In this account we, by inference, learn much about the demonic spirits. As indicated in the textual note, the best Greek text reads Gerasenes in Mark and Luke, Gadarenes in Matthew. 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]. What did we miss because we allowed fear instead of faith to drive our lives? The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. First of all, I believe Mark was attempting to warn his Gentile readers of the great danger of demonic influence and activity. 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.. 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. March 2022 When the pigs were sent into the sea, the people of Gadara lost money. Whenever a man, woman, or child surrenders control of himself either to fleshly desires (anger, lust, passion, etc.) September 2015 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. and thank you for your contribution. 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. The city of Gadara and its surrounding area are referred to as the Gadarenes. 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). The particular focus of this mans testimony was the Decapolis region. No one was strong enough to subdue him (verses 3,4). . Crazy question or.? 05 /5 Another theory. Treasury of Scripture. I understand why," the HBO "Real Time" host told Jake Tapper on Tuesday as part . Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. Holy Communion From the Chalice Reintroduced in the UK: What About the US? April 2020 He seemed to view Jesus approach as the launching of a direct attack on the demonic forces. Should TikTok be banned? Your guide to understanding why the platform You will receive a monthly newsletter with Scriptural teaching plus notifications of any new articles, courses or books. 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. August 2018 2 And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. He said unexpected things and lived by a high ethical standard. He also maintains a popular Facebook page. . 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. Some appeared not to be oppressed by them so much as exploiting their powers (cf. "Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear." (Luke 8:37a) Fear plagues us. 8ff.). Have we stepped back, in effect asking Jesus to leave us alone, only to discover, as a Gentleman, He did? Their influence and control leads to untold agony and destruction. He who feared His arrival now dreaded His departure. Five squad cars converged on it. F. F. Bruce adds additional helpful insight: According to the best texts, Matthew calls it the country of the Gadarenes (viii. Gerasenes, Gadarenes, Pigs and "Contradictions" - NCR Even in our sophisticated times, there is an intense interest in the supernatural and the occult. xii. 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. Author of The Gnostic Notebook series, stand-up comedian, and Gnostic. 8; Mark vi. For some people, the cost is too high. By clicking Post Your Answer, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. Why did Jesus allow the legion of demons to stay in the area when they begged him? However, the point was clearly made; Jesus, the Son of God, has power over all things, including the powers of darkness. October 2018 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. Where did the demons go after they went into the pigs and caused them to jump to their death. Embedded into both stories are people who were afraid of Jesus. But for most of us, the world and the flesh are all that are necessary to cause us to stumble. 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. Why were the people of Gerasene afraid of the presence of Jesus? The people were afraid when they saw the possessed man healed. when He was the only One Who truly knew what had happened. 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. In addition, Matthew includes the comment, Have You come here to torment us before the time? (Matthew 8:29). HELPING CHRISTIANS BUILD POSITIVE, GODLY FAMILIES, CHURCHES, AND NATIONS, Follow us on social media for daily Scripture comments and more at. Mark 3:14). The demoniac was uncontrollable by any of the normal means of human confinement. From this it is clear that demon-possession is a phenomenon which occurred almost exclusively, but then to be sure on an amazing scale, during Jesus appearance on earth and to a lesser extent during the activity of the apostles. More than this, however, is the fact that the mans own identity and individuality were swallowed up by the demons with him. Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023, Highlights in the Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ. Give a Gift SubscriptionBless friends, family or clergy with a gift of the Register. December 2021 The demons in the man recognize Jesus and the man bows before him. Now appreciate the reaction - another God was messing with their god - and demonstrating authority! The people were more terrified of Jesus and His authority than they were of this crazed and demonized man living among the tombs. EIN 27-4581132 No! So, they asked Him to leave. That is why he was living in the solitude of the tombs, away from civilization. And the people there were scared, they recognised this, but more, they realised the significance of this. 123 1. When once he was an instrument of Satanic opposition against the Messiah, now he is a witness to His power. 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. What they were not willing to accept was the frightening power that could cure him. 3. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. It only takes a minute to sign up. What did Jesus mean when he said only prayer can cast out this demon? . 