WhenPigsFly:

JesusIncidentwiththeSwineasPoliticalAllegory
JoshuaDuffy
April2013[updatedAug/13]

TableofContents
1.Introduction
2.JesusandtheSwine(Mt.8:2834Mk.5:120Lk.8:2639)
2.1WasJesusCruel?
2.2Inconsistencies
2.2.1.Location(Mt.8:28Mk.5:1Lk.8:26)
2.2.2.NumberofPossessed(Mt.8:28Mk.5:2Lk.8:27)
2.2.3.PigsCanSwim(Mt.8:32Mk.5:13Lk.8:33)
2.2.4.PigsHaveSouls?(Mt.8:3131Mk.5:1213Lk.8:3233)
2.2.5TheManWithTheEconomicLoss
2.2.6TheHebrewTradition
3.LiteralHistoryorPoliticalAllegory?
3.1Precedent
3.2RomanOppression
3.3MilitaryConnotations
Conclusion

WhenPigsFly:JesusIncidentwiththeSwineasPoliticalAllegory
JoshuaDuffy
April2013(updatedAug/13)

1.Introduction
JesusofNazarethisgenerallythoughtofinoneoftwoways:1)Heisthoughtofby
ChristiansastheSavior,theSonofGodwhowillinglylaiddownHislifeforthesalvationofthe
world,or2)bythemajorityofnonChristiansasagoodguywhotaughthumanityahigher
moralethic.ManypeoplethinkthatthemoralityexemplifiedbyJesusisacceptableforthe
massesandthatbylivingassuchtheworldwouldconformtoahigherpracticalethic.As
subjectiveasthatlaststatementmayappear,itmustbenotedthatIhaveengagedhundredsof
peopleacrossmultiplecontinentsonnumeroustopicsregardingChristianethicsandmorality
andhowtheypertaintotheindividualandworldatlarge.Thesetrendsarewhathavebeen
noticed.
OnethingIhavenotheardanyoneclaimwasthatJesuswasanabuserofanimals,but
thereareinstancesinthegospelswhereonecouldmakethisinferenceifsoinclined.1Dothe
canonizedgospelaccountsactuallyportrayJesusasoneindifferent,andactuallycontributing,to
theabuseandneglectofotherthanhumanlife?ThemostnotoriousinstanceofJesus'
animalunfriendlywaysisrecordedinallthreeofthesynopticgospels(Mt.8,Mk.5,Lk.8),
anditisthisengagementwithaherdofswinewhichwillbeourforemostconcern.Althoughthis
incidentissetwithinalargerframeworkwhichconcernsJesusandgentiles,andpossiblyeven
spiritualwarfareand/orthepracticeofexorcism,thesethingswilllargelybepassedoverinlight
ofthefocuswewillplaceontheanimaltheologyaspectassociatedwiththisincident.
IfJesuswasindifferenttotheplightoftheanimalkingdom,thenitwouldseemGodisas
well,anditwouldfurtherseemthathumanshaveaprecedentforanattitudeofindifference.This

Mostnotablytheincidentwewilldealwithhere,withtheswine,andalso,thefishHetellsPetertohook(Mt.
17:2427).

WhenPigsFly:JesusIncidentwiththeSwineasPoliticalAllegory
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April2013(updatedAug/13)

paperwillexplorethistopicandpresentanalternativereasoningofJesusandHisincidentwith
theswine,arguingthatitisthemoreplausiblepositiontoholdthatthegospelpresentationsof
thiseventberegardedaspoliticalallegoryratherthanliteralhistory.Tosupportthisclaim,we
willexploreproblemsandinconsistencieswithinthetextsthemselves,whetherornottheactions
ofJesushereareinaccordancewiththeHebrewtraditionandworldviewinwhichHewasapart
of,andalsothepoliticalsituationofthetimeandhowmuchofaninfluenceitwouldhavehadon
thewritersofthegospels.Ifthisaccountismeanttobealiteralinterpretationofanactualevent
inthelifeoftheChrist,thosesympathetictotheplightofanimalsmustreconcilethiswith
biblicalauthority,butifthisstoryiscouchedinahiddenmeaning,thenthereisafootholdfrom
whichtocriticallyexamineotherinstancesofanimalneglectintheNewTestament,comparingit
withtheoverallpictureofGodasrevealedinthebible,inthefigureofHisSon,andinthe
traditioninwhichitstands.

2.JesusandtheSwine
(Mt.8:2834Mk.5:120Lk.8:2639)2
TheministryofJesuswasgenerallyfocusedtowardsHisownJewishpeople,butthere
areoccasionswhereHetranscendedracialbarriersandministeredtogentilesaswellthe
incidentinvolvingtheGerasenedemoniacisonesuchoccasion.Havingcrossedtheseaof
Galilee,JesusandHisdisciplesenteredgentileterritoryandweremetbyone(possiblytwo),
livingamongstthetombs,horriblypossessedby(alegionof)demons.Thedemoniacfellatthe
feetofJesus,acknowledgedHisdivinity,andpledformercy.Therewasalargenumberofswine
nearby,andasJesuscommandedthedemonsoutofthemanHepermittedthemtopossessthe

AllbiblicalreferenceswillbetakenfromtheNewRevisedStandardVersion,1989.

WhenPigsFly:JesusIncidentwiththeSwineasPoliticalAllegory
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April2013(updatedAug/13)

swine,whosubsequentlyrushedoffasteepbankintotheseatotheirdeaths.
Thisisthestorywhichwewillengageourselveswith.

