Matthew 8:34Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

That this should not be thought to be flattery, they cry out what they were experiencing, Art thou come to torment us before the time?

Deeply distressed and fearing even greater anguish in the days to come, they plead with Him to take action. Understand that in places where the essence of swine exists, it is not Christ who dwells there, but rather demonic forces.

Though the words of the dæmons are variously reported by the three Evangelists, yet this is no difficulty; for they either all convey the same sense, or may be supposed to have been all spoken. Nor again because in Matthew they speak in the plural, in the others in the singular number; because even the other two Evangelists relate that when asked his name, he answered, Legion, shewing that the dæmons were many. Now there was not far from thence a herd of many swine feeding; and the dæmons prayed him, saying, If thou cast us out hence, send us into the swine.

The Gergesenes drove away from their town the One who had the authority to deliver them from demonic oppression. As the Healer was kept from entering, their distress grew, for they hindered the arrival of their Savior. If the Compassionate One is indeed the Son of a different God, how could He have caused the pigs, regarded as unclean creatures made by the Creator, to drown? He granted the demons what they desired and inflicted considerable loss upon the owner of the swine. Furthermore, why did the evil spirits acknowledge their Deliverer?

For the presence of the Saviour is the torment of dæmons.

The two dæmoniacs are also a type of the Gentile world; for Noah having three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japhet, Shem’s posterity alone was taken into the inheritance of God, while from the other two sprang the nations of the Gentiles.

They approached Him as He entered the city, which included all its residents. They were in sorrow over the loss of the pigs and filled with fear, as noted in Luke 8:35; their concern was that the expelled demons might cause them harm. Christ responded without hesitation, recognizing their need for His instruction. Nevertheless, He appointed teachers among them—those who had been liberated from demons and were tending to the pigs.

Or; The town is a type of the Jewish nation, which having heard of Christ’s works goes forth to meet its Lord, to forbid Him to approach their country and town; for they have not received the Gospel.

The city where the people encountered the Lord and requested Him to leave is symbolic of the synagogue, which rejected the Lord and Savior of humanity, even in the presence of His divine might. Consequently, He returned to His own city; having been rejected by the synagogue, He came to His Church, rightly referred to as the city of Christ. Yet again, they implored the Lord to leave their territory. We must be vigilant not to allow anyone among us, with an unbelieving heart, to drive the Lord away from the confines of their spirit. For, as it is stated, the Holy Spirit withdraws from those who teach falsely and does not dwell in a soul consumed by sin.

For the Devil knows that of himself he has no power to do any thing, because it is not of himself that he exists as a spirit.

Or; The swine are they that delight in filthy manners; for unless one live as a swine, the devils do not receive power over him; or at most, only to try him, not to destroy him. That the swine were sent headlong into the lake, signifies, that when the people of the Gentiles are delivered from the condemnation of the dæmons, yet still they who would not believe in Christ, perform their profane rites in secret, drowned in a blind and deep curiosity. That they that fed the swine, fled and told what was done, signifies that even the leaders of the wicked though they shun the law of Christianity, yet cease not to proclaim the wonderful power of Christ. When struck with terror, they entreat Him to depart from them, they signify a great number who, well satisfied with their ancient life, shew themselves willing to honour the Christian law, while they declare themselves unable to perform it.

Gerasa is interpreted ‘casting out the dweller,’ or, ‘a stranger approaching;’ this is the Gentile world which cast out the Devil from it; and which was first far off, but now made near, after the resurrection being visited by Christ through His preachers.

They did not ask to be sent into men, because they saw Him by whose excellence they were tortured existing in human shape. Nor did they ask to be sent into sheep, because sheep are by God’s institution clean animals, and were then offered in the temple of God. But they requested to be sent into the swine rather than into any of the other unclean animals, because this is of all animals the most unclean; whence also it has its name ‘porcus,’ as being ‘spurcus,’ filthy, and delighting in filthiness; and dæmons also delight in the filthiness of sin. They did not pray that they might be sent into the air, because of their eager desire of hurting men. And he saith unto them, Go.

