Why did the demon-possessed Gadarene bow down before Jesus? - 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. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. I used to want the longest life, perfect health and happiness, but really it is that feeling that I am so glad that this isnt all there is and that we have heaven to wait for, and that well be with Jesus, and there will be no more tears Amber VanVickle (1982-2023), The headquarters of the charity, which serves as a consecrated family to 46 disabled children, were badly damaged in major flooding near Rio de Janeiro last year. 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. They are happy in their sin and the consequences seem far away. Swine were unclean animals according to the Torah. 1 They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. Fear that you would not be in control? Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. 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. Such must have been the response of those with our Lord. Jesus deserves the benefit of the doubt even when we don't have all the facts. This was a power far beyond anything they had seen or even imagined. You are welcome here. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The people (nations) were divided up, and boundaries allocated' and the sons of god were put over these nations. (London: InterVarsity Fellowship, 1950), fn. 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! 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. 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). It was not the loss of their property or investment that caused them to be afraid of Jesus. Dr. Thomson discovered on the eastern shore the ruins of a village called Khersa. His animal-like shrieks must have sent chills up the spines of any who were nearby. Where did the demons go after they went into the pigs and caused them to jump to their death. In the wake of new restrictions on the traditional Latin Mass, two American bishops spoke with EWTNs Raymond Arroyo Thursday about how their dioceses have responded. She is a graduate of the Divinity School at Wake Forest University and Chicago Theological Seminary. or by some form of self-emptying (such as various forms of eastern meditation) in my opinion, they are in a precarious position. The subject of demons and demon possession has always seemed somewhat remote and academic to sophisticated 20th century Americans. I think all these attempts to harmonize what may at first seem like a contradiction are plausible, respectable, and adequate. Bible scholar Gleason Archer (Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties) argues similarly, It is entirely possible that the political control of this region was centered in Gadara as the capital city. This was a federation of ten cities (deka = ten, polis = city). As an alternative to confinement, the demons posed the option of being permitted to enter the pigs, some 2,000 in number, feeding nearby. Small sins lead to big sins, and big sins bring about a terrible spiritual darkness. 122 Quoted by Alfred Plummer, The Gospel According to Saint Luke, (Edinburg: T. and T. Clark, 5th ed., 1969): p. 228. Read the Scripture: Mark 4:35 - 5:20. 23, 24, viii. But, Im telling you. xiii. Robert L. (Bob)Deffinbaugh graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary with his Th.M. when He was the only One Who truly knew what had happened. What was it that caused these people to react in such a way? Sometime after the Lord Jesus miraculously calmed the storm, the ship landed, perhaps late in the evening,111 on the other side of the lake in the country of the Gerasenes.112 If, indeed, it was late at night, the scene must have been an eerie one, with the nerves of the disciples already worn thin by the terrifying experience of the storm. What they were not willing to accept was the frightening power that could cure him. It was like being attacked by two Hulks. They probably thought of quickly getting aboard ship and pushing off. And they were afraid. The region is located east of the Jordan River and southeast of the Sea of Galilee. The before and after descriptions of the demoniac reveal that he was a totally different person under demonic influence. (it should be added that Plummer himelf does not hold to any of these views.). Bulk update symbol size units from mm to map units in rule-based symbology. April 2017 This name (Strong's #G3003) is a reference to a Roman military regiment that varied in soldier strength from 4,000 to 6,000. Instead, they reject Him because all they know is His power and purity. David Noel Freedman, The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 991. Then people came to see what it was that had happened. The Lord, in an act of great mercy, freed the Gadarenes' man by casting the demons out of him and allowing them to enter a nearby herd of pigs. It was scary. 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. Pigs were seen as unclean animals in the eyes of the people of Israel. December 2014 The region was not poor or economically depressed. Based on all the evidence we have seen over the past four months with regards to ChatGPT and how it can be manipulated or even how it will lie . "I am afraid of Trump on a very personal level because I don't think he likes me. June 2021 Author of The Gnostic Notebook series, stand-up comedian, and Gnostic. They had dealt with Legion (I suspect) by forcing him from their presence. 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). Does a barbarian benefit from the fast movement ability while wearing medium armor? So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine . For those near by the local name would be used; but in writing to a distant people, as the Greeks and Romans, the more comprehensive and general name would be given.. The pleas of Legion were in response to the command of Jesus for the demons to come out of him (verse 8). April 2021 Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. 16ff., xix. Luke seems to base this fear solely upon what happened to the demoniac, not on the loss of their pigs. Such seems to be a similar case with Judas (John 13:1-2). October 2015 13ff.). Here in Mark, he purposely set out to travel into another land. 1) He Exposes Evil (v 28-30) . 13; Luke iv. There was no such danger in Perea, and thus the mercy of the Lord was to be heralded. Where it falls apart for me is why the Bellonas, knowing that only one person is allowed to survive each duel, take the defeat so personally. Many New Testament manuscripts refer to the "Country of the Gadarenes" or "Gerasenes" rather than the Gergesenes. Jesus had actually helped them. HELPING CHRISTIANS BUILD POSITIVE, GODLY FAMILIES, CHURCHES, AND NATIONS, Follow us on social media for daily Scripture comments and more at. 