He did not appear to rush upon the small group of men to attack them (as he would normally have done), but rather to plead with Jesus. And, Gerasene was one. The before and after descriptions of the demoniac reveal that he was a totally different person under demonic influence. The exorcism of the Gerasene demoniac (Matthew 8.28-34; Mark 5.1-20; Luke 8.26-39), frequently known as the Miracle of the (Gadarene) Swine and the exorcism of Legion, is one of the miracles performed by Jesus according to the New Testament. Both Gerasa and Gadara were cities to the east of the Sea of Galilee and the River Jordan. or school. Rev. It didnt take long for the word to spread quickly. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. Give a Gift SubscriptionBless friends, family or clergy with a gift of the Register. The whole story is a myth. So he got into the boat and left. How to prove that the supernatural or paranormal doesn't exist? Instead, they reject Him because all they know is His power and purity. I understand why," the HBO "Real Time" host told Jake Tapper on Tuesday as part . The region and polygon don't match. How Can a Person Get Rid of Evil Spirits. In Luke 2:8 it is applied to the city of Bethlehem; in Acts 18:23 to Galatia and Phrygia. I have always wondered what my Christian brothers had to say to the police officers by way of explanation. 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. But, Im telling you. 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. January 2015 Those possessed are depicted throughout as unfortunate sufferers who by no fault of their own are dominated by evil spirits and who, when the spirits are cast out by Jesus, accept their deliverance with joy and gratitude (Mark v. 18-20, Luke viii. 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. January 2018 April 2018 July 2017 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. We dismiss it the more readily, that, in our view, it conveys a wrong impression. 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. We are seeking a replacement and hope to have it in your newspaper soon. These, however, are not the problem raised by Bible students. 68f. Those who have witnessed demon possession tell us that each demon has its own distinct personality and that the individual possessed begins to manifest the distinct personality of the demon by which he is possessed. Slain Los Angeles auxiliary bishop was remembered at the Mass of Christian burial as friend of Jesus Christ and of Mary, our Blessed Mother.. Why is there a voltage on my HDMI and coaxial cables? 7. Then the Livestock Association and consumer groups would have been greatly distressed over the sudden decrease in the pig population and the resulting impact on pork prices. Acts 5:1-6). 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. Norval Geldenhuys, Commentary on the Gospel of Luke (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1951), p. 174. The swine then immediately killed themselves by rushing off a cliff. Jesus did say to count the cost [Luke 14:28-33]. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? And, it can not be understood properly out of this context. Swine were unclean animals according to the Torah. It is now called Jerash and is a deserted ruin. August 2017 To date they have failed to respond in any way. He felt Jesus' reassuring hand on his shoulder. "They sailed to the country of the Gerasenes which is opposite Galilee. March 2021 Then all the people of the Gerasenes and the surrounding region asked Jesus to leave them alone, for they were seized . Thanks for contributing an answer to Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange! Why did Jesus not allow demons to proclaim his name, Archaeological or Historical Support for the Gerasene Pigs. May 2016 Satans most effective tool is not the demoniac wandering about the desolate places. John 8:32; Matthew 11:28-30), or to be the pawns of Satan (Ephesians 2:1-2). 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. It was not the loss of their property or investment that caused them to be afraid of Jesus. If he was a pagan, why did Jesus cast out his demons? It is very appropriate that these two incidents . Paul tells us that our struggle is, at bottom, a spiritual one (Ephesians 6:12). For some people, the cost is too high. Do roots of these polynomials approach the negative of the Euler-Mascheroni constant? 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). September 2020 No matter what men attempted to bind him with, he broke loose. And Jesus, being a Gentleman, was not about to force Himself on them. . Cookie Notice These men were a danger to themselves and others. April 2015 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? July 2021 There is no conflict, however, for Mark and Luke have apparently focused their attention on the most striking of the two. They were content where they were. Jesus Heals a Centurion's Servant. Why were the people of Gerasene afraid of the presence of Jesus? It hit them hard in the pocketbook. In Jewish thinking, spirit beings were assigned to certain geographical territories.120. So they refer to Gerasenes. 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). February 2017 Pigs were seen as unclean animals in the eyes of the people of Israel. Wasn't the answer obvious? 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. Clarify 36 Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. Fear that you might do something that would embarrass you? I think all these attempts to harmonize what may at first seem like a contradiction are plausible, respectable, and adequate. Gergesa may have been a variant spelling of Gerasa. Ralph Earle, The Gospel According to Mark (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1957), p. 70. Or they are too afraid of what the change might bring. 