why were the gerasenes afraid why were the gerasenes afraid

There is the so-called demon of doubt, of anger, of overindulgence, of drunkenness, laziness and so on. 2 And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. While the Jews had not denied the works of Jesus were supernatural, they had declined to admit they established His deity. Even in our sophisticated times, there is an intense interest in the supernatural and the occult. They look forward to their future with great dread. French Monastery Survives War and Famine After 885 Years, the Basilica of St. Ambrose in Milan, and More Great Links! June 2015 And, Gerasene was one. Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023, Highlights in the Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ. July 2015 Mark 9:17-29). rev2023.3.3.43278. SubscribeStart your Register subscription today. Ouija boards are found in many American homes. Finally, there is in demon possession a counterpart to the filling (or control) of the Holy Spirit. 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. Subscriber Service CenterAlready a subscriber? First of all, I believe Mark was attempting to warn his Gentile readers of the great danger of demonic influence and activity. Copyright 2023 EWTN News, Inc. All rights reserved. Far from this, He had stormed the gates of Hell and prevailed. What did Jesus do? The confrontation of Jesus and the Gerasene demoniac made it clear that Jesus was no servant of Satan. Fear that you would not be in control? In all three instances the word is chra (Strongs word #5561). We see people in other places where he worked miracles, endeavoring to make him their king (Jn 6:15) . Vote Up Exercising authority in the land allocated to Abraham, for Israel, the land set aside for God and his people. Since the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave in their fear, it seems that Jesus' ability to exorcise Legion was disturbing to the people. So, they asked Him to leave. The conduct of this pathetic individual was obviously anti-social. 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. Gergesa may have been a variant spelling of Gerasa. Ralph Earle, The Gospel According to Mark (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1957), p. 70. Gadara, though not directly named in Scripture, was part of the Decapolis. Today, it is identified with El-Koursi or Kursi. It hit them hard in the pocketbook. The ego is so impaired that the spirits speak through him. 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. The first two are in the Authorized Version. No matter what men attempted to bind him with, he broke loose. April 2022 Note that the texts dont say Gerasa or Gadara, so they arent necessarily referring just to one of the cities. Matt. F. F. Bruce adds additional helpful insight: According to the best texts, Matthew calls it the country of the Gadarenes (viii. February 2021 Robert L. (Bob)Deffinbaugh graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary with his Th.M. Whenever a man, woman, or child surrenders control of himself either to fleshly desires (anger, lust, passion, etc.) 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. Gadara is about six miles from the sea. 8ff.). Now' as to the pigs (an unclean animal, so you know Jesus wasnt in Israel! The spectrum ranges from those who seem to control the demonic powers to those who are utterly controlled by them. 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. Mark 5:1And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. Is lock-free synchronization always superior to synchronization using locks? Wasn't the answer obvious? Satans most effective tool is not the demoniac wandering about the desolate places. of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were So he got into the boat and left. The expression to be with Jesus is used particularly of His disciples (cf. This makes sense, I couldn't believe they asked Jesus to leave. Earles comments are helpful: The difference in names for the destination on the east side of the take has caused considerable comment. Have you even been in a service where the Spirit of God was moving and felt fear? Nevertheless, for consideration. 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. or school. 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. They greatly desire to enter and control a physical body, whereby they may reflect their character and attributes. Significantly, the demons are called unclean spirits (verse 2,9). That is why he was living in the solitude of the tombs, away from civilization. Its ruins include two amphitheaters, a basilica, temple, a hippodrome, aqueducts and colonnades, showing its importance and stature. Gergesenes means "those who come from pilgrimage or fight.". But, the pigs were a part of their economic wealth. 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. They were instructed to keep quiet about what Jesus had done for them (cf. Such seems to be a similar case with Judas (John 13:1-2). Jesus had simply sailed across the Lake of Galilee to the region of the Gerasenes. You can flip a coin hoping for heads, but you know that tails is a very real probability. Why is this even an issue, I wonder? Then they sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, across the lake from Galilee. The region was known also as the Decopolis because ten Greek cities were located in the region. I think all these attempts to harmonize what may at first seem like a contradiction are plausible, respectable, and adequate. July 2020 December 2022 in 1971. Can devils entreat in such a manner any highest of angels, be he Michael, Gabriel or Raphael, or any greatest cherub or seraph? The particular focus of this mans testimony was the Decapolis region. So much pain, so much sin. For some people, the cost is too high. 2). I have always wondered what my Christian brothers had to say to the police officers by way of explanation. Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. Hence there was demon-worship, the worship not necessarily of evil spirits; but of the spirits of those who had existed in the Golden Age. G. Campbell Morgan, The Gospel According to Mark (New York: Fleming H. Revell, 1927), p. 114. 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. April 2015 Mark 5:16 says the thoughts of the people were on the swine. Yes, I know that Easter was weeks ago in April. How many demons possessed the man in Mark 5:6? iv. 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. Luke 8:37Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them: for they were taken with great fear: and he went up into the ship, and returned back again. Similar to the storm we see in the book of Job that killed Jobs sons - and Satan was the instigator of that as well. Give a Gift SubscriptionBless friends, family or clergy with a gift of the Register. 7. Does a barbarian benefit from the fast movement ability while wearing medium armor? Events that are important to our Church Community, Mark 5:1-20 Jesus Heals the Gerasene Demoniac. All Scripture agrees with this, that the judgment of the angels is yet to come (1 Cor. 3 When the centurion 2 heard about Jesus, c he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his . 37 Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. September 2020 There probably were not many who had been told yet of the Messiah, and so were not yet believers. 1) He Exposes Evil (v 28-30) . 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. Such an entreaty can be addressed by them to only God. 21,22). 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. 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. Why as the question? And, it can not be understood properly out of this context. Christians are to be the answer, but often they are part of the problem. It should also be observed that nowhere in the Old Testament (except in I Sam. This city was better known than Gadara or Gergesa; indeed in the Roman age no city of Palestine was better known.. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. 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. August 2021 The pleas of Legion were in response to the command of Jesus for the demons to come out of him (verse 8). Why did the demon-possessed Gadarene bow down before Jesus? Jesus asked a sick man if he wanted to get well. 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. They were sacrificed by being thrown off a cliff. verse 5). She is a graduate of the Divinity School at Wake Forest University and Chicago Theological Seminary. In Acts 8:1 we have the regions of Judaea and Samaria (KJV), and in Acts 16:6, Galatia alone. She and her wife moved to Maine from Illinois. Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. First of all, the EPA would have been investigating the pollution of Lake Galilee with decaying pigs. Most people confessed to having the fear of things not working out, an inability to trust and others said they . The house that is left swept and clean is a likely target for Satanic influence (cf. The fear of the unknown, the uncontrollableof change. 112 Skeptics and liberals have made much of the differences between the Gospel writers as to the place Jesus landed with His disciples. Verse 1. 23, 24, viii. They were not looked upon as necessarily evil in all cases. Matthew 8:28 - 29, 31, 34And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way. Even the demons confessed that He was the Son of the Most High (Mark 5:7). art thou come hither to torment us before the time? He who feared His arrival now dreaded His departure. Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. They likely were Gentiles and had been under the influence of the demonic principality of the region their whole life. Pigs were specifically set aside as the animal used in sacrifices to their god. It didnt take long for the word to spread quickly. The best human analogy might be in the area of drug abuse. For more information about Glenn Davis see our About Glenn page and/or his Author's Page. There seems to be no excuse here for the charge of contradiction. You are welcome here. (4) Our Lord did not command the demons to enter into the pigs and bring about their destruction; He only permitted it.124. 16, x. It is a violent tempest, that is, outside of the natural. 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. Top Ten Reasons Why There Were Pigs In Gerasenes Remember the story of Jesus casting demons out of the crazy man in Luke 8? Early Christians like St. Polycarp clearly held the Catholic view on salvation. I felt somewhat guilty, particularly fearing that I may have created an unintentional hardship for some classmate. So who was afraid? In any event, I love defending the Bible and Christianity. 110 C. S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (New York: The Macmillan Co., 1971), p. 3. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors, and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.110. 40, vii. 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. November 2017 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. We see the first reaction to this in the storm MARK 4:7 And a great windstorm arose [snip]. 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. 3. He was also humorous in his answers. The pigs had been driven mad and rushed down a steep slope plunging into the lake and drowning. It is mentioned in some ancient manuscripts of the . ), you also need to understand the significance of this - to the people in Gerasene. 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. Perhaps they clenched their fists or picked up driftwood with which to defend themselves. Some illicitly use drugs, supposing that they have them completely under their control. Jesus deserves the benefit of the doubt even when we don't have all the facts. Others cited unfaithfulness, lack of seriousness, and the lack of confidence to sustain a relationship. June 2016 For the Christian, there are two extremes which must be avoided with reference to Satanic activity. January 2023 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. Until we decide on a new comic, you'll likely see a gray box where "Dilbert" had appeared. If Jesus had that kind of power, then He could not be controlled. These, however, are not the problem raised by Bible students. May 2021 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. They became as afraid of Jesus as the demons were. To understand this event, you need consider the incident at Babel, and Deuteronomy. . The demons freak out that Jesus is there because it's not time for them to be tormented by Him yet. Jesus had just performed an incredible miracleand one they desperately needed, at that! When addressed, the person was the mouthpiece of the demon (such as Legion, Mark 5:9). 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). 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. The entire population of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them because they were seized with great fear. Pigs were seen as unclean animals in the eyes of the people of Israel. April 2018 What did we miss because we allowed fear instead of faith to drive our lives? 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. 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. The people were gentiles who had not yet any interest in the Messiah. As the world's top superpower, how unsure of itself can the US be to . November 2020 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. What did Jesus mean when he said only prayer can cast out this demon? October 2020 Thats just westernised interpretation which simply doesnt work when interpretating a Jewish book. Dr. Thomson discovered on the eastern shore the ruins of a village called Khersa. Why did Jesus allow the legion of demons to stay in the area when they begged him? (2) Anti-social behavior. 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. It is ironic that while the demons didnt want to leave the country, the dwellers of that land didnt want the Messiah to stay. Who was afraid of Jesus and why? To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. November 2014. Now they would deal with this One greater than he by doing likewise. Instead, they reject Him because all they know is His power and purity. How ironic, as others have noted, that the tormentor pleads not to be tormented. When Jesus asked his name the man answered, Legion, for we are many (Mark 5:9). Winthrop Congregational Church, UCC No matter who you are. 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. This is probably the Gerasa of Mark and Luke. 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. 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. 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. By His power, we, too, are able to overcome Satans treacheries. And they were afraid. December 2021 In recent years the matter has been getting uncomfortably close to home. Then people came to see what it was that had happened. We read at Mk 5:14-17 (NRSVCE), the immediate after-effects of the driving out of evil spirits by Jesus at Gerasene by allowing them to enter pigs: The swineherds ran off and told it in the city and in the country. September 2022 As indicated in the textual note, the best Greek text reads Gerasenes in Mark and Luke, Gadarenes in Matthew. Jesus asked some pretty crazy questions like What Things Happened? 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. Lets learn why. At first we may deceive ourselves into thinking that we are controlling them, but the ultimate likelihood is that they will master us. The commission of our Lord is considerably different from His instructions to the Israelites whom He had delivered. xvi. If it is a feminine spirit, the voice will be a feminine one, if masculine then very manly. A land that was essentially under another god (lower case g). If he was a pagan, why did Jesus cast out his demons? 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). 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. In addition, Matthew includes the comment, Have You come here to torment us before the time? (Matthew 8:29). December 2020 You will receive a monthly newsletter with Scriptural teaching plus notifications of any new articles, courses or books. Another approach is to note the different intentions of the Gospel writers. People who have no appr Those demons were terrified of Him! Mark 3:14). What about us, as Christians, are we afraid of Jesus? Why were the Romans afraid of the Christians? So who was afraid? EIN 27-4581132 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. 