While he was once wild and uncontrollable, he was sitting quietly at the feet of Jesus. The lose of the pigs meant loose of partial income in the area. April 2021 The house that is left swept and clean is a likely target for Satanic influence (cf. Then people came to see what it was that had happened. The city of Gadara and its surrounding area are referred to as the Gadarenes. Jesus asked some pretty crazy questions like What Things Happened? 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). Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. Another reason they may have been afraid of Jesus was the realization that if they accepted Him, it would mean a radical change of lifestyle. Now appreciate the reaction - another God was messing with their god - and demonstrating authority! But about a mile further south there is a fairly steep slope within forty yards from the shore, and about two miles from there cavern tombs are found which appear to have been used for dwellings. William L. Lane, The Gospel According to Mark (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1974), p.181. Wasn't the answer obvious? Although it is likely that the larger towns of Galilee were predominantly Gentile, as was the Decapolis, the first-century civilian diet did not . 5:5). I have always wondered what my Christian brothers had to say to the police officers by way of explanation. 37Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. The pleas of Legion were in response to the command of Jesus for the demons to come out of him (verse 8). The entire population of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them because they were seized with great fear. 28); Mark the country of the Gerasenes (v. 1), and Luke, probably, the country of the Gergesenes (viii. 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). It was like being attacked by two Hulks. They probably thought of quickly getting aboard ship and pushing off. If he was a pagan, why did Jesus cast out his demons? The demoniacs were mere maniacs, whom Jesus cured by humouring their fancies; and His giving leave to imaginary demons to enter into the swine, produced the story of the disaster to the herd.All these explanations assume that the Gospel narratives are wholly or in part unhistorical. Plummer, Luke, p. 228. The second question is an ethical one: What right had the Lord to inflict this loss on the owners of the swine?121 Put even more crassly, Huxley censored this act with these words: the wanton destruction of other peoples property is a misdemeanour of evil example.122. A crowd had come to see what had happened for themselves. Therefore, Jesus Christ for demons is God and thus even demons inadvertently reveal themselves as being better theologians than Arians and their modern day heirs - Jehovawitnesians and all different breeds of Unitarians - their name being legion! Based on all the evidence we have seen over the past four months with regards to ChatGPT and how it can be manipulated or even how it will lie . 13; Luke iv. It is even possible that his request was to become one of our Lords disciples.125. Men in their unbelief suppose that the choice is either to be free (independent of God) or to be the slaves of Christ. It hit them hard in the pocketbook. The region is located east of the Jordan River and southeast of the Sea of Galilee. He said unexpected things and lived by a high ethical standard. They were instructed to keep quiet about what Jesus had done for them (cf. When addressed, the person was the mouthpiece of the demon (such as Legion, Mark 5:9). July 2021 They were afraid and astonished, saying to one another, "Who then is this, that He commands even the winds and the sea, and they obey Him?" . 5. I think the coup de grce is to look up the Greek word for country in these passages, to see what latitude of meaning it has. Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighbourhood. Gadara, though not directly named in Scripture, was part of the Decapolis. The drowning of the swine was an accident, possibly simultaneous with the healing, and report mixed up the two incidents. Sermon for July 26, 2020: Why Were They So Afraid: Mark 5:1-20 Mark and Luke, on the other hand, write to more general audiences, and Gerasa was the main Greek-Roman city of the area. (4) Our Lord did not command the demons to enter into the pigs and bring about their destruction; He only permitted it.124. What was the country of the Gerasenes (or Gadarenes) and why is it And those who had seen it reported to them how the man who was demon-possessed had been made well. When Jesus asked the demoniac his name, it was not without significance for He was, I believe, asking the demons to reveal their identity. Paul tells us that our struggle is, at bottom, a spiritual one (Ephesians 6:12). And he said to them, Where is your faith? The Gadarenes' Rejection | Reformed Bible Studies & Devotionals at NET Bible Then all the people of the Gerasenes and the surrounding region asked Jesus to leave them alone, for they were seized with great fear. 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. Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. This story is a little bit of an Easter story. Flavius Josephus and Steve Mason, Flavius Josephus: Life of Josephus (Boston; Leiden: Brill, 2003), 47. Luke 8:26And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee. Sometime after the Lord Jesus miraculously calmed the storm, the ship landed, perhaps late in the evening,111 on the other side of the lake in the country of the Gerasenes.112 If, indeed, it was late at night, the scene must have been an eerie one, with the nerves of the disciples already worn thin by the terrifying experience of the storm. And Jesus, being a Gentleman, was not about to force Himself on them. rev2023.3.3.43278. It was not the loss of their property or investment that caused them to be afraid of Jesus. February 2018 where something similar occurs) is a demon-possession mentioned, and that outside the Gospels it is referred to only twice in the New Testament (Acts xvi. Even the demons confessed that He was the Son of the Most High (Mark 5:7). 