[3], The earliest account, assuming the theory of Marcan priority is correct, is in the Gospel of Mark (Mark 5:120). No matter what men attempted to bind him with, he broke loose. When the pigs were sent into the sea, the people of Gadara lost money. What do I do about calling a priest father at my Catholic University? Jesus' arrival on the scene introduced a spiritual power stronger than Legion, which upset the social balance by removing the scapegoat. 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. Then any greatest of men, like any prophet, hero or king? went through a storm to help one person, that is, the wild man of Gadara. There is, as we know, the world, the flesh, and the Devil. Jesus asks the demon for his name and is told "My name is Legion, for we are many". In recent years the matter has been getting uncomfortably close to home. But I know there are ways I do this all the time. 8:28, "And when He had come to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, two men who were demon-possessed met Him as they were coming out of the tombs; they were so exceedingly violent that no one could pass by that road.". Do not be afraid. Be my helper. conquest of Syria in 65 b.c. As Jesus began to get back into the boat, the delivered demoniac pleaded with Him that he might accompany Him. If you are able tosupport usthis month we will invest your gift in making the hope of the gospel freely available to others who are wandering in the tombs of despair. Used with Permission. 3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. Matt. No rage. Why were the people of Gerasene afraid of the presence of Jesus? Life with him would be heaven on earth. We should be warned that fooling with these Satanic fronts is like experimenting with drugs. Apologetics Press is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization dedicated to the defense of New Testament Christianity. This was a federation of ten cities (deka = ten, polis = city). Romans 9:19-23). Thank you for setting the demoniac free. You should not suggest in any way that The High Calling or Theology of Work endorses you or your use of the work. The Maniac Who Became a Missionary, Part 1 - Grace to You If you have any issues, please call the office at 385-246-1048 or email us at [emailprotected], by Matt Slick | Apr 13, 2023 | Bible Studies. Hence there was demon-worship, the worship not necessarily of evil spirits; but of the spirits of those who had existed in the Golden Age. G. Campbell Morgan, The Gospel According to Mark (New York: Fleming H. Revell, 1927), p. 114. Jesus, Demoniacs, and Public Authorities: A Socio-Historical Study. Pigs were specifically set aside as the animal used in sacrifices to their god. Then those who had seen what happened told the others how the demon-possessed man had been healed. Demonized individuals are not to be viewed so much as a pigeon hole category, as they are a continuem. New International Version (NIV), Encyclopedia of The Bible Gerasa, Gerasenes. The truth is that I am both drawn to you because of this and also a bit scared. The man, who was naked when he saw Jesus, had the added ability of enduring both freezing and sweltering temperatures as well as pain he inflicted upon himself! 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. Jesus visits Gadara - easyenglish.bible Declare how much God has done for you. 110 C. S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (New York: The Macmillan Co., 1971), p. 3. He dispatched Lucius Annius with a force of cavalry and an army of foot soldiers, who took the city on the first attack, slaughtering a thousand young men, taking their families captive, plundering and burning the city and the surrounding towns (Jos. 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. 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. The 'before' and 'after' descriptions of the demoniac reveal that he was a totally different person under demonic influence. Gerasa, one of the cities of Decapolis and the capital of the country of the Gerasenes, lay around 37 miles/60 kilometres away from the Sea of Galilee in what is today the city of Jerash in Jordan.3The country of the Gerasenes did not reach the Sea of Galilee (an important point that we'll get to in a bit). John imagines what the back-story of this man might have been and explores themes of redemption and reconciliation. Matthew recorded that Jesus commanded demons to come out of two men (8:29). Before the war it was a Gentile settlement. Jesus approaches and calls the demon to come out of the man, who replies "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? All accounts involve Jesus exorcising demons, identified collectively in Mark and Luke as "Legion". 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. Journal of the American Academy of Religion, XLIX(4), 567588; Burdon, Christopher. The forum, with a semicircle of columns still standing, was paved with large cut stones. During the time of Christ, the ten cities of Decapolis and the surrounding region were inhabited mostly by Gentiles, not Jews, and the area had a strong Greek influence. 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. As these people began to piece together the previous events, not only of the destruction of the pigs, but also the deliverance of Legion, they began to sense that there was One far more awesome, much more to be feared, than Legion. If we had a video livestream of a clock being sent to Mars, what would we see? 