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Those demons were terrified of Him! It was scary. He who feared His arrival now dreaded His departure. They had heard what had happened to the pigs and knew the Jews considered Gentiles unclean, too. On the other hand, it may be correct to understand that although there were many demons, they had combined as one force to possess this man.119 While Mark records Legions request as one of not being sent out of the country (verse 10), Luke adds a significant explanation by interpreting the meaning behind this request: And they were entreating Him not to command them to depart into the abyss (Luke 8:31). December 2020 The before and after descriptions of the demoniac reveal that he was a totally different person under demonic influence. The demons freak out that Jesus is there because it's not time for them to be tormented by Him yet. print and digital media outlets, dedicated to reporting the truth in light of the Gospel and the Thanks for contributing an answer to Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange! and our That the unclean spirits were personal beings is evident from what is related about their leaving a possessed person, talking or crying out, possessing knowledge concerning Jesus, as well as other supernatural knowledgeshowing fear, and the like. 124 Augustine: The devils were driven out and permitted to go into the swine; and Aquinas: But that the swine were driven into the sea was no work of the divine miracle, but was the work of the devils by divine permission. Quoted by Trench, Miracles, fn. And, lastly, this would allow sufficient time for those miracles which took place on that second day in Capernaum after His return thither. Both Gerasa and Gadara were cities to the east of the Sea of Galilee and the River Jordan. They valued their pigs more than they valued salvation. They found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus' feet, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. October 2018 This supposition would be further confirmed, if the evening when Jesus embarked was what the Jews were wont to call the first evening, that is, the time when the sun was declining in the heaven, but before it had actually set, the latter time being the second evening. For it seems most unlikely that multitudes would have resorted to Jesus at Capernaum after the second evening, or that either the disciples or other boats would have put to sea after nightfall. All Scripture agrees with this, that the judgment of the angels is yet to come (1 Cor. (5) Torment. How Can a Person Get Rid of Evil Spirits. David Noel Freedman, The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 991. Immediately, as this weary group disembarked from the ship, they were met by what appeared to be a madman. And the people there were scared, they recognised this, but more, they realised the significance of this. Why do people like Jesus a lot? recognizes the military background of the term, pointing out that in the imperial period a legion consisted of 6000 foot soldiers, 120 horsemen and technical personnel. How to show that an expression of a finite type must be one of the finitely many possible values? He was Someone Who could control the spirit realm. November 2017 Christians are to be the answer, but often they are part of the problem. Satan loves those Christians. As He had landed with His disciples He had been confronted with a demon-possessed man - a man that no one had been able to control. Why is there a voltage on my HDMI and coaxial cables? Wikipedia states about it: In the second half of the 1st century AD, the city of Jerash achieved great prosperity.. How Satan blinds our minds! She and her wife moved to Maine from Illinois. In that case, of course, it would be in the early morning that the Gerasenes afterwards resorted to Jesus and that He again returned to Capernaum. The entire population of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them because they were seized with great fear. March 2015 Copyright 2023 EWTN News, Inc. All rights reserved. 14ff. They were sacrificed by being thrown off a cliff. 10). Robert L. (Bob)Deffinbaugh graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary with his Th.M. He also maintains a popular Facebook page. It is even possible that his request was to become one of our Lords disciples.125. Why did Jesus allow the legion of demons to stay in the area when they begged him? They ask Him if they can enter some nearby pigs, and He lets them. To the evildoer, anonymity is always preferable to identification. This man demonstrated all four characteristics. Lane, Mark, p. 182, fn. For many Christians today, the horrifying experience of Legion should be sufficient testimony of the reality of the Satanic underworld. Well, it is because atheists, in their zealous rush to make fun of Christians, Christianity, and the Bible, start to lose their logical rigor and rationality, leading them to contend for implausible things: as presently. December 2014 A Jewish exorcist with such authority in the region, risked to damage the beliefs and reputation of the local pagan inhabitants. So he got into the boat and left., Luke 8:37, NIV, great fear [KJV] thoroughly frightened [Phillips]gripped with great fear [NASB]. Holy Communion From the Chalice Reintroduced in the UK: What About the US? June 2021 May 2022 Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighbourhood. Confusion, fear in moments after crash "There were many big pieces of steel," said Vassilis Polyzos, a local resident who said he was one of the first people on the scene. (2) Pork was a food forbidden to Jews, and as such, those who raised these pigs may have done so knowingly in violation of divine injunction. Gergesa