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. Its important to note that this was the first demonstration of Jesuss authority outside of Canaan. 7 After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, b he entered Capernaum. March 2015 Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood. February 2016 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. What sort of strategies would a medieval military use against a fantasy giant? Now they were delivered and ready to be productive members of society. and our 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 country of the Gadarenes (Gergesenes) is one of the few areas Jesus visited where Gentiles (non-Jews) composed the majority of the population. One is that he was a fascinating man. Renew or manage your subscription here. The difference between the phonemes /p/ and /b/ in Japanese, Is there a solutiuon to add special characters from software and how to do it. 113 According to the Talmud there were four characteristics of madness: walking abroad at night; spending the night on a grave; tearing ones clothes and destroying what one was given. So, they asked Him to leave. 18). March 2020 Satan loves those Christians. December 2015 When you get a chance, please take the, We've added a "Necessary cookies only" option to the cookie consent popup. 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). May 2015 When once he was an instrument of Satanic opposition against the Messiah, now he is a witness to His power. The Truth is Jesus is a safe Person Who loves them, values them, wants their best and will never force Himself on them. The demons freak out that Jesus is there because it's not time for them to be tormented by Him yet. We owe it to Josephus, from whom it has passed into ecclesiastical language. As the world's top superpower, how unsure of itself can the US be to . 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! First of all, the EPA would have been investigating the pollution of Lake Galilee with decaying pigs. I will not ask him to leave. November 2017 The confrontation of Jesus and the Gerasene demoniac made it clear that Jesus was no servant of Satan. This request was granted and the entire herd rushed headlong to their own destruction. (Matthew 8:28; Mark 5:1; Luke 8:26) In Gerasenes in place of Gadarenes. In other words, Jesus had caused a loss to them of 2,000 swine already; what else would His presence cost? Dave Armstrong Dave Armstrong is a full-time Catholic author and apologist, who has been actively proclaiming and defending Christianity since 1981. Mark 9:17-29). The entrance of the term into colloquial speech indicates that the Roman occupation was a heavy burden. 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. As He had landed with His disciples He had been confronted with a demon-possessed man - a man that no one had been able to control. 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). Most people confessed to having the fear of things not working out, an inability to trust and others said they . He who feared His arrival now dreaded His departure. There is, as we know, the world, the flesh, and the Devil. Therefore, Jesus Christ for demons is God and thus even demons inadvertently reveal themselves as being better theologians than Arians and their modern day heirs - Jehovawitnesians and all different breeds of Unitarians - their name being legion! The presence of holiness and, moreover, the most intense divine holiness is undesirable; I mean, unless you are an angel or a saintly recluse in his ascetic toils in a cave or a top of a pillar. If Jesus had that kind of power, then He could not be controlled. 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. This is probably the Gerasa of Mark and Luke. Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. 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? If it is a feminine spirit, the voice will be a feminine one, if masculine then very manly. 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. 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. Second (and primarily), Mark employs this event to authenticate the claims of Jesus to be the Son of God and Israels Messiah. 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. They were content where they were. Verse 1. Who was afraid of Jesus and why? In contrast, the people of Gerasene are asking him to leave their place. I am wondering if the demoniac was pagan or an Israelite. October 2018 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. Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. Accordingly this was not merely an ordinary form of mental disease as some writers have alleged, but a special phenomenon which was particularly frequent during Jesus earthly sojourn and thus was directly connected with His coming to destroy the power of darkness. You might be thinking back to Easter and not recall very many hogs showing up except for at Easter supper. I was in a dialogue with an atheist regarding what he believes is one of many so-called biblical contradictions. Odd guy that I am, I actually find this sort of thing fun. Cookie Notice Gadara, though not directly named in Scripture, was part of the Decapolis. What did we miss because we allowed fear instead of faith to drive our lives? August 2018 Once a menace to society, now a messenger with words of deliverance and healing. Those demons were terrified of Him! July 2022 Why did Jesus allow the demons to enter the herd of pigs? Jesus had simply sailed across the Lake of Galilee to the region of the Gerasenes. But then also Christ will triumph, and finally put an end to the evil one and all his powers of darkness (Rev. Then people came to see what it was that had happened. To date they have failed to respond in any way. Such was the case with this man (cf. In the King James Version it is called the country of the Gadarenes in Mark and Luke, and of the Gergesenes in Matthew. I will not look for a reason to return to it. of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were So he got into the boat and left. The US Congress is currently debating whether TikTok should be banned for everyone in the US, not just government officials. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs. Slain Los Angeles auxiliary bishop was remembered at the Mass of Christian burial as friend of Jesus Christ and of Mary, our Blessed Mother.. 114 We are indebted to Edersheim, who reminds us that the expression demon possession never occurs in the New Testament: The term demoniacal possession occurs not in the New Testament. Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. 22, xvii. There probably were not many who had been told yet of the Messiah, and so were not yet believers. On the other hand, Gadara is only six miles from the southern tip of the lake and could easily have given its name to the district. 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). xvii. 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. April 2022 We will examine two incidents -- the stilling of the storm on the sea of Galilee, and that which follows immediately, the healing of the demoniac. Clarify EIN 27-4581132 It was significant. 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. The ego is so impaired that the spirits speak through him. 127 The view of Greek philosophy was that these were the spirits of those who lived in the Golden Age. 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! Was it fear that a secret sin might be exposed? We dismiss it the more readily, that, in our view, it conveys a wrong impression. ESV - They likely were Gentiles and had been under the influence of the demonic principality of the region their whole life. 4, p. 180. 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. In the third chapter of Marks Gospel, our Lords miraculous works were attributed by His opponents to the power of Satan (verse 22). And, it can not be understood properly out of this context. These people did not want to change. And the people there were scared, they recognised this, but more, they realised the significance of this. Such an entreaty can be addressed by them to only God. "They sailed to the country of the Gerasenes which is opposite Galilee. Pig carcasses were washing ashore and drifting out to sea. 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) November 2021 . The expression to be with Jesus is used particularly of His disciples (cf. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors, and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.110. 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. Matthew 12:43-45). 26). And those who had seen it reported to them how the man who was demon-possessed had been made well. May 2017 The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? Second, while the death of the pigs is clearly an economic loss for the owner, Jesus is illustrating the infinite value of human life. 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. art thou come hither to torment us before the time? August 2022 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. Demon-possession is, therefore, not merely a mental state in which someone suffers from a delusion or is subjected to some subjective disturbance of the world of ideas. 36Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. February 2021 July 2018 The spread of cholera was linked to the movements of . Some today have given demons far more than their due by blaming demons for every malady of mankind. There is no true freedom and fulfillment apart from Jesus Christ, the Creator and Redeemer of men. Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023, Highlights in the Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ. Today, it is identified with El-Koursi or Kursi. Yet, conversely, the known can be just as scaryif not more. recognizes the military background of the term, pointing out that in the imperial period a legion consisted of 6000 foot soldiers, 120 horsemen and technical personnel. At first we may deceive ourselves into thinking that we are controlling them, but the ultimate likelihood is that they will master us. The whole story is a myth. Catholic Church. Why were the Romans afraid of the Christians? A land that was essentially under another god (lower case g). 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. 3 When the centurion 2 heard about Jesus, c he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his . For the reason why this is so we refer the reader to the introduction preceding the exposition of verses 33-7. So who was afraid? The Greeks were believers in the spirit world, but not necessarily convinced that demons were evil.127 As a result, Marks readers needed to be instructed as to the essential nature of demons and demon possession. As the servant of Elisha was told, Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them (2 Kings 6:16). What did Jesus do? It indicates full and permanent control. Matthew 8:4; Luke 8:56). Why would the Gerasene people beg Jesus to leave their region after He cast the demons into the pigs? I understand why," the HBO "Real Time" host told Jake Tapper on Tuesday as part . e.g., Matt. Why do people like Jesus a lot? Jesus asked Mary why she was crying at the grave site. Here is one of the few times that a miracle drove people away, rather than to draw them to Jesus. John 8:32; Matthew 11:28-30), or to be the pawns of Satan (Ephesians 2:1-2). 8ff.). No! 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. No matter where you are on life's journey you are welcome here! I asked why people are afraid of commitment and relationships and some said they are afraid because they fear being hurt again. 125 This is the position of Lane, Mark, p. 187. The people who witnessed this are . It is amazing to think that people could be fearful of Jesus. March 2021 Men and women (as well as children) were demonized in that they fell under the influence of these unclean spirits. They are unclean spirits, (vss. The demonically possessed man who came to Jesus cried out his name was Legion. Christians are to be the answer, but often they are part of the problem. The pig tenders reported it far and wide, in city and country (verse 14). Understand the meaning of Luke 8:37 using all available Bible versions and commentary. The particular focus of this mans testimony was the Decapolis region. Also, frequently associated with demon possession was a super-human strength (cf. When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met Him a man from the city who had demons. 40, vii. As C. S. Lewis aptly put it: There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. In any event, I love defending the Bible and Christianity. He was Someone Who could control the spirit realm. 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. They ask Him if they can enter some nearby pigs, and He lets them. In any event, they were not Israelites, as indicated by the fact that a herd of swine was being kept nearby, which would have been forbidden by the Mosaic Law, since swine were unclean animals (Leviticus 11:7-8). You can flip a coin hoping for heads, but you know that tails is a very real probability. That is not the choice at all. And he said to them, Where is your faith? Known as the Judas Iscariot of Gnosticism for revealing that which is not to be revealed. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. especially fn. 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. Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. and thank you for your contribution. T. H. Huxley, in his Essays upon some Controverted Questions (1892), made merry over the escapade of the Gadarene swine, running the seven miles between Gadar and the lake of Galilee, crossing the deep river Yarmuk en route.

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