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. Fallen people reject God not because they do not know His power. These people did not want to change. Although demon-possession after that time no longer occurs on such a devastating and noticeable scale, the absolute form of demon-possession will appear at the end of the age in the Antichrist and in his followers (2 Thess. Christians are to be a "safe" people - an expression of that love of God so people who do not know Him can be drawn to the Truth. This was a region east of the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River. September 2022 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. Most people confessed to having the fear of things not working out, an inability to trust and others said they . Stack Exchange network consists of 181 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. From this point on, Jesus began to speak to the crowds in parables in order to veil or conceal the gospel from those who had blasphemed the Holy Spirit (Mark 4:lff). Why did the Gerasenes become afraid when they saw that the - Reddit 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. In addition, Matthew includes the comment, Have You come here to torment us before the time? (Matthew 8:29). Jesus has lead me away from my old life. verse 5). The demonically possessed man who came to Jesus cried out his name was Legion. On several occasions, when Jesus forgave someone, He specifically said, Go and sin no more. That only works for people who are sick of their sin and want to change. October 2020 She and her wife moved to Maine from Illinois. 2. And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another . In contrast, the people of Gerasene are asking him to leave their place. The Gadarenes was the place where Jesus confronted a man whose possession by demons gave him a level of superhuman strength like Samson (Mark 5:3 - 5, Luke 8:27). The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. The pig tenders reported it far and wide, in city and country (verse 14). 2 Now a centurion had a servant 1 who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. Luke 7 - And blessed is the one who is not offended by me." | ESV.org 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. Why is that. Reproduction of material from this website without written permission, or unlicensed commercial use or They were sacrificed by being thrown off a cliff. But, Im telling you. He could just as easily commanded them to return to the deepest, darkest pit of Hell. July 2015 The expression to be with Jesus is used particularly of His disciples (cf. He who feared His arrival now dreaded His departure. The confrontation of Jesus and the Gerasene demoniac made it clear that Jesus was no servant of Satan. The demoniac further evidenced demon activity by the depth of his spiritual insight. No one was strong enough to subdue him (verses 3,4). Second, while the death of the pigs is clearly an economic loss for the owner, Jesus is illustrating the infinite value of human life. How Can a Person Get Rid of Evil Spirits. Events that are important to our Church Community, Mark 5:1-20 Jesus Heals the Gerasene Demoniac. It is ironic that while the demons didnt want to leave the country, the dwellers of that land didnt want the Messiah to stay. The commission of our Lord is considerably different from His instructions to the Israelites whom He had delivered. When Jesus asked his name the man answered, Legion, for we are many (Mark 5:9). Jesus never interacted with people as they were, but as He knew they were created to be. For many Christians today, the horrifying experience of Legion should be sufficient testimony of the reality of the Satanic underworld. First of all, I believe Mark was attempting to warn his Gentile readers of the great danger of demonic influence and activity. The destructive desires of the demons were dramatically carried out in the drowning of the swine. People who have no appr Fallen people reject God not because they do not know His power. We should be warned that fooling with these Satanic fronts is like experimenting with drugs. or by some form of self-emptying (such as various forms of eastern meditation) in my opinion, they are in a precarious position. Will they be condemned like unclean animals? No! The Gadarene: When Following Jesus Means Going Home 125 This is the position of Lane, Mark, p. 187. Men and women (as well as children) were demonized in that they fell under the influence of these unclean spirits. It only takes a minute to sign up. If an Israelite, why was he in Gerasene in the first place and why was he living so near a large herd of swine? I think all these attempts to harmonize what may at first seem like a contradiction are plausible, respectable, and adequate. As Jesus began to get back into the boat, the delivered demoniac pleaded with Him that he might accompany Him. Thayers Greek Lexicon defines it as the space lying between two places or limits region or country. The Sea of Galilee was clearly one of the limits. This name (Strong's #G3003) is a reference to a Roman military regiment that varied in soldier strength from 4,000 to 6,000. August 2021 Fear that you might do something that would embarrass you? 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. Non-Christians can often experience this fear of Jesus as well. When the Gadarenes saw what Christ was capable of, they panicked. This city was better known than Gadara or Gergesa; indeed in the Roman age no city of Palestine was better known.. 4. (3) Our Lord was moved with compassion by the torment of Legion and the loss of these pigs should in no way dim our view of the deliverance of the demoniac. Like the Samaritans who followed the woman at the well to see this One who had told her all she had done, so these residents came to see for themselves what had happened. No! The people were gentiles who had not yet any interest in the Messiah. The scene which Mark presents is deliberately dark. "I am afraid of Trump on a very personal level because I don't think he likes me. Jesus deserves the benefit of the doubt even when we don't have all the facts. Pig carcasses were washing ashore and drifting out to sea. Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. And they were afraid. Top Ten Reasons Why There Were Pigs In Gerasenes You might be thinking back to Easter and not recall very many hogs showing up except for at Easter supper. 3. Who Was Afraid Of Jesus And Why? Although Gadarenes and Gergesenes are derived from a different Greek word, they are essentially referring to the same area. But the distance is so short that, even making allowance for the delay by the tempest, the passage could scarcely have occupied the whole night. Earles comments are helpful: The difference in names for the destination on the east side of the take has caused considerable comment. It is in no way certain, however, that the pig raisers were Jews. And when the man spoke to Jesus, it looks like the demons inside the man were the ones doing the speaking. French Monastery Survives War and Famine After 885 Years, the Basilica of St. Ambrose in Milan, and More Great Links! We read at Mk 5:14-17 (NRSVCE), the immediate after-effects of the driving out of evil spirits by Jesus at Gerasene by allowing them to enter pigs: The swineherds ran off and told it in the city and in the country. It became one of the proudest cities of Syria. It was situated some 30 miles southeast of Gadara, on the borders of Peraea and a little north of the river Jabbok. With a little knowledge of the geography of the region, this apparent contradiction can be resolved. For more information, please see our Another approach is to note the different intentions of the Gospel writers. 36 Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. Pigs were seen as unclean animals in the eyes of the people of Israel. 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. Acts 5:1-6). Mark 3:14). Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. Asked October 24 2014 And, it can not be understood properly out of this context. Luke 8:37Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them: for they were taken with great fear: and he went up into the ship, and returned back again. Second (and primarily), Mark employs this event to authenticate the claims of Jesus to be the Son of God and Israels Messiah. Satan loves those Christians. art thou come hither to torment us before the time? PDF A Legion of Fears The Politics of Luke 8:26-39 | Political Theology Network In fact the region was known as the Gadarenes-Gerasenes region. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. 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. March 2018 vi. 15; Mark ix. Region of the Gerasenes - Fire and Light November 2015 Instead, they reject Him because all they know is His power and purity. Pastor Chrissy is a native of East Tennessee. Brazilian Charity Caring for Children Who Survived Abortions Issues Urgent Appeal, Memento Mori: Remember You Are Going to Die, The Meat of the Matter: St. Patricks Day and the Lenten Fast. In both the accounts of Mark and Luke, the primary motivation is described as that of fear. David Noel Freedman, The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 991. Subscriber Service CenterAlready a subscriber? October 2017 As we pass from this section to the next, let us not end on the note of the death of the pigs, but on the deliverance of the demoniac. No matter where you are on life's journey you are welcome here! It was scary. Into the country of the Gadarenes, or rather, Gera-senes, which is now generally admitted to be the true reading, from Gerasa, Gersa, or Kersa.There was another Gerasa, situated at some distance from the sea, on the borders of Arabia Petraea. Early Christians like St. Polycarp clearly held the Catholic view on salvation. 112 Skeptics and liberals have made much of the differences between the Gospel writers as to the place Jesus landed with His disciples. What sort of strategies would a medieval military use against a fantasy giant? I asked why people are afraid of commitment and relationships and some said they are afraid because they fear being hurt again. 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 as the purpose of Roman legions was to enforce the will of the emperor, the goal of the multiple evil spirits was to carry out the devil's will of bringing pain, destruction and chaos to humans! 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. August 2015 3 When the centurion 2 heard about Jesus, c he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his . Series NotesScripture references are based on the King James translation. Pigs were specifically set aside as the animal used in sacrifices to their god. 22ff. to sign up for our free Water Of The Word newsletter at the top of any page! Ouija boards are found in many American homes. (5) What our Lord could have given the people of this territory was much greater than what He took away. No matter who you are. 2 And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. Why do people like Jesus a lot? 111 Edersheim maintains that it must have been late the same night of the storm: Most writers have, indeed, suggested, that the healing of the demonized on the other side took place at early dawn of the day following the storm on the lake. Many times people - Non-Christians and Christians - push Jesus away because they do not want to change. At their request, He left. September 2018 How much more sinful than Peter were the Geraseneans, who because of love of money did not shun even to engage in a non-Jew business of herding swine; how much more unbearable and dreadful must have been for them the Lords presence! The whole story is a myth. 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. I understand why," the HBO "Real Time" host told Jake Tapper on Tuesday as part . - And they came to the other side of the sea.The other side of the sea would be the south-east side of the sea. Far from this, He had stormed the gates of Hell and prevailed. Matthew 8:4; Luke 8:56). Holiness hurts! T. H. Huxley, in his Essays upon some Controverted Questions (1892), made merry over the escapade of the Gadarene swine, running the seven miles between Gadar and the lake of Galilee, crossing the deep river Yarmuk en route.