Mark 5:1-13, Jesus Heals a Man with a Demon Part 1

1 They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. [The exact location is not known, but it is near the southeastern shore of the sea in Gentile territory. Look for an important clue in this story that tells us we are no longer in an Israelite area.] 2 And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. [Mark and Luke record one man while Matthew records two. Why should this difference not bother us? Mark and Luke focus on the one man who speaks, ignoring the silent man, is one likely explanation. The Bible never uses the word “possession” by demons to describe human affliction as in this case as though these people are zombies. We can pause and ask the question, does this man have free will? How free is one’s will when under demonic influence? I would say he needs a Savior to free his will. There are various levels of demonic affliction recorded in the Bible with this story being the most severe on record. Luke records that Jesus cast out seven demons from Mary Magdalene but does not relate the severity of her affliction. Note that Mark distinguishes the difference between the sick and those afflicted by the demonic.] 3 He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, 4 for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. [Jesus steps in where humans have been unable to either help or imprison this man. His inner turmoil remains despite outward restraints. Only divine intervention will work.] 5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. [The human solution to this horrific problem consists in isolating the man. Instead of threatening others, his destructive evil force turns inward, and he hurts himself.] 6 And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. 7 And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God [a Gentile term, suggesting this man is a Gentile; it also answers the disciples’ previous question of who Jesus is in regards to his calming of the sea!]? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” [As usual, the demon, who is a fallen angel, knows Jesus. How ironic that the demons can identify him but the Pharisees cannot! Unbelievably, he who has tormented others asks not to be tormented! What does this tell us about evil and how evil understands itself, especially regarding Jesus?] 8 For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9 And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” [In the Bible “name” stands for “nature,” so Jesus is asking him to identify publicly the nature of his enslaving evil.] He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” [His answer reveals human impotence in the face of overwhelming evil. He had an army of evil controlling him. No wonder no human could restrain him. A Roman legion had 6,000 soldiers, which could suggest how many demons possessed this man. It could also suggest the demon came via Roman soldiers, who were occupying his land.] 10 And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. [Who is “he” and who are “they”?] 11 Now a great herd of pigs [here is our clue] was feeding there on the hillside, 12 and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” [Once expelled, the demons will need a home, and the unclean animals are perfect in their minds for relocation.] 13 So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea. [Whoever owned the pigs must not have been happy. One difficulty with this passage is that Jesus cured the man at the expense of the pigs. But can anyone seriously hold that pigs should be saved and a human not? Was not the cure of this man of greater benefit to the community? Jesus, however, did not send the demons into the pigs. He only gave them permission. Consider why Jesus allowed this to happened in such a dramatic way.]