong, but it was always my belief that the pigs were being raised strictly for income (since Jews don't eat pork) from the occupying Romans. Jesus casting the demons into the swine, who then "commit suicide" is a lesson in how people, no matter how devalued by society, are ALWAYS more important than profit.
But what do I know? I'm an agnostic.
halarious!
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