Then people came to see what it was that had happened. April 2015 All of us may be so concerned with our own livelihoods that we fail to serve other people and help those in desperat 2 Now a centurion had a servant 1 who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. Cookie Notice Finally, there is in demon possession a counterpart to the filling (or control) of the Holy Spirit. 184-185. "The Gerasenes were the people of the district of which Gerasa was the capital. verse 5). By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. 13ff.). 14ff. In this account we, by inference, learn much about the demonic spirits. It is amazing to think that people could be fearful of Jesus. 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. (3) Spiritual insight. Acts 16:16), while others were the virtual pawns of these spirits, losing their own identity and autonomy. Can devils entreat in such a manner any highest of angels, be he Michael, Gabriel or Raphael, or any greatest cherub or seraph? (Matthew 8:28; Mark 5:1; Luke 8:26) In Gerasenes in place of 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. To date they have failed to respond in any way. 3 When the centurion 2 heard about Jesus, c he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his . I asked why people are afraid of commitment and relationships and some said they are afraid because they fear being hurt again. 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? April 2021 The first two are in the Authorized Version. "Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear." (Luke 8:37a) Fear plagues us. If they dare to open up their lives to Jesus what will happen? While he was once wild and uncontrollable, he was sitting quietly at the feet of Jesus. January 2017 September 2021 He shivered at the disturbing memory. This name (Strong's #G3003) is a reference to a Roman military regiment that varied in soldier strength from 4,000 to 6,000. Romans 9:19-23). 2. Exercising authority in the land allocated to Abraham, for Israel, the land set aside for God and his people. 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. December 2020 Gergesenes is also in some manuscripts (Khersa or Gersa was a town actually on the shore of the sea). But from all of the Gospel accounts, I get the distinct impression that this mans eyes were riveted on Jesus. Jesus asked a sick man if he wanted to get well. The Gospels use different names for the place where this occurred: This is supposedly a contradiction. Gerasa is (as we know) some 30-35 miles southeast of the Sea of Galilee, but may have also been the name of the larger region. Wasn't the answer obvious? When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met Him a man from the city who had demons. But then also Christ will triumph, and finally put an end to the evil one and all his powers of darkness (Rev. Why were the people of Gerasene afraid of the presence of Jesus among them? Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. Father Macaire, 33, who was ordained fewer than two years ago, was kidnapped the morning of Feb. 7 when he was on his way to his missionary community in Kazal, about 20 miles north of Port-au-Prince. As has been said before, look for Satans man behind the pulpit. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. 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. I will not look for a reason to return to it. Although the manifestations of demonization vary widely, this man115 evidenced several of the classic symptoms. They all say country of (in the sense of region, not nation). It only takes a minute to sign up. Will they be condemned like unclean animals? NEW STAR WARS MERCH PAGE: https://bit.ly/3baWVZv For all sponsorship and business inquiries please contact: thestupendousscrub@gmail.com NEW CHANNEL: https:/. (4) Our Lord did not command the demons to enter into the pigs and bring about their destruction; He only permitted it.124. Why did Jesus allow the legion of demons to stay in the area when they begged him? Holy Communion From the Chalice Reintroduced in the UK: What About the US? If he was a pagan, why did Jesus cast out his demons? 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. And, lastly, this would allow sufficient time for those miracles which took place on that second day in Capernaum after His return thither. (4) Super-human strength. They were afraid and astonished, saying to one another, "Who then is this, that He commands even the winds and the sea, and they obey Him?" . 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. They came to Jesus and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the legion; and they were afraid. What would happen to them? Why were the people of Gerasene afraid of the presence of Jesus? August 2018 First of all, I believe Mark was attempting to warn his Gentile readers of the great danger of demonic influence and activity. And, it can not be understood properly out of this context. We owe it to Josephus, from whom it has passed into ecclesiastical language. August 2016 Gergesenes means "those who come from pilgrimage or fight.". 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. Asked October 24 2014 The pig tenders reported it far and wide, in city and country (verse 14). With a little knowledge of the geography of the region, this apparent contradiction can be resolved. The Gadarenes was the place where Jesus confronted a man whose possession by demons gave him a level of superhuman strength like Samson (Mark 5:3 - 5, Luke 8:27). 