The Gadarenes pleaded with Jesus to leave their region because they chose pigs and demons over Jesus, the One who is sovereign over illness (Matthew 8:2–16), nature (Matthew 8:24–26), and evil spirits (Matthew 8:28–32). Jesus is rejected by them and so departs, but the two men who have been liberated from demon-possession remain there to proclaim the grace of God in Jesus Christ (Luke 8:39).
The demons, who knew Jesus as God’s Son, gave way to Jesus, but the people who see only Jesus’ earthly appearance now reject him. Although he was known to have healed the sick (see Matthew 8:17), the Gadarenes did not honor him and despised him as someone whom they did not wish to know (as was prophesied in Isaiah 53:3).
Worldly people have no use for a humble Jewish man who stands up for Israel and kills their swine. The demons at least still asked to leave him, but these people have the nerve to ask Jesus to leave. While the Son of Man had broken the power of the tombs (Matthew 8:22, Matthew 8:28), he still had no place here to lay down his head. He was chased away as someone to be despised (Matthew 8:20, Matthew 8:34; Isaiah 53:3)
All the people of the city approach Jesus in the field to witness what had happened for themselves. They were tremendously shocked when they saw Jesus, consequently begging him to leave their territory. They feared his supernatural powers and further losses as a result of his actions. As such, they effectively made a choice for the swine, the devil, and evil instead of Jesus, the One who is sovereign over illness (Matthew 8:2–16), nature (Matthew 8:24–26), and evil spirits (Matthew 8:28–32). Jesus is rejected by them and consequently departs, yet the two men who have been liberated from demon-possession remain there as evangelists (Luke 8:39).1
The story told by the herdsmen causes the city to surmise that a great ruler is approaching. They consequently go out to meet him, but the anticlimax comes when they see Jesus. While the demons, who knew Jesus as God’s Son, opened the path for Jesus, the people who go by Jesus’ earthly appearance alone now blockade him. Although he was known to have healed the sick (see Matthew 8:17), the people in the land of the Gadarenes did not honor him and sought to discredit him as someone to be despised and with whom they did not wish to engage (exactly as was prophesied in Isaiah 53:3).
Worldly people have no interest in a humble Jewish man who stands up for Israel and kills their swine. While the demons at least still asked to leave him, these people have the audacity to ask Jesus to go somewhere else. On the one hand, the Son of Man had therefore broken the power of the tombs (Matthew 8:22,Matthew 8:28), while on the other hand, he still had no place here to lay down his head. He is chased away as someone to be despised (Matthew 8:20, Matthew 8:34; Isaiah 53:3).2
33 Ceux qui les faisaient paître s'enfuirent, et allèrent dans la ville raconter tout ce qui s'était passé et ce qui était arrivé aux démoniaques.