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b) Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Man in the Country of the Gadarenes (Mark 5:1-20)
MARK 5:1-20
1 They came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. 2 When he had come out of the boat, immediately a man with an unclean spirit met him out of the tombs. 3 He lived in the tombs. Nobody could bind him any more, not even with chains, 4 because he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him, and the fetters broken in pieces. Nobody had the strength to tame him. 5 Always, night and day, in the tombs and in the mountains, he was crying out, and cutting himself with stones. 6 When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and bowed down to him, 7 and crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have I to do with you, Jesus, you Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, don’t torment me.” 8 For he said to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9 He asked him, “What is your name?” He said to him, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” 10 He begged him much that he would not send them away out of the country. 11 Now on the mountainside there was a great herd of pigs feeding. 12 All the demons begged him, saying, “Send us into the pigs, that we may enter into them.” 13 At once Jesus gave them permission. The unclean spirits came out and entered into the pigs. The herd of about two thousand rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and they were drowned in the sea. 14 Those who fed them fled, and told it in the city and in the country. The people came to see what it was that had happened. 15 They came to Jesus, and saw him who had been possessed by demons sitting, clothed, and in his right mind, even him who had the legion; and they were afraid. 16 Those who saw it declared to them how it happened to him who was possessed by demons, and about the pigs. 17 They began to beg him to depart from their region. 18 As he was entering into the boat, he who had been possessed by demons begged him that he might be with him. 19 He didn’t allow him, but said to him, “Go to your house, to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how he had mercy on you.” 20 He went his way, and began to proclaim in Decapolis how Jesus had done great things for him, and everyone marveled.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness does not comprehend it. Jesus set out from his homeland eastward to the country of idolaters, where people lived without the law of God, ate swine’s flesh, and contacted unclean spirits, which possessed some of them. The demon-possessed lived among the tombs as dead rather than alive. Woe to our earth if men move away from the Spirit of God, rely on philosophers and scientists, and call upon the spirits of the dead! Then they become evil, powerful in destruction, without humanity, and even dead spiritually.
Jesus came to this region which was affected by evil, and the spirits soon raced as moths meet together around a shining lamp at night, for the power of Christ is known in other places. While his presence brings peace and rejoicing to his believers, unclean spirits become desperate and afraid. As Jesus did not fear the roaring storm, so he feared neither demons, nor the demon-possessed, from whom people fled fearfully when they saw them, and heard how they roared with iron chains, showering passers by with big stones, wounding many and hitting themselves too.
Yet, Jesus spoke to them kindly, for he was certain that no spirit could hurt him.
The demon-possessed fell down before Jesus’ feet, knowing that God himself dwelt in this Man Jesus.
Jesus knew the malice of hell, and showed his disciples that many unclean devils dwelt in that poor suffering man, for the spirits sought a human body as an instrument to carry out their destructive designs. They exhausted him, tore his soul, and made him a hellish thief.
Jesus cast an unclean army of demons out of this suffering man with the word of his power. He considered the healing of a man more important than a herd of two thousand swine, which rushed down into the sea and drowned.
Thus, we find that unclean spirits cannot keep quiet even in animals. In their violent running the herd was destroyed.
Then, we see the picture of paradise. He who became free from the power of unclean spirits sat at Jesus’ feet clothed and in his right mind, thanking and praising him. This is the result of Jesus’ salvation, that whoever comes to him is dressed, in his right mind, at peace with God, working hard, and becoming a new creation. The love of Christ prompts and edifies man. It makes him a messenger of order, a seeker of truth, and an image of divine love in the world of fear, lying, and prostitution.
The people of that region felt the effect of the power of heaven against the spirits of hell, and they were greatly afraid. They did not worship Christ, but begged him to go away, preferring their properties and animals rather than the living Christ.
The man who was healed and freed wanted to accompany Jesus and stay under his protection, but Jesus commanded him to be his witness in his own country. His comforting Spirit accompanied the man, and his salvation became the hope of that region which was darkened with death. This man obeyed Christ and testified to his divine power in eastern cities and towns of Jordan.
Are you in your right mind sitting at Jesus’ feet, and bearing witness to his name and power in public?
PRAYER: O Lord Jesus, we worship your divine power, for you are the loving Almighty One. You do not destroy us, but free us from all impurity, hatred, and destruction. Make us lovers of good order, and filled with love and truth. Help us to spread the news about your power to our brothers and sisters in this age. Amen.
QUESTION:
- How did the demon-possessed live when Christ had freed him from unclean spirits?