A Herd of Swine Matthew 8:30

Matthew continued his gospel concerning Jesus as he wrote, “when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way. And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with you, Jesus, you Son of God? Are you come here to torment us before the time?”, and in chapter eight and verse thirty of his book, Matthew shared how there was, “a herd of many swine feeding” where we read:

And there was a good way off from them a herd of many swine feeding.

The verse reads, “And there was a good way off from them ...” Matthew began with the words, “and there was a good way off” or “there existed a great distance away” “from them” which means “from the two men who were possessed with devils”. Matthew shared how there was something that was a great distance away from where Jesus, the disciples and the two demon possessed men were standing.

The verse goes on to say, “... a herd of many swine feeding.” Matthew continued with the words, “a herd” or “a drove or large group” “of many swine” which means “of plenteous and a large group of hogs” “feeding” or “grazing in a pasture”. Matthew shared how in the great distance away there were “hogs” “grazing” in a pasture.

When we meditate upon Matthew's words in this verse, we see how he acknowledged the group of “hogs” that were a little ways off from where Jesus, His disciples and the two possessed with devils were located. This continues in the next portion of this story, but for now let it suffice that God created the animals, “the swine”, that He was going to use for this purpose. God is an all-powerful loving God who desires to have a relationship with every person through His Son Jesus, and when they yield their lives to Him, He may even employ “hogs” to demonstrate His power.

Next time Matthew shares how the devils asked Jesus, “to go away into the herd of swine”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.