37 Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. The drowning of the swine was an accident, possibly simultaneous with the healing, and report mixed up the two incidents. The demonically possessed man who came to Jesus cried out his name was Legion. . Although it is often claimed that Christians were persecuted for their refusal to worship the emperor, general dislike for Christians likely arose from their refusal to worship the gods or take part in sacrifice, which was expected of those living in the Roman Empire. Whenever a man, woman, or child surrenders control of himself either to fleshly desires (anger, lust, passion, etc.) When Jesus asked his name the man answered, Legion, for we are many (Mark 5:9). Jesus asked some pretty crazy questions like What Things Happened? In the past several weeks, there has come to light the case of a man arrested for various crimes who has several of the symptoms of demon possession, including multiple personalities, even multiple IQs. Bob was born and raised in a Christian home i More, The Net Pastors Journal, Eng. Until we decide on a new comic, you'll likely see a gray box where "Dilbert" had appeared. What were the women in Mark 16:8 afraid of? 14. When the pigs were sent into the sea, the people of Gadara lost money. Subscriber Service CenterAlready a subscriber? seen it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed. 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. As the servant of Elisha was told, Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them (2 Kings 6:16). Will they be condemned like unclean animals? Luke seems to base this fear solely upon what happened to the demoniac, not on the loss of their pigs. August 2016 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]. 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! 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. 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. But then also Christ will triumph, and finally put an end to the evil one and all his powers of darkness (Rev. January 2021 15; Mark ix. 14). 18). Jesus asked a sick man if he wanted to get well. EIN 27-4581132 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?" . . October 2021 I will not look for a reason to return to it. Then people came to see what it was that had happened. Most people confessed to having the fear of things not working out, an inability to trust and others said they . Spam. 22ff. January 2023 In both the accounts of Mark and Luke, the primary motivation is described as that of fear. Acts 19:16). How do I connect these two faces together? 1 They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. . It is noteworthy that Jesus nowhere speaks of forgiveness of sins or of purification-sacrifices, that have to be brought after His curing of such cases (as He did in some cases of physical illness). French Monastery Survives War and Famine After 885 Years, the Basilica of St. Ambrose in Milan, and More Great Links! November 2016 Unbelieving men may not rave and carry on like the Gerasene demoniac, but they are nevertheless under Satans control, doing his bidding. of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were So he got into the boat and left. Why did Jesus allow the legion of demons to stay in the area when they begged him? 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. Exercising authority in the land allocated to Abraham, for Israel, the land set aside for God and his people. Now they would deal with this One greater than he by doing likewise. No! Gergesenes means "those who come from pilgrimage or fight.". 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. February 2016 COMMENTARY: Atheism is generally the expression of a moral attitude more than a real intellectual conviction based on evidence thought through. In the King James Version it is called the country of the Gadarenes in Mark and Luke, and of the Gergesenes in Matthew. 21,22). December 2017 They liked Him and wanted to be with Him. The occult and every front for demonic influence and activity should be avoided like the plague. I asked why people are afraid of commitment and relationships and some said they are afraid because they fear being hurt again. Luke 8 It's a curious passage with many unanswered questions. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Perhaps they clenched their fists or picked up driftwood with which to defend themselves. February 2015 But, the pigs were a part of their economic wealth. The country of the Gadarenes (Gergesenes) is one of the few areas Jesus visited where Gentiles (non-Jews) composed the majority of the population. 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. What did we miss because we allowed fear instead of faith to drive our lives? Mark 5:1And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. 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. 3 When the centurion 2 heard about Jesus, c he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his . However, the point was clearly made; Jesus, the Son of God, has power over all things, including the powers of darkness. What was it that caused these people to react in such a way? 1) He Exposes Evil (v 28-30) . 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 matter where you are on life's journey you are welcome here! March 2022 The region is located east of the Jordan River and southeast of the Sea of Galilee. This was surely not so in every case, and perhaps in none. 16, x. August 2015 The nearby townspeople, upon hearing of the great miracle (and not wanting to suffer further economic loss), begged Christ to leave the Gadarenes and never come back! Jesus was saying, (demonstrating) that He had all authority, in any land. He pleaded with Jesus not to be tormented. For the reason why this is so we refer the reader to the introduction preceding the exposition of verses 33-7. Your comment will be posted after it is approved. July 2016 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. I would like to invite you to return to where we left off a few weeks ago in our studies in the gospel of Mark. Create your own unique website with customizable templates. 2,8) who can possess men and animals. 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. Neither is it only a kind of physical disease, although spiritual and physical disease often accompany it (e.g. This request was granted and the entire herd rushed headlong to their own destruction. The particular focus of this mans testimony was the Decapolis region. Thus an economic lose of revenue was involved. December 2022 They have three sons and a daughter (all homeschooled) and reside in southeast Michigan. December 2020 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.. 