Gerasenes or Gadarenes and the demon pigs
I was in a dialogue with an atheist regarding what he believes is one of “many” so-called “biblical contradictions.” The odd guy I am, I find this sort of thing fun. In any event, I love defending the Bible and Christianity. He brought up the story of Jesus casting out demons and sending them into pigs, which promptly ran over a cliff into the sea. The Gospels use different names for the places where this occurred: Mark 5:1 ... the country of the Ger’asenes. (Luke 8:26 is identical) Matthew 8:28 ... the country of the Gadarenes ... This is supposedly a “contradiction.” Gerasa is (as we know) some 30-35 miles southeast of the Sea of Galilee but may have also been the name of the larger region. Wikipedia states, "In the second half of the 1st century AD, Jerash achieved great prosperity.” Gadara is about six miles from the sea. Its ruins include two amphitheatres, a basilica, a temple, a hippodrome, aqueducts and colonnades, showing its importance and stature. “Gergesenes” is al