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. They greatly desire to enter and control a physical body, whereby they may reflect their character and attributes. Who Was Afraid Of Jesus And Why? September 2018 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. Dave Armstrong Dave Armstrong is a full-time Catholic author and apologist, who has been actively proclaiming and defending Christianity since 1981. Can devils entreat in such a manner any highest of angels, be he Michael, Gabriel or Raphael, or any greatest cherub or seraph? What purposes did Mark intend to achieve by the inclusion of this event? 1, pp. Gospel Parallels: The Gerasene Demoniac - READ-SCRIPTURE.COM A Lesson From the Gadarenes - Sabbath Thoughts June 2021 7. Although God's word does not name which cities were considered part of this region, Pliny's Natural History (c. 77 A.D.) lists these cities as Gerasa, Scythopolis, Hippos, Gadara, Pella, Philadelphia, Capitolias (Dion), Canatha, Raphana and Damascus. Lane believes the modern Kersa is the most likely place: The point of arrival is indicated in a general way as the district of the Gerasenes, most probably in reference to a town whose name is preserved in the modern Kersa or Koursi. - 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. Sermon for July 26, 2020: Why Were They So Afraid: Mark 5:1-20. The region and polygon don't match. And when the man spoke to Jesus, it looks like the demons inside the man were the ones doing the speaking. People who have no appr Browse other questions tagged, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. One is to disbelieve in their existence. Non-Christians can often experience this fear of Jesus as well. So they refer to Gerasenes. xiii. The entrance of the term into colloquial speech indicates that the Roman occupation was a heavy burden. November 2017 It might be better to hide behind masks than risk being hurt again After all, if God rejects youwhere else can you go? 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. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs. 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?" . Events that are important to our Church Community, Mark 5:1-20 Jesus Heals the Gerasene Demoniac. But then also Christ will triumph, and finally put an end to the evil one and all his powers of darkness (Rev. The Secret behind Jesus Healing the Gerasene Demoniac Acts 16:16), while others were the virtual pawns of these spirits, losing their own identity and autonomy. At first we may deceive ourselves into thinking that we are controlling them, but the ultimate likelihood is that they will master us. 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. Nevertheless, for consideration. Second (and primarily), Mark employs this event to authenticate the claims of Jesus to be the Son of God and Israels Messiah. Earles comments are helpful: The difference in names for the destination on the east side of the take has caused considerable comment. December 2020 No matter what men attempted to bind him with, he broke loose. Luke 8:25 "Where is your faith?" He asked. Frightened and amazed, they Understand the meaning of Luke 8:37 using all available Bible versions and commentary. Our Lord responded sternly by calling this accusation blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, and as such was the one unpardonable sin (verses 28-30). For more information about Glenn Davis see our About Glenn page and/or his Author's Page. In Luke 2:8 it is applied to the city of Bethlehem; in Acts 18:23 to Galatia and Phrygia. 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. Since the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave in their fear, it seems that Jesus' ability to exorcise Legion was disturbing to the people. December 2015 The region is located east of the Jordan River and southeast of the Sea of Galilee. 4. seen it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed. vi. More from Medium Jameson Steward in. 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. We are seeking a replacement and hope to have it in your newspaper soon. verse 5). (it should be added that Plummer himelf does not hold to any of these views.). Early Christians like St. Polycarp clearly held the Catholic view on salvation. Matt. Rev. 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. 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. Why did the demon-possessed Gadarene bow down before Jesus? 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. 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. Copyright 2023 EWTN News, Inc. All rights reserved. The ego is so impaired that the spirits speak through him. Jesus heals the Gerasene demoniac in Luke 8 | Psephizo "I am afraid of Trump on a very personal level because I don't think he likes me. What Does Luke 8:37 Mean? "And all the people of the country of the . A Jewish exorcist with such authority in the region, risked to damage the beliefs and reputation of the local pagan inhabitants. Dr. Thomson discovered on the eastern shore the ruins of a village called Khersa. He said he had come to the house of Israel, not to the gentiles. Its ruins include two amphitheaters, a basilica, temple, a hippodrome, aqueducts and colonnades, showing its importance and stature. 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. July 2016 The word translated windstorm here, and storm in the KJ, is the word lailaps, which is more than just a storm. 2ff., xvv. He was Someone Who could control the spirit realm. Although it is likely that the larger towns of Galilee were predominantly Gentile, as was the Decapolis, the first-century civilian diet did not . Not long after that, while I was still a student in seminary, there was a car parked by the seminary in a somewhat suspicious manner and I called the police to check it out. 15; Mark ix. monetization of National Catholic Register RSS feeds is strictly prohibited. And those who had seen it reported to them how the man who was demon-possessed had been made well. Significantly, the demons are called unclean spirits (verse 2,9). Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA.