Topical Bible: Swine: Feeding of

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The feeding of swine is a significant motif in the Bible, particularly in the context of Jewish customs and the teachings of Jesus. Swine, or pigs, are considered unclean animals according to Mosaic Law. Leviticus 11:7-8 states, "And the pig, though it has a divided hoof, does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you. You must not eat their meat or touch their carcasses; they are unclean for you." This prohibition underscores the cultural and religious aversion to swine among the Israelites.

The most notable biblical reference to the feeding of swine is found in the Parable of the Prodigal Son, as recounted in Luke 15:11-32. In this parable, Jesus tells the account of a young man who squanders his inheritance in a distant country. As a result of his reckless living, he finds himself in dire poverty. Luke 15:15-16 describes his plight: "So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his belly with the pods the pigs were eating, but no one would give him a thing."

The image of the prodigal son feeding swine is laden with symbolic meaning. For a Jewish audience, the act of tending to pigs would have been seen as a profound degradation, highlighting the young man's fall from grace and his estrangement from his father's house. The swine, being unclean, represent the depths of impurity and desperation to which the son has descended. His longing to eat the pigs' food further emphasizes his destitution and the emptiness of a life lived apart from God.

In a broader theological context, the feeding of swine serves as a metaphor for spiritual bankruptcy and the consequences of sin. It illustrates the futility of seeking fulfillment in worldly pleasures and the inevitable dissatisfaction that follows. The parable ultimately points to the hope of redemption and reconciliation, as the prodigal son returns to his father, who welcomes him with open arms.

The feeding of swine also appears in the account of the Gerasene demoniac in Mark 5:1-20 and Luke 8:26-39. In this narrative, Jesus encounters a man possessed by a legion of demons. When Jesus commands the demons to leave the man, they beg to be sent into a herd of pigs. Jesus permits this, and the demons enter the swine, which then rush down a steep bank into the sea and drown. This dramatic event underscores the destructive power of evil and the authority of Jesus over unclean spirits.

In summary, the feeding of swine in the Bible is a powerful symbol of impurity, degradation, and the consequences of sin. It serves as a poignant reminder of the need for repentance and the hope of restoration through God's grace.

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Luke 15:15,16
And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
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Lord of Life and Love
... the country. Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of
swine feeding. And all the devils besought him, saying: ...
/.../mark/jesus of nazareth a biography/chapter v lord of life.htm

The Legion of Demons.
... And they entreated him that he would not command them to depart into the abyss.
Now there was there a herd of many swine feeding on the mountain. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/barton/his life/the legion of demons.htm

The Gadarene Demoniac. --Christ's Treatment of Him after the Cure. ...
... He then reiterates, in their person, the prayer that Christ would not cast them
into Hades before their time; and perceiving a herd of swine feeding at a ...
/.../section 132 the gadarene demoniac.htm

Jesus Heals Two Gergesene Demoniacs.
... ii.4; Jude 6..] ^b 11 Now there was there ^a afar off from them ^b on the mountain
side a great herd ^a of many swine feeding.31 And the demons besought him ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/lvi jesus heals two gergesene.htm

And when Jesus Finished These Sayings, the Multitudes were ...
... [880] And there was there a herd of many swine, feeding in the mountain, and those
devils besought him to give them leave to enter the swine; and he gave [49 ...
/.../hogg/the diatessaron of tatian/section xi and when jesus.htm

The Peace-Bringer in the Spiritual World
... art Thou come hither to torment us before the time? 30. And there was a
good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding.31. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/the peace-bringer in the spiritual.htm

The Demoniac of Gadara
... Now there was there on the mountain side a great herd of swine feeding. And they
besought Him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. ...
/.../chadwick/the gospel of st mark/chapter 5 1-20 the demoniac of.htm

The Lord of Demons
... And he besought Him much that He would not send them away out of the country.11.
Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.12. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture d/the lord of demons.htm

The Folly and Danger of Parting with Christ for the Pleasures and ...
... And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding. ... And there
was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding. ...
/.../whitefield/selected sermons of george whitefield/the folly and danger of 2.htm

How Brother Juniper Cut Off the Foot of a Pig to Give it to a Sick ...
... shalt have one at once." So he went and took a knife from the kitchen, and in fervour
of spirit went into the forest, where many swine were feeding, and having ...
/.../the little flowers of st francis of assisi/chapter i how brother juniper.htm