SEV Biblia, Chapter 8:30
Y estaba lejos de ellos un hato de muchos puercos paciendo.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Matthew 8:30
Verse 30. A herd of many swine] These were in all probability Jewish property, and kept and used in express violation of the law of God; and therefore their destruction, in the next verse, was no more than a proper manifestation of the justice of God.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 30. And there was a good way off from them , etc.] Nigh unto the mountains, as Mark says, or on the mountain, as Luke, bordering on the sea shore; so that though it was at some distance, yet within sight. The Vulgate Latin, and the Hebrew edition of Munster read, not far off; and the Persic version, near them: which agree with the accounts of Mark and Luke, who say, that there were there, or hard by, an herd of many swine feeding. Since swines flesh was forbidden the Jews to eat, ( Leviticus 11:7) it may be asked, how came it to pass, that there should be any number of these creatures, or that such a herd of them should be kept in the land of Israel? To which may be replied, that though the Jews might not eat swines flesh, they were not forbid to bring them up; which they might do, in order to sell to the Gentiles, who dwelt among them; and particularly to the Romans, under whose government they now were, and with whom swines flesh was in great esteem: but still a difficulty remains; for it was not only forbidden by the law of God to eat swines flesh, but, by the Jewish canons, to bring them up, and make any advantage of them in any shape: their law was this, wqm lkb yryzj lary ldgy al , an Israelite might not bring up hogs in any place f527 : the reasons of this canon were many, partly because of the uncleanness of these creatures; hence one of their writers observing, that next to those words, they are unclean unto you, are, and the swine, says, that this is to teach us, that it is forbidden to bring up hogs; and partly, because of the damage which these creatures do to other mens fields: hence f529 the wise men say, cursed is he that brings up dogs and hogs, hbwrm qyzh ynpm , because they do much hurt. But the chief reason given by the Gemafists for this prohibition, was the fact following: When the Hasmonean family, or Maccabees, were at war with one another, Hyrcanus was within (Jerusalem), and Aristobulus without, and every day they let down to them money in a box; and they sent up to them the daily sacrifices: there was one old man who understood the wisdom of the Greeks, and he said unto them, as long as they employ themselves in the service (of God), they will not be delivered into your hands: on the morrow they let down their money, and they sent them up a hog; and when it came to the middle of the wall, he fixed his hoofs in the wall, and the land of Israel shook, etc. at that time they said, cursed be the man yryzj ldgy , that breeds hogs; and cursed is the man that teaches his son the learning of the Grecians.
Before this time, it seems to have been lawful to bring them up, and trade with them: but now it was forbid, not only to breed them, but to receive any gain or profit by them; for this is another of their rules f531 . It is forbidden to bring up a hog, in order to get any profit by his skin, or by his lard, or fat, to anoint with, or to light (lamps) with; yea, though it may fall to him by inheritance.
And nothing was more infamous and reproachful among them, than a keeper of these creatures: when therefore they had a mind to cast contempt upon a man, they would call him yryzj ldgm f532 , a breeder of hogs, or ayrzj f533 , a hog herd. But after all, it was only an Israelite that was forbid this; a stranger might bring them up, for this is one of their canons f534 . A man may sell fetches to give to a stranger that breeds hogs, but to an Israelite it is forbidden to breed them.
Yea, they say f535 , If others breed them to anoint skins with their lard, or to sell them to an Israelite to anoint with them, it was lawful: all fat may be sold, which is not for eating.
And so some cities are supposed to have hogs in them, concerning which they observe f536 , that a city that has hogs in it, is free from the mezuzah; the schedules which were fastened to the posts of doors and gates: but now supposing this herd of swine belonged to Jews in these parts, it may easily be accounted for; for since they lived among Heathens, they might not have so great a regard to the directions of their Rabbins; and especially, since it was so much for their profit and advantage, they might make no scruple to break through these ordinances. Though this herd of swine may well enough be thought to belong to the Gentiles, that dwelt in this country; since Gadara was a Grecian city, and then inhabited more by Syrians, than by Jews, as Josephus relates f537 .
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 28-34 - The devils have nothing to do with Christ as a Saviour; they neithe have, nor hope for any benefit from him. Oh the depth of this myster of Divine love; that fallen man has so much to do with Christ, when fallen angels have nothing to do with him! Heb 2:16. Surely here wa torment, to be forced to own the excellence that is in Christ, and ye they had no part in him. The devils desire not to have any thing to d with Christ as a Ruler. See whose language those speak, who will have nothing to do with the gospel of Christ. But it is not true that the devils have nothing to do with Christ as a Judge; for they have, an they know it, and thus it is with all the children of men. Satan an his instruments can go no further than he permits; they must qui possession when he commands. They cannot break his hedge of protectio about his people; they cannot enter even a swine without his leave They had leave. God often, for wise and holy ends, permits the effort of Satan's rage. Thus the devil hurries people to sin; hurries them to what they have resolved against, which they know will be shame an grief to them: miserable is the condition of those who are led captiv by him at his will. There are a great many who prefer their swin before the Saviour, and so come short of Christ and salvation by him They desire Christ to depart out of their hearts, and will not suffe his word to have place in them, because he and his word would destro their brutish lusts, those swine which they give themselves up to feed And justly will Christ forsake all that are weary of him; and sad hereafter, Depart, ye cursed, to those who now say to the Almighty Depart from us __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
ην 2258 5713 V-IXI-3S δε 1161 CONJ μακραν 3112 ADV απ 575 PREP αυτων 846 P-GPM αγελη 34 N-NSF χοιρων 5519 N-GPM πολλων 4183 A-GPM βοσκομενη 1006 5746 V-PPP-NSF