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. The account occurs in all three Synoptic gospels; in Mark (the shortest gospel) the story is in the longest and most detailed version; Matthew 8.28-34 is the shortest, June 2015 The miracle referred to took place, without doubt, near the town of Gergesa, the modern Kersa, close by the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, and hence in the country of Gergesenes. Men in their unbelief suppose that the choice is either to be free (independent of God) or to be the slaves of Christ. (4) Our Lord did not command the demons to enter into the pigs and bring about their destruction; He only permitted it.124. It indicates full and permanent control. 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. 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. June 2017 Why is that. September 2021 16ff., xix. 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. Robert L. (Bob)Deffinbaugh graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary with his Th.M. . What about us, as Christians, are we afraid of Jesus? 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. 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. Verse 1. The sons of god ended up becoming the gods of these nations. 13; Luke iv. Sign-up for E-NewsletterGet Register Updates sent daily or weeklyto your inbox. Such must have been the response of those with our Lord. Acts 16:16), while others were the virtual pawns of these spirits, losing their own identity and autonomy. Once naked, he is now clothed. Did Jesus command the demon before he fell on his knees in Mark 5:6? 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. And, lastly, this would allow sufficient time for those miracles which took place on that second day in Capernaum after His return thither. (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. So much pain, so much sin. Author of The Gnostic Notebook series, stand-up comedian, and Gnostic. A Jewish exorcist with such authority in the region, risked to damage the beliefs and reputation of the local pagan inhabitants. Mark 3:14). 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! Demonized individuals are not to be viewed so much as a pigeon hole category, as they are a continuem. 115 While Mark and Luke describe only one demoniac, Matthew informs us that there were two. May 2018 Then they sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, across the lake from Galilee. recognizes the military background of the term, pointing out that in the imperial period a legion consisted of 6000 foot soldiers, 120 horsemen and technical personnel. Ouija boards are found in many American homes. Why as the question? Once a menace to society, now a messenger with words of deliverance and healing. 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. The confrontation of Jesus and the Gerasene demoniac made it clear that Jesus was no servant of Satan. March 2016 123 1. First of all, the EPA would have been investigating the pollution of Lake Galilee with decaying pigs. 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. Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. 2). 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. 34When the swineherds saw what had happened, they ran off and told it in the city and in the country. April 2022 Note: 'had the legion', i.e., the many unclean spirits inhabiting him. Winthrop Congregational Church, UCC No matter who you are. This was a power far beyond anything they had seen or even imagined. But notice, even though Jesus permitted them to enter the swine, they were unable to overcome their evil impulses and drove the swine over the cliff to their death. 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. Small sins lead to big sins, and big sins bring about a terrible spiritual darkness. 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). to men facing fear and death. Nor was it the Jewish population of Galilee. By His power, we, too, are able to overcome Satans treacheries. Why would God tell King David to take a census of the people in verses one through nine, and then cast judgment on him because he did what he told him to do? September 2018 05 /5 Another theory. (London: InterVarsity Fellowship, 1950), fn. The demoniac was uncontrollable by any of the normal means of human confinement. Second, while the death of the pigs is clearly an economic loss for the owner, Jesus is illustrating the infinite value of human life. Matthew is habitually more oriented to a Jewish readership, and so he refers to Gadarenes because Gadara was the most important Jewish city in the area. Only 30 of 175 dioceses ordained an average number of priests at or above replacement level over the five years from 2016 to 2021, according to the report. 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. 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. This suggests that whoever was the customer for the swineherder in the "region of the Gerasenes", it was not the Roman army to any significant extent. "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." 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. The demoniacs frightened the swine, and the transfer of demons from them to the swine was imagined. Order Bulk SubscriptionsGet a discount on 6 or more copies sent to your parish, organization The price tag of possession was high, for those who fell victim to the demons agonized in constant torment. This name (Strong's #G3003) is a reference to a Roman military regiment that varied in soldier strength from 4,000 to 6,000. Textual variations have compounded the problem. The expression to be with Jesus is used particularly of His disciples (cf. The people were afraid when they saw the possessed man healed. In recent years the matter has been getting uncomfortably close to home. . 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. 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.
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why were the gerasenes afraid