2.1WasJesusCruel?
Thisquestionmayseemodd,andeasilydismissiblebyanywhohaveevenasuperficial
knowledgeoftheJesuspresentedtousinthegospels.Jesuswasanythingbut,cruel.Butgiven
thestorywhichweareexamining,itisavalidquestion,andonewhichweareobligedtogivean
answer.Thereisafurtherquestionwhichmustbeaskedinlightofthis:DoesGodevenconcern
Himselfwithsuchthingsaspigs?
Contrarytowhatisknown,andhasbeenassumedabouttheanimal,pigsarenotstupid.
3

Theyare,infact,oneofthemostintelligentcreaturesinGodscreation,4andthereis

justificationforassumingthattheyareselfaware.5Theyexistinfamilieslikehumanbeings
6

andtheyarethoughtofashavingthecognitionofathreeyearoldhumanchild.7If,inthis

story,Matthew,Mark,orLukerelatedhowJesusallowedalegionofdemonstoenteragroupof
threeyearoldchildren,andthenproceededtodrivethemoffofaclifftotheirdeath,wemay
haveamuchdifferentviewofJesusthanwedo.Ifweclaimthatthisactofcrueltyattributedto
Jesusposesnoproblemtoourtheologysimplyonthefactthatithappenstopigs,not
children,thenweareguiltyofspeciesism,whichisaprejudiceorattitudeofbiasinfavorof

SeeNoahWebster,
DictionaryofAmericanEnglish
(1828),Swine,eSword.
SamSt.Croix,TenWeirdFactsAboutPigs,
Scienceray
,accessedFebruary21,2013,
http://scienceray.com/philosophyofscience/tenweirdfactsaboutpigs/.
5
DonaldM.Broom,SenaHilana,andMoynihanKieraL.,"Pigslearnwhatamirrorimagerepresentsanduseitto
obtaininformation,"
AnimalBehaviour
78,(2009):10371041.
6
J.D.M.Derrett,ContributionstothestudyoftheGerasenedemoniac,
JournalForTheStudyOfTheNew
Testament
no.3(April1,1979):5
7
BruceFriedrich.EffectiveAdvocacy:StealingfromtheCorporatePlaybook.in
InDefenseofAnimals:TheSecond
Wave
,ed.PeterSinger(Malden:BlackwellPublishing,2006),194.
3
4

WhenPigsFly:JesusIncidentwiththeSwineasPoliticalAllegory
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theinterestsofmembersofonesownspeciesandagainstthoseofmembersofotherspecies.8
Speciesistsdiscriminateinasimilarwayaswouldaracistwhodiscriminatesonthebasisofrace,
orasasexistwoulddiscriminateonthebasisofgender.
ItisratherunlikelythatJesuswouldnotknow,orcare,aboutaportionofHiscreationas
sentientandsapientastheswineHeencountered.TheverysuggestionthatJesuswouldbe
cruel
,
andcontributetoasentientbeingsdistressandsufferingisproblematicinitself,especiallyin
lightofthepigsexpansivecapacityforpain,distress,andsuffering.
Thatbeingsaid,tofullyunderstandthisstory,wemustrecognizethattheTorah
classifiedpigsasanuncleananimal(Lev.11:78Deut.14:8),tobeavoidedentirely,andasone
bibledictionarysays,
offensive
totheLord.9ThefurthermentioningofthemintheNew
Testamentisnotcomplementaryeither(Mt.7:6Lk.15:15162Pe.2:22),linkingtheanimal
withsymbolicpaganism.10Itwasregardedasthemostuncleanandthemostabhorredofall
animals.11AddtothisthefactthatintheintertestamentalperiodAntiochusIVEpiphanes
(175163BCE)attemptedtoforceJewstosacrificeandeatpigs(1Macc.1:472Macc.6:25
6:187:42),12andwebegintounderstandtheprevalentattitudeJewshadtowardstheseanimals.
ItmaybethatJewishreaders(orhearers)ofthisstoryactuallywouldhavebeendelightedatthe
destructionofthedemoninfestedswine.13

PeterSinger,
AnimalLiberation
(NewYork:HarperCollinsPublishers,2009),6.
GeorgeW.KnightandRayburnW.Ray,eds.,
TheLaymansBibleDictionary
(Uhrichsville:BarbourPublishing,
2004),310italicsnotinoriginal.OtherunfavorableOldTestamentscripturesrelatedtothepigarePsa.80:13Pro.
11:22Isa.66:3,17.
10
JosteinAdna,TheEncounterofJesuswiththeGeraseneDemoniac,in
AuthenticatingtheActivitiesofJesus
,ed.
BruceChiltonandCraigA.Evans(Leiden:Brill,1999),293BenWitheringtonIII,
TheGospelofMark:A
SocioRhetoricalCommentary
(GrandRapids:WilliamBEerdmansPublishingCo.,2001),179.
11
M.G.Easton,
EastonsBibleDictionary
,Swine,eSwordseealsoIanStuart,
TheAnimalsBible
(Mississauga:
ThirteenthLevelMediaInc.,2009),191.
12
Witherington,
TheGospelofMark
,179seealsoJamesOrr,ed.,
InternationalStandardBibleEncyclopedia
,Swine,
eSword..
13
DouglasR.A.Hare,
Mark
((Louisville:Westminster/JohnKnoxPress,1996),65seealsoWitherington,
TheGospel
8
9

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April2013(updatedAug/13)

GiventhecontrastwehaveseenbetweentheanimalitselfandtheJewsunreasonable
attitudetowardsthem,coulditbefairtosuggestthatthereadersofthisaccountwouldhave
understooditinacontextextremelyforeigntoourshereinthetwentyfirstcentury?Ifso,we
begintolayafoundationwhichwillaffordussomeflexibilityinourinterpretationofit.