17, pp. (2) Pork was a food forbidden to Jews, and as such, those who raised these pigs may have done so knowingly in violation of divine injunction. When addressed, the person was the mouthpiece of the demon (such as Legion, Mark 5:9). to sign up for our free Water Of The Word newsletter at the top of any page! Wikipedia states about it: In the second half of the 1st century AD, the city of Jerash achieved great prosperity.. 36Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. It is something like the behavior and personality change in a man who is totally intoxicated. Life with him would be heaven on earth. 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. He was also humorous in his answers. June 2020 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. Does a barbarian benefit from the fast movement ability while wearing medium armor? Whenever a man, woman, or child surrenders control of himself either to fleshly desires (anger, lust, passion, etc.) The nearby townspeople, upon hearing of the great miracle (and not wanting to suffer further economic loss), begged Christ to leave the Gadarenes and never come back! The account occurs in all three Synoptic gospels; in Mark (the shortest gospel) the story is in the longest and most detailed version; Matthew 8.28-34 is the shortest, Another reason they may have been afraid of Jesus was the realization that if they accepted Him, it would mean a radical change of lifestyle. Who was afraid of Jesus and why? 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. Pastor Chrissy is a native of East Tennessee. Most people confessed to having the fear of things not working out, an inability to trust and others said they . Although demon-possession after that time no longer occurs on such a devastating and noticeable scale, the absolute form of demon-possession will appear at the end of the age in the Antichrist and in his followers (2 Thess. Why was Jesus going to walk past the disciples as they were rowing on the Sea of Galilee? Order Bulk SubscriptionsGet a discount on 6 or more copies sent to your parish, organization 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? Mark 5:1And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. Why would the Gerasene people beg Jesus to leave their region after He cast the demons into the pigs? Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. It was scary. Then they sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, across the lake from Galilee. For more information about Glenn Davis see our About Glenn page and/or his Author's Page. Jesus never interacted with people as they were, but as He knew they were created to be. August 2015 and 1 Kings xxii. The spectrum ranges from those who seem to control the demonic powers to those who are utterly controlled by them. No matter where you are on life's journey you are welcome here! Those demons were terrified of Him! 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. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). 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. vi. March 2020 When you get a chance, please take the, We've added a "Necessary cookies only" option to the cookie consent popup. September 2018 The particular focus of this mans testimony was the Decapolis region. Why do people like Jesus a lot? "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. 37 Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear (Luke 8:35-37). 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. In Mark 1:5 it is used of the land of Judaea (KJV) and in Acts 10:39, to land of the Jews (KJV). We dismiss it the more readily, that, in our view, it conveys a wrong impression. So he got into a boat and returned. 1, pp. They are unclean spirits, (vss. 37 Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. October 2020 In addition, Matthew includes the comment, Have You come here to torment us before the time? (Matthew 8:29). A word of clarification is in order here for we must recognize that in this account the dark side of Satan is exposed, but this is perhaps the more unusual side of Satan. Where did the demons go after they went into the pigs and caused them to jump to their death. But as Gergesa was a small village, and little known, the evangelists, who wrote for more distant readers, spoke of the event as taking place in the country of the Gadarenes, so named from its largest city, Gadara; and this country included the country of the Gergesenes as a state includes a county. The district of the Gerasenes probably included that of the Gadarenes; so that the demoniac of Gergesa belonged to the country of the Gadarenes and also to that of the Gerasenes, as the same person may, with equal truth, be said to live in the city or the state, or in the United States. The best known Gerasa was a Greek city nearly forty miles southeast of the lake (modern village of Khersa, on the east shore of the lake. But, Im telling you. and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. Evil is self-defeating in the end. Will they be rejected? Demonized individuals are not to be viewed so much as a pigeon hole category, as they are a continuem. This supposition would be further confirmed, if the evening when Jesus embarked was what the Jews were wont to call the first evening, that is, the time when the sun was declining in the heaven, but before it had actually set, the latter time being the second evening. For it seems most unlikely that multitudes would have resorted to Jesus at Capernaum after the second evening, or that either the disciples or other boats would have put to sea after nightfall. 8; Mark vi. The exercising of authority over demons, in the land under another god, was a message. How Satan blinds our minds! Women, children and defenceless people all admired Him and felt comfortable in His presence. For the Christian, there are two extremes which must be avoided with reference to Satanic activity. The region and polygon don't match. Instead, they reject Him because all they know is His power and purity. So who was afraid? I have always wondered what my Christian brothers had to say to the police officers by way of explanation. In the King James Version it is called the country of the Gadarenes in Mark and Luke, and of the Gergesenes in Matthew. What did we miss because we allowed fear instead of faith to drive our lives? 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. In this story, we have a demon-possessed Gadarene who saw Jesus from a distance, and immediately he appeared to have felt a strong compulsion to run up to Jesus and bow down before him. Confusion, fear in moments after crash "There were many big pieces of steel," said Vassilis Polyzos, a local resident who said he was one of the first people on the scene. It is very appropriate that these two incidents . Mark 9:17-29). 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). Mark and Luke, on the other hand, write to more general audiences, and Gerasa was the main Greek-Roman city of the area. And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? DEUT 32:8 When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind, he fixed the borders of the peoples, according to the number of the sons of God. Winthrop Congregational Church, UCC No matter who you are. 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. It is ironic that while the demons didnt want to leave the country, the dwellers of that land didnt want the Messiah to stay. Jewish theology, at least on this point, seems consistent with biblical revelation. This is when the storm arose which threatened to destroy the ship (Mark 4:35-41). They ask Him if they can enter some nearby pigs, and He lets them. September 2020 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! Men and women (as well as children) were demonized in that they fell under the influence of these unclean spirits. Is there a single-word adjective for "having exceptionally strong moral principles"? This story is a little bit of an Easter story. It didnt take long for the word to spread quickly. This makes sense, I couldn't believe they asked Jesus to leave. Gadara is about six miles from the sea. SubscribeStart your Register subscription today. They came to Jesus and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the legion; and they were afraid. rev2023.3.3.43278. I would like to invite you to return to where we left off a few weeks ago in our studies in the gospel of Mark. March 2016 This city was better known than Gadara or Gergesa; indeed in the Roman age no city of Palestine was better known.. February 2022 The region is located east of the Jordan River and southeast of the Sea of Galilee. 40, vii. July 2017 The demoniacs frightened the swine, and the transfer of demons from them to the swine was imagined. Satan loves those Christians. 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. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. January 2016 Here is where Satan can use a man to influence scores of people, blinding minds and hearts to the truths of the Word of God (2 Corinthians 4:4). Pigs were seen as unclean animals in the eyes of the people of Israel. February 2018 This was a region east of the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River. 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. 14. As C. S. Lewis aptly put it: There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. If anything, that would have made them angry. That is why he was living in the solitude of the tombs, away from civilization. Instead, they reject Him because all they know is His power and purity. This man demonstrated all four characteristics. Lane, Mark, p. 182, fn. 2ff., xvv. I think the coup de grce is to look up the Greek word for country in these passages, to see what latitude of meaning it has. I felt somewhat guilty, particularly fearing that I may have created an unintentional hardship for some classmate. Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighbourhood. "The trains were . Thus an economic lose of revenue was involved. Why would God tell King David to take a census of the people in verses one through nine, and then cast judgment on him because he did what he told him to do? 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. And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another . 5:5). November 2014. As always, we must begin with the principle: Interpretation is one, application is many. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. That is why the inhabitants of the area are referred to variously in different Bible manuscripts as Gergasenes, Gadarenes, or Gerasenes. The region was not poor or economically depressed. We are seeking a replacement and hope to have it in your newspaper soon. Why did Jesus not allow demons to proclaim his name, Archaeological or Historical Support for the Gerasene Pigs. 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. The country of the Gadarenes (Gergesenes) is one of the few areas Jesus visited where Gentiles (non-Jews) composed the majority of the population.
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