Reading Scripture
My family is attempting the "read the New Testament in a year" program in the back of the Orthodox Study Bible. Tomorrow we get to the part of Matthew's Gospel (8:28-34) with the demons sent into the swine. I know this is one of Fr. Michael's absolute favorite topics to preach on when it comes around in the cycle of readings at church - perhaps I can goad him into reflecting on it here.
A puzzle to me is why the demons wanted to be in the swine in the first place, particularly since they just rushed off and drowned themselves after entering the swine. I could see a demon prefering life as a pig to being "deported" (see, e.g., Constantine) back to hell - maybe pigs have a rich life of sensation that compares favorably to being a demon in hell. But why go into a pig just to drown oneself?
A puzzle to me is why the demons wanted to be in the swine in the first place, particularly since they just rushed off and drowned themselves after entering the swine. I could see a demon prefering life as a pig to being "deported" (see, e.g., Constantine) back to hell - maybe pigs have a rich life of sensation that compares favorably to being a demon in hell. But why go into a pig just to drown oneself?
Posted by Andy Morriss on
Tuesday January 10, 2006 at 9:45pm