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). So they refer to Gerasenes. 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). Welcome to Biblical Hermeneutics! 123 1. Privacy Policy. (1) Severe personality change. So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine . 5:5). 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. (6) Tendency towards self-destruction. For more information, please see our 36Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. For more information about Glenn Davis see our About Glenn page and/or his Author's Page. What were the women in Mark 16:8 afraid of? 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. Then all the people of the Gerasenes and the surrounding region asked Jesus to leave them alone, for they were seized . Demon-possession is, therefore, not merely a mental state in which someone suffers from a delusion or is subjected to some subjective disturbance of the world of ideas. Such was the case with this man (cf. Note: 'had the legion', i.e., the many unclean spirits inhabiting him. This is probably the Gerasa of Mark and Luke. To the evildoer, anonymity is always preferable to identification. As Jesus began to get back into the boat, the delivered demoniac pleaded with Him that he might accompany Him. 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. The whole story is a myth. Then people came to see what it was that had happened. 16, x. In the King James Version it is called the country of the Gadarenes in Mark and Luke, and of the Gergesenes in Matthew. Create your own unique website with customizable templates. 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). And when the man spoke to Jesus, it looks like the demons inside the man were the ones doing the speaking. . 7. Its ruins include two amphitheaters, a basilica, temple, a hippodrome, aqueducts and colonnades, showing its importance and stature. March 2017 He brought up the story of Jesus casting out demons and sending them into pigs, which promptly ran over a cliff into the sea. I understand why," the HBO "Real Time" host told Jake Tapper on Tuesday as part . 16ff., xix. Thus, it is not always used of one specific country (nation), but rather, usually to regions or areas of either small (Bethlehem) or large (Judaea and Samaria) size, including regions surrounding large cities. Sermon for July 26, 2020: Why Were They So Afraid: Mark 5:1-20. Finally, there is in demon possession a counterpart to the filling (or control) of the Holy Spirit. November 2015 The center of personality, the volitional and active ego, is impaired by alien powers which seek to ruin the man and sometimes drive him to self-destruction (Mk. It is not difficult to imagine what was going through the minds of the disciples as their ship landed and as these two demon possessed men rushed to them. Reproduction of material from this website without written permission, or unlicensed commercial use or So he got into a boat and returned. Sign up for 6 Free IssuesTry us out with a free trial subscription. 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. (3) Spiritual insight. And they were afraid. Have you even been in a service where the Spirit of God was moving and felt fear? September 2016 (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. It might be better to hide behind masks than risk being hurt again After all, if God rejects youwhere else can you go? If an Israelite, why was he in Gerasene in the first place and why was he living so near a large herd of swine? The people (nations) were divided up, and boundaries allocated' and the sons of god were put over these nations. No matter where you are on life's journey. When addressed, the person was the mouthpiece of the demon (such as Legion, Mark 5:9). So he got into the boat and left. 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). 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 pig tenders reported it far and wide, in city and country (verse 14). SubscribeStart your Register subscription today. Nor was it the Jewish population of Galilee. As the world's top superpower, how unsure of itself can the US be to . Luke 8 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. There is, as we know, the world, the flesh, and the Devil. January 2016 art thou come hither to torment us before the time? He who feared His arrival now dreaded His departure. 14ff. to sign up for our free Water Of The Word newsletter at the top of any page! Understand the meaning of Luke 8:37 using all available Bible versions and commentary. Smiths Bible Dictionary provides what I find to be a quite plausible explanation (not special pleading at all), and analogous to how we still use place names today: These three names are used indiscriminately to designate the place where Jesus healed two demoniacs. Here is one of the few times that a miracle drove people away, rather than to draw them to Jesus. xii. Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professors, theologians, and those interested in exegetical analysis of biblical texts. What scared them was a power so fierce it could free a man. 37 Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. Romans 9:19-23). 122 Quoted by Alfred Plummer, The Gospel According to Saint Luke, (Edinburg: T. and T. Clark, 5th ed., 1969): p. 228. He obviously attracted crowds. One is that he was a fascinating man. 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. Your comment will be posted after it is approved. The typical explanation for the petition of the residents that Christ leave their country is that they were motivated by materialistic considerations. That is why the inhabitants of the area are referred to variously in different Bible manuscripts as Gergasenes, Gadarenes, or Gerasenes. Robert L. (Bob)Deffinbaugh graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary with his Th.M. Some of the proposed answers to this question are totally unacceptable to an orthodox, evangelical Christian.123 By way of explanation, there are several factors which should be given serious consideration. Who was afraid of Jesus and why? Some appeared not to be oppressed by them so much as exploiting their powers (cf. And, it can not be understood properly out of this context. To date they have failed to respond in any way. Jesus had been performing miracles in Gods nation - Israel. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. (2) Anti-social behavior. 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. (London: InterVarsity Fellowship, 1950), fn. Why did Jesus allow the legion of demons to stay in the area when they begged him? September 2021 Jewish theology, at least on this point, seems consistent with biblical revelation. Father Macaire, 33, who was ordained fewer than two years ago, was kidnapped the morning of Feb. 7 when he was on his way to his missionary community in Kazal, about 20 miles north of Port-au-Prince. 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. Renew or manage your subscription here. This was a federation of ten cities (deka = ten, polis = city). Holiness hurts! 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. And he said to them, Where is your faith? The conduct of this pathetic individual was obviously anti-social. or school. This was a region east of the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River. Who do you care more about, people or pigs? But from all of the Gospel accounts, I get the distinct impression that this mans eyes were riveted on Jesus. Lets face it, we all like to be in control. Whereas he had been a slave, he was now delivered from demon possession. Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighbourhood. 05 /5 Another theory. The difference between the phonemes /p/ and /b/ in Japanese, Is there a solutiuon to add special characters from software and how to do it. In Luke 2:8 it is applied to the city of Bethlehem; in Acts 18:23 to Galatia and Phrygia. April 2021 How to show that an expression of a finite type must be one of the finitely many possible values? No! 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. People who have no appr xvii. When the pigs were sent into the sea, the people of Gadara lost money. The New Testament speaks of those who had a spirit, or a demon, or demons, or an unclean spirit, or the spirit of an unclean demon, but chiefly of persons who were demonised. Edersheim, Life and Times, I, p. 479. December 2017 Let me say as graciously as I can, Satan does not need to work on us in those areas as we are doing very well without his exploitation. March 2015 The ego is so impaired that the spirits speak through him. Dr. Thomson discovered on the eastern shore the ruins of a village called Khersa. We are seeking a replacement and hope to have it in your newspaper soon. May 2015 8ff.). Instead, they reject Him because all they know is His power and purity. The house that is left swept and clean is a likely target for Satanic influence (cf. 1, pp. December 2020 This reveals to us that demons have an intuitive knowledge of their impending doom.117. Even in our sophisticated times, there is an intense interest in the supernatural and the occult. October 2020 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. Spam. This makes sense, I couldn't believe they asked Jesus to leave. Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood. They valued their pigs more than they valued salvation. Although Gadarenes and Gergesenes are derived from a different Greek word, they are essentially referring to the same area. 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.. At first we may deceive ourselves into thinking that we are controlling them, but the ultimate likelihood is that they will master us. Holy Communion From the Chalice Reintroduced in the UK: What About the US? So, they asked Him to leave. 0 Responses These men were a danger to themselves and others. According to another theory, the Chapati movement of 1857 was an attempt to prevent a cholera outbreak in central India. The demoniac was uncontrollable by any of the normal means of human confinement. 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. There probably were not many who had been told yet of the Messiah, and so were not yet believers. By His power, we, too, are able to overcome Satans treacheries. The occult and every front for demonic influence and activity should be avoided like the plague. November 2017 Thus an economic lose of revenue was involved. F. F. Bruce adds additional helpful insight: According to the best texts, Matthew calls it the country of the Gadarenes (viii. This man demonstrated all four characteristics. Lane, Mark, p. 182, fn. The exercising of authority over demons, in the land under another god, was a message. July 2017 April 2017 Others cited unfaithfulness, lack of seriousness, and the lack of confidence to sustain a relationship. As always, we must begin with the principle: Interpretation is one, application is