Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. May 2022 . Jesus had actually helped them. Just as demons desire to possess persons through whom they can exhibit their personalities, so the Spirit of God indwells man, imparting new life, and progressively gaining control so that the character of God is exhibited, but not in such a way as to hinder our individuality and identity. Small sins lead to big sins, and big sins bring about a terrible spiritual darkness. Gergesa may have been a variant spelling of Gerasa. Ralph Earle, The Gospel According to Mark (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1957), p. 70. Instead of opening themselves up to Jesus and receiving His love and forgiveness, they allowed fear to drive a wedge between them. Confusion, fear in moments after crash "There were many big pieces of steel," said Vassilis Polyzos, a local resident who said he was one of the first people on the scene. 14. This is probably the Gerasa of Mark and Luke. Even in our sophisticated times, there is an intense interest in the supernatural and the occult. When Jesus and his disciples come to the mostly-Gentile region of the Gerasenes, they are met by a man whose life has been destroyed by demonic infestation. Many New Testament manuscripts refer to the "Country of the Gadarenes" or "Gerasenes" rather than the Gergesenes. He seemed to view Jesus approach as the launching of a direct attack on the demonic forces. Thus an economic lose of revenue was involved. They valued their pigs more than they valued salvation. For some people, the cost is too high. Pigs were specifically set aside as the animal used in sacrifices to their god. Matt. That is why the inhabitants of the area are referred to variously in different Bible manuscripts as Gergasenes, Gadarenes, or Gerasenes. 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. December 2017 They had heard what had happened to the pigs and knew the Jews considered Gentiles unclean, too. The lesson of this passage is that Satan is a defeated foe. iv. especially fn. We see the first reaction to this in the storm MARK 4:7 And a great windstorm arose [snip]. On the other hand, the scene gains in grandeurhas, so to speak, a fitting backgroundif we suppose the Saviour and His disciples to have landed on the other side late in the evening, when perhaps the silvery moon was shedding her pale light on the weird scene, and laying her halo around the shadows cast upon the sea by the steep cliff down which the herd of swine hurried and fell. 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. Yet, conversely, the known can be just as scaryif not more. (London: InterVarsity Fellowship, 1950), fn. (2) Anti-social behavior. NEW STAR WARS MERCH PAGE: https://bit.ly/3baWVZv For all sponsorship and business inquiries please contact: thestupendousscrub@gmail.com NEW CHANNEL: https:/. It is ironic that while the demons didnt want to leave the country, the dwellers of that land didnt want the Messiah to stay. Our Lord responded sternly by calling this accusation blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, and as such was the one unpardonable sin (verses 28-30). Far from this, He had stormed the gates of Hell and prevailed. And the people there were scared, they recognised this, but more, they realised the significance of this. December 2015 Textual variations have compounded the problem. 28); Mark the country of the Gerasenes (v. 1), and Luke, probably, the country of the Gergesenes (viii. At their request, He left. But let us return to the gist of the matter: if Christ showed them His Divinity through the reason given above, is it easy to be in the presence of God? Matthew 9:2-8 Why was "This man is blaspheming" considered an evil thought without knowing Jesus' identity? Lets face it, we all like to be in control. Ridiculous? 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. Wasn't the answer obvious? More than this, however, is the fact that the mans own identity and individuality were swallowed up by the demons with him. . It is in no way certain, however, that the pig raisers were Jews. Many times people - Non-Christians and Christians - push Jesus away because they do not want to change. Neither is it only a kind of physical disease, although spiritual and physical disease often accompany it (e.g. How do I connect these two faces together? It's a curious passage with many unanswered questions. Read the Scripture: Mark 4:35 - 5:20. The region was not poor or economically depressed. Horoscopes and astrological predictions are found in most major newspapers. This was surely not so in every case, and perhaps in none. Jude 6), no longer to afflict men or resist God. 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. 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. July 2020 No matter where you are on life's journey. Mark 5:1And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. Even the demons confessed that He was the Son of the Most High (Mark 5:7). 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. Now' as to the pigs (an unclean animal, so you know Jesus wasnt in Israel! Robert L. (Bob)Deffinbaugh graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary with his Th.M. The reference could hardly be to the better known Gerasa (Jerash) between thirty and forty miles southeast from the lake. Fallen people reject God not because they do not know His power. He shivered at the disturbing memory. Some appeared not to be oppressed by them so much as exploiting their powers (cf. In Jewish thinking, spirit beings were assigned to certain geographical territories.120. What was it that caused these people to react in such a way? or school. 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. Winthrop Congregational Church, UCC No matter who you are. When the Gadarenes saw what Christ was capable of, they panicked. You might be thinking back to Easter and not recall very many hogs showing up except for at Easter supper. This request was granted and the entire herd rushed headlong to their own destruction. 