Fear that you would not be in control? in a crowd in a crowd where many people were bumping into Him? 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. (2) Anti-social behavior. April 2016 Matthew 8:4; Luke 8:56). His website/blog, Biblical Evidence for Catholicism, has been online since March 1997. The demoniac was uncontrollable by any of the normal means of human confinement. They likely were Gentiles and had been under the influence of the demonic principality of the region their whole life. (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. I asked why people are afraid of commitment and relationships and some said they are afraid because they fear being hurt again. Instead of opening themselves up to Jesus and receiving His love and forgiveness, they allowed fear to drive a wedge between them. There was no such danger in Perea, and thus the mercy of the Lord was to be heralded. In this account we, by inference, learn much about the demonic spirits. 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. While he was once wild and uncontrollable, he was sitting quietly at the feet of Jesus. 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? But, Im telling you. Finally, there is in demon possession a counterpart to the filling (or control) of the Holy Spirit. When addressed, the person was the mouthpiece of the demon (such as Legion, Mark 5:9). 3. 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. The Politics of Luke 8:26-39 | Political Theology Network Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood. (2) Anti-social behavior. (5) Torment. Perhaps they clenched their fists or picked up driftwood with which to defend themselves. . You can like Jesus for two different reasons. Will they be rejected? Bill Maher: 'I am afraid of Trump on a very personal level' So he got into a boat and returned. Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023, Highlights in the Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ. By His power, we, too, are able to overcome Satans treacheries. 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. I think that this story is a little bit of an Easter story. One is to disbelieve in their existence. However, the point was clearly made; Jesus, the Son of God, has power over all things, including the powers of darkness. They valued their pigs more than they valued salvation. Also, the wholesale slaughter of these pigs dramatically illustrated the destructive purposes of the demons. Mark and Luke, on the other hand, write to more general audiences, and Gerasa was the main Greek-Roman city of the area. As indicated in the textual note, the best Greek text reads Gerasenes in Mark and Luke, Gadarenes in Matthew. xvi. rev2023.3.3.43278. If they dare to open up their lives to Jesus what will happen? The particular focus of this mans testimony was the Decapolis region. 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. Though Legion bowed before Jesus (verse 6), it was no act of worship (as the King James Version would seem to indicate). Mark 5:1And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. Jesus never interacted with people as they were, but as He knew they were created to be. They were among North Korea's elite, but they fled anyway. Here's why August 2022 November 2022 How ironic, as others have noted, that the tormentor pleads not to be tormented. 15; Mark ix. He also maintains a popular Facebook page. It's a curious passage with many unanswered questions. It was opposite Galilee. And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another . There is, as we know, the world, the flesh, and the Devil. 7 After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, b he entered Capernaum. Train crash in Greece: 43 dead, stationmaster arrested. Live updates. Note that the texts dont say Gerasa or Gadara, so they arent necessarily referring just to one of the cities. Why would the Gerasene people beg Jesus to leave their region - EBible August 2015 As C. S. Lewis aptly put it: There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. And the people there were scared, they recognised this, but more, they realised the significance of this. The spectrum ranges from those who seem to control the demonic powers to those who are utterly controlled by them. 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. 36Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. He had only known Jesus for a few hours, but had already determined to be Jesus' disciple for life. January 2017 and our The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. 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. 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. 118 H. When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met Him a man from the city who had demons. What was the country of the Gerasenes (or Gadarenes) and why is it Then people came to see what it was that had happened. August 2018 This man demonstrated all four characteristics. Lane, Mark, p. 182, fn. Luke 8:26And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee. - 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. What sort of strategies would a medieval military use against a fantasy giant? Demonized individuals are not to be viewed so much as a pigeon hole category, as they are a continuem. As an alternative to confinement, the demons posed the option of being permitted to enter the pigs, some 2,000 in number, feeding nearby. Give a Gift SubscriptionBless friends, family or clergy with a gift of the Register. 3 When the centurion 2 heard about Jesus, c he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his . vi. What scared them was a power so fierce it could free a man. The US Congress is currently debating whether TikTok should be banned for everyone in the US, not just government officials. If anything, that would have made them angry. Sermon for July 26, 2020: Why Were They So Afraid: Mark 5:1-20. Second, while the death of the pigs is clearly an economic loss for the owner, Jesus is illustrating the infinite value of human life. 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. Bulk update symbol size units from mm to map units in rule-based symbology. Welcome to Biblical Hermeneutics! Whereas he had been a slave, he was now delivered from demon possession. 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. Instead, they reject Him because all they know is His power and purity. Gergesa may have been a variant spelling of Gerasa. Ralph Earle, The Gospel According to Mark (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1957), p. 70. Both Gerasa and Gadara were cities to the east of the Sea of Galilee and the River Jordan. Whenever a man, woman, or child surrenders control of himself either to fleshly desires (anger, lust, passion, etc.) The Secret behind Jesus Healing the Gerasene Demoniac ii. If we put ourselves in their place, and use empathy to feel how we might have reacted if we were confronted with the loss of our next year's source of feeding our families, it will be easier to understand that they were afraid to suffer any other loss that might result if Jesus stayed in their area. If he was a pagan, why did Jesus cast out his demons? The Gadarenes was the place where Jesus confronted a man whose possession by demons gave him a level of superhuman strength like Samson (Mark 5:3 - 5, Luke 8:27). Sign up for 6 Free IssuesTry us out with a free trial subscription. Other demoniacs described in Scripture were bent on self-destruction as well (cf. It didnt take long for the word to spread quickly. Rather, they attributed the power of Jesus to Satan (Mark 3:22). 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. 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.. Five squad cars converged on it. It is a violent tempest, that is, outside of the natural. By clicking Post Your Answer, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. August 2021 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 commission of our Lord is considerably different from His instructions to the Israelites whom He had delivered. He obviously attracted crowds. Then any greatest of men, like any prophet, hero or king? . (2) Pork was a food forbidden to Jews, and as such, those who raised these pigs may have done so knowingly in violation of divine injunction. And, Gerasene was one. That is why he was living in the solitude of the tombs, away from civilization. Gergesenes means "those who come from pilgrimage or fight.". Once naked, he is now clothed. 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. It is now called Jerash and is a deserted ruin. The spread of cholera was linked to the movements of . 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). 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. We should know from other Scriptures that our present spiritual experience is one of spiritual warfare. 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. First of all, I believe Mark was attempting to warn his Gentile readers of the great danger of demonic influence and activity. 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. 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. Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. xvii. How many demons possessed the man in Mark 5:6? February 2022 9. Therefore, Jesus Christ for demons is God and thus even demons inadvertently reveal themselves as being better theologians than Arians and their modern day heirs - Jehovawitnesians and all different breeds of Unitarians - their name being legion! 125 This is the position of Lane, Mark, p. 187. Who was afraid of Jesus and why? (Matthew 8:28; Mark 5:1; Luke 8:26) In Gerasenes in place of Gadarenes. The Truth is Jesus is a safe Person Who loves them, values them, wants their best and will never force Himself on them. especially fn. 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?" . January 2022 I understand why," the HBO "Real Time" host told Jake Tapper on Tuesday as part . Many times people - Non-Christians and Christians - push Jesus away because they do not want to change. to men facing fear and death. A Lesson From the Gadarenes - Sabbath Thoughts Now appreciate the reaction - another God was messing with their god - and demonstrating authority! Definition of Gadarenes (Gergesenes) in the Bible - Bible Study Author of The Gnostic Notebook series, stand-up comedian, and Gnostic. 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. Thus, all the circumstances lead us to regard the healing of the demonized at Gerasa as a night scene, immediately on Christs arrival from Capernaum, and after the calming of the storm at sea. Alford Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1965), I, pp. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. (1) Severe personality change. 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. 21,22). 127 The view of Greek philosophy was that these were the spirits of those who lived in the Golden Age. Nor was it the Jewish population of Galilee. But the city of Gadara owned some territory round about Khersa, so that the district and the pigs could properly also be called Gadarene. F. F. Bruce, Are the New Testament Documents Reliable? (3) Spiritual insight. 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. Crazy question or.? Does a barbarian benefit from the fast movement ability while wearing medium armor? Where did the demons go after they went into the pigs and caused them to jump to their death. All of us may be so concerned with our own livelihoods that we fail to serve other people and help those in desperat Some of the proposed answers to this question are totally unacceptable to an orthodox, evangelical Christian.123 By way of explanation, there are several factors which should be given serious consideration. 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. and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. The lesson of this passage is that Satan is a defeated foe. . April 2018 0 Responses Ridiculous? 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. 128 In most of the stories of possession what is at issue is not merely sickness but a destruction and distortion of the divine likeness of man according to creation. 4. Why ChatGPT should be considered a malevolent AI - and be destroyed 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. 14). He was received into the Catholic Church in 1991. 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. They ask Him if they can enter some nearby pigs, and He lets them. 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. "They sailed to the country of the Gerasenes which is opposite Galilee. Jesus Heals a Centurion's Servant. His animal-like shrieks must have sent chills up the spines of any who were nearby. So who was afraid? The entire population of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them because they were seized with great fear. In the third chapter of Marks Gospel, our Lords miraculous works were attributed by His opponents to the power of Satan (verse 22). Acts 16:16), while others were the virtual pawns of these spirits, losing their own identity and autonomy. At their request, He left. Luke 7 - And blessed is the one who is not offended by me." | ESV.org 111 Edersheim maintains that it must have been late the same night of the storm: Most writers have, indeed, suggested, that the healing of the demonized on the other side took place at early dawn of the day following the storm on the lake. Top Ten Reasons Why There Were Pigs In Gerasenes Remember the story of Jesus casting demons out of the crazy man in Luke 8? It was significant. For these demons to be sent out of the country would have meant that they would then be confined along with other fallen angels (cf. No! So they refer to Gerasenes. 