may have been a variant spelling of Gerasa. Ralph Earle, The Gospel According to Mark (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1957), p. 70. Neither is it only a kind of physical disease, although spiritual and physical disease often accompany it (e.g. 7 After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, b he entered Capernaum. May 2017 March 2017 They came to Jesus and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the legion; and they were afraid. Even in our sophisticated times, there is an intense interest in the supernatural and the occult. We owe it to Josephus, from whom it has passed into ecclesiastical language. For example, He didnt condemn a prostitute for her actions, He saw a daughter of God who was valuable beyond measure and only needed genuine love and forgiveness. Norval Geldenhuys, Commentary on the Gospel of Luke (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1951), p. 174. For those near by the local name would be used; but in writing to a distant people, as the Greeks and Romans, the more comprehensive and general name would be given.. Wasn't the answer obvious? May 2021 The religious rulers hated Jesus for exposing their hypocrisy and feared the consequences His actions might have with Rome, but they were not afraid of Jesus as a Person. When the pigs were sent into the sea, the people of Gadara lost money. February 2016 It is in no way certain, however, that the pig raisers were Jews. The people were afraid when they saw the possessed man healed. It's a curious passage with many unanswered questions. In Jewish thinking, spirit beings were assigned to certain geographical territories.120. (London: InterVarsity Fellowship, 1950), fn. All of this sure seems perfectly consistent with calling the same area the country (chra) of either the Gerasenes or the Gadarenes, after the two major cities. The time of this event was before Jesus' crucifixion, and before the gentiles were grafted in to the promise (Acts 10). Now appreciate the reaction - another God was messing with their god - and demonstrating authority! 22ff. December 2015 The Truth is Jesus is a safe Person Who loves them, values them, wants their best and will never force Himself on them. 16, x. Mark and Luke, on the other hand, write to more general audiences, and Gerasa was the main Greek-Roman city of the area. Hence there was demon-worship, the worship not necessarily of evil spirits; but of the spirits of those who had existed in the Golden Age. G. Campbell Morgan, The Gospel According to Mark (New York: Fleming H. Revell, 1927), p. 114. The exorcism of the Gerasene demoniac (Matthew 8.28-34; Mark 5.1-20; Luke 8.26-39), frequently known as the Miracle of the (Gadarene) Swine and the exorcism of Legion, is one of the miracles performed by Jesus according to the New Testament. e.g., Matt. 14. Some illicitly use drugs, supposing that they have them completely under their control. Jesus deserves the benefit of the doubt even when we don't have all the facts. xvi. Preisker, TWNT IV (1942), pp. 1, pp. So who was afraid? Verse 1. and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. There seems to be no excuse here for the charge of contradiction. Rather, they attributed the power of Jesus to Satan (Mark 3:22). Mark 5:16 says the thoughts of the people were on the swine. It had nothing to do the farmers losing revenue - at all. In contrast, the people of Gerasene are asking him to leave their place. ), you also need to understand the significance of this - to the people in Gerasene. Jesus had freed the man and for a reason known only to Himself, He had granted the demons request to go into a nearby herd of pigs rather than go into the Abyss [bottomless pit]. At the conclusion of this day of teaching by parables, the Lord had instructed His disciples to cross over the Sea of Galilee to the other side. The people were more terrified of Jesus and His authority than they were of this crazed and demonized man living among the tombs. NEW STAR WARS MERCH PAGE: https://bit.ly/3baWVZv For all sponsorship and business inquiries please contact: thestupendousscrub@gmail.com NEW CHANNEL: https:/. April 2017 November 2021 13ff.). In addition, Matthew includes the comment, Have You come here to torment us before the time? (Matthew 8:29). August 2017 In recent years the matter has been getting uncomfortably close to home. September 2022 The house that is left swept and clean is a likely target for Satanic influence (cf. 2ff., xvv. Why would God tell King David to take a census of the people in verses one through nine, and then cast judgment on him because he did what he told him to do? By His power, we, too, are able to overcome Satans treacheries. December 2022 In fact the region was known as the Gadarenes-Gerasenes region. verse 5). Such seems to be a similar case with Judas (John 13:1-2). Where it falls apart for me is why the Bellonas, knowing that only one person is allowed to survive each duel, take the defeat so personally. Then any greatest of men, like any prophet, hero or king? Earles comments are helpful: The difference in names for the destination on the east side of the take has caused considerable comment. Jesus had actually helped them. August 2021 And they were afraid. Such must have been the response of those with our Lord. I am wondering if the demoniac was pagan or an Israelite. Significantly, the demons are called unclean spirits (verse 2,9). The expression to be with Jesus is used particularly of His disciples (cf. Bill Maher says he's scared of former President Trump "on a very personal level" and "what he would do" to the comedian if he were to win the 2024 White House race. Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. How do I connect these two faces together? Paul tells us that our struggle is, at bottom, a spiritual one (Ephesians 6:12). In the third chapter of Marks Gospel, our Lords miraculous works were attributed by His opponents to the power of Satan (verse 22). The typical explanation for the petition of the residents that Christ leave their country is that they were motivated by materialistic considerations. It should also be observed that nowhere in the Old Testament (except in I Sam. He was a totally safe Person. 8ff.). This name (Strong's #G3003) is a reference to a Roman military regiment that varied in soldier strength from 4,000 to 6,000. Just as demons desire to possess persons through whom they can exhibit their personalities, so the Spirit of God indwells man, imparting new life, and progressively gaining control so that the character of God is exhibited, but not in such a way as to hinder our individuality and identity. Unfortunately, Christians [or those using the name] can be harsh, condemning and critical driving people further into sin and away from God. June 2015 Embedded into both stories are people who were afraid of Jesus. The pig shepherds had gone and spread the news of what had happened all around. Such was the case with this man (cf. Anonymous, October 25 2014 July 2022 Now they would deal with this One greater than he by doing likewise. Demonic influence further destroys mans reflection of God as originally designed.128 Demons have great spiritual insight and reluctantly submit to Jesus as Lord of all. They are happy in their sin and the consequences seem far away. The district of the Gerasenes probably included that of the Gadarenes; so that the demoniac of Gergesa belonged to the country of the Gadarenes and also to that of the Gerasenes, as the same person may, with equal truth, be said to live in the city or the state, or in the United States. 14). And, Gerasene was one. Was there some sort of unwritten rule that Darrow (or any non-Bellona) was supposed to throw the fight? June 2020 The country of the Gadarenes (Gergesenes) is one of the few areas Jesus visited where Gentiles (non-Jews) composed the majority of the population. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. If it is a feminine spirit, the voice will be a feminine one, if masculine then very manly. Have you even been in a service where the Spirit of God was moving and felt fear? Whereas he had been a slave, he was now delivered from demon possession. The Gospels use different names for the place where this occurred: 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. 4, p. 102. As C. S. Lewis aptly put it: There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. September 2016 Another reason could be as Dr. R.C. No matter where you are on life's journey you are welcome here! Nor was it the Jewish population of Galilee. Asked October 24 2014 . Why did the demons ask to be cast into the herd of pigs, and why did the pigs then run into the water to be drowned? As I have been studying this account through the week, it has seemed to me a rather bizarre and remote situation, the liberation of this Gerasene demoniac. April 2018 Who do you care more about, people or pigs? Lukes reading Gergesenes may represent even more accurately the ancient name of this place, as Origen knew of a Gergesa on the lake of Galilee. It would seem that these people had no Messianic expectations, and therefore wanted nothing to do with One Who had such awesome power, a power over which they had no control. What would happen to them? We are seeking a replacement and hope to have it in your newspaper soon. In this account we, by inference, learn much about the demonic spirits. 21,22). The people who witnessed this are . Here is one of the few times that a miracle drove people away, rather than to draw them to Jesus. What they were not willing to accept was the frightening power that could cure him. 05 /5 Another theory. In the past several weeks, there has come to light the case of a man arrested for various crimes who has several of the symptoms of demon possession, including multiple personalities, even multiple IQs. "I am afraid of Trump on a very personal level because I don't think he likes me. Why were the people of Gerasene afraid of the presence of Jesus? December 2021 They themselves are equally pleased by both errors, and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.110. He had only known Jesus for a few hours, but had already determined to be Jesus' disciple for life. The demoniac further evidenced demon activity by the depth of his spiritual insight. The demoniacs frightened the swine, and the transfer of demons from them to the swine was imagined. If an Israelite, why was he in Gerasene in the first place and why was he living so near a large herd of swine? So he got into a boat and returned. In the form of tongues as of fire, the Holy Spirit rests on the disciples on the morning of Pentecost and fills them with himself. (CCC 696). The Lord granted the only request of these residents, which was for Him to leave. September 2021 They came to Jesus and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the legion; and they were afraid. 112 Skeptics and liberals have made much of the differences between the Gospel writers as to the place Jesus landed with His disciples. Commentator R. C. H. Lenski states: The distance of these cities from the lake is immaterial for the narrative since this deals with the region that is near the lake and not with the vicinity of either of the cities to the lake.. Romans 9:19-23). 34When the swineherds saw what had happened, they ran off and told it in the city and in the country. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. They came face-to-face with the Son of God, the Being with the power to change their world forever, and they said, "Please leave." Why? 23, 24, viii. But from all of the Gospel accounts, I get the distinct impression that this mans eyes were riveted on Jesus. How to prove that the supernatural or paranormal doesn't exist? Winthrop Congregational Church, UCC No matter who you are. In Mark 1:5 it is used of the land of Judaea (KJV) and in Acts 10:39, to land of the Jews (KJV). If they dare to open up their lives to Jesus what will happen? Does a barbarian benefit from the fast movement ability while wearing medium armor? Non-Christians can often experience this fear of Jesus as well. I used to want the longest life, perfect health and happiness, but really it is that feeling that I am so glad that this isnt all there is and that we have heaven to wait for, and that well be with Jesus, and there will be no more tears Amber VanVickle (1982-2023), The headquarters of the charity, which serves as a consecrated family to 46 disabled children, were badly damaged in major flooding near Rio de Janeiro last year. Why is that. But then also Christ will triumph, and finally put an end to the evil one and all his powers of darkness (Rev. Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood. Order Bulk SubscriptionsGet a discount on 6 or more copies sent to your parish, organization 17, pp. A word of clarification is in order here for we must recognize that in this account the dark side of Satan is exposed, but this is perhaps the more unusual side of Satan. The scene which Mark presents is deliberately dark. When the townspeople arrived on the scene, they saw the formerly demon-possessed men, clothed, in their right mind and sitting at the feet of Jesus. He said unexpected things and lived by a high ethical standard. Perhaps they clenched their fists or picked up driftwood with which to defend themselves. iv. No! When the Gadarenes saw what Christ was capable of, they panicked. Luke seems to base this fear solely upon what happened to the demoniac, not on the loss of their pigs. You will receive a monthly newsletter with Scriptural teaching plus notifications of any new articles, courses or books. Although the Gospels give us little information as to how individuals become targets of Satanic control, I would suggest for your consideration that they sometimes do so by leaving themselves open to Satanic influence. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. It was opposite Galilee. Why would Jesus ask, "Who touched Me?" Is there a single-word adjective for "having exceptionally strong moral principles"? We dismiss it the more readily, that, in our view, it conveys a wrong impression. Small sins lead to big sins, and big sins bring about a terrible spiritual darkness. The region was not poor or economically depressed. The drowning of these pigs has caused a great deal of discussion amongst Bible students, for as a friend of mine once observed, Thats a lot of pork chops! Had our Lord achieved such a miracle today He would have been in deep trouble. 113 According to the Talmud there were four characteristics of madness: walking abroad at night; spending the night on a grave; tearing ones clothes and destroying what one was given. Its important to note that this was the first demonstration of Jesuss authority outside of Canaan. As Jesus began to get back into the boat, the delivered demoniac pleaded with Him that he might accompany Him. Although it is likely that the larger towns of Galilee were predominantly Gentile, as was the Decapolis, the first-century civilian diet did not . Then people came to see what it was that had happened. Textual variations have compounded the problem. 2,8) who can possess men and animals. 117 so that, by their own confession, a time is coming when there shall be an entire victory of the kingdom of light over that of darkness (Rev. Jesus had simply sailed across the Lake of Galilee to the region of the Gerasenes. Sign up for 6 Free IssuesTry us out with a free trial subscription. What did Jesus do? This was a power far beyond anything they had seen or even imagined. The region was known also as the Decopolis because ten Greek cities were located in the region. And those who had seen it reported to them how the man who was demon-possessed had been made well. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? 61-62. Clarify The people were gentiles who had not yet any interest in the Messiah. The nearby townspeople, upon hearing of the great miracle (and not wanting to suffer further economic loss), begged Christ to leave the Gadarenes and never come back! This was a region east of the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River. I would like to invite you to return to where we left off a few weeks ago in our studies in the gospel of Mark. Accordingly this was not merely an ordinary form of mental disease as some writers have alleged, but a special phenomenon which was particularly frequent during Jesus earthly sojourn and thus was directly connected with His coming to destroy the power of darkness. This reveals to us that demons have an intuitive knowledge of their impending doom.117. Who was afraid of Jesus and why? Was it fear that a secret sin might be exposed? SubscribeStart your Register subscription today. Pig carcasses were washing ashore and drifting out to sea. Oh Hye-son recently published a Korean-language memoir on how she and her husband Thae Yong-ho, then deputy ambassador at North Korea's London embassy, defected in 2016. 26). Early Christians like St. Polycarp clearly held the Catholic view on salvation. Bulk update symbol size units from mm to map units in rule-based symbology. They became as afraid of Jesus as the demons were. Paul says of the former life of the Christian, And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience (Ephesians 1:1-2). 22, xvii. Similar to the storm we see in the book of Job that killed Jobs sons - and Satan was the instigator of that as well. Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. The man, who was naked when he saw Jesus, had the added ability of enduring both freezing and sweltering temperatures as well as pain he inflicted upon himself! 2. The Greeks were believers in the spirit world, but not necessarily convinced that demons were evil.127 As a result, Marks readers needed to be instructed as to the essential nature of demons and demon possession. Like children convinced there are monsters under our beds, the unknown scares us. Now they were delivered and ready to be productive members of society. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. I have always wondered what my Christian brothers had to say to the police officers by way of explanation. Ridiculous? Nevertheless, for consideration. Gadara is about six miles from the sea. Most people confessed to having the fear of things not working out, an inability to trust and others said they . Did Jesus command the demon before he fell on his knees in Mark 5:6? The demoniac was uncontrollable by any of the normal means of human confinement. He said he had come to the house of Israel, not to the gentiles. The Politics of Luke 8:26-39. Gerasenes could have had a sense of reference to the entire region (as well as to a city: just as New Yorker can refer to the state or city), and Gadarenes likely was a reference to the most prominent city of the region at the time. In the King James Version it is called the country of the Gadarenes in Mark and Luke, and of the Gergesenes in Matthew. When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met Him a man from the city who had demons. At first we may deceive ourselves into thinking that we are controlling them, but the ultimate likelihood is that they will master us. The city of Gadara and its surrounding area are referred to as the Gadarenes. Series NotesScripture references are based on the King James translation. Renew or manage your subscription here. The confrontation between the powers of heaven and hell are nowhere seen in better perspective than in Marks account of the encounter of the Gerasene demoniac with our Lord Jesus Christ. But having recalled a passage in Ephesians, I realize now that this man is a reminder of the dilemma of every man, woman, and child who have not come to a saving dependence upon the work of Jesus Christ for sinners on the cross. "The Gerasenes were the people of the district of which Gerasa was the capital. May 2020 . The account occurs in all three Synoptic gospels; in Mark (the shortest gospel) the story is in the longest and most detailed version; Matthew 8.28-34 is the shortest, Demonized individuals are not to be viewed so much as a pigeon hole category, as they are a continuem. August 2020 If Jesus had that kind of power, then He could not be controlled. May 2016 Give a Gift SubscriptionBless friends, family or clergy with a gift of the Register. That is why he was living in the solitude of the tombs, away from civilization. Vote Up Instead of opening themselves up to Jesus and receiving His love and forgiveness, they allowed fear to drive a wedge between them. The demons in the man recognize Jesus and the man bows before him. As the world's top superpower, how unsure of itself can the US be to . No one was strong enough to subdue him (verses 3,4). This would also give time afterwards for the dispersion, not only into the city, but into the country of them who had fed the swine. Some appeared not to be oppressed by them so much as exploiting their powers (cf. He obviously attracted crowds. First of all the Scriptures do not say that the local Pagans were afraid of Jesus, but that they merely begged him to leave their neighbourhood. For some people, the cost is too high. They liked Him and wanted to be with Him. When Jesus and his disciples come to the mostly-Gentile region of the Gerasenes, they are met by a man whose life has been destroyed by demonic infestation. 3); they are reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day (Jude 6); and what the unclean spirits deprecate here, is the bringing in, by anticipation, of that final doom. R. C. Trench, Notes on the Miracles of Our Lord (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1949), p. 100. So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine . Note: 'had the legion', i.e., the many unclean spirits inhabiting him. Today, it is identified with El-Koursi or Kursi. 3 When the centurion 2 heard about Jesus, c he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his . No matter where you are on life's journey. Events that are important to our Church Community, Mark 5:1-20 Jesus Heals the Gerasene Demoniac. In Acts 8:1 we have the regions of Judaea and Samaria (KJV), and in Acts 16:6, Galatia alone. Their first question is a rather pragmatic one, namely, How can demons possess animals? To this we must confess that we know too little to understand the mechanism of demon possession but the reality is very evident. Men in their unbelief suppose that the choice is either to be free (independent of God) or to be the slaves of Christ. The spectrum ranges from those who seem to control the demonic powers to those who are utterly controlled by them. 13; Luke iv. Its ruins include two amphitheaters, a basilica, temple, a hippodrome, aqueducts and colonnades, showing its importance and stature. 5:5). As these people began to piece together the previous events, not only of the destruction of the pigs, but also the deliverance of Legion, they began to sense that there was One far more awesome, much more to be feared, than Legion.