Sign-up for E-NewsletterGet Register Updates sent daily or weeklyto your inbox. These people from the region of the Gerasenes had undoubtedly felt the anger or disgust of Jews for making a career out of such unclean animals, but Jesus had not criticized them for their profession. SubscribeStart your Register subscription today. 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. xvi. 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. 40, vii. Jesus did say to count the cost [Luke 14:28-33]. 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). The expression to be with Jesus is used particularly of His disciples (cf. February 2022 DEUT 32:8 When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind, he fixed the borders of the peoples, according to the number of the sons of God. What was it that caused these people to react in such a way? "And all the people of the country of the Gerasenes round about asked him to depart from them, for they were holden with great fear: and he entered into a bo." As C. S. Lewis aptly put it: There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. I will not ask him to leave. Sproul says in his commentary on Mark, When the Holy One is manifest in the midst of unholy people, the only appropriate human response is dread.. 5. Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood. The whole story is a myth. It is now called Jerash and is a deserted ruin. Even the demons confessed that He was the Son of the Most High (Mark 5:7). 606-607. July 2020 Ouija boards are found in many American homes. While he was once wild and uncontrollable, he was sitting quietly at the feet of Jesus. No matter where you are on life's journey you are welcome here! I will not look for a reason to return to it. The man looked out on the Tiberius. What would happen to them? It might be better to hide behind masks than risk being hurt again After all, if God rejects youwhere else can you go? Matthew 9:2-8 Why was "This man is blaspheming" considered an evil thought without knowing Jesus' identity? 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. Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. What they were not willing to accept was the frightening power that could cure him. Evil is self-defeating in the end. 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. April 2015 Jesus had simply sailed across the Lake of Galilee to the region of the Gerasenes. (it should be added that Plummer himelf does not hold to any of these views.). print and digital media outlets, dedicated to reporting the truth in light of the Gospel and the Their influence and control leads to untold agony and destruction. 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. especially fn. 4. vi. xx. Pastor Chrissy is a native of East Tennessee. With a little knowledge of the geography of the region, this apparent contradiction can be resolved. This was a federation of ten cities (deka = ten, polis = city). 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. Small sins lead to big sins, and big sins bring about a terrible spiritual darkness. Bulk update symbol size units from mm to map units in rule-based symbology. In all three instances the word is chra (Strongs word #5561). Dave has been happily married to his wife Judy since October 1984. The pigs had been driven mad and rushed down a steep slope plunging into the lake and drowning. This man demonstrated all four characteristics. Lane, Mark, p. 182, fn. According to another theory, the Chapati movement of 1857 was an attempt to prevent a cholera outbreak in central India. 37 Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear (Luke 8:35-37). Can devils entreat in such a manner any highest of angels, be he Michael, Gabriel or Raphael, or any greatest cherub or seraph? But here we speak not about a bishop, but about Christ who made His Godhead revealed through devils beseeching Him not to cast them to hell but enter the swine. 7 After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, b he entered Capernaum. October 2017 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. Norval Geldenhuys, Commentary on the Gospel of Luke (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1951), p. 174. Such must have been the response of those with our Lord. 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. 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. And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another . Will they be condemned like unclean animals? Embedded into both stories are people who were afraid of Jesus. and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. They would have to trust Jesus. So much pain, so much sin. They had been unable to control these two men [Luke only mentions one man, but Matthew tells us there were two]. August 2021 Events that are important to our Church Community, Mark 5:1-20 Jesus Heals the Gerasene Demoniac. His website/blog, Biblical Evidence for Catholicism, has been online since March 1997. 110 C. S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (New York: The Macmillan Co., 1971), p. 3. Why did Jesus allow the legion of demons to stay in the area when they begged him? In Jewish thinking, spirit beings were assigned to certain geographical territories.120. Why were the people of Gerasene afraid of the presence of Jesus? I think all these attempts to harmonize what may at first seem like a contradiction are plausible, respectable, and adequate. Dr. Thomson discovered on the eastern shore the ruins of a village called Khersa. November 2022 As always, we must begin with the principle: Interpretation is one, application is many. For the reason why this is so we refer the reader to the introduction preceding the exposition of verses 33-7. November 2017 They liked Him and wanted to be with Him. 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. 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. Men in their unbelief suppose that the choice is either to be free (independent of God) or to be the slaves of Christ. "The name "Gerasenes" is to be associated with the modern city of Jerash, located in Transjordan, 22 miles N of Amman." John McRay, "Gerasenes," ed. 2 Now a centurion had a servant 1 who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. December 2020 These, however, are not the problem raised by Bible students. June 2016 How many demons possessed the man in Mark 5:6? I am wondering if the demoniac was pagan or an Israelite. 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. Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professors, theologians, and those interested in exegetical analysis of biblical texts. Nor was it the Jewish population of Galilee. Life with him would be heaven on earth. 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. That is not the choice at all. The exercising of authority over demons, in the land under another god, was a message. 2. Will they be rejected? When the Gadarenes saw what Christ was capable of, they panicked. (5) Torment. Putting all of these factors together the term demon-possessed inplies too much. 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. So they refer to Gerasenes. 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. 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! 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. The particular focus of this mans testimony was the Decapolis region. 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. June 2021 A Jewish exorcist with such authority in the region, risked to damage the beliefs and reputation of the local pagan inhabitants. August 2022 The pig shepherds had gone and spread the news of what had happened all around. They are unclean spirits, (vss. July 2021 Why were the Romans afraid of the Christians? 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. e.g., Matt. man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 'Return home and tell how much God has done for you.' So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus (Luke 8:26-39, NIV)