The Truth is Jesus is a safe Person Who loves them, values them, wants their best and will never force Himself on them. Our children would probably understand best if I said that his appearance must have been somewhat like that of the television creation, The Incredible Hulk. What did we miss because we allowed fear instead of faith to drive our lives? Yet, conversely, the known can be just as scaryif not more. . Reproduction of material from this website without written permission, or unlicensed commercial use or Others cited unfaithfulness, lack of seriousness, and the lack of confidence to sustain a relationship. In this account we, by inference, learn much about the demonic spirits. EWTN News, Inc. is the worlds largest Catholic news organization, comprised of television, radio, Today, it is identified with El-Koursi or Kursi. December 2020 And, lastly, this would allow sufficient time for those miracles which took place on that second day in Capernaum after His return thither. March 2015 Far from this, He had stormed the gates of Hell and prevailed. No matter where you are on life's journey. xiii. Note: 'had the legion', i.e., the many unclean spirits inhabiting him. Why is that. These people from the region of the Gerasenes had undoubtedly felt the anger or disgust of Jews for making a career out of such unclean animals, but Jesus had not criticized them for their profession. 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! The city of Gadara and its surrounding area are referred to as the Gadarenes. 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 particular focus of this mans testimony was the Decapolis region. Gergesa may have been a variant spelling of Gerasa. Ralph Earle, The Gospel According to Mark (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1957), p. 70. Thus, all the circumstances lead us to regard the healing of the demonized at Gerasa as a night scene, immediately on Christs arrival from Capernaum, and after the calming of the storm at sea. Alford Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1965), I, pp. But, Im telling you. As indicated in the textual note, the best Greek text reads Gerasenes in Mark and Luke, Gadarenes in Matthew. If anything, that would have made them angry. The country of the Gadarenes (Gergesenes) is one of the few areas Jesus visited where Gentiles (non-Jews) composed the majority of the population. People who have no appr Fallen people reject God not because they do not know His power. 122 Quoted by Alfred Plummer, The Gospel According to Saint Luke, (Edinburg: T. and T. Clark, 5th ed., 1969): p. 228. Luke 8:37 Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked The house that is left swept and clean is a likely target for Satanic influence (cf. Jesus has lead me away from my old life. The reference could hardly be to the better known Gerasa (Jerash) between thirty and forty miles southeast from the lake. Although his symptoms would have appeared to be those of an insane man,113 the Gospel writers inform us that he was demon-possessed.114. Lukes reading Gergesenes may represent even more accurately the ancient name of this place, as Origen knew of a Gergesa on the lake of Galilee. Dave has been happily married to his wife Judy since October 1984. Thayers Greek Lexicon defines it as the space lying between two places or limits region or country. The Sea of Galilee was clearly one of the limits. Is it a bug? Norval Geldenhuys, Commentary on the Gospel of Luke (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1951), p. 174. 05 /5 Another theory. Preisker, TWNT IV (1942), pp. (5) What our Lord could have given the people of this territory was much greater than what He took away. She is a graduate of the Divinity School at Wake Forest University and Chicago Theological Seminary. Another reason could be as Dr. R.C. When our Lord confronted the demons, they had to submit to His power and authority. At the side of Kersa the shore is level, and there are no tombs. While the Jews had not denied the works of Jesus were supernatural, they had declined to admit they established His deity. Top Ten Reasons Why There Were Pigs In Gerasenes Remember the story of Jesus casting demons out of the crazy man in Luke 8? This was a region east of the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River. 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 had nothing to do the farmers losing revenue - at all. Earles comments are helpful: The difference in names for the destination on the east side of the take has caused considerable comment. On the other hand, it may be correct to understand that although there were many demons, they had combined as one force to possess this man.119 While Mark records Legions request as one of not being sent out of the country (verse 10), Luke adds a significant explanation by interpreting the meaning behind this request: And they were entreating Him not to command them to depart into the abyss (Luke 8:31). Those who have witnessed demon possession tell us that each demon has its own distinct personality and that the individual possessed begins to manifest the distinct personality of the demon by which he is possessed. In other words, even though he set the bar extremely high, he seemed to be a fascinating man. Instead of opening themselves up to Jesus and receiving His love and forgiveness, they allowed fear to drive a wedge between them. Having been properly warned of the demonic underworld, let us not fall into the opposite error of absolute paranoia. July 2022 Acts 5:1-6). Whereas he had been a slave, he was now delivered from demon possession. The price tag of possession was high, for those who fell victim to the demons agonized in constant torment. The miracle referred to took place, without doubt, near the town of Gergesa, the modern Kersa, close by the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, and hence in the country of Gergesenes. Like it or not, demons and demonic activity are likely to become much more of a concern to you in days to come. This name (Strong's #G3003) is a reference to a Roman military regiment that varied in soldier strength from 4,000 to 6,000. "The trains were . He had only known Jesus for a few hours, but had already determined to be Jesus' disciple for life. "The Gerasenes were the people of the district of which Gerasa was the capital. That would be a strong message, by allowing them to be possessed and then drowned. Second, while the death of the pigs is clearly an economic loss for the owner, Jesus is illustrating the infinite value of human life. It is not difficult to imagine what was going through the minds of the disciples as their ship landed and as these two demon possessed men rushed to them. At the conclusion of this day of teaching by parables, the Lord had instructed His disciples to cross over the Sea of Galilee to the other side. July 2017 Slain Los Angeles auxiliary bishop was remembered at the Mass of Christian burial as friend of Jesus Christ and of Mary, our Blessed Mother.. Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. Luke 8:26-39 Mark 5:1-20 ESV - 1 They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. Small sins lead to big sins, and big sins bring about a terrible spiritual darkness. If an Israelite, why was he in Gerasene in the first place and why was he living so near a large herd of swine? 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. Why did Jesus allow the legion of demons to stay in the area when they begged him? Why did Jesus not allow demons to proclaim his name, Archaeological or Historical Support for the Gerasene Pigs. There is no conflict, however, for Mark and Luke have apparently focused their attention on the most striking of the two. What would happen to them? January 2016 Thus an economic lose of revenue was involved. Gerasenes, Gadarenes, Pigs and "Contradictions" - NCR August 2017 It didnt take long for the word to spread quickly. It is in no way certain, however, that the pig raisers were Jews. What about us, as Christians, are we afraid of Jesus? They were instructed to keep quiet about what Jesus had done for them (cf. The demoniac was uncontrollable by any of the normal means of human confinement. August 2016 Jesus was saying, (demonstrating) that He had all authority, in any land. Matthew 9:2-8 Why was "This man is blaspheming" considered an evil thought without knowing Jesus' identity? This reveals to us that demons have an intuitive knowledge of their impending doom.117. Winthrop Congregational Church, UCC No matter who you are. (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. The demoniac further evidenced demon activity by the depth of his spiritual insight. 14). Bill Maher says he's scared of former President Trump "on a very personal level" and "what he would do" to the comedian if he were to win the 2024 White House race. But the distance is so short that, even making allowance for the delay by the tempest, the passage could scarcely have occupied the whole night. 21,22). All of this sure seems perfectly consistent with calling the same area the country (chra) of either the Gerasenes or the Gadarenes, after the two major cities. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. The subject of demons and demon possession has always seemed somewhat remote and academic to sophisticated 20th century Americans. Asked October 24 2014 monetization of National Catholic Register RSS feeds is strictly prohibited. Embedded into both stories are people who were afraid of Jesus. Matthew 8:28 - 29, 31, 34And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way. One is that he was a fascinating man. April 2016 The region was known also as the Decopolis because ten Greek cities were located in the region. 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! Why is this even an issue, I wonder? Gergesa - Wikipedia This was surely not so in every case, and perhaps in none. 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. 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. November 2016 January 2022 Men and women (as well as children) were demonized in that they fell under the influence of these unclean spirits. 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. October 2020 It is even possible that his request was to become one of our Lords disciples.125. It is mentioned in some ancient manuscripts of the . Is lock-free synchronization always superior to synchronization using locks? And when the man spoke to Jesus, it looks like the demons inside the man were the ones doing the speaking. In Jewish thinking, spirit beings were assigned to certain geographical territories.120. Why did Jesus allow the demons to enter the herd of pigs? What did Jesus do? 0 Responses and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. For many Christians today, the horrifying experience of Legion should be sufficient testimony of the reality of the Satanic underworld. Then people came to see what it was that had happened. 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. When you get a chance, please take the, We've added a "Necessary cookies only" option to the cookie consent popup. Should TikTok be banned? Your guide to understanding why the platform When Jesus and his disciples come to the mostly-Gentile region of the Gerasenes, they are met by a man whose life has been destroyed by demonic infestation. It was greatly influenced by Greek culture.126. Hence it would be called the land of the Gadarenes.. 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. - And they came to the other side of the sea.The other side of the sea would be the south-east side of the sea. Definition of Gadarenes (Gergesenes) in the Bible - Bible Study (2) Anti-social behavior. The Lord granted the only request of these residents, which was for Him to leave. But notice, even though Jesus permitted them to enter the swine, they were unable to overcome their evil impulses and drove the swine over the cliff to their death. What Does Luke 8:37 Mean? "And all the people of the country of the Thats why also Peter having realized who Christ was, was dreaded and asked Him to leave him for he said to be a sinful man (Luke 5:8). In the third chapter of Marks Gospel, our Lords miraculous works were attributed by His opponents to the power of Satan (verse 22). Understand the meaning of Luke 8:37 using all available Bible versions and commentary. In recent years the matter has been getting uncomfortably close to home. Catholic Church. Early Christians like St. Polycarp clearly held the Catholic view on salvation. Textual variations have compounded the problem. Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. 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. These, however, are not the problem raised by Bible students. Second (and primarily), Mark employs this event to authenticate the claims of Jesus to be the Son of God and Israels Messiah. especially fn. 110 C. S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (New York: The Macmillan Co., 1971), p. 3. Welcome to Biblical Hermeneutics! April 2020 Matthew 8:4; Luke 8:56). My office mate of several years back was interrupted by a young and very zealous new Christian teacher accompanied by a student from whom she wanted my friend to cast out a demon. He could just as easily commanded them to return to the deepest, darkest pit of Hell. Luke seems to base this fear solely upon what happened to the demoniac, not on the loss of their pigs. In that case, of course, it would be in the early morning that the Gerasenes afterwards resorted to Jesus and that He again returned to Capernaum. We should be warned that fooling with these Satanic fronts is like experimenting with drugs. When Jesus asked his name the man answered, Legion, for we are many (Mark 5:9). Series NotesScripture references are based on the King James translation. August 2022 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. They are unclean spirits, (vss. As always, we must begin with the principle: Interpretation is one, application is many. Sermon for July 26, 2020: Why Were They So Afraid: Mark 5:1-20. You can flip a coin hoping for heads, but you know that tails is a very real probability. At first we may deceive ourselves into thinking that we are controlling them, but the ultimate likelihood is that they will master us. This makes sense, I couldn't believe they asked Jesus to leave. I felt somewhat guilty, particularly fearing that I may have created an unintentional hardship for some classmate. 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. to sign up for our free Water Of The Word newsletter at the top of any page! Browse other questions tagged, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. As C. S. Lewis aptly put it: There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. Mark and Luke, on the other hand, write to more general audiences, and Gerasa was the main Greek-Roman city of the area. As has been said before, look for Satans man behind the pulpit. Thanks for contributing an answer to Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange! verse 5). Many times people - Non-Christians and Christians - push Jesus away because they do not want to change. Spam. man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 'Return home and tell how much God has done for you.' So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus (Luke 8:26-39, NIV) Romans 9:19-23). 3 When the centurion 2 heard about Jesus, c he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his . Jesus deserves the benefit of the doubt even when we don't have all the facts. 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. November 2017 112 Skeptics and liberals have made much of the differences between the Gospel writers as to the place Jesus landed with His disciples. May 2015 July 2015 The typical explanation for the petition of the residents that Christ leave their country is that they were motivated by materialistic considerations. Top Ten Reasons Why There Were Pigs In Gerasenes The expression to be with Jesus is used particularly of His disciples (cf. The lesson of this passage is that Satan is a defeated foe. The before and after descriptions of the demoniac reveal that he was a totally different person under demonic influence. All of us may be so concerned with our own livelihoods that we fail to serve other people and help those in desperat xx. The ego is so impaired that the spirits speak through him. 37 Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. . December 2022 Another indication of demonic control is the fact that this man was continually doing harm to himself by gashing himself with stones (verse 5). Fear that you would not be in control? Then people came to see what it was that had happened. The entrance of the term into colloquial speech indicates that the Roman occupation was a heavy burden. of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were So he got into the boat and left. Bob is a pastor/teacher and elder at Community Bible Chapel in Richardson, Texas, and has contributed many of his Bible study series for use by the Foundation. David Noel Freedman, The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 991. Both Gerasa and Gadara were cities to the east of the Sea of Galilee and the River Jordan. How many demons possessed the man in Mark 5:6? 118 H. Horoscopes and astrological predictions are found in most major newspapers. Although it is likely that the larger towns of Galilee were predominantly Gentile, as was the Decapolis, the first-century civilian diet did not . 7. When Jesus asked the demoniac his name, it was not without significance for He was, I believe, asking the demons to reveal their identity. Bulk update symbol size units from mm to map units in rule-based symbology. Satan loves those Christians. There probably were not many who had been told yet of the Messiah, and so were not yet believers. Or they are too afraid of what the change might bring. Lets face it, we all like to be in control. 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. Why would the Gerasene people beg Jesus to leave their region - EBible Unbelieving men may not rave and carry on like the Gerasene demoniac, but they are nevertheless under Satans control, doing his bidding.
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why were the gerasenes afraid