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. 2ff., xvv. 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. Spam. November 2021 The exercising of authority over demons, in the land under another god, was a message. Demons are highly organized (cf. Jesus had simply sailed across the Lake of Galilee to the region of the Gerasenes. Acts 16:16), while others were the virtual pawns of these spirits, losing their own identity and autonomy. 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. We should know from other Scriptures that our present spiritual experience is one of spiritual warfare. So they refer to Gerasenes. As an alternative to confinement, the demons posed the option of being permitted to enter the pigs, some 2,000 in number, feeding nearby. Thats just westernised interpretation which simply doesnt work when interpretating a Jewish book. November 2017 7. Life with him would be heaven on earth. . Luke 8:26And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee. The first two are in the Authorized Version. 9. In the wake of new restrictions on the traditional Latin Mass, two American bishops spoke with EWTNs Raymond Arroyo Thursday about how their dioceses have responded. 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. The expression to be with Jesus is used particularly of His disciples (cf. Jesus asked a sick man if he wanted to get well. In this account we, by inference, learn much about the demonic spirits. 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). Non-Christians can often experience this fear of Jesus as well. Gergesenes is also in some manuscripts (Khersa or Gersa was a town actually on the shore of the sea). To understand this event, you need consider the incident at Babel, and Deuteronomy. Romans 9:19-23). So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine . June 2020 Treasury of Scripture. Others are absolutely controlled (hooked) by the drug and totally dependent upon it. They would have to trust Jesus. What was it that caused these people to react in such a way? January 2022 Our Lord responded sternly by calling this accusation blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, and as such was the one unpardonable sin (verses 28-30). 2 And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. Jesus has lead me away from my old life. 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. In any event, I love defending the Bible and Christianity. Bible scholar Gleason Archer (Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties) argues similarly, It is entirely possible that the political control of this region was centered in Gadara as the capital city. The most likely answer is to the country of the Gerasenes: i.e., Gerasa, a Greek town thought to be the same as the similarly-named Kersa on the east shore of Lake Tiberias. In the third chapter of Marks Gospel, our Lords miraculous works were attributed by His opponents to the power of Satan (verse 22). Bob was born and raised in a Christian home i More, The Net Pastors Journal, Eng. June 2015 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. I asked why people are afraid of commitment and relationships and some said they are afraid because they fear being hurt again. How do I connect these two faces together? September 2015 January 2017 The spectrum ranges from those who seem to control the demonic powers to those who are utterly controlled by them. Holy Communion From the Chalice Reintroduced in the UK: What About the US? Jude 6), no longer to afflict men or resist God. Why is this even an issue, I wonder? Second (and primarily), Mark employs this event to authenticate the claims of Jesus to be the Son of God and Israels Messiah. September 2020 We owe it to Josephus, from whom it has passed into ecclesiastical language. Then the SPCA would have been up in arms over such cruelty to animals. 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. 37Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. Others cited unfaithfulness, lack of seriousness, and the lack of confidence to sustain a relationship. The demonically possessed man who came to Jesus cried out his name was Legion. 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. They are happy in their sin and the consequences seem far away. There is no conflict, however, for Mark and Luke have apparently focused their attention on the most striking of the two. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). The Truth is Jesus is a safe Person Who loves them, values them, wants their best and will never force Himself on them. 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. Demonic influence further destroys mans reflection of God as originally designed.128 Demons have great spiritual insight and reluctantly submit to Jesus as Lord of all. Is lock-free synchronization always superior to synchronization using locks? Both Gerasa and Gadara were cities to the east of the Sea of Galilee and the River Jordan. Why were the people of Gerasene afraid of the presence of Jesus among them? Asked October 24 2014 June 2022 In other words, even though he set the bar extremely high, he seemed to be a fascinating man. December 2022 Jesus asked some crazy questions like "Why are you afraid?" November 2020 You can like Jesus for two different reasons. It's a curious passage with many unanswered questions. The people of Gerasenes were willing to live with the devils they knew - quite literally. June 2016 Pigs were specifically set aside as the animal used in sacrifices to their god. 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. 