Um Qais (Gadara?) photo by amerune
For this podcast I won’t deal with all the interesting questions about multiple demon possession, or even demons in pigs, but will focus on the beginning (and location) and especially the end of the story because they tell us why this story was remembered (though actually the pigs and the multiple demons do make it memorable ;) and why it was told to us. Notice the geography, the story features a boat trip, a reminder of how Jesus ministry (except for the conflicts in Jerusalem and his death) took place around Lake Galilee in half pagan territory and here he has crossed into really gentile territory east of the lake (notice the pigs, Jews don’t eat pork).
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