It is unwise for individuals to distance themselves from the Lord Jesus. It is irrational for those who refuse to embrace Christ and ask Him to leave: "Pray that He may pass from their bounds." It is foolish for people to reject God’s presence among them. My dear one, you are aware of the Gospel story recounted in our liturgies, where Our Lord arrived in the territory of Gergesa or Gadara, healing two individuals possessed by demons, who had been troubling the entire region. These wicked beings resided among the tombs, roamed the mountains and deserts, and terrorized travelers, inciting fear among all who crossed their path (Matthew 8:28). Yet, the compassionate Lord liberated these afflicted souls, removing the demons and breaking the chains of fear from the land. He permitted the demons to enter the swine when they pleaded, saying, "If you cast us out, command us to go into the herd of swine" (Matthew 8:31), demonstrating that even demons cannot exercise power without divine consent and revealing their brutality, as they do not spare anyone under their influence. The demons subsequently entered the pigs and caused their drowning in the sea, but rather than rejoicing in the Lord's arrival and the liberation from the legion of demons, the residents mourned their lost swine and beseeched Jesus to leave. "Do not remain with us; do not expel our demons or drown our pigs; go away!" they implored. "Pray that He may pass from their bounds" (Matthew 8:34). Oh, what folly! Do you value demons more than God? Are swine more cherished than Christ? Would you prefer to witness your fellow countrymen tormented by demons rather than restored to health? Oh, Gadarenes, who are more irrational than the Galatians! You fail to discern what is truly harmful and beneficial, leading to your own destruction!

At this moment, I wish to convey to you the profound misfortune of being deprived of God's presence, of not having Him in our sight, of pushing Him away and failing to desire His closeness. How great is this folly and destruction! But you should listen carefully to my words. Where God is present, all things are good; outside of His presence, all is evil. A person who harbors God within does good, and all good comes through them; conversely, one devoid of God can only act wickedly. "But if God be with us, none can stand against us" (Romans 8:31). In His absence, we find all our enemies rise against us and prevail. When God is with us, a mere spider's web can serve as a sturdy barrier; without Him, even a solid wall becomes as fragile as a web, affording no protection. It is well with those who are with God, while those without Him are doomed. Who is with God and who is without Him? This question is easy to answer: the righteous are filled with God, while the wicked lack His presence. Truthfully, God's omnipotent influence is upon every individual, both the righteous and the unrighteous, for "He is everywhere and fills all things. As the sun shines upon the good and evil alike, so does He sustain them all" (Matthew 5:45). Yet, His special grace—compassionate, saving, and protective—resides only with those who turn to Him with reverence and love, perceiving Him as ever-present. As King David declared, "I see my Lord before me"—for all things done in His presence, motivated by fear and love, are performed in a godly and upright manner. Those who live as if constantly before the eyes of God, often repeating Eli­jah's and Elisha's words: "The Lord lives, before whom I stand" (1 Kings 17:1), are marked by virtue.

Consider this: if a person envisions God in this way, He draws near to them, for "He is with those who draw near to Him." If someone turns away, they likewise turn their face from Him. The Lord mirrors us; if we peer into the mirror, we see the reflection. If we turn away, we likewise lose sight of that reflection. So, God regards those who consider Him, but He turns away from those who dismiss Him and refuse to acknowledge His presence.

Now, let us reflect on the great evil and misery stemming from the absence of God. Before Christ arrived, the land of the Gergesenes was overrun with demons and swine, as a legion of demons plagued one individual. A legion, by some accounts, is as many as 5,000, and others estimate even more; the key is that it implies a multitude. Consider the devastation: if one demon, granted divine permission, can wreak havoc, what about countless demons? Truly, the region suffered immensely due to this demonic horde. Some sources claim there were merely 2,000 pigs, yet even one demon could have drowned the entire herd; so what havoc could a legion unleash with divine allowance?

As we return to our discussion, recognize that where God's presence is absent, only demons and swine multiply—symbolizing demonic malice and baseness. In such places, humanity loses its distinction, becoming indistinguishable from demons or possessed swine, consumed by a destructive abyss. Judas Iscariot lost the Lord's presence within himself; he extinguished his love for God, for God ceased to be before him. Though he saw Christ with his physical eyes, his spiritual vision was blind, turning instead to the crowds among the Jews to betray Him: "What will you give me, and I will deliver Him to you?" (Matthew 26:15). He no longer regarded God and feared Him. What then became of Judas? The adversary entered him, and he, like a demon, became one with evil. Just as “he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him” (1 Corinthians 6:17), so, too, the one who unites with the demon shares in its spirit. A wicked person, through their bond with evil, becomes indistinguishable from it. Should a person cease to look to God, neglect to revere him, and act as though He does not exist, they slip into a godless existence. Abandoning divine fear, such individuals may engage in corrupt enterprises, seeking unjust gains, reaching out to the base and unholy, even stealing from their neighbors.