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. Will they be condemned like unclean animals? In the King James Version it is called the country of the Gadarenes in Mark and Luke, and of the Gergesenes in Matthew. Reproduction of material from this website without written permission, or unlicensed commercial use or NEW STAR WARS MERCH PAGE: https://bit.ly/3baWVZv For all sponsorship and business inquiries please contact: thestupendousscrub@gmail.com NEW CHANNEL: https:/. These men were a danger to themselves and others. 125 This is the position of Lane, Mark, p. 187. 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. 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.. He was received into the Catholic Church in 1991. This story is a little bit of an Easter story. Immediately, as this weary group disembarked from the ship, they were met by what appeared to be a madman. April 2021 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. 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. 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. Jesus has lead me away from my old life. Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. . What sort of strategies would a medieval military use against a fantasy giant? Another reason could be as Dr. R.C. But, the context is not going to be comfortable (accepted by) to some traditional understandings. xx. It is noteworthy that it is distinguished (especially in the Gospel of the physician, Luke) from cases of ordinary sickness, insanity (lunacy), leprosy, blindness, lameness, deafness and other natural defects and diseases (cf. 17, pp. The pig tenders reported it far and wide, in city and country (verse 14). 10). Also, frequently associated with demon possession was a super-human strength (cf. 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! At the conclusion of this day of teaching by parables, the Lord had instructed His disciples to cross over the Sea of Galilee to the other side. This was surely not so in every case, and perhaps in none. The choice is to be free by submission to Christ (cf. Our Lord responded sternly by calling this accusation blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, and as such was the one unpardonable sin (verses 28-30). October 2015 He seemed to view Jesus approach as the launching of a direct attack on the demonic forces. 16ff., xix. Sign-up for E-NewsletterGet Register Updates sent daily or weeklyto your inbox. Understand the meaning of Luke 8:37 using all available Bible versions and commentary. 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. What they were not willing to accept was the frightening power that could cure him. "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. More than this, however, is the fact that the mans own identity and individuality were swallowed up by the demons with him. 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! So they refer to Gerasenes. How Satan blinds our minds! 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. If anything, that would have made them angry. No matter who you are. If an Israelite, why was he in Gerasene in the first place and why was he living so near a large herd of swine? 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. 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. February 2017 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). Will they be rejected? I understand why," the HBO "Real Time" host told Jake Tapper on Tuesday as part . The Truth is Jesus is a safe Person Who loves them, values them, wants their best and will never force Himself on them. August 2018 Is it a bug? The country of the Gadarenes (Gergesenes) is one of the few areas Jesus visited where Gentiles (non-Jews) composed the majority of the population. EWTN News, Inc. is the worlds largest Catholic news organization, comprised of television, radio, Luke seems to base this fear solely upon what happened to the demoniac, not on the loss of their pigs. They would have to trust Jesus. By clicking Post Your Answer, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. And the people went out to see what happened; and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting down at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they became frightened. 35Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. Privacy Policy. Other demoniacs described in Scripture were bent on self-destruction as well (cf. Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood. 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. A crowd had come to see what had happened for themselves. Some today have given demons far more than their due by blaming demons for every malady of mankind. (3) Spiritual insight. Thats why also Peter having realized who Christ was, was dreaded and asked Him to leave him for he said to be a sinful man (Luke 5:8). March 2022 No matter where you are on life's journey. . The word translated windstorm here, and storm in the KJ, is the word lailaps, which is more than just a storm. There is, as we know, the world, the flesh, and the Devil. This would also give time afterwards for the dispersion, not only into the city, but into the country of them who had fed the swine. 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).