Matthew 8:33Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

They ran away, terrified that they too might fall victim to the demons that had devastated their swine. They proclaimed everything that had been communicated by both the demons and Christ, including the ruin of the pigs, as well as the events concerning the man afflicted by demons—his transformation and restoration to dignity.

The swineherds, upon witnessing the manifestation of divine authority, hurried into the city to share the news of the event and urged the Lord to leave their territory. This serves as a metaphor for the Jewish leaders and idol priests, who nourish the sinful and faithless with the corrupt sustenance of disbelief, thus leading them toward spiritual ruin, akin to swine destined for death. This instance can be viewed through various spiritual lenses. The two possessed individuals represent those whom faith and Christ's grace liberated from demonic chains. Conversely, the swine may symbolize the heretics, who were drawn from the nations of believers.

Notice how the calamity that befell the swine transformed the shepherds into proclaimers and witnesses of wonders. After the pigs met their demise, the shepherds tending to them fled and rushed into the town, sharing all that had transpired, including the events related to those afflicted by demons.

If they were Hebrews, they feared that the Lord might chastise them for seemingly breaking the Law of Moses; if they were Gentiles, they found themselves at a loss when it came to explaining the incident to the owners of the pigs. Upon arriving in the city, they recounted everything that had transpired, including the healing of the demon-possessed man. They reported in Gergesa that an enigmatic figure had come from Galilee by boat, had restored the afflicted man, and that shortly thereafter, the entire herd of swine had surged into the sea and perished.

The terrified shepherds, realizing they had lost their entire flock, hurried to the city and the surrounding villages to share the tragic news they believed had occurred. Their haste likely stemmed not only from fear but also from a wish to bring the pig owners to the site of the incident and to clear their own names before Jesus and His followers departed.

In awe of this remarkable occurrence, the shepherds hurried to share the news in the towns and villages, drawing people from all around to witness the miraculous guest in their neglected region. There, they observed a profound transformation in the man once tormented by demons, who had once instilled fear in all. The miraculous visitor had restored him to peace, leaving him as tranquil as a child. A compassionate individual draped a cloak over his exposed and soiled body, and he sat at the feet of Jesus Christ, entirely in his right mind. Upon witnessing this, they were filled with fear. Yet their fear was not solely due to such an astonishing miracle but rather to the significant loss they had incurred in its execution.

The shepherds ran away, likely astonished by the Lord's incredible power and strength, filled with fear. If they were of the Jewish faith, they might have recognized the illegality of their occupation and viewed this event as divine retribution for violating the injunction, possibly fearing an even harsher consequence. Upon arriving in the city, it was not Gergesa or Geraza—which were distant from the sea—but another city that was nearby.

Upon witnessing the events, the shepherds hurried to share the news with everyone in the town and surrounding areas. The astonishing news prompted the locals to rush to the scene to discover what had transpired. When they arrived to see Jesus Christ, they found the man possessed by demons, who had a legion within him, seated at His feet, fully clothed and in his right mind, which filled them with astonishment. Those who witnessed the event recounted to the crowd what had occurred with the demon-possessed man as well as what happened to the swine.