2.2Inconsistencies
Therearetextual,cultural,andevenscientificinconsistencieswhichposeproblemsfora
literalreadingofthetext,namely1)thelocationoftheincident,2)howmanymenwereactually
possessedbydemons,3)theauthorsknowledgeofpigphysiology,4)thespiritualstatusofthe
pig,5)theproblemassociatedwithJesusdestroyingagentileseconomicbase,and6)thefact
thatJesuswouldbeviolatingtheJewishprohibitionagainst
tzarbaaleichayim
,14whichare
Jewishlawsrelatedtothehumanetreatmentofanimals.Thesepointslendsupporttotheclaim
thatthisstoryexistedinseveralversionsandunderwentchangesovertime,afterthefashionof
folklegends.15Inlightofthesediscrepancies,itismorethanlikelythatwhatwearedealing
withisnot,infact,aliteralrenderingofahistoricalevent.

2.2.1.Location(Mt.8:28Mk.5:1Lk.8:26)
Whenlookingattheaccountspresentedbythethreeauthors,oneisconfrontedwitha
glaringlyobviousfact:verybasicdetailsarerelatedinconsistently.Forexample,theauthors
cannotagreeonwherethiseventactuallytookplace.MarkandLukereportthatJesusandHis

ofMark
,182.
14
JudaismandtheTreatmentofAnimals,
JewishVirtualLibrary:ADivisionoftheAmericanIsraeliCooperative
Enterprise
,accessedMarch19,2013,http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/animals.html.
15
NormPhelps,
TheDominionofLove:AnimalRightsAccordingtotheBible
(NewYork:LanternBooks,2004),140.

WhenPigsFly:JesusIncidentwiththeSwineasPoliticalAllegory
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April2013(updatedAug/13)

disciplescametothecountryoftheGerasenes,butsurelythisismostunlikely,asGerasawas
overthirtymilesfromtheSeaofGalilee.16Matthewnotestheycametotothecountryofthe
Gadarenes,aroundsevenmilesfromthesea,17whichisslightlymorelikelybutstillposes
immeasurableproblemsifwearetobelievethatJesusnotonlycommandedthepigstoleapoffa
clifftotheirdeaths,butalsomadethemrunasevenmilemarathonbeforedoingso!
Whatmaysavetheauthorsaccounthereisthattheyinsertthephrasethecountryofbefore
statingtheactuallocation.Thismeansthattheyaregeneralizingthelocationsothataspecific
referencewouldnotbeintended.18Jesusandthedisciplesbasicallycameintotheregionin
whichthetwocitiesweresituated.19Problemspersistwhenconsideringthatthegospelwriters
mayhavebeentalkingaboutthesameregion,butthetwocitiestheymentionaresofarfrom
theseathatitiscompletelyillogicalastobefactual.Thereareothertownswhich,althoughnot
asprominent,aremuchclosertotheseainthisregion.Commentatorshavereconciledthisby
notingthatthetowninquestion
must
havebeenGergesa,20whichismuchmoreplausible,ifnot
textuallyfaithful.Thisisalsoproblematicthough,asinthetimeofJesus,thisareawasthought
tobepartofGalilee,andthereforepopulatedbyaJewishmajority.21Thepresenceofsucha
largenumberofswinewouldbedifficulttoexplaininrecognitionofthis.
WhetherornotthisactivityhappenedinGerasaorGadara,seemsnotthepoint.Thepoint

CraigS.Keener,
TheIVPBibleBackgroundCommentary
(DownersGrove:InterVarsityPress,1993),Mar5:1,
eSwordArchibaldThomasRobertson,
WordPicturesintheNewTestament
,Mark5:1,eSwordChedMyers,
BindingtheStrongMan:APoliticalReadingofMarksStoryofJesus
(Maryknoll:OrbisBooks,2008),190Hare,
Mark
,64Witherington,
TheGospelofMark
,17980Phelps,
TheDominionofLove
,140.
17
Keener,
TheIVPBibleBackgroundCommentary
,Mar5:1,cf.Mat8:28B.W.Johnson,
ThePeoplesNew
Testament
(1891),Mark5:1,eSwordRobertson,
WordPicturesintheNewTestament
,Mark5:1.
18
Keener,
TheIVPBibleBackgroundCommentary
,Mar5:1JohnGill,
JohnGillsExpositionoftheEntireBible
,
Matthew8:28,eSwordJohnson,
ThePeoplesNewTestament
,Mark5:1JohnWesley,
JohnWesleysExplanatory
NotesontheWholeBible
,Matthew8:28,eSwordWitherington,
TheGospelofMark
,180.
19
AlbertBarnes,
AlbertBarnesNotesontheBible
,Mat8:28,eSword.
20
Hare,
Mark
,64.
21

Phelps,
TheDominionofLove
,140seealsoWilliamSmith,
SmithsBibleDictionary
,Swine,eSword.
16

WhenPigsFly:JesusIncidentwiththeSwineasPoliticalAllegory
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April2013(updatedAug/13)

seemstobethatithappenedoutsideofJewishterritory,intheDecapolis.Thismakesitalso
unlikelythatthenarratorswerestrivingforaccuracy,andlendssupporttoanallegorical
interpretationratherthanaliteralone.TheauthorsaretryingtoshowussomethingaboutJesus
relationtothoseoutsideofJewishterritory.
ItisentirelypossiblethataportionofthebookoftheprophetIsaiah(65:15)influenced
thewritingofthis:

Iwasreadytobesoughtoutbythosewhodidnotask,

tobefoundbythosewhodidnotseekme.
Isaid,HereIam,hereIam,
toanationthatdidnotcallonmyname.
2

Iheldoutmyhandsalldaylong

toarebelliouspeople,
whowalkinawaythatisnotgood,
followingtheirowndevices
3

apeoplewhoprovokeme

tomyfacecontinually,
sacrificingingardens
andofferingincenseonbricks
4

whositinsidetombs,

andspendthenightinsecretplaces
whoeatswinesflesh,

WhenPigsFly:JesusIncidentwiththeSwineasPoliticalAllegory
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April2013(updatedAug/13)

withbrothofabominablethingsintheirvessels
5

whosay,Keeptoyourself,

donotcomenearme,forIamtooholyforyou.

Matthew,Mark,andLukeseemtodrawheavilyonthis,22andiftheywereindeedaware
ofthisportionoftheOldTestament,itwouldhavebeenundeniablyinfluentialtotheirretelling
ofthisstory.TheinfluenceofthisportionofHebrewscripture,supportstheideaofthegospel
writersemphasisthatJesusistheonewhomtheOldTestamentforeshadowed.Thenarrative
wishestocommunicatenotaliteraleventbutthesymbolismassociatedwithsuchanevent.
Allthisconjectureandsurmisingcouldhavebeeneasilyavoidedbyamorecareful
renderingoftheactualfactsofwhereexactlyJesusandHisdiscipleswerewhenthiseventtook
place.

2.2.2.NumberofPossessed(Mt.8:28Mk.5:2Lk.8:27)
AnotherblatantdisparityisthatMarkandLukesaythatonemanmetJesus,but
MatthewsaystwomenmetHim.Somecommentatorshavereasonedthatifthereweretwo
men,thentheremusthavebeenone,andthus,norealcontradictiontakesplace!23Itisalso
arguedthatMarkandLukefocustheirattentiononthefiercer,ormoreaggressive,demoniac.24

Myers,
BindingtheStrongMan
,1901.
MatthewHenry,
MatthewHenrysCommentaryontheWholeBible
,Mark5:120,eSwordBarnes,
AlbertBarnes
NotesontheBible
,Mat8:28Gill,
JohnGillsExpositionoftheEntireBible
,Matthew8:28.
24
Barnes,
AlbertBarnesNotesontheBible
,Mat8:28AdamClarke,
AdamClarkesCommentaryontheBible
,
Matthew8:28,eSwordGill,
JohnGillsExpositionoftheEntireBible
,Matthew8:28,Mark5:2Johnson,
The
PeoplesNewTestament
,Matthew8:28Robertson,
WordPicturesintheNewTestament
,Matthew8:28Wesley,
John
WesleysExplanatoryNotesontheWholeBible
,Matthew8:28R.A.Torrey,ed.,
TreasuryofScripturalKnowledge
,
Mark5:2,eSword.
22
23

WhenPigsFly:JesusIncidentwiththeSwineasPoliticalAllegory
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April2013(updatedAug/13)

Whilethistypeofreasoningisbasicallytrue,itisalsoembarrassinglyincompleteand
intellectuallydishonest,asthis,themostbasicoffacts,shouldbemuchmoreeasilyverified.

2.2.3.PigsCanSwim(Mt.8:32Mk.5:13Lk.8:33)
Anotherinconsistencythatthetextpresentsuswithisthatthepigsdrowninthesea.
Contrarytopublicknowledge,pigsareactuallyveryadeptswimmers.25Thetextimpliesthat
all
theswineperishedinthesea,whichwouldhavebeenquiteunlikely.Thereisthepossibilitythat,
insuchastateofexcitementandincrediblestress,thepigsmayhavebeentramplingandpushing
eachotheroffofthecliffcausingthoseinfrontofthemtobepushedfartherdownunderthe
water,butthisassumptionleadsusoutsidethetextagain.Thefactthatpigsaresuchgood
swimmers,andthat
all
ofthemperished,shouldleadustodoubtaliteralreadingofthistextis
intended.
IanStuartsuggeststhepossibilitythatthemanonly
believed
himselfpossessedby
demons,andthathewasinstead,afflictedbyseverementalillness,thescienceofwhichwould
havebeenunknowninJesusera.Thepigs,beingintelligentenoughtorefrainfromrushingoffa
clifftotheirdeath,werepossiblyspookedbythescreamingofthedemoniacand/orthepresence
ofthelargecrowd.Theysimplymayhavepanicked.Oncetheygotcloseenoughtothesteep
cliff,anavalancheofswineoccurredwhichresultedintheentirenumberofthemperishing.
Seekinganexplanation,thegatheredthrongsimplyassumedJesuscastthedemonsintothepigs.
26

Imentionthisinterpretationinpassing,notbecauseofitsorthodoxy,buttonotethatthereare

manywaysoflookingatthisstory,someofwhichdonotdemandanattributionofsupernatural
SamSt.Croix.TenWeirdFactsAboutPigsjonkralt,Pigscantfly,buttheycanswim!,
YouTube
,accessed
February21,2013,http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbxPXTrGYUU.
26
IanA.Stuart,
TheAnimalsBible
,193.
25

WhenPigsFly:JesusIncidentwiththeSwineasPoliticalAllegory
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April2013(updatedAug/13)

influence,andwhichsupportanalternativetotheliteralhistoricalviewwehavebeencritiquing.
27

2.2.4.PigsHaveSouls?(Mt.8:3131Mk.5:1213Lk.8:3233)
Ironically,thesuggestionthatthedemonswereabletopossesstheswineactually
supportstheargumentthatthisstoryisallegorical.Wehavealreadyseenhowmuchdisdainthe
Jewshadforswine,butitisaninterestingquestiontoask,justhowsomethingcanbepossessed
whenthatthingdoesnothaveasoultopossess?Thebasicfactthat
men
areabletobepossessed
bydemonsisasortofpervertedstatussymbol,anotheranthropocentricdistinctionbywhichto
separatemanfromallotheranimals.ItmaybehumblysuggestedthatMatthew,Mark,andLuke
inadvertentlyraisethespiritualstatusofswineinthisaccount,suggestingacommonality
betweenhumanandnonhumanthatisindeedironic,contextually.Notthatthiscommonalityis
unbiblical.28InGenesis2,translatorswereobviouslyuncomfortablethattheHebrewword
nephesh
wasusedtodescribebothmanandanimal(Gen.2:7,19),sotheychosetotranslatethe
wordintolivingbeingforman,andlivingcreatureforanimal,29imposingadistinction
whichdoesnotexistintheHebrew.30Thereisindeedacommonalitybetweenmanandswine,
andalthoughtherewasaheavyprejudiceagainstthisanimalin1stcenturyJewishthought,the

27

AnotherinterestinginterpretationisthatthestoryisallegoricalinawaythatsetsJesusastheswine,despisedand
rejectedbymen,whotakesthesinanddemonsawayfromusasasacrifice,leavingHimselfbrokenandlifeless,while
weescapewholeandsaved.ThistypeofinterpretationwasrelatedtomebyFatherDenisGreccowhooncehearda
homilyexplainingthepassageassuch..
28
DavidL.Clough,
OnAnimals:VolumeOneSystematicTheology
(London:T&TClarkInternational,2012),
1382567,Kindleedition.
29
Themajorityoftranslationscallmanaliving
soul
or
being

whiledesignatingthetermliving
creature
foranimals
notableexceptionsaretheEnglishStandardVersion(ESV)andYoungsLiteralTranslationoftheHolyBible(YLT),
whichmakenosuchdistinctionbetweenspecies.
30
TheodoreHiebert,
TheYahwistsLandscape:NatureandReligioninEarlyIsrael
(NewYork:OxfordUniversity
Press,1996),63.

10

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gospels,bysuggestingtheswinebecamedemonicallypossessed,affirmthiscommonality.

2.2.5TheManWithTheEconomicLoss

ItseemsunlikelythatJesuswouldhavecompromisedthisgentileslivelihoodinsucha
waythatHedid.31Themanhimselfwasundoubtedlyinfluentialandwealthyowningtwo
thousandfreerangeswineinthefirstcenturyisindicativeofthis.Therepercussionsofsuchan
actwouldhavebeennoteworthy,butnothingelseofthisactismentionedintheNewTestament.
Inthepoliticallychargedatmosphereinwhichthisstorytakesplace,andgiventhefactthatthis
eventwasnotdoneinsecret,onewouldexpectrepercussionstobeenacted.Inallseriousness,
Jesuscouldhavebeenarrested,interrogated,punished,andforcedtoeithermakerestitutionto
theownerofthepigsor[even]becomethemansslave.32
IthasbeensuggestedbyscholarsthattheunderlyingmessageofthisincidentisthatGod
ismoreconcernedabout
humans
than
animals
.33Superficially,thisseemsnice,butwemust
remindsuchscholarshipthatwhileamanwasindeeddeliveredfromdemonicpossession,
anotherwaseconomicallydevastatedinthesameact!Surely,ifGodwassomuchmore
interestedinhumanbeings,Hecouldhavedevisedamorepoliticallycorrectwaytodeliverthe
demoniac,withoutdeliveringsuchalosstothisunfortunatebystander.Thiskindofreasoning
notonlyelevateshumankindabovetheanimalkingdom,butalsoJewsabovegentiles.

SeeHare,
Mark
,65Stuart,
TheAnimalsBible
,192.
Phelps,
TheDominionofLove
,1401.
33

N.T.Wright,
MarkforEveryone
(Louisville:WestminsterJohnKnoxPress,2004),57Witherington,
TheGospelof
Mark
,182.
31
32

11

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2.2.6TheHebrewTradition
Jesus,whilenotrecordedasteachingmuchonanimalwelfarespecifically,doesplace
HimselfclearlywithintheJewishethicalandlegaltraditionwhichheldthatGodrequiresthe
peopletotreattheirfellowcreatures,theanimals,withcompassionandconsideration.34Infact,
neighbourlinesstowardsanimalswassuchadeeplyrootedtraditionamongtheJewsthatitwas
takenforgranted.35Thelawsagainst
tzarbaaleichayim
strictlyforbidunnecessarycrueltyto
animalsandtherabbisoftheTalmudbelievethattheyhadoriginatedatSinaiwithMoses.36In
manycaseswithinJudaism,animalsareaccordedthesamesensitivityashumanbeings37and
thereisarecognizedlinkbetweenthewayapersontreatsanimalsandthewaytheytreat
humans.38Inlightofthis,weshouldsurelyexpectJesustoactinaccordancewiththese
thoroughlyJewishprinciples.39
Inaddition,theOldTestamentitselfhasnumerousreferencestoanimalwelfare,40most
ofwhichhavebeenconvenientlyoverlookedbyChristiansthroughouthistory.Thefourth
commandmentpermitsanimalsrestontheSabbath(Ex.20:81123:1012Deut.5:1215)God
promisestoprovidegrassforcattle(Deut.11:15)andhomesnearHisaltarforswallows,

34

Bauckham,JesusandAnimalsI:WhatdidJesusTeach?,in
AnimalsontheAgenda:QuestionsAboutAnimalsfor
TheologyandEthics
,ed.AndrewLinzeyandDorothyYamamoto(Urbana:UniversityofIllinoisPress,1998),38see
AndrewLinzeyandDanCohnSherbok,
AfterNoah:AnimalsandtheLiberationofTheology
(London:Mowbray,
1997)12,23.
35
C.W.Hume.
TheStatusofAnimalsintheChristianTradition
(PottersBar:UFAW,1957),4.
36
RabbiDavidSears,CompassionforallCreatures,
JewishVegetariansofNorthAmerica
,accessedMarch19,2013,
http://jewishveg.com/Compassion4All.html.
37
JudaismandtheTreatmentofAnimals,
JewishVirtualLibrary
.
38
IbidseealsoAndrewLinzey,ed.,
TheLinkBetweenAnimalAbuseandHumanViolence
(Eastbourne:Sussex
AcademicPress,2009).
39

RichardBauckham,JesusandAnimalsII:WhatdidhePractise?in
AnimalsontheAgenda:QuestionsAbout
AnimalsforTheologyandEthics
,ed.AndrewLinzeyandDorothyYamamoto(Urbana:UniversityofIllinoisPress,
1998),49.
40
SeeJoshuaDuffy.AnIntroductiontoAnimalWelfareintheFirstCovenant:ChallengingtheAccepted
AnthropocentricWorldview.
Scribd
.AccessedFebruary16,2013.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/102472809/IntroductiontoAnimalWelfareinthe1stCovenantChallengingtheAccepte
dAnthropocentricWorldview#fullscreen.

12

WhenPigsFly:JesusIncidentwiththeSwineasPoliticalAllegory
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sparrows,andtheiryoung(Ps.84:14)Psalm36:6saysthatGodsaveshumansandanimals
alike,41andthatHesatisfiesthedesiresof
everylivingthing
(Ps.145:1516).Otherinstancesof
animalwelfarecanbetakenfromthelivesofRebekah(Gen.24:19),Laban(Gen.24:3133),
Jacob(Gen.33:121437:1449:57),Moses(Ex.23:45Deut.22:1025:4),Job(Job30:1),
Solomon(Pro.12:10),andmanyoftheprophets.Incontrasttothis,thetwohuntersmentionedin
theOldTestament(NimrodandEsau)areregardedasvillains.42
TheNewTestament,setfirmlywithinthisJewishtradition,alsohasinstancesofanimal
welfare.Godrecognizestheneedsofbirds(Mt.6:2610:29Lk.12:6,2413:1819),and
acknowledgesthewelfareduetosuchanimalsassheep,oxen,anddonkeys(Mt.12:11
18:1213Lk.13:1514:5).TheApostlePaulacknowledgesthat
all
ofcreationiswaitingforthe
eschatologicalredemption(Rom.8:1923),andthatthroughthecross,
all
thingsinheavenand
onearth,havebeenreconciledtoGod(Col.1:1519).EveninRevelation,themightyseraphim
arerepresentedmostlybyanimals,whoareeverinthepresenceofGodHimself,everpraising
Him,andeverleadingothersinworshiptoHim(Rev.4).43
Thisisnottodenigratethepositionofthe
imagoDei
.Humansdoseemtooccupyan
especiallyuniquepositioninrelationtoGod.Infact,respectablescholarsmentionthis,andas
wehaveseen,opinethattrulyunderstandingthisstorymeansunderstandingthefactthathumans
areworthsomuchmoretoGodthanswineare.44Itisnotthatanimalsareunimportant,butthat

41

SeeJoshuaDuffy,You,LORD,preserve,save,&/orcareforhumansandanimals.(ps.36:6),
theDuffys
(blog),June23,2012,
http://www.joshandjenny.org/1/post/2012/06/youlordpreservesaveorcareforhumansandanimalsps366.html.
42

JudaismandtheTreatmentofAnimals.
43
SeeRichardBauckham,CreationsPraiseofGodintheBookofRevelation,
BiblicalTheologyBulletin
38,no.2
(2008):5563.
44
Wright,
MarkforEveryone
,57Witherington,
TheGospelofMark
,182.

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WhenPigsFly:JesusIncidentwiththeSwineasPoliticalAllegory
JoshuaDuffy
April2013(updatedAug/13)

humankindis
more
important,andwhereachoicehastobemade,Jesuspermitsalesserevil.45
Thisisnotthepointthoughthepointwhichshouldbemadeisnot
who
mattersmoretoGod,but
whetherornotitisjustifiabletotreatthelessvaluablehost46ascruellyasJesusseemstohave
done.BaseduponwhathasjustbeenstatedinJewishtradition,theOldTestament,andtheNew
Testament,IthinkonewouldbewithinreasontoquestionaliteralinterpretationofJesus
incidencewiththeswine.

3.LiteralHistoryorPoliticalAllegory?

3.1Precedent
WhentheclaimismadethatthisstoryofJesusandtheswineismoreakintopolitical
allegoryratherthanliteralhistory,47itisnotsaidlightlynorwithoutwarrant,asthereareother
instancesofsuchallegoryinthebible.48ThebookofRevelationisconsideredbymany
commentatorstobejustsuchanexample.Inanallegoricalsense,Revelationhasbeenthoughtto
beamessagewrittentopersecutedChristiansundertheoppressionoftheRomanstate.49Our
GreekandLatinfathersgenerallythoughtthis,50andtakingcontextintoaccount,seemsvery
likely.BaseduponthiskindofinterpretationofRevelation,somescholarshiphasarguedthatthe
45

