13; Luke iv. Bob was born and raised in a Christian home i More, The Net Pastors Journal, Eng. June 2021 They came face-to-face with the Son of God, the Being with the power to change their world forever, and they said, "Please leave." Why? 4. Once naked, he is now clothed. We are seeking a replacement and hope to have it in your newspaper soon. The word translated windstorm here, and storm in the KJ, is the word lailaps, which is more than just a storm. Both Gerasa and Gadara were cities to the east of the Sea of Galilee and the River Jordan. In other words, Jesus had caused a loss to them of 2,000 swine already; what else would His presence cost? They are happy in their sin and the consequences seem far away. In addition, Matthew includes the comment, Have You come here to torment us before the time? (Matthew 8:29). Now they were delivered and ready to be productive members of society. The time of this event was before Jesus' crucifixion, and before the gentiles were grafted in to the promise (Acts 10). 14). 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 spectrum ranges from those who seem to control the demonic powers to those who are utterly controlled by them. Lets learn why. 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. Do roots of these polynomials approach the negative of the Euler-Mascheroni constant? And the people went out to see what happened; and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting down at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they became frightened. Another reason could be as Dr. R.C. These people did not want to change. 8; Mark vi. For many Christians today, the horrifying experience of Legion should be sufficient testimony of the reality of the Satanic underworld. You are welcome here. July 2015 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). Robert L. (Bob)Deffinbaugh graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary with his Th.M. What purposes did Mark intend to achieve by the inclusion of this event? He was also humorous in his answers. xii. How to prove that the supernatural or paranormal doesn't exist? Why were the people of Gerasene afraid of the presence of Jesus? Afraid of Jesus | Reformed Bible Studies & Devotionals at Ligonier.org April 2018 Such was the case with this man (cf. Christians are to be the answer, but often they are part of the problem. The ego is so impaired that the spirits speak through him. And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts. March 2017 Give a Gift SubscriptionBless friends, family or clergy with a gift of the Register. Why is Darrow's victory in the Passage taken so personally? More than this, however, is the fact that the mans own identity and individuality were swallowed up by the demons with him. Textual variations have compounded the problem. Finally, there is in demon possession a counterpart to the filling (or control) of the Holy Spirit. However, the point was clearly made; Jesus, the Son of God, has power over all things, including the powers of darkness. (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. People who have no appr Fallen people reