Tuning into the Bible
THE ECONOMIC VALUES OF JESUS
Tuning in
Have you ever gone out of your way to genuinely help someone only to discover that your help wasn’t appreciated?
Bible reading: Matthew 8:28-34
When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. 29"What do you want with us, Son of God?" they shouted. "Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?" 30Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was feeding. 31The demons begged Jesus, "If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs." 32He said to them, "Go!" So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water. 33Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. 34Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region.
Revd Brian comments...
Matthew chapter 8 tells us that the Lord Jesus went through a storm in order to go to a cemetery. In the cemetery he encountered a couple of demon-possessed men. These men were violent, dangerous and frightening. No one, it seems, could do anything for them. That changed when Jesus arrived on the scene.
The demons recognized Jesus as the Son of God and begged to be driven into a herd of pigs. Jesus granted their request. The whole herd of pigs then rushed down a steep bank into the lake and died in the water.
The people of that region got to hear about this from those who had been tending the pigs. Their reaction seems puzzling. Matthew 8:34 says,
Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region.
You would have thought that the people of that region should have been pleased. You would have expected them to say, "Marvelous! For so long were been troubled and frightened by these demon-possessed men but not any longer. Thank you, Jesus, for what you have done."
But instead of thanking Jesus and expressing their appreciation the townspeople seemed to resent what Jesus had done. They asked Jesus to leave their region. It all seems strange. Can the reaction of the townspeople be explained?
In delivering two demon-possessed men Jesus destroyed a large herd of pigs. It would seem that the economy of the region and the livelihood of the townspeople depended on pigs. By bringing soundness and sanity to two troubled men Jesus upset the economy of the region. There was business in pigs and money to be made from pigs. This for me explains the reaction of the townspeople. In a sense they valued their pigs more than the two troubled people.
