In this passage, Jesus casts out a collection of demons from a troubled man, bringing the man new life, but frightening his neighbors. This story is found in Matthew as well as in Mark which is the version it is most similar to. Luke seems to have liked Mark’s version (assuming Mark was written before Luke), but Luke wanted to edit the story for greater clarity. For instance, Luke tells us that the possessed man is naked so that we aren’t surprised that he needed to be clothed after he is exorcised, something that Mark doesn’t say. 

For Mark and Luke, it is significant that Jesus goes out of his way, across the Sea of Galilee, to a Gentile (non-Jewish) land to exorcise this man. Jesus could have stayed among his fellow Jews and had plenty to do in ministry and teaching, but instead he makes a point of going to this non-Jewish place, seemingly for this one miracle. But why? 

I think Luke wants us to understand that Jesus had concern for Gentiles like Luke’s own congregation (and us) to help non-Jews know that Jesus loved them and wanted them to be a part of God’s Church. Gentiles hearing this passage would also understand Jesus’ command to the exorcised man that they too are supposed to go and share all that God has done for them among their fellow Gentiles. That’s a message that can still speak to us who are of Gentile descent today. 

But I think another possibility is that this act by Jesus is a kind of political protest. At this time in history, the term “legion” had a very specific meaning. A legion was a unit of the Roman military, at this time numbering a few thousand soldiers. Over time, the term came to include any kind of large group of people, like a rock star’s “legion” of fans, but this sense of the term didn’t exist in Jesus’ day. Casting out a demon called “Legion” can be seen as a political protest against Roman military oppression in the middle east. Why would Jesus travel out of his way to a fairly hostile area to do this single miracle and then leave? It could be argued that Jesus knows exactly the name of the demon he is seeking to make his political point that the Romans have no business occupying this area of the world. 

For a very long time, one part of this passage has been very controversial: the fact that Jesus allows the pigs who become the host of the demons to die. At first, this was controversial because Jesus allowed the destruction of private property. Now, it is probably more discomforting because the poor pigs die who have done nothing wrong! I think originally this was meant to be humorous. The dumb demons ask to avoid going into “the abyss” (which was thought to be water-like) even if it means going into unclean pigs, but they still end up in a watery grave! I don’t doubt that Jesus somehow made this right with the swine herds, even if this isn’t in our story.

For me, I love Jesus’ careful attention to all this man’s needs. Sure he needs to be exorcised, but he also needs clothes and shelter (Jesus actually tells him to go back to his house, which the man has abandoned). Jesus also teaches and comforts the man and talks to him about how he can serve Jesus best. We can get overly focused on just one problem someone might be struggling with, but this passage calls us to think holistically about helping others. Humans are complex and have many needs and the only way we can meet them is through helping each other!