Mark 5:16 says the thoughts of the people were on the swine. But sometimes, like the man in Luke 8:26-39, the more difficult call is to go back home. But Jesus was sleeping. 28); Mark the country of the Gerasenes (v. 1), and Luke, probably, the country of the Gergesenes (viii. Acts 19:16). PRAYER: Dear Lord, first of all, I want to thank you for your healing, restoring power. Instantly he recognized the Lord Jesus to be the Son of God (verse 7).116 There was a source of spiritual insight beyond human capabilities here. 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. We're going to drown!' It opens our eyes to a world that is largely unknown and frankly unsettling. v. 37) describe Jesus healing of the demoniac Legion and the drowning of the swine in the Sea of Galilee (cf. Before the war it was a Gentile settlement. When you get a chance, please take the, New blog post from our CEO Prashanth: Community is the future of AI, Improving the copy in the close modal and post notices - 2023 edition, Does Jesus show compassion to demons in Mark 5:12-13. 3. (Jos. The site is identified today with the town of Kersa, or Gersa, just below Wadi es-Samak. john kiuta masuka, December 19 2016 Immediately, as this weary group disembarked from the ship, they were met by what appeared to be a madman. A main street with columns on both sides leads out of the forum. He had been tied up many times with chains and ropes, but . 2ff., xvv. Jesus, be my healer. People had tried to tie him down but he was too strong to be bound, even with chains, for he would always break out of them; night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones. 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 reply Legion118 may be some kind of evasion, a reluctance on the part of the demons to individually identify themselves. (1995), New Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Nashville, TN: Nelson). The Maniac Who Became a Missionary, Part 1 - Grace to You 1 Response 2. No matter what men attempted to bind him with, he broke loose. We come to a riveting, compelling, fascinating, gripping story, an incident in the life of our Lord which introduces us again to His divine power. Why were the people of Gerasene afraid of the presence of Jesus among them? Gergesa may have been a variant spelling of Gerasa. Ralph Earle, The Gospel According to Mark (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1957), p. 70. 3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one . There probably were not many who had been told yet of the Messiah, and so were not yet believers. May the Spirit of God be so evident in us that men may see God in our lives. Be my helper. The best known Gerasa was a Greek city nearly forty miles southeast of the lake (modern village of Khersa, on the east shore of the lake. Vote Up The people were afraid when they saw the possessed man healed. Jesus was saying, (demonstrating) that He had all authority, in any land. A contradiction occurs only when one statement makes the other impossible. Bob is a pastor/teacher and elder at Community Bible Chapel in Richardson, Texas, and has contributed many of his Bible study series for use by the Foundation. Everyone strained for a look at the tomb-man. Amen. We see the first reaction to this in the storm MARK 4:7 And a great windstorm arose [snip]. The Greek word commonly accepted in Mark 5:1 and Luke 8:26 as the basis for the name of the people who inhabited the place where Jesus and the disciples went is rendered Gerasenes in English (Metzger, 1975, pp. It shows that the writers had not agreed to impose on the world; for if they had, they would have mentioned the same city; and it shows, also, they were familiar with the country. He had only known Jesus for a few hours, but had already determined to be Jesus' disciple for life. ), you also need to understand the significance of this - to the people in Gerasene. Our Lord responded sternly by calling this accusation blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, and as such was the one unpardonable sin (verses 28-30). What was it that they saw? Rev. It was like being attacked by two Hulks. They probably thought of quickly getting aboard ship and pushing off. That would be a strong message, by allowing them to be possessed and then drowned. Pigs were seen as unclean animals in the eyes of the people of Israel. xx. [citation needed]. Gerasa; Gerasenes - Meaning and Verses in Bible Encyclopedia 118 H. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. Since all of these areas overlap, one may take the references as meaning the same place. Nevertheless, for consideration. It became the seat of a bishopric, and one of its bishops attended the Council of Chalcedon. He seemed to view Jesus approach as the launching of a direct attack on the demonic forces. Finally, there is in demon possession a counterpart to the filling (or control) of the Holy Spirit. How many demons possessed the man in Mark 5:6? The story of Jesus casting out the demons from a human and into a herd of swine is well-known, but where it happened, and what it means, are more contentious questions and deserve fuller analysis and discussion. It was the terror of the damned. And all the people in the region of the Gerasenes begged Jesus to go away and leave them alone, for a great wave of fear swept over them. noted the official establishment of Christianity and discontinuance of pagan worship in the 5th cent. Ananias and Sapphira did so by allowing their greed to grip their hearts (cf. Just imagine, a man in a cinema, having bought popcorn and cola and watching an action movie, with a lot of violence and harsh language in it, and then he sees suddenly that a saintly bishop is sitting just next to his seat, not watching the movie, but reading silently psalms with a countenance radiating a deep contemplation; will not the first man be upset and lose all pleasure of watching the movie? The words "return to your home" must have made this man's heart sink. What does Mark 5:1 mean? | BibleRef.com Because some confusion exists in the gospel MS evidence and perhaps in other source material, absolute certainty cannot be attained; but the following identification seems correct. Albert Barnes explained the difference between Gadara and Gerasa: Gadara was a city not far from the Lake Gennesareth, one of the ten cities that were called Decapolis. It was greatly influenced by Greek culture.126. It's not them. ger'-a-sa, ger'-a-senz (Gerasa; Gerasenon):1. A friend of mine told me later that two students were attempting to cast a demon out of a fellow. Did they bring their sick to Jesus so that he might heal them? William of Tyre calls the city Jarras, and places it 16 miles East of Jordan (Hist, xii, 16). He himself earnestly desired to stay with Jesus, knowing that Jesus had saved him an otherwise completely hopeless and unremediable condition. 1 Response The Response of the People - Mt. The lesson of this passage is that Satan is a defeated foe. The demoniac was uncontrollable by any of the normal means of human confinement. 1. (1) Severe personality change. As indicated in the textual note, the best Greek text reads Gerasenes in Mark and Luke, Gadarenes in Matthew. How many men came out to meet Jesus in Gerasene? Bible-believing Christians have always accepted the fact of demons and their activity in New Testament times, but most of us are inclined to relegate demonic activity in these days to pagan lands and missionary experiences. If an Israelite, why was he in Gerasene in the first place and why was he living so near a large herd of swine? 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. It is Geldenhuys who gives us the most concise description of demon-possession: in the New Testament demon-possession means that a person is dominated by the spirit of a demon and tormented by him. If they would just listen to what he had to say. Why would God condemn Balaam for doing what God told him to do with the Moabites? (1946), The Interpretation of St. Marks Gospel (Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg). As a herdsman recounted what happened, they kept looking at him and then to Jesus. War I. iv. 2 And as soon as He got out of the boat, there met Him out of the tombs a man [under the power] of an unclean spirit. Now appreciate the reaction - another God was messing with their god - and demonstrating authority! 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. And now, with the demons gone, nothing he had ever experienced came close to the safety and peace he felt simply being near Jesus. Some have suggested that the words Gergesenes and Gerasenes are not words referring to people from a city other than Gadara, but merely different variations of the word Gadarenes (Youngblood, p. 468; McGarvey, p. 344). Apologetics Press is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization dedicated to the defense of New Testament Christianity. The choice is to be free by submission to Christ (cf. Most scholars today would agree with Origen that near Gergesa was the precise site for the healing of Legion. It was a small village about midway along the E shore of the Sea of Galilee. Gergesa is located, with relative certainty, midway along the E bank of the Sea of Galilee; Gadara is six m. SE from the S end of the Sea of Galilee; and Gerasa is some thirty-five m. SE. During the time of Christ, the ten cities of Decapolis and the surrounding region were inhabited mostly by Gentiles, not Jews, and the area had a strong Greek influence. Learn more about these miraculous stories found in the Bible. (4) Super-human strength. The healing of the demoniacs and the repulse of the Healer by the inhabitants are historical, but the incident of the swine is a later figment. 