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. For those who are shaken like leaves in the wind at the mention of demons, let us remember from this story that demons cannot even possess pigs without prior permission from our Lord. Why as the question? Luke 8:26-39 Mark 5:1-20 ESV - 1 They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. The pig shepherds had gone and spread the news of what had happened all around. What scared them was a power so fierce it could free a man. August 2015 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! But as Gergesa was a small village, and little known, the evangelists, who wrote for more distant readers, spoke of the event as taking place in the country of the Gadarenes, so named from its largest city, Gadara; and this country included the country of the Gergesenes as a state includes a county. Acts 16:16), while others were the virtual pawns of these spirits, losing their own identity and autonomy. No! Note that the texts dont say Gerasa or Gadara, so they arent necessarily referring just to one of the cities. Wikipedia states about it: In the second half of the 1st century AD, the city of Jerash achieved great prosperity.. Your comment will be posted after it is approved. Who do you care more about, people or pigs? 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. Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. October 2020 Jesus had been performing miracles in Gods nation - Israel. Early Christians like St. Polycarp clearly held the Catholic view on salvation. Jesus had just performed an incredible miracleand one they desperately needed, at that! 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. If an Israelite, why was he in Gerasene in the first place and why was he living so near a large herd of swine? Jesus asked Mary why she was crying at the grave site. Reproduction of material from this website without written permission, or unlicensed commercial use or They greatly desire to enter and control a physical body, whereby they may reflect their character and attributes. These people did not want to change. This man demonstrated all four characteristics. Lane, Mark, p. 182, fn. First of all, I believe Mark was attempting to warn his Gentile readers of the great danger of demonic influence and activity. Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighbourhood. 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. July 2022 His website/blog, Biblical Evidence for Catholicism, has been online since March 1997. 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.. Paul tells us that our struggle is, at bottom, a spiritual one (Ephesians 6:12). How ironic, as others have noted, that the tormentor pleads not to be tormented. Brazilian Charity Caring for Children Who Survived Abortions Issues Urgent Appeal, Memento Mori: Remember You Are Going to Die, The Meat of the Matter: St. Patricks Day and the Lenten Fast. The lectionary reading for Trinity 1, Year C, is Luke's version of Jesus meeting and healing the demon-possessed man in the 'region of the Gerasenes' (Luke 8.26-39). It was significant. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? August 2022 This incident in the Gerasenes requires some entry understanding. However, the point was clearly made; Jesus, the Son of God, has power over all things, including the powers of darkness. If Jesus had that kind of power, then He could not be controlled. 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). 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 passage in Daniel especially suggests specific geographical boundaries within which spirit beings must abide. The spectrum ranges from those who seem to control the demonic powers to those who are utterly controlled by them. Jesus had simply sailed across the Lake of Galilee to the region of the Gerasenes. Why is this even an issue, I wonder? Whenever a man, woman, or child surrenders control of himself either to fleshly desires (anger, lust, passion, etc.) First of all, the EPA would have been investigating the pollution of Lake Galilee with decaying pigs. Author of The Gnostic Notebook series, stand-up comedian, and Gnostic. 13ff.). That is why he was living in the solitude of the tombs, away from civilization. NET Bible Then all the people of the Gerasenes and the surrounding region asked Jesus to leave them alone, for they were seized with great fear. 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. 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. People who have no appr What did Jesus mean when he said only prayer can cast out this demon? The Lord, in an act of great mercy, freed the Gadarenes' man by casting the demons out of him and allowing them to enter a nearby herd of pigs. 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. Why is there a voltage on my HDMI and coaxial cables? The destructive desires of the demons were dramatically carried out in the drowning of the swine. - 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. Demonized individuals are not to be viewed so much as a pigeon hole category, as they are a continuem. 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. Known as the Judas Iscariot of Gnosticism for revealing that which is not to be revealed. So they refer to Gerasenes. What purposes did Mark intend to achieve by the inclusion of this event? (1) Severe personality change. 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. Pope Francis Inexhaustible Font of Words: 10 Gems From the Heart Over 10 Years, Pope Francis, Biden Commend Peacemaker Bishop OConnell as Memorial Services Begin. Copyright 2023 EWTN News, Inc. All rights reserved. And they were afraid. To understand this event, you need consider the incident at Babel, and Deuteronomy. Swine were unclean animals according to the Torah. Another approach is to note the different intentions of the Gospel writers. 3. June 2020 1, pp. November 2017 Is lock-free synchronization always superior to synchronization using locks? 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. July 2015 Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023, Highlights in the Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ. Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighbourhood. Yes, I know that Easter was weeks ago in April. 15; Mark ix. Why are trials on "Law & Order" in the New York Supreme Court? 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. Finally, there is in demon possession a counterpart to the filling (or control) of the Holy Spirit. Does a barbarian benefit from the fast movement ability while wearing medium armor? 7 After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, b he entered Capernaum. And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another . The pig tenders reported it far and wide, in city and country (verse 14). 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. They were willing to post guards and chain and shackle their neighbor to keep him from hurting someone. The region is located east of the Jordan River and southeast of the Sea of Galilee. There probably were not many who had been told yet of the Messiah, and so were not yet believers. The exercising of authority over demons, in the land under another god, was a message. No one was strong enough to subdue him (verses 3,4). 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. Those who had seen it told them how the man who had been demon-possessed had been healed. By His power, we, too, are able to overcome Satans treacheries. Also, the wholesale slaughter of these pigs dramatically illustrated the destructive purposes of the demons. Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. The conduct of this pathetic individual was obviously anti-social. (4) Super-human strength. The people were afraid when they saw the possessed man healed. How Satan blinds our minds! Follow Up: struct sockaddr storage initialization by network format-string, How do you get out of a corner when plotting yourself into a corner, Movie with vikings/warriors fighting an alien that looks like a wolf with tentacles. April 2020 January 2015 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. Instead, they reject Him because all they know is His power and purity. On the other hand, Gadara is only six miles from the southern tip of the lake and could easily have given its name to the district. So, they asked Him to leave. Until we decide on a new comic, you'll likely see a gray box where "Dilbert" had appeared. 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. And those who had seen it reported to them how the man who was demon-possessed had been made well. They had been unable to control these two men [Luke only mentions one man, but Matthew tells us there were two]. Bob was born and raised in a Christian home i More, The Net Pastors Journal, Eng. 3 When the centurion 2 heard about Jesus, c he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his . to sign up for our free Water Of The Word newsletter at the top of any page! Such was the case with this man (cf. He pleaded with Jesus not to be tormented. It indicates full and permanent control. Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. The pleas of Legion were in response to the command of Jesus for the demons to come out of him (verse 8). and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. Will they be condemned like unclean animals? David Noel Freedman, The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 991. Men in their unbelief suppose that the choice is either to be free (independent of God) or to be the slaves of Christ. Luke seems to base this fear solely upon what happened to the demoniac, not on the loss of their pigs. The typical explanation for the petition of the residents that Christ leave their country is that they were motivated by materialistic considerations. 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. They all say country of (in the sense of region, not nation). Jesus is conscious that He now breaks the power of the devil and his angels because He is the One in whom the dominion of God is present on behalf of humanity. W. Foerster, as quoted by Lane, Mark, fn. 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. 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]. Significantly, the demons are called unclean spirits (verse 2,9). They were instructed to keep quiet about what Jesus had done for them (cf. There is no true freedom and fulfillment apart from Jesus Christ, the Creator and Redeemer of men. 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. 8; Mark vi. How Can a Person Get Rid of Evil Spirits. 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. 120 The request is in both cases the same; for, according to Jewish notions, certain countries being assigned to evil as well as to good spirits, whose limits they were unable to overpass, to be sent out of their own country, no other being open to them, implied being sent into the abyss, or bottomless pit, since that remains for them alone. Trench, Miracles , p. 101. 4, p. 102. We are seeking a replacement and hope to have it in your newspaper soon. This story is a little bit of an Easter story. Dave Armstrong Dave Armstrong is a full-time Catholic author and apologist, who has been actively proclaiming and defending Christianity since 1981. The Lord refused this request and commissioned this delivered man to return to his own people and declare to them what God had done for him. The district of the Gerasenes probably included that of the Gadarenes; so that the demoniac of Gergesa belonged to the country of the Gadarenes and also to that of the Gerasenes, as the same person may, with equal truth, be said to live in the city or the state, or in the United States. Norval Geldenhuys, Commentary on the Gospel of Luke (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1951), p. 174. 0 Responses 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. The time of this event was before Jesus' crucifixion, and before the gentiles were grafted in to the promise (Acts 10). 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. What sort of strategies would a medieval military use against a fantasy giant?
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