During this time, they become nothing but manifestations of evil, for Satan infiltrates them, as he did with Judas, creating a common spirit with him. Oh, the depths of despair found in lacking God before one’s gaze! The prodigal son, turning away from his father, strayed far, ultimately ending up among the swine, yearning to fill himself with what the pigs ate (Luke 15:16). Likewise, anyone who drifts from God through their sinful actions gradually becomes like a pig, immersed in filth and heading towards eternal ruin.

Where the Lord is not present, where individuals fail to keep Him in view, one finds only swine and demons—an existence steeped in ruin, culminating not just in simple misfortune but in a fiery abyss. Pharaoh, in his rage, scorned God's counsel and refused to set Israel free. The consequence? He plunged into the Red Sea with his body and into hell with his soul. The inhabitants of Sodom indulged in a base lifestyle, succumbing to abominable sins, and what became of them? They suffered an end worse than that of the swine, drawn down in raging flames from heaven. The root of these tragedies was their failure to acknowledge God's presence—without fearing or recognizing Him. Pharaoh’s declaration, "I will not see your God, nor will I let Israel go" (Exodus 5:2), reflects blindness and madness. Likewise, the Sodomites, caught in wicked passions, turned a blind eye, oblivious to God's coming judgment.

God speaks to Abraham about their transgression: "The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and their sin is very grave; I will go down to see…” (Genesis 18:20-21). He states this not because He is unaware—His all-seeing eyes observe all things from eternity. Rather, He emphasizes their guilt, highlighting their impending destruction due to their refusal to regard Him. Thus, when He declares, “I will go down to see,” it signals their rejection of Him and a coming reckoning for their transgressions.

Oh, the magnitude of the evil and distress caused by not keeping God in sight! David rightly observes, “There is no God before him; his ways are always corrupt” (Psalms 9:25, 26); revealing the link between a sinner's defiled path and their lack of divine awareness. Why do individuals disregard God's sacred commandments? Because God is not before them. Why do people inflict harm on others? Because God is absent from their thoughts. Why do thieves steal and murderers kill? Because God is not in sight. Why do the dishonest act deceitfully? It is because they do not remember God; they lack fear of Him and disregard the afterlife, having no expectations of His kingdom: “There is no God before them.”

If sinners maintained God in their vision, recollecting the coming judgment and punishment, they would hesitate to offend Him, their Judge. Recall the tale of chaste Susanna and the two corrupt elders who sought to ruin her. What spurred their malicious intent was their lack of reverence for God; they thought, “The doors are shut, and no one sees us” (Daniel 13:20). How mistaken they were!

Oh, shameless judges! What gives you the impression that no one observes your actions? Can you hide from the gaze of the Almighty? No matter the barriers, can any earthly construct obstruct the omniscience of God? It is written, “The eyes of the Lord are as bright as the sun, observing all human ways and secrets” (Sirach 23:27, 28). Again, “Nothing escapes the eyes of God; all things are plain before Him” (Sirach 39:25). You think, “No one sees us,” yet this delusion led you to sin, to forget God’s presence and to willfully stray.

What delivered the virtuous Susanna from sin? Simply, she kept God before her. "For me, who has not committed sin, it is better to perish at your hands than to sin against God" (Daniel 13:23). In her heart, she perceived His omnipresence, instilling true fear of God, for He knows and judges all our deeds. Better to face injustice than betray God.

What a model of piety! Those who remember God in everything they do will not falter and will never offend Him. Should a person stumble, keeping God in view will prompt them to rise again, fulfilling the Psalmist’s words: “Even if he falls, he will not be broken, for the Lord supports him” (Psalm 36:24).

Yet those who lack God’s gaze, like the Gergesenes, sought to push Him further away: "They prayed that He might pass from their bounds." The Gergesenes were not entirely evil—they simply did not desire Christ in their midst and, voluntarily, sought to rid themselves of Him. In contrast, we sinful humans often do far worse—we compel and dishonor our Lord.

To the one who claims, "I have never cast Christ away or dishonored Him," I say: consider how you persecute Him in your neighbor and dishonor Him in your own life. Each act, good or evil, towards others reflects back upon Christ, as He reaffirmed: “Whatever you do to the least of these, you do to Me” (Matthew 25:40). When you aid the needy, you serve Christ; by withholding assistance, you harm Him as well: “For you did not do it to one of the least, neither did you do it to Me” (Matthew 25:40).