Bauckham,JesusandAnimalsI,48.
Witherington,
TheGospelofMark
,182.
47
Seeibid.,183.
48
TheparablesJesustoldwouldbeagoodexample.
49
CharlesC.Camosy,
PeterSingerandChristianEthics:BeyondPolarization
(NewYork:CambridgeUniversity
Press,2012),107,KindleGregoryA.Boyd,
GodofthePossible:ABiblicalIntroductiontotheOpenViewofGod
(GrandRapids:BakerBooks),4952,KindleKeener,
TheIVPBibleBackgroundCommentary
,Revelation:
Introduction:InterpretationsJohnson,
ThePeoplesNewTestament
,Revelation:SystemsofInterpretationRobertson,
WordPicturesintheNewTestament
,TheRevelationofJohn:EmperorWorshipastheOccasionforJohns
Apocalypse,TheoriesofInterpretationBartD.Ehrman,
ABriefIntroductiontotheNewTestament
,2nded.(New
York:OxfordUniversityPress,2009),3416.
50
Clarke,
AdamClarkesCommentaryontheBible
,Revelation.
46

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incidentrelatedinMatthew8:2834,Mark5:120,andLuke8:2639isallegoricalinasimilar
way.Wewillnowlookatreasonstosupportsuchinterpretation.

3.2RomanOppression
TosaythattheJewswereawaitingtheoverthrowoftheRomanstatewouldbeaslight
understatement.51TheyhadbeensubjectedtoRomanruleforaboutacenturybeforethebirthof
Jesus,andtheyregardedRomeastheEnemy...[even]satanincarnate.52Itwouldnotbe
amisstosuggestthattheywouldhavelikedtoseetheRomanlegionsdrivenbackthewaythey
came,possiblyevenintotheMediterraneanSea.53TotheJews,RomewastheMonsterofall
monsters.Romewasunclean.Romewasanationofpigs.ThebestplaceforRomewasbackin
thesea.54Soundfamiliar?

3.3MilitaryConnotations
TolendfurtherweighttothissuggestionofviewingRomansaspigsistheinterestingfact
thatthewildboarwastheemblemoftheRomanlegionstationedinPalestine,andJewish
sourcesasoldas
1Enoch
89:12identifytheboarwithEsau,whobecameasymbolofRome.55
Infact,uponfurthercriticalinvestigation,wefindthiswholenarrativeisdrippingwith
militaryterminology.56Theword
Legion
hasonlyamilitaryassociation.57Jesus,givingthe
demonspermissiontoentertheswine,usesatermanofficerwouldusetodispatchatroopor

SeeRichardBauckham,
Jesus:AVeryShortIntroduction
(Oxford:OxfordUniversityPress,2011),87,97,989.
Wright,
MarkforEveryone
,55.
53
Ibid.,56.
54
IbidseealsoPhelps,
TheDominionofLove
,1401.
55
JoelMarcus.
Mark18
(NewHaven:YaleUniversityPress,2007),351.
56
Derrett,ContributionstothestudyoftheGerasenedemoniac,56Myers,
BindingtheStrongMan
,1912.
57
Derrett,ContributionstothestudyoftheGerasenedemoniac,5seealsoMyers,
BindingtheStrongMan
,191.
51
52

15

WhenPigsFly:JesusIncidentwiththeSwineasPoliticalAllegory
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othermilitaryforceandisjustascorrectlytranslatedasordered.58Pigsdonottravelin
herds,butthistermisalsousedlocallyforabandoftrainees.59Thepigsrushingdownthe
steepbankandintotheseadrawsamoreaccuratedepictionoftroopsrushingintobattle.60
Astheswinearedestroyedbythesea,theimagealsocomestomindofPharaoh'sarmy,
thegreatoppressorsofthepast,beingconsumedinasimilarmannerasthelegionofswineare.61
TheevidenceseemsoverwhelmingthatthestoryofJesusandtheswinehasundertones
thatwouldhavebeenabsolutelyundeniabletothecommunitywhichtheauthorswerewriting.
Theproblemwehave,as21stcenturyCanadians,isthatwearesofarremovedfromany
contextualunderstanding,thataliteral(English)understandingofthetextisallwehavetowork
with.Alittledigging,however,andlightisshedintodifficultareasofthebibleotherwise
hidden.

Conclusion
Thereareanestimated8.7millionspeciesoflifeonthisplanetandscientistssuggest
thatsome86%ofthespeciesonEarth,and91%intheocean,stillawaitdescription.62Eventhe
mostsuperficialcontemplationofthisfactshouldforceustorealizehowdiverseandvastlifeon
thisplanetreallyis.Unfortunately,thevastamountofhistoricalChristianityhaschosento
believethatGodisreallyonlyconcernedwithjustoneofthosespecies,theonetowhichit
happenstobelong,humanbeings.Thisisanthropocentrism,theviewthat,implicitlyor

58

Derrett,ContributionstothestudyoftheGerasenedemoniac,5.
Ibid.
60
Ibid.
61
Ibid.,68Myers,
BindingtheStrongMan
,191.
62
CamiloMoraetal.,HowManySpeciesAreThereonEarthandintheOcean?
PLoSBiol
9,no.8(2011):
doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.1001127.
59

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WhenPigsFly:JesusIncidentwiththeSwineasPoliticalAllegory
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explicitly,placeshumansatthecenteroftheuniverse,andconsiderstherestoftheuniverse
subservienttoandaresourceforhumans.63Nowthereisreallynothingwrongwithholding
anthropocentricviews.Weareafterall,human,andneedtorecognizethatourtheologyis
envelopedinthishumanunderstanding.Problemssurfacewhenwestartprojectingour
anthropocentricviewsontoGod.Thisiscalledteleologicalanthropocentrism,64anditisan
unfortunateperversionofourunderstandingofGod.
Ahumancenteredperspectiveofthebiblehasalsocontributedtotheemphasisofa
vertical,ratherthanhorizontal,understandingoftherelationshipbetweenhumansandanimals.
NowhereisthismoreevidentintheNewTestamentthaninthestoryofJesusandtheswine(Mt.
8:2834Mk.5:120Lk.8:2639).Here,Jesuscouldbeunderstoodasonewhoiscompletely
unconcernedwithotherthanhumanlife,willingtosacrificealegionofswineunnecessarily.
StorieslikethesehavecontributedtoavastamountofChristianindifferencetowardstheanimal
kingdom,andhasbeenusedtojustifycoldandheartlesspracticesagainstthem.Theintentionof
thisessaywastocriticallyexaminethisinstanceofChristslifeanddeterminewhetherornotit
shouldbetakenasliteralhistoryorpoliticalallegory.WhileIamnotsuggestingweforsakethis
storyascompletelyfictitious,65norattributethemiraculousprincipleinvolvedtoblackmagic,
66

Idothinkamorereasonedapproachbetakentounderstandingitthansimplehistorical

literalness.Afterwhatwehavelookedatthusfar,Ithinkthisisthemorebiblicallyfaithful
positiontohold.

DictionaryofWorldPhilosophy
,s.v."anthropocentrism,"accessedFebruary16,2013,
http://www.credoreference.com/entry/routwp/anthropocentrism.
64
Clough,
OnAnimals
,2235.
65
SwineintheNewTestament,
ChristianityRevealed
,accessedMarch25,2013,
http://jdstone.org/cr/files/swineinthenewtestament.html.
66
ChristopherHitchens,
GodIsNotGreat:HowReligionSpoilsEverything
(Toronto:McLelland&StewartLtd.,
2007),934,Kindle.
63

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WhenPigsFly:JesusIncidentwiththeSwineasPoliticalAllegory
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WhilewhatIhaveproposedisnotthetraditionalinterpretationofthisstory,thisshould
nothinderusfromacceptingit.ThemajorityofChristianityhasnotaskedthequestionsofthe
textthathavebeenlaidoutinthisessay.Butdoesthistakeawayfromtheconclusionsweare
reaching?Absolutelynot.Newgenerationsminethescripturesforrelevanceasweprogress
fartherandfartherawayfromthetimesrelatedtousintheNewTestament.Inourage,whichhas
cometorelegatetheanimalkingdomtolittlemorethantoolswithwhichweuseatwill,fresh
biblicalinsightisgainedbyscholarshipwhichseekstosituationthescripturesfirst,intheirtime,
andsecond,inours.Thevastmajorityofpeopleinthebiblicalagewereofaruralaccord,far
removedfromthemassurbanizationwhichthemajorityofscholarshipfindsitselftoday.This
hasindeedinfluencedourtheologicalthought.Menunrelatedtonaturehaveinterpretedthe
scripturesthroughindustrializedlenses,seeingforestsofsteelandconcretewhereinthepast
theymayhaveseenwoodandleaves.Butoncetheprevalentmodernideologyisquestioned,as
itmustbetoday,wearefreedtoreadthe[NewTestament]differently.67Thisnecessary
alternative(butfaithful)readingiswhatthisessayhasendeavoredtodo.
So,whathavewelearned?WefirstaskedthequestionifJesus,theSonofGod,was
cruel?WouldHesubjectintelligent,social,andeven(possibly)selfawarecreaturesofHisown
creationtoabsurdlevelsofstress,demonicpossession,andtorturousdeath?Wewere
comfortableinacknowledgingthatthiskindofSaviorwasproblematic,andalittledisturbing.
Wethenlookedattextualinconsistenciesinthenarrativeitself.Mark,Luke,andMatthew
differedintheiraccountsofwheretheeventtookplaceandhowmanydemoniacswerepresent.
Theywerealsoignorantofthenaturalabilitiesofpigs,which,giventhetimeinwhichthey
67

RichardBauckham,JesusandtheWildAnimals(Mark1:13):AChristologicalImageforanEcologicalAge,"In
JesusofNazareth:LordandChrist
:
EssaysontheHistoricalJesusandNewTestamentChristology
,ed.J.B.Green
andM.Turner(GrandRapids:Eerdmans,1994),34.

18

WhenPigsFly:JesusIncidentwiththeSwineasPoliticalAllegory
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wrote,issomewhatforgivable(althoughpigshavebeenswimmingformuchlongerthantwo
thousandyears,andthisshouldhavebeenmorethancommonknowledge).Wereasonedthat
eventhoughJesusmayhavefavoredthemanovertheswine,Hereallydidnot,infact,actually
favor
man
atall,giventhatHebankruptedanotherbydestroyingtwothousandofhispigsand
whatwouldhavebeenhiseconomicbase!ThisstoryalsogrindedagainstJewishnotionsof
animalwelfare,atraditioninwhichJesuswassurelycognizantofandintegratedinto.Wethen
lookedatwaysinwhichthisstoryisarguedaspoliticalallegoryratherthanliteralhistory.The
JewswereeagerlyanticipatingtheoverthrowoftheirRomanoppressors,andthetextislittered
withmilitaryreferenceswhichmakelittlesenseoutsideofthismeaning.
Itiswithconfidenceandinallseriousnessthatonecouldassertthatthegroundsfor
readingthisstoryaspoliticalallegoryratherthanliteralhistoryismorethanstrongandworthy
ofacceptance.ThoselookingforananimalfriendlytheologyintheNewTestamentneednotshy
awayfromthisinstanceofJesuslife,asgoodevidencesupportsthecasethatanallegorical
interpretation,ratherthanaliteralhistoricalapproach,ismoreconsistentandfavorablewithin
thecontextinwhichMatthew,Mark,andLukewrote.

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