30 Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was feeding. 31 The demons begged Jesus, “If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.”

32 He said to them, “Go!” So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water. 33 Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. 34 Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region. Matthew 8:30-34

Let’s face it, if you were a pig farmer back then, Jesus was bad for your business. When a whole herd of pigs drown in the sea, you’d lose quite a bit of money.

The townspeople came out to see Him but only to run Him out of town. That was their world. Jesus may have performed a great miracle but they lost money that day.

I suspect, though, that they remembered this event all the days of their lives. Yes, they lost money but how did it all happen? What did this man say or do to drive the pigs into the water? This was no chance encounter for the Gadarenesites. They had just been part of a supernatural event that would be discussed in theology books henceforth. The townspeople would remain nameless, but their memory lives on.

Love Him as we do or hate him as they did, everyone who encounters Jesus remembers Him well.