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. Published The Matthew account mentions two demon-possessed men, while Mark and Luke only mention one. In this instance, each writer intended to draw attention to an area close to the Sea of Galilee. Heal me, Lord, but let me remain the lord of at least part of my life. Thus, the story in Luke 8:26-39 challenges me to consider how open I really am to the Lord. No other place on the E side of the sea fits this requirement of the story. ", Jesus looked hard at him without speaking. [11] Further possible echoes include Isaiah 65:4 with parallels to both graves and swine:[12]. In the King James Version it is called the country of the Gadarenes in Mark and Luke, and of the Gergesenes in Matthew. When our Lord confronted the demons, they had to submit to His power and authority. The site is identified today with the town of Kersa, or Gersa, just below Wadi es-Samak. And now, with the demons gone, nothing he had ever experienced came close to the safety and peace he felt simply being near Jesus. We dismiss it the more readily, that, in our view, it conveys a wrong impression. The Good Shepherd will walk with you and protect you on the darkest road (Psalm 23:4). Lane believes the modern Kersa is the most likely place: The point of arrival is indicated in a general way as the district of the Gerasenes, most probably in reference to a town whose name is preserved in the modern Kersa or Koursi. Some would identify the place with RAMOTH-GILEAD, which see.The site is now occupied by a colony of Circassians, and there is reason to fear that, unless something is done to preserve them, many valuable remains of antiquity will perish.W. The best text in Matthew reads Gadarenes, in Mark and Luke it reads Gerasenes, whereas some MSS preserve Gergesenes and Gergustenes (cf. NE side Sea of Galilee; Gennesaret. Jewish theology, at least on this point, seems consistent with biblical revelation. Can devils entreat in such a manner any highest of angels, be he Michael, Gabriel or Raphael, or any greatest cherub or seraph? He had thought he'd been living in hell already. The pagan religions continued among the Gentile population as is evidenced by the ruins of the temple of Artemis. This town is not to be confused with either Gerasa or Gadara. The Gerasenes must have had some understanding of why they are reproached or they would not respond as they do. Jesus allows the fleeing evil spirits to enter a herd of pigs which promptly run into the sea and drown. By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from Bible Gateway, a division of The Zondervan Corporation, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA, including commercial communications and messages from partners of Bible Gateway. 2. Some have suggested that the words Gergesenes and Gerasenes are not words referring to people from a city other than Gadara, but merely different variations of the word Gadarenes (Youngblood, p. 468; McGarvey, p. 344). by Matt Slick | Mar 5, 2009 | Bible Difficulties, Matthew - Mark, The Bible. Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood. The passage in Daniel especially suggests specific geographical boundaries within which spirit beings must abide. It would seem that these people had no Messianic expectations, and therefore wanted nothing to do with One Who had such awesome power, a power over which they had no control. These forces plundered Gerasa, Philadelphia, Pella, and others (Jos. Jesus Restores a Demon-Possessed Man. 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. Everyone strained for a look at the tomb-man. When you get a chance, please take the, New blog post from our CEO Prashanth: Community is the future of AI, Improving the copy in the close modal and post notices - 2023 edition, Does Jesus show compassion to demons in Mark 5:12-13. Why did Jesus not allow demons to proclaim his name, Archaeological or Historical Support for the Gerasene Pigs. At Luke 8:27, the gospel writer notes that the demoniac wore no clothes. iv. Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighbourhood. The Lord refused this request and commissioned this delivered man to return to his own people and declare to them what God had done for him. Learn more about these miraculous stories found in the Bible. These ruins date from the 2nd to the 7th centuries and show that the city flourished during this period as a center for religion, culture, and commerce. Demons are highly organized (cf. 5:2-3? But dont mess with my whole life. The best human analogy might be in the area of drug abuse. Even the demons confessed that He was the Son of the Most High (Mark 5:7). 7. But it was different this time. Gerasa was rebuilt in splendor and remained prosperous for several centuries. It is ironic that while the demons didnt want to leave the country, the dwellers of that land didnt want the Messiah to stay. We greatly appreciate your consideration! Afterwards, the man Jesus had rescued from the demons wanted to go with Him, but Jesus sent him to share the good news of the gospel with his own people: "Return to your house, and declare what great things God has done for you." He went his way, proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.
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