In discussing with a friend the other day some of the ideas of “political correctness” that have so crippled our nation, we were talking about what some people believe will lead them to Heaven. As we were discussing this idea, I quoted John 14:6 when Jesus said “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” . At the end of my quote I was going to be polite and say something like “That narrows the opportunity down for a lot of people in this world”, but before I could get that sentence out, my friend said “anything else is just hogwash!”

Luke 2:1

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.

Matthew 2:1

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod,…

Jesus was born during a time that Judea was under the rule of the Roman government. The Romans had came to Judea to help them end the Maccabean war with the Seleucid empire. The Jews had wanted the Romans help, but did not want Rome. During the time of Jesus they were looking for a Messiah that would come and deliver them out of Roman rule. The Romans were considered Gentiles and they lived under a different set of laws than the Jews. They did not have the same structure to their society, nor did they follow the same dietary laws. The Jews did, however; put up with the Romans when it came to political pandering or money padding their pockets, but they detested the taxes they had to pay to Caesar and they despised his rules.

Luke 8:26

They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, which is across the lake from Galilee. When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town.

In three of the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, the writers tell a story of Jesus going over to the other side of the Sea of Galilee to the Garasenes. There he meets a man that is demon possessed. There are several interesting things that happen at this point that give us insight into demonic possession along with end-time events. Although, as with most stories about Jesus, this one leaves us with more questions than answers.

Luke 8:28

When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?

The man is described as having no clothes on and having lived near the tombs. As Jesus approached him he yelled out “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?” Jesus ask him “What is your name?” “Legion,” he replied, because many demons had gone into him. Then the demons begged Jesus repeatedly not to send them into the Abyss.  There was a herd of 2000 pigs close by, so the demons begged Jesus to allow them to go into the pigs. All Jesus said was “Go” and the demons went into the pigs. Then the pigs ran into the Sea of Galilee and drowned. The man that was possessed put on clothes and sat down at Jesus’ feet in his right mind. Seeing what had happened, the people of Garasene showed up and asked Jesus to leave and not come back.

Deuteronomy 29:8

We took their land and gave it as an inheritance to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half- tribe of Manasseh.

When Israel entered this land originally, this area was given partly to the tribe of Manassa and partly to the tribe of Gad. So, besides some of the hard questions we have for this story, such as: Why did the demons want to go into the pigs and why then did the pigs run into the water and drown, I believe there are some questions a lot more simple and down to earth  that we need to consider. Why, if pigs were considered unclean to the Jews, would there be 2000 of them? Why would anyone raise unclean animals where they were not needed?

Luke 8:37

Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. So he got into the boat and left.

When Jesus confronts the man he gives his name as “Legion” which is a reference to the Romans and is a military term that means 5000 shoulders. He allowed the demons to go into the unclean animals that were out of place. The pigs then drowned, bringing the towns people out to ask Jesus to leave. The people seemed unconcerned that the former demon possessed man was now fully clothed and in his right mind. All they saw was the dollar signs of lost profits in the drowned pigs.

Matthew 13:22

The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.

In the parable of the sower, Jesus talks about the Word of God that comes to our lives, but because we have so many other interests, it gets choked out. We, like the Gerasenes allow the pigs in our lives to become more important than Jesus. His statement to Israel in delivering this demon possessed man (Legion) was; if you really want to be rid of the Romans, why are you taking their money and feeding them Barbecue? His statement to us is this; If you really want Me to rid the demons from your life, you need to get rid of your pigs.

Ecclesiastes 12:13

Now all has been heard;

here is the conclusion of the matter:

Fear God and keep his commandments,

for this is the whole [duty] of man.

For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.

I looked up the term “hogwash” it literally means the water that runs off the hog after you wash it. So I’m thinking, what would be the purpose of washing a hog? Everything we do that takes our eyes off of Jesus Christ ends up being just hogwash.