Ponder how often you not only neglect to help others but may even compound their suffering. You do not merely lack compassion, but actively encourage cruelty. Consider all the acts of malice inflicted upon the innocent; every offense against them is an offense against Christ. As many times as you wrong your neighbor, you wrong Him, for as He stated, “Inasmuch as you did it not to one of the least, you did not do it unto Me.”

This is how you persecute Christ in others! But how about the dishonor wrought upon Him within yourself? Remember the apostle's words: "Do you not know that your bodies are the members of Christ?" (1 Corinthians 6:15). How could one who belongs to Him engage in sinful acts? Surely, it must not be so!

Your lips are no longer solely your own; they belong to Christ, for He created and redeemed them through His precious blood. Each time you defile your words through sin, you bring shame to Christ, transmuting His lips into a conduit for wickedness.

Can you perceive the level of intrigue sparked by the miraculous event? The Evangelist observes that all the inhabitants of the region of the Gergesenes—men, women, youths, elders, and individuals of all ages and statuses—left their city to approach Jesus Christ, clearly eager to witness the events that had captured their attention. “And they went out,” the holy Mark writes, echoing Luke, “to see what had happened” (Mark 5:14; Luke 8:35). However, upon discovering the miracle, gazing upon Jesus Christ, encountering the formerly possessed who had regained their senses and were clothed, and confirming the destruction of the swine, what was their response? Did they revere the Miracle Worker? Did they express gratitude to the Benefactor? Did they desire to hear the teachings of the Master?

The entire community, both the small and the great, gathered to encounter Jesus. It is hard to imagine they would not come to witness such a miracle worker. Perhaps if their swine had not perished, their response might have been different. Other Gospel writers mention that the people of Gergesa observed the man possessed by demons, or possibly both afflicted individuals, restored at the feet of Christ: they were clothed, of sound mind, and receptive to His teachings. One would think that the Gergesenes, astonished by the miracle, would invite the Lord Jesus to remain with them, much like the wise Samaritans who later requested Him to heal their sick and guide them in true faith.

The residents of those areas came to investigate what had transpired; they approached Jesus and discovered the man who had previously been fierce and instilled fear within them, now sitting peacefully at Jesus' feet, clothed and in a sound state of mind. The possessed man, who had previously broken chains and shackles, was certainly without clothing, as noted; if the locals saw him now dressed, it is clear that the disciples of Jesus were responsible for this. Those who arrived found him in a sound mind; their conversation with him confirmed this assessment. The shepherds who had returned also joined in the discussion, serving as witnesses to the events they had witnessed. Many people from the vicinity of Gerasenes came, as mentioned in Luke.

In awe of this remarkable occurrence, the shepherds quickly spread the news throughout the towns and villages, drawing people from all directions to witness the extraordinary guest in their neglected region. They discovered that a significant transformation had occurred in the tormented man who once instilled fear in everyone. The divine visitor had healed him, bringing him a serenity akin to that of a child. A compassionate hand draped a garment over his bare and soiled body, and he sat at the feet of Jesus Christ, fully restored in his mind. On witnessing this, they were filled with astonishment. However, their shock was not solely due to such a profound miracle, but rather from the grievous loss they encountered as a result: two thousand pigs had perished.

They requested Him to leave their land: the shepherds also shared news in the town about the healing of the possessed man, a miraculous event; however, the townspeople asked the Miracle Worker to go away. They may have been fearful of His immense power and worried that He might punish them with something worse than losing their herd of pigs, or they could have been so consumed by their attachment to their belongings that they did not wish to keep the one who had taken away part of their wealth among them any longer. Both of these reactions reflect poorly on the moral character of the residents of that region, who chose not to welcome the Miracle Worker, the healer of the possessed. “Know from this, that where swine live, there lives not Christ, but demons live” (Theophilus).

These accounts filled them with even greater dread; they feared suffering an even worse fate and, lamenting their loss, they turned away from the presence of the Lord. The entire community of the Gadarene region, including the townspeople, pleaded with Him to leave their territory. Thus, when the residents of that area, who had been recipients of His kindness, compelled Him to go, He departed quietly, leaving behind those who had proven unworthy of His teachings. He boarded a boat to return home. As He was leaving, a man possessed by demons, who had been restored, approached Him and asked to accompany Him. It is unclear whether his immediate motive was a heartfelt gratitude towards the Healer or a fear that he might lose this blessing after the Lord's departure.