many. Ouija boards are found in many American homes. Gadara, though not directly named in Scripture, was part of the Decapolis. October 2021 Unbelieving men may not rave and carry on like the Gerasene demoniac, but they are nevertheless under Satans control, doing his bidding. The price tag of possession was high, for those who fell victim to the demons agonized in constant torment. January 2018 Now they would deal with this One greater than he by doing likewise. July 2022 They had dealt with Legion (I suspect) by forcing him from their presence. His animal-like shrieks must have sent chills up the spines of any who were nearby. They had been unable to control these two men [Luke only mentions one man, but Matthew tells us there were two]. Sign-up for E-NewsletterGet Register Updates sent daily or weeklyto your inbox. Horoscopes and astrological predictions are found in most major newspapers. Earles comments are helpful: The difference in names for the destination on the east side of the take has caused considerable comment. In Galilee and Judea there were Messianic hopes which would have been quickly fanned into flames if the miracles of Jesus were too widely publicized. Why were the people of Gerasene afraid of the presence of Jesus? The reply Legion118 may be some kind of evasion, a reluctance on the part of the demons to individually identify themselves. 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. March 2016 Does a barbarian benefit from the fast movement ability while wearing medium armor? The demons freak out that Jesus is there because it's not time for them to be tormented by Him yet. As has been said before, look for Satans man behind the pulpit. How Satan blinds our minds! Winthrop Congregational Church, UCC No matter who you are. 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. The choice is to be free by submission to Christ (cf. What sort of strategies would a medieval military use against a fantasy giant? It had nothing to do the farmers losing revenue - at all. In this context, however, he insists that legion has nothing of its usual Roman military overtones, but is the designation of numerous powers which oppose themselves to Jesus as the embodiment of the power of God. Lane, Mark, fn. What did Jesus mean when he said only prayer can cast out this demon? 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. 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. People who have no appr Fallen people reject God not because they do not know His power. 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. The people of Gerasenes were willing to live with the devils they knew - quite literally. 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! He pleaded with Jesus not to be tormented. 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 . The people were afraid when they saw the possessed man healed. Men and women (as well as children) were demonized in that they fell under the influence of these unclean spirits. French Monastery Survives War and Famine After 885 Years, the Basilica of St. Ambrose in Milan, and More Great Links! May 2018 (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. June 2021 Verse 1. And, Gerasene was one. October 2017 Note that the texts dont say Gerasa or Gadara, so they arent necessarily referring just to one of the cities. Then the SPCA would have been up in arms over such cruelty to animals. And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts. There is the so-called demon of doubt, of anger, of overindulgence, of drunkenness, laziness and so on. Gergesa may have been a variant spelling of Gerasa. Ralph Earle, The Gospel According to Mark (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1957), p. 70. January 2017 For some people, the cost is too high. Similar to the storm we see in the book of Job that killed Jobs sons - and Satan was the instigator of that as well. It was significant. October 2015 We see people in other places where he worked miracles, endeavoring to make him their king (Jn 6:15) . May 2016 Jesus asked some crazy questions like "Why are you afraid?" 2 And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. The passage in Daniel especially suggests specific geographical boundaries within which spirit beings must abide. For the reason why this is so we refer the reader to the introduction preceding the exposition of verses 33-7. They greatly desire to enter and control a physical body, whereby they may reflect their character and attributes. The demons in the man recognize Jesus and the man bows before him. Ridiculous? They are unclean spirits, (vss. November 2016 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! 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. They were willing to post guards and chain and shackle their neighbor to keep him from hurting someone. In Jewish thinking, spirit beings were assigned to certain geographical territories.120. Demons are highly organized (cf. Paul tells us that our struggle is, at bottom, a spiritual one (Ephesians 6:12). 4, p. 102. His website/blog, Biblical Evidence for Catholicism, has been online since March 1997. Why is that. When once he was an instrument of Satanic opposition against the Messiah, now he is a witness to His power. Until we decide on a new comic, you'll likely see a gray box where "Dilbert" had appeared. 34When the swineherds saw what had happened, they ran off and told it in the city and in the country. October 2018 13; Luke iv. 