28); Mark the country of the Gerasenes (v. 1), and Luke, probably, the country of the Gergesenes (viii. It is very appropriate that these two incidents . It is even possible that his request was to become one of our Lords disciples.125. . The demoniac further evidenced demon activity by the depth of his spiritual insight. Have we stepped back, in effect asking Jesus to leave us alone, only to discover, as a Gentleman, He did? Why Darth Sidious Was AFRAID of General Grievous - YouTube February 2017 July 2022 March 2016 December 2020 First of all, the EPA would have been investigating the pollution of Lake Galilee with decaying pigs. How Can a Person Get Rid of Evil Spirits. As the world's top superpower, how unsure of itself can the US be to . It should also be observed that nowhere in the Old Testament (except in I Sam. Can devils entreat in such a manner any highest of angels, be he Michael, Gabriel or Raphael, or any greatest cherub or seraph? Thayers Greek Lexicon defines it as the space lying between two places or limits region or country. The Sea of Galilee was clearly one of the limits. 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. Order Bulk SubscriptionsGet a discount on 6 or more copies sent to your parish, organization Gergesenes is also in some manuscripts (Khersa or Gersa was a town actually on the shore of the sea). ESV - It hit them hard in the pocketbook. 8ff.). March 2021 Jesus asked some crazy questions like "Why are you afraid?" Holy Communion From the Chalice Reintroduced in the UK: What About the US? The lose of the pigs meant loose of partial income in the area. When Jesus asked his name the man answered, Legion, for we are many (Mark 5:9). For more information about Glenn Davis see our About Glenn page and/or his Author's Page. The people (nations) were divided up, and boundaries allocated' and the sons of god were put over these nations. 122 Quoted by Alfred Plummer, The Gospel According to Saint Luke, (Edinburg: T. and T. Clark, 5th ed., 1969): p. 228. F. F. Bruce adds additional helpful insight: According to the best texts, Matthew calls it the country of the Gadarenes (viii. Acts 5:1-6). February 2016 Then the SPCA would have been up in arms over such cruelty to animals. They would have to trust Jesus. The Gospels use different names for the place where this occurred: This is supposedly a contradiction. Gerasa is (as we know) some 30-35 miles southeast of the Sea of Galilee, but may have also been the name of the larger region. Norval Geldenhuys, Commentary on the Gospel of Luke (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1951), p. 174. First of all the Scriptures do not say that the local Pagans were afraid of Jesus, but that they merely begged him to leave their neighbourhood. Afraid of Jesus | Reformed Bible Studies & Devotionals at Ligonier.org 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. The second question is an ethical one: What right had the Lord to inflict this loss on the owners of the swine?121 Put even more crassly, Huxley censored this act with these words: the wanton destruction of other peoples property is a misdemeanour of evil example.122. 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. 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. October 2022 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. So he got into the boat and left. With a little knowledge of the geography of the region, this apparent contradiction can be resolved. Then they sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, across the lake from Galilee. They look forward to their future with great dread. February 2018 August 2017 Dave Armstrong Dave Armstrong is a full-time Catholic author and apologist, who has been actively proclaiming and defending Christianity since 1981. 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. The fear of the unknown, the uncontrollableof change. I felt somewhat guilty, particularly fearing that I may have created an unintentional hardship for some classmate. 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. (6) Tendency towards self-destruction. There seems to be no excuse here for the charge of contradiction. 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. 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. The typical explanation for the petition of the residents that Christ leave their country is that they were motivated by materialistic considerations. (3) Spiritual insight. More than this, however, is the fact that the mans own identity and individuality were swallowed up by the demons with him. 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. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. "I am afraid of Trump on a very personal level because I don't think he likes me. 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. Some illicitly use drugs, supposing that they have them completely under their control. There is the so-called demon of doubt, of anger, of overindulgence, of drunkenness, laziness and so on. 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. and 1 Kings xxii. 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. I think all these attempts to harmonize what may at first seem like a contradiction are plausible, respectable, and adequate. He was also humorous in his answers. 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. That would be a strong message, by allowing them to be possessed and then drowned. He was Someone Who could control the spirit realm. Christians are to be the answer, but often they are part of the problem. October 2015 Unfortunately, Christians [or those using the name] can be harsh, condemning and critical driving people further into sin and away from God. April 2017 He shivered at the disturbing memory. We should be warned that fooling with these Satanic fronts is like experimenting with drugs. Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. Others are absolutely controlled (hooked) by the drug and totally dependent upon it. Accordingly this was not merely an ordinary form of mental disease as some writers have alleged, but a special phenomenon which was particularly frequent during Jesus earthly sojourn and thus was directly connected with His coming to destroy the power of darkness. How to prove that the supernatural or paranormal doesn't exist? 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. How do I connect these two faces together? Horoscopes and astrological predictions are found in most major newspapers. Exorcism of the Gerasene demoniac - Wikipedia No matter where you are on life's journey. 2 And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. Oh Hye-son recently published a Korean-language memoir on how she and her husband Thae Yong-ho, then deputy ambassador at North Korea's London embassy, defected in 2016. Most people confessed to having the fear of things not working out, an inability to trust and others said they . 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. 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. Verse 1. This city was better known than Gadara or Gergesa; indeed in the Roman age no city of Palestine was better known.