A familiar story. One wag says it is the only one in scripture that deals with "deviled ham." Yuck, yuck. The narrative builds around the sensitivities of Jewish piety. Pigs were the personification of uncleanness.(1) They were easily associated with Gentile uncleanness. Tombs were also a source of uncleanness, and in Jewish areas they were whitewashed so that one might not come in contact with a tomb accidentally.(2) A man with no clothes on would be an outcast since nakedness was shameful.(3) Unclean! Unclean! "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?" And moments later, the demons...the uncleanness...gone. Praise the Lord!
No question, modern ears have trouble hearing this story. We would understand it better if the poor man in the graveyard were simply described a…