2,8) who can possess men and animals. First of all, the EPA would have been investigating the pollution of Lake Galilee with decaying pigs. In addition, Matthew includes the comment, Have You come here to torment us before the time? (Matthew 8:29). They found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus' feet, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. 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 greatly desire to enter and control a physical body, whereby they may reflect their character and attributes. They are unclean spirits, (vss. Why would Jesus ask, "Who touched Me?" Gergesenes means "those who come from pilgrimage or fight.". Fallen people reject God not because they do not know His power. 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. In all three instances the word is chra (Strongs word #5561). Series NotesScripture references are based on the King James translation. The capital of the region was Gerasa, and the largest city in the region was Gadera. Mark and Luke, on the other hand, write to more general audiences, and Gerasa was the main Greek-Roman city of the area. Even in our sophisticated times, there is an intense interest in the supernatural and the occult. April 2020 These, however, are not the problem raised by Bible students. Then they sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, across the lake from Galilee. especially fn. 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. Cookie Notice Why did Jesus not allow demons to proclaim his name, Archaeological or Historical Support for the Gerasene Pigs. Why did the demons ask to be cast into the herd of pigs, and why did the pigs then run into the water to be drowned? It is now called Jerash and is a deserted ruin. ), you also need to understand the significance of this - to the people in Gerasene. Anonymous, October 25 2014 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. You are welcome here. To the evildoer, anonymity is always preferable to identification. How much more sinful than Peter were the Geraseneans, who because of love of money did not shun even to engage in a non-Jew business of herding swine; how much more unbearable and dreadful must have been for them the Lords presence! According to another theory, the Chapati movement of 1857 was an attempt to prevent a cholera outbreak in central India. Why would the Gerasene people beg Jesus to leave their region after He cast the demons into the pigs? As always, we must begin with the principle: Interpretation is one, application is many. e.g., Matt. 17, pp. Catholic Church. Unfortunately, Christians [or those using the name] can be harsh, condemning and critical driving people further into sin and away from God. Well, it is because atheists, in their zealous rush to make fun of Christians, Christianity, and the Bible, start to lose their logical rigor and rationality, leading them to contend for implausible things: as presently. 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). 36 Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. Luke seems to base this fear solely upon what happened to the demoniac, not on the loss of their pigs. Jesus showed to the local population the inferiority of pagan life. 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. October 2015 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. It is amazing to think that people could be fearful of Jesus. September 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. Is there any archaeological evidence for Joshua entering Israel and conquering cities in the late Bronze Age and early Iron Age? How many demons possessed the man in Mark 5:6? To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers. (5) Torment. 2). in a crowd in a crowd where many people were bumping into Him? "Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear." (Luke 8:37a) Fear plagues us. If anything, that would have made them angry. iv. Who was afraid of Jesus and why? 61-62. From this it is clear that demon-possession is a phenomenon which occurred almost exclusively, but then to be sure on an amazing scale, during Jesus appearance on earth and to a lesser extent during the activity of the apostles. Swine were unclean animals according to the Torah. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors, and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.110. 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. Winthrop Congregational Church, UCC No matter who you are. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. 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. Its important to note that this was the first demonstration of Jesuss authority outside of Canaan. Here in Mark, he purposely set out to travel into another land. A Jewish exorcist with such authority in the region, risked to damage the beliefs and reputation of the local pagan inhabitants. ESV - "I am afraid of Trump on a very personal level because I don't think he likes me. There is no true freedom and fulfillment apart from Jesus Christ, the Creator and Redeemer of men. and our Then people came to see what it was that had happened. This was a federation of ten cities (deka = ten, polis = city). As Jesus began to get back into the boat, the delivered demoniac pleaded with Him that he might accompany Him. Have you even been in a service where the Spirit of God was moving and felt fear? January 2016 . "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." 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). It became one of the proudest cities of Syria. It was situated some 30 miles southeast of Gadara, on the borders of Peraea and a little north of the river Jabbok. April 2015 So, they asked Him to leave. He also maintains a popular Facebook page. It only takes a minute to sign up. art thou come hither to torment us before the time? Another indication of demonic control is the fact that this man was continually doing harm to himself by gashing himself with stones (verse 5). Until we decide on a new comic, you'll likely see a gray box where "Dilbert" had appeared. 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. It didnt take long for the word to spread quickly. 113 According to the Talmud there were four characteristics of madness: walking abroad at night; spending the night on a grave; tearing ones clothes and destroying what one was given. Hence it would be called the land of the Gadarenes.. The pig tenders reported it far and wide, in city and country (verse 14). He who feared His arrival now dreaded His departure. The price tag of possession was high, for those who fell victim to the demons agonized in constant torment. Unbelieving men may not rave and carry on like the Gerasene demoniac, but they are nevertheless under Satans control, doing his bidding. Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood. 5:5). So who was afraid? They have three sons and a daughter (all homeschooled) and reside in southeast Michigan. When addressed, the person was the mouthpiece of the demon (such as Legion, Mark 5:9). He brought up the story of Jesus casting out demons and sending them into pigs, which promptly ran over a cliff into the sea. His animal-like shrieks must have sent chills up the spines of any who were nearby. And, Gerasene was one. Why did Jesus allow the demons to enter the herd of pigs? They had been unable to control these two men [Luke only mentions one man, but Matthew tells us there were two]. 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. The Lord granted the only request of these residents, which was for Him to leave. With a little knowledge of the geography of the region, this apparent contradiction can be resolved. 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). Neither is it only a kind of physical disease, although spiritual and physical disease often accompany it (e.g. Sign up for 6 Free IssuesTry us out with a free trial subscription. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs. Some today have given demons far more than their due by blaming demons for every malady of mankind. No matter what men attempted to bind him with, he broke loose. I understand why," the HBO "Real Time" host told Jake Tapper on Tuesday as part . (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. We are seeking a replacement and hope to have it in your newspaper soon. 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, In other words, Jesus had caused a loss to them of 2,000 swine already; what else would His presence cost? 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. 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. But, the context is not going to be comfortable (accepted by) to some traditional understandings. The lose of the pigs meant loose of partial income in the area. EWTN News, Inc. is the worlds largest Catholic news organization, comprised of television, radio, print and digital media outlets, dedicated to reporting the truth in light of the Gospel and the 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. Jesus never interacted with people as they were, but as He knew they were created to be. 16, x. Author of The Gnostic Notebook series, stand-up comedian, and Gnostic. 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. Jesus did say to count the cost [Luke 14:28-33]. June 2021 July 2017 Another reason could be as Dr. R.C. (6) Tendency towards self-destruction. That would be a strong message, by allowing them to be possessed and then drowned. One is that he was a fascinating man. The reply Legion118 may be some kind of evasion, a reluctance on the part of the demons to individually identify themselves. The conduct of this pathetic individual was obviously anti-social. 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.. As the world's top superpower, how unsure of itself can the US be to . The conduct of this pathetic individual was obviously anti-social. Nor was it the Jewish population of Galilee. 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. What sort of strategies would a medieval military use against a fantasy giant? When our Lord confronted the demons, they had to submit to His power and authority. 22, xvii. . 4, p. 102. Wikipedia states about it: In the second half of the 1st century AD, the city of Jerash achieved great prosperity.. September 2021 Dr. Thomson discovered on the eastern shore the ruins of a village called Khersa. 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. Their influence and control leads to untold agony and destruction. Norval Geldenhuys, Commentary on the Gospel of Luke (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1951), p. 174. Christians are to be the answer, but often they are part of the problem. He shivered at the disturbing memory. This name (Strong's #G3003) is a reference to a Roman military regiment that varied in soldier strength from 4,000 to 6,000. 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. Also, frequently associated with demon possession was a super-human strength (cf. This was a region east of the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River. Father Macaire, 33, who was ordained fewer than two years ago, was kidnapped the morning of Feb. 7 when he was on his way to his missionary community in Kazal, about 20 miles north of Port-au-Prince.