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. Why was Jesus going to walk past the disciples as they were rowing on the Sea of Galilee? Catholic Church. 125 This is the position of Lane, Mark, p. 187. The pleas of Legion were in response to the command of Jesus for the demons to come out of him (verse 8). Once a menace to society, now a messenger with words of deliverance and healing. . 23, 24, viii. Embedded into both stories are people who were afraid of Jesus. October 2022 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. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. 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. When Jesus asked the demoniac his name, it was not without significance for He was, I believe, asking the demons to reveal their identity. 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. Why is this sentence from The Great Gatsby grammatical? Mark 5:1And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. In other words, even though he set the bar extremely high, he seemed to be a fascinating man. My office mate of several years back was interrupted by a young and very zealous new Christian teacher accompanied by a student from whom she wanted my friend to cast out a demon. EIN 27-4581132 Subscriber Service CenterAlready a subscriber? When Jesus asked his name the man answered, Legion, for we are many (Mark 5:9). 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. 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. Gadara is about six miles from the sea. August 2016 September 2020 June 2022 In this story, we have a demon-possessed Gadarene who saw Jesus from a distance, and immediately he appeared to have felt a strong compulsion to run up to Jesus and bow down before him. And those who had seen it reported to them how the man who was demon-possessed had been made well. Gergesa, also Gergasa ( in Byzantine greek) or the Country of the Gergesenes, is a place on the eastern ( Golan Heights) side of the Sea of Galilee located at some distance to the ancient Decapolis cities of Gadara and Gerasa. Mark 5:16 says the thoughts of the people were on the swine. Pig carcasses were washing ashore and drifting out to sea. The sons of god ended up becoming the gods of these nations. But then also Christ will triumph, and finally put an end to the evil one and all his powers of darkness (Rev. The Gerasenes were the people of the district of which Gerasa was the capital. Like children convinced there are monsters under our beds, the unknown scares us. July 2020 Some today have given demons far more than their due by blaming demons for every malady of mankind. What did Jesus do? 61-62. The conduct of this pathetic individual was obviously anti-social. In both the accounts of Mark and Luke, the primary motivation is described as that of fear. Dave has been happily married to his wife Judy since October 1984. 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. This is when the storm arose which threatened to destroy the ship (Mark 4:35-41). Will they be rejected? At the side of Kersa the shore is level, and there are no tombs. 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. May 2022 Why is this even an issue, I wonder? print and digital media outlets, dedicated to reporting the truth in light of the Gospel and the The best human analogy might be in the area of drug abuse. Events that are important to our Church Community, Mark 5:1-20 Jesus Heals the Gerasene Demoniac. In this account we, by inference, learn much about the demonic spirits. 606-607. The man looked out on the Tiberius. April 2020 I have always wondered what my Christian brothers had to say to the police officers by way of explanation. Our children would probably understand best if I said that his appearance must have been somewhat like that of the television creation, The Incredible Hulk. Jesus did say to count the cost [Luke 14:28-33]. The region and polygon don't match. February 2015 If he was a pagan, why did Jesus cast out his demons? Such must have been the response of those with our Lord. In any event, they were not Israelites, as indicated by the fact that a herd of swine was being kept nearby, which would have been forbidden by the Mosaic Law, since swine were unclean animals (Leviticus 11:7-8). Jesus showed to the local population the inferiority of pagan life. With a little knowledge of the geography of the region, this apparent contradiction can be resolved. Cookie Notice They are happy in their sin and the consequences seem far away. The demoniacs frightened the swine, and the transfer of demons from them to the swine was imagined. March 2018 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. 110 C. S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (New York: The Macmillan Co., 1971), p. 3. 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. The particular focus of this mans testimony was the Decapolis region. A friend of mine told me later that two students were attempting to cast a demon out of a fellow. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs. Anonymous, October 25 2014 Today, it is identified with El-Koursi or Kursi. August 2015 Now appreciate the reaction - another God was messing with their god - and demonstrating authority! How do I connect these two faces together? ), you also need to understand the significance of this - to the people in Gerasene. And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another . 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.