8:28, Mark 5:1-2, Luke 8:26-27. [6], The location is also changed to the region of the "Gadarenes" (Gadara) as in most Bible translations. Gergesa (). In addition, Matthew includes the comment, Have You come here to torment us before the time? (Matthew 8:29). (it should be added that Plummer himelf does not hold to any of these views.). [3] However, other commentators have attempted to make the story consistent with a Jesus who shows "care and concern for animals," as John Austin Baker wrote. More than this, however, is the fact that the mans own identity and individuality were swallowed up by the demons with him. The Cross And Separation From The World (1 Peter 4:1-6), 7. ger'-a-sa, ger'-a-senz (Gerasa; Gerasenon): 1. Gerasa was rebuilt in splendor and remained prosperous for several centuries. (1) As Lord of all, God has the right to make use of His creation any way that He deems best, and this includes not only pigs, but people (cf. Can devils entreat in such a manner any highest of angels, be he Michael, Gabriel or Raphael, or any greatest cherub or seraph? Then any greatest of men, like any prophet, hero or king? Country of the Gerasenes:The town itself is not named in Scripture, and is referred to only in the expression, "country of the Gerasenes" (Mark 5:1 Luke 8:26, 37; see Westcott and Hort, The New Testament in Greek, Appendix, 11). Matt. Although his symptoms would have appeared to be those of an insane man,113 the Gospel writers inform us that he was demon-possessed.114. It only takes a minute to sign up. The triumphal arch to the South of the city is almost entire. For these demons to be sent out of the country would have meant that they would then be confined along with other fallen angels (cf. rev2023.5.1.43404. Pliny described it as a city of the Decapolis founded after the Rom. Here in Mark, he purposely set out to travel into another land. Coffman, James Burton (1975), Commentary on Mark (Abilene, TX: ACU Press). 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). For the Christian, there are two extremes which must be avoided with reference to Satanic activity. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. Now he knew better. Afterwards, the man Jesus had rescued from the demons wanted to go with Him, but Jesus sent him to share the good news of the gospel with his own people: "Return to your house, and declare what great things God has done for you." He went his way, proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him. get to know the Bible better! The most likely answer is to the country of the Gerasenes: i.e., Gerasa, a Greek town thought to be the same as the similarly-named Kersa on the east shore of Lake Tiberias. Did Jesus Go to Gerasa or Gadara? - Apologetics Press 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! 4.1K views, 50 likes, 28 loves, 154 comments, 48 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from 7th District AME Church: Thursday Morning Opening Session What happened to the evil spirits Jesus cast out of the man named "Legion" after the swine drowned? Lucius Annius, at the instance of Vespasian, sacked and burned the city, with much slaughter (BJ, IV, ix, 1). Gerasa. Pig carcasses were washing ashore and drifting out to sea. We don't want any more trouble here!" In recent years the matter has been getting uncomfortably close to home. Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood. November's featured resource is an Advent poem that John Piper delivered in 1993 at Bethlehem titled "The Gadarene." These, however, are not the problem raised by Bible students. To understand this event, you need consider the incident at Babel, and Deuteronomy. Demon possession, such as that of the Gerasene demoniac is the crudest and cruelest form of Satanic control, but by and large also one of the less common manifestations of Satans work in the world today. A few men went on to survey the dead floating herd. Were the writers of the synoptic gospel accounts confused about where Jesus was when He healed the men? This reveals to us that demons have an intuitive knowledge of their impending doom.117. 9. 7. 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! Gerasa itself is probably represented by the ruins of Kurseh on the South side of Wady Semak, just where it opens on the seashore. 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! Thus, all the circumstances lead us to regard the healing of the demonized at Gerasa as a night scene, immediately on Christs arrival from Capernaum, and after the calming of the storm at sea. Alford Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1965), I, pp. 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. To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers. v. 37) describe Jesus' healing of the demoniac "Legion" and . Generic Doubly-Linked-Lists C implementation, Understanding the probability of measurement w.r.t. He was leaving! It is clear that Matthew, Mark, and Luke did not contradict each otherin fact, they complemented each other. The disciples went and woke him, saying, 'Lord, save us! In the 2nd cent. 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. A city in Transjordania, situated about thirty-five m. SE of the S end of the Sea of Galilee, one of the cities of the Decapolis; the inhabitants of the city. Such must have been the response of those with our Lord.
