why were the gerasenes afraid why were the gerasenes afraid

That is why the inhabitants of the area are referred to variously in different Bible manuscripts as Gergasenes, Gadarenes, or Gerasenes. But let us return to the gist of the matter: if Christ showed them His Divinity through the reason given above, is it easy to be in the presence of God? The scene which Mark presents is deliberately dark. We see people in other places where he worked miracles, endeavoring to make him their king (Jn 6:15) . What about us, as Christians, are we afraid of Jesus? His animal-like shrieks must have sent chills up the spines of any who were nearby. I will not look for a reason to return to it. The conduct of this pathetic individual was obviously anti-social. 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. The city of Gadara and its surrounding area are referred to as the Gadarenes. 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. Read the Scripture: Mark 4:35 - 5:20. Did Jesus command the demon before he fell on his knees in Mark 5:6? In the third chapter of Marks Gospel, our Lords miraculous works were attributed by His opponents to the power of Satan (verse 22). The people were more terrified of Jesus and His authority than they were of this crazed and demonized man living among the tombs. The confrontation between the powers of heaven and hell are nowhere seen in better perspective than in Marks account of the encounter of the Gerasene demoniac with our Lord Jesus Christ. Earles comments are helpful: The difference in names for the destination on the east side of the take has caused considerable comment. 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. 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. 2ff., xvv. More than this, however, is the fact that the mans own identity and individuality were swallowed up by the demons with him. That the unclean spirits were personal beings is evident from what is related about their leaving a possessed person, talking or crying out, possessing knowledge concerning Jesus, as well as other supernatural knowledgeshowing fear, and the like. Matthew 9:2-8 Why was "This man is blaspheming" considered an evil thought without knowing Jesus' identity? Those demons were terrified of Him! Your comment will be posted after it is approved. Acts 16:16), while others were the virtual pawns of these spirits, losing their own identity and autonomy. Luke 8 Cookie Notice Then people came to see what it was that had happened. 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. Yes, I know that Easter was weeks ago in April. 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. Mark and Luke, on the other hand, write to more general audiences, and Gerasa was the main Greek-Roman city of the area. 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! When you get a chance, please take the, We've added a "Necessary cookies only" option to the cookie consent popup. 23, 24, viii. In Galilee and Judea there were Messianic hopes which would have been quickly fanned into flames if the miracles of Jesus were too widely publicized. Whenever a man, woman, or child surrenders control of himself either to fleshly desires (anger, lust, passion, etc.) Pigs were specifically set aside as the animal used in sacrifices to their god. 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. 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. 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! What were the women in Mark 16:8 afraid of? Jesus showed to the local population the inferiority of pagan life. From this point on, Jesus began to speak to the crowds in parables in order to veil or conceal the gospel from those who had blasphemed the Holy Spirit (Mark 4:lff). And, it can not be understood properly out of this context. It is ironic that while the demons didnt want to leave the country, the dwellers of that land didnt want the Messiah to stay. As indicated in the textual note, the best Greek text reads Gerasenes in Mark and Luke, Gadarenes in Matthew. While the Jews had not denied the works of Jesus were supernatural, they had declined to admit they established His deity. September 2016 Pope Francis Inexhaustible Font of Words: 10 Gems From the Heart Over 10 Years, Pope Francis, Biden Commend Peacemaker Bishop OConnell as Memorial Services Begin. Ridiculous? Its important to note that this was the first demonstration of Jesuss authority outside of Canaan. Why did Jesus have the authority to forgive sins, why did the scribes take it as a blasphemy, and was this authority also given to men in general? What scared them was a power so fierce it could free a man. How Satan blinds our minds! First let us see what the Sacred Texts says: The swineherds ran off and told it in the city and in the country. 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). 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. Jesus never interacted with people as they were, but as He knew they were created to be. January 2017 The reply Legion118 may be some kind of evasion, a reluctance on the part of the demons to individually identify themselves. It is noteworthy that Jesus nowhere speaks of forgiveness of sins or of purification-sacrifices, that have to be brought after His curing of such cases (as He did in some cases of physical illness). The word translated windstorm here, and storm in the KJ, is the word lailaps, which is more than just a storm. 116 As Lane observes this title Son of the Most High God, is not a messianic designation but a divine one. Lane, Mark, p. 133, cf. His greatest impact would be on those who knew his former state. If they dare to open up their lives to Jesus what will happen? Fear that you might do something that would embarrass you? 118 H. 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. September 2020 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? Demons are highly organized (cf. The best human analogy might be in the area of drug abuse. I understand why," the HBO "Real Time" host told Jake Tapper on Tuesday as part . It is amazing to think that people could be fearful 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. No matter what men attempted to bind him with, he broke loose. (3) Our Lord was moved with compassion by the torment of Legion and the loss of these pigs should in no way dim our view of the deliverance of the demoniac. Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. Copyright 2023 EWTN News, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. When the Gadarenes saw what Christ was capable of, they panicked. Jesus Heals a Centurion's Servant. (2) Anti-social behavior. It only takes a minute to sign up. EIN 27-4581132 At their request, He left. All Scripture agrees with this, that the judgment of the angels is yet to come (1 Cor. September 2015 July 2015 . In Mark 1:5 it is used of the land of Judaea (KJV) and in Acts 10:39, to land of the Jews (KJV). This was a region east of the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River. He shivered at the disturbing memory. 2,8) who can possess men and animals. Ouija boards are found in many American homes. 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. It might be better to hide behind masks than risk being hurt again After all, if God rejects youwhere else can you go? Clarify art thou come hither to torment us before the time? Both Gerasa and Gadara were cities to the east of the Sea of Galilee and the River Jordan. The Gerasenes were the people of the district of which Gerasa was the capital. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). "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. 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. 5:5). Early Christians like St. Polycarp clearly held the Catholic view on salvation. Small sins lead to big sins, and big sins bring about a terrible spiritual darkness. 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. 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? Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighbourhood. There is no true freedom and fulfillment apart from Jesus Christ, the Creator and Redeemer of men. As we pass from this section to the next, let us not end on the note of the death of the pigs, but on the deliverance of the demoniac.