Matthew 8:30-34 · Bible study
Matthew 8:30-34 Commentary: Pigs, Demons, and Jesus' Authority
Greek · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore the meaning of Jesus allowing demons to enter pigs in Matthew 8:30-34, and what this reveals about his authority and the fate of evil.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Jesus’ authority over demons is absolute; evil is permitted only temporary harm, and human hearts often choose material security over spiritual deliverance.
- Key words: ἀγέλη (herd), χοῖρος (pig), δαίμων (demon), κρημνός (steep bank), παρακαλέω (to beg), ἀποθνήσκω (to perish).
- Main debate: Were the pigs Jewish property violating Torah, or Gentile property? Commentators differ, affecting how the destruction is understood (judgment on lawbreakers vs. tension in Gentile mission).
- Theological theme: Christ’s power over the demonic; the tragic trade-off between earthly wealth and the Kingdom; the certain end of evil.
- Best use: Sermons on idolatry, spiritual warfare, or the cost of following Jesus; small-group study on where our true treasure lies.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
30In the distance a large herd of pigs was feeding.
31So the demons begged Jesus, “If You drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.”
32“Go!” He told them. So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and died in the waters.
33Those tending the pigs ran off into the town and reported all this, including the account of the demon-possessed men.
34Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they begged Him to leave their region.
WEB World English Bible 2000
30Now there was a herd of many pigs feeding far away from them.
31The demons begged him, saying, “If you cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of pigs.”
32He said to them, “Go!” They came out and went into the herd of pigs; and behold, the whole herd of pigs rushed down the cliff into the sea and died in the water.
33Those who fed them fled and went away into the city and told everything, including what happened to those who were possessed with demons.
34Behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus. When they saw him, they begged that he would depart from their borders.
KJV King James Version 1769
30And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding.
31So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.
32And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.
33And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils.
34And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
30Now there was afar off from them a herd of many swine feeding.
31And the demons besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, send us away into the herd of swine.
32And he said unto them, Go. And they came out, and went into the swine: and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep into the sea, and perished in the waters.
33And they that fed them fled, and went away into the city, and told everything, and what was befallen to them that were possessed with demons.
34And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart from their borders.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
30And there was far off from them a herd of many swine feeding,
31and the demons were calling on him, saying, `If thou dost cast us forth, permit us to go away to the herd of the swine;'
32and he saith to them, `Go.' And having come forth, they went to the herd of the swine, and lo, the whole herd of the swine rushed down the steep, to the sea, and died in the waters,
33and those feeding did flee, and, having gone to the city, they declared all, and the matter of the demoniacs.
34And lo, all the city came forth to meet Jesus, and having seen him, they called on him that he might depart from their borders.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
30Now there was, a great way off from them, a herd of many swine feeding;
31and the demons besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, send us away into the herd of swine.
32And he said to them, Go. And they, going out, departed into the herd of swine; and lo, the whole herd [of swine] rushed down the steep slope into the sea, and died in the waters.
33But they that fed them fled, and went away into the city and related everything, and what had happened as to those possessed by demons.
34And behold, the whole city went out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they begged [him] to go away out of their coasts.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
30And there was, not far from them, a herd of many swine feeding.
31And the devils besought him, saying: If thou cast us out hence, send us into the herd of swine.
32And he said to them: Go. But they going out went into the swine, and behold the whole herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea: and they perished in the waters.
33And they that kept them fled: and coming into the city, told every thing, and concerning them that had been possessed by the devils.
34And behold the whole city went out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart from their coast.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Matthew 8:30
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators broadly agree that the herd of pigs in this narrative was kept in violation of Jewish law (Leviticus 11:7; Deuteronomy 14:8). Adam Clarke notes these were “in all probability Jewish property, kept and used in express violation of the law of God.” Wesley echoes that keeping swine was unlawful for Jews, so Christ justly permitted their destruction. The demons’ request to enter the pigs, as Calvin observes, is driven by their desire to do harm: they are “devoted to destruction” and aim to incite the Gadarenes against Jesus. Jesus’ single word “Go!” (aorist imperative, v. 32) is a permission, not a command, Gill and Wesley stress that the demons act under divine restraint. The townspeople’s plea for Jesus to leave (v. 34) is universally seen as a tragic choice: they valued their economic loss over the presence of the Messiah. Matthew Henry concludes they “love even their swine better than their salvation.” The passage thus demonstrates Christ’s absolute authority over evil spirits while exposing human hearts that prefer profit to the Kingdom.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Pigs as Jewish-owned and judged: The pigs are kept in violation of Torah (Lev 11:7); Jesus’ permission of their destruction is a judgment on lawlessness (Clarke, Wesley).
- Pigs as Gentile-owned and mission-oriented: The region of Decapolis was largely Gentile; the destruction shows the cost of Christ’s mission and the resistance of material interests (Barnes, Cambridge Bible).
- Pigs as revelation of human priorities: The main point is not the pigs but the townspeople’s response — their request for Jesus to leave exposes their heart (Matthew Henry).
- Demons as metaphorical for mental illness: Some modern interpreters read the demoniacs as suffering from psychological disorders, though this view is outside the traditional Christian consensus and contradicts the Gospel’s own language (Clarke rejects it).
What is clear: Jesus has supreme authority over evil spirits; he liberates two tormented men; and the local community, focused on economic loss, asks Jesus to leave — a tragic choice that echoes through Scripture.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Reality of the demons | Commentators agree that the passage presents real, personal evil spirits (not mere psychological conditions). | Some modern interpreters read the demoniacs as mentally ill people misunderstood as possessed; however, the Gospel text and all pre-modern commentators treat the demons as literal beings. |
| Ownership of the pigs | The pigs are unclean according to Torah, and their presence in the region is significant. | Clarke and Wesley argue the pigs were Jewish property kept illegally. Barnes and the Cambridge Bible suggest the region was largely Gentile, so the pigs may have been owned by Gentiles, raising questions about the economic impact and Jesus’ cross-cultural mission. |
| Why Jesus permitted the destruction | Jesus’ permission shows his sovereignty over demons and that they act only under his allowance. | Calvin sees the destruction as a test of the Gadarenes and a punishment for their sins. Clarke sees it as just judgment on those who violate God’s law. Matthew Henry and others emphasize that it reveals the townspeople’s hearts. |
| The townspeople’s request for Jesus to leave | Their plea is seen as a rejection of Christ in favor of material loss. | Some interpret this as fear of further economic loss; others as fear of the supernatural power they witnessed. The underlying motive is debated, but all agree it was a tragic decision. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The event takes place in the region of the Gadarenes (or Gergesenes), on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee. This area was part of the Decapolis, a league of ten Hellenistic cities with substantial Gentile populations. The presence of a herd of pigs, animals declared unclean by Torah law, points to either a Gentile community or Jews who had abandoned the law for commerce. Clarke and Gill argue that Jewish hog-keepers were violating Leviticus 11:7; Isaiah 65:3-4 and 66:3 associate pig sacrifices with idolatry and abomination. The pigs are described as “feeding” (βοσκομένη) at a distance from the demoniacs, on a mountainside (Mark 5:11; Luke 8:32). Vincent notes the word κρημνός means a steep bank, not a sheer precipice, a slope from which the stampeding herd could not stop. The Sea of Galilee lies approximately 200 meters below sea level, with rocky ravines along its eastern shore. The destruction of the herd would have been a devastating economic blow to the owners. The herdsmen (βοσκόντες) fled to the nearby city, likely Gadara or Gerasa, and reported the entire event. The city’s response, to come out and beg Jesus to leave, reflects a decision to protect their economic interests rather than embrace the one who brought spiritual freedom.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note two main textual variants. First, the location name varies between Gergesenes, Gadarenes, and Gerasenes across manuscripts and Synoptic parallels. Origen (cited by Lange) suggests Gergesenes may have been a conjecture that later entered copies; modern editions generally read Gadarenes or Gerasenes, referring to the broader region. Second, in v. 31, the demons’ request varies: the majority read ἐπιτρέψον (permit us), but some witnesses (including the Vulgate and Syriac) read ἀπόστειλον (send us), which Griesbach adopted. Clarke notes this reading emphasizes Jesus’ absolute command. These variants do not affect the core meaning of the passage.
Reception History
Early church writers saw this episode as a vivid proof of Christ’s power over evil spirits and a prefiguration of the final judgment when demons are cast into the abyss (Luke 8:31). Augustine used the Gadarene swine to illustrate the destructive nature of the devil and the contrasting mercy of Christ. During the Reformation, Calvin highlighted God’s sovereignty: even demonic malice is under divine control. The story became a key text in debates about the reality of demon possession versus natural illness, Clarke refutes those who “gravely tell us that these demoniacs were only mad.” In modern evangelical preaching, the passage is often a call to examine whether we value possessions more than the presence of Jesus. It also appears in discussions on animal suffering and theodicy, though cautiously, as the pigs are instrumental to the narrative’s theological point.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The unclean and the possessed. The demoniacs live among tombs; the pigs are unclean animals. Both illustrate the power of defilement that Jesus confronts. Yet he speaks with authority even over forces that terrify.
- The permission of destruction. Jesus allows the demons to enter the pigs, and the herd rushes to its death. This demonstrates the Lord's sovereignty: evil cannot act without his permission, and its ultimate end is self-destruction.
- The tragedy of rejection. The townspeople witness liberation, the men are freed, the demons gone, but they ask Jesus to leave. Their fear of economic loss outweighs gratitude for deliverance.
Five-point outline
- The setting: a region compromised by lawlessness (pigs) and terror (demoniacs).
- The request: demons beg not for mercy but for a new home, they remain determined to ruin.
- The command: one word from Jesus sets the entire drama in motion, “Go!”
- The result: the pigs perish; the herdsmen flee; the word spreads.
- The response: a whole city chooses its possessions over its Deliverer.
Illustration hooks
- Economic idolatry. A family prioritizes a profitable but unethical business over a church call. Like the Gadarenes, they ask Jesus to leave because his presence threatens their bottom line.
- Permission with purpose. A parent allows a child to face natural consequences in order to teach a lesson. Jesus permits the demons’ request, but the destruction of the pigs shows that evil cannot be trusted to use freedom well.
- Unclean identity. The demoniacs live among tombs, alienated from community. The irony is that the townspeople, by asking Jesus to leave, choose isolation too. Freedom is available, but they prefer the old territory.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why did Jesus let the demons destroy the pigs? Was that fair to the animals or to the owners?
- Does this story mean that demons can still enter animals today? Is there a limit to what they can do?
- How could the townspeople see such a miracle and still want Jesus gone? What does that say about the human heart?
Leading a Discussion
This passage challenges us to consider what we truly value. The Gadarenes witnessed a miraculous deliverance, two men freed from terrible bondage. Yet the cost of that freedom was a herd of pigs, and the community chose loss over liberation. Before you discuss, read Matthew 8:28, 34 together. Let the questions guide your conversation.
Discussion questions
- What do you notice about the demoniacs? How does Matthew describe their condition (v. 28)? Compare this with the townspeople’s response in v. 34, who seems more trapped?
- The demons recognize Jesus as “Son of God” (v. 29) and beg not to be tormented “before the time.” What does this reveal about their knowledge and about the coming judgment?
- Why do you think Jesus permits the demons to enter the pigs? What do Calvin, Clarke, and Wesley say about this permission? What might it teach us about God’s sovereignty over evil?
- The whole herd rushes into the sea and drowns. Is this judgment, mercy, or both? How does the loss of the pigs affect the townspeople’s reaction?
- Why does the whole city ask Jesus to leave? What does their request reveal about their priorities? In what ways do we also prefer comfort to transformation?
- Compare the two demoniacs’ response (they are not mentioned after v. 28, but Mark 5:18, 20 tells the story of one who wanted to follow Jesus) with the city’s response. What makes the difference?
- If you had been a Gadarene pig farmer that day, what would you have said to Jesus? What would you have lost? What would you have gained?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Leviticus 11:7 | The pig, because it has a split hoof, and is cloven-footed, but doesn’t chew the cud, is unclean to you. |
| Deuteronomy 14:8 | The pig, because it has a split hoof but doesn’t chew the cud, is unclean to you. You shall not eat their meat. You shall not touch their carcasses. |
| Isaiah 65:3 | a people who provoke me to my face continually, sacrificing in gardens, and burning incense on bricks; |
| Isaiah 65:4 | who sit among the graves, and spend nights in secret places; who eat pig’s meat, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels; |
| Isaiah 66:3 | He who kills an ox is as he who kills a man; he who sacrifices a lamb, as he who breaks a dog’s neck; he who offers an offering, as he who offers pig’s blood; he who burns frankincense, as he who blesses an idol. Yes, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations. |
| Mark 5:11 | Now on the mountainside there was a great herd of pigs feeding. |
| Luke 8:32 | Now there was there a herd of many pigs feeding on the mountain, and they begged him that he would allow them to enter into those. Then he allowed them. |
| Luke 15:15 | He went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke stresses that the demons could not even enter a herd of pigs without Christ's direct permission, showing His absolute authority over them. He finds deep irony in the demons begging to be sent into the swine, since this proves that Satan's boast of power is hollow when even a demon cannot touch an animal unless God allows it.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes argues that the difference between Matthew's account of two demoniacs and Mark and Luke's mention of just one is no real contradiction. Neither Mark nor Luke denies there was more than one; they likely focused on the more notorious man. This variation actually confirms the evangelists' honesty, much like witnesses in court who differ on minor details while agreeing on the main facts.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin argues that the demons wanted to enter the swine not from hatred of the animals but to provoke the Gadarenes into cursing God over their loss. Christ permitted this to test the people's character or punish their sins. Calvin also insists this event proves demons are real personal spirits, not merely human evil desires, since mere emotions could not enter pigs.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge note highlights that Matthew's account skips many vivid details found in Mark and Luke, such as the chains, the name "Legion," and the man's request to stay with Jesus. It then draws three distinct lessons from the episode: the man's change pictures true conversion, his madness is traced to impurity, and the swine's destruction teaches a lasting moral lesson.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill draws on extensive Jewish legal sources to explain the swine's presence, noting Rabbinic tradition forbade pig breeding under a curse from the Maccabean era. He suggests the owners were either Gentiles or Jews who ignored these rules. For Gill, Christ allowing the destruction was just punishment for law-breaking and a demonstration of his power over demons.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that this chapter presents Christ's divine power in three escalating stages: over disease, over nature, and finally over the most terrifying foe, the devil. This exorcism is the climactic proof that even during his humiliation Jesus already held the keys of hell itself.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent clarifies that the "steep" was not a cliff but a nearly perpendicular slope ending at a narrow strip of ground between its base and the water. This left no room for the swine to stop their headlong rush, unlike broader plains farther south. The article localizes this steep near the pasture.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that Jesus only permitted the destruction of the swine, not commanded it, and since keeping them was unlawful for Jews, the act was both just and merciful. He then observes that the townspeople's request for Jesus to leave reveals they valued their pigs more than their souls, a common human failing.