Luke 8:33 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.

NIV: When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.

NASB: And the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.

CSB: The demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.

NLT: Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned.

KJV: Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked.

NKJV: Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned.

A horde of demons (Luke 8:27–32) has agreed to Jesus' demands to leave their victim. Yet they have negotiated a transition into a herd of about two thousand pigs (Mark 5:13). This passage leaves many unanswered questions: Why did Jesus allow the demons to enter the pigs? Why did the pigs—who are good swimmers—drown, at all? Did they choose to go into the water to try to shake off the demons or did the demons drive them? What happened to the demons after the pigs drowned? We aren't told.

Another common question is why Jesus thought the pigs deserved this kind of death. There's no reason to think He did, or that there was malice in His choice. Scholars have many speculations as to why Jesus allows the pigs to be possessed and destroyed. Some brush them off as unclean animals, whose lives don't matter. Others see a public announcement that the man has been healed. Others note that people are more important than animals. The truth is, we don't know the exact reasoning involved.

While not an explicit reason, some perspective is gained by looking at how God created Adam and Eve. He commissioned them to "have dominion over…every living thing that moves on the earth" (Genesis 1:28). When God created us in His image and left us on earth, it was as His representatives: to rule in His place. When we sin, that which we have authority over suffers (Genesis 3:17–19). Romans 8:19–22 says "For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now." It's unclear if this man became possessed because of his own sin or the sin of his culture that enticed demons to act. But because of sin, this man was possessed and during his rescue, animals were harmed.

Another thought is that although they are in the wilderness, a city is not far away. It would be better to lose a herd of pigs than allow thousands of demons to enter the city and attack the people.

It is interesting to note that not long before, Jesus had calmed the chaos of a fierce storm in the Sea of Galilee with a single statement. With the demons, violence returns to the Sea.

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.