Luke 8:32 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them permission.

NIV: A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs, and he gave them permission.

NASB: Now there was a herd of many pigs feeding there on the mountain; and the demons begged Him to permit them to enter the pigs. And He gave them permission.

CSB: A large herd of pigs was there, feeding on the hillside. The demons begged him to permit them to enter the pigs, and he gave them permission.

NLT: There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby, and the demons begged him to let them enter into the pigs. So Jesus gave them permission.

KJV: And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them.

NKJV: Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain. So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them. And He permitted them.

Jesus has ordered a legion of demons out of a much-abused man. The demons are negotiating their exit. They think Jesus is going to confine them to a deep spiritual pit, perhaps the prison of other demons whose sin condemned them to an early judgment (Luke 8:26–31; 2 Peter 2:4). Instead, the demons offer to transition to a herd of pigs. This was a group of about two thousand, according to Mark (Mark 5:13).

Many Bible-readers are confused at the thought of so many pigs being raised so close to Jews who see the animals as unclean. It's important to remember that this event takes place on the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee. Although Jews live here, it is primarily Gentile territory. Gentiles are not restricted from raising pigs.

Other readers are distressed at what happens to the pigs. After Jesus allows the demons to take over the pigs, the pigs run to the water and drown. The alternative may have been to let the demons go free and harass the people in the nearby cities. We don't know why Jesus doesn't send them to the abyss. We know He gives the demons permission, but doesn't explicitly order or condone the pigs' drowning deaths.

Luke 8:26–39 records a man's rescue from a legion of demons. This comes just as Jesus has saved the disciples from chaos and nature. The rescued man believes, having seen the light and heard the message (Luke 8:15–18). The townspeople don't listen and are filled with fear. When the once-chained man begs to stay with Jesus, Jesus instead commissions him to spread the good news he has heard and experienced, becoming the apostle to the entire district. Next, Jesus shows His power over sickness and death (Luke 8:40–56) before imbuing that power to His disciples (Luke 9:1–6). Mark also records Jesus' power over Legion while Matthew notes there were two possessed men (Matthew 8:28–34; Mark 5:1–20).

Luke 8 includes portions of three sections of Jesus' Galilean Ministry. The women who support Jesus' ministry bridge the faithful outcasts of chapter 7 to the sower who spreads the news of God's kingdom (Luke 8:1–3). Luke 8:4–18 includes the parables of the sower and the lamp under the jar. These illustrate the importance of hearing Jesus' message with a mind to believe and obey. Luke 8:19–56 presents different faith reactions when Jesus' life, power, and authority elicit questions about His identity.

This passage continues Luke's pattern in the account of Jesus' Galilean ministry: alternating calls to discipleship with stories that describe the discipleship He expects. In Luke 6:17, Jesus transitioned from calling and training the Twelve to a more general call; in Luke 7, Jesus interacted specifically with those with less privilege in society. Chapter 8 reveals how people react when Jesus reveals who He is, mostly through miracles. In Luke 9:18–50, Jesus returns to intense discipleship of the Twelve to give them courage and faith, preparing them for the journey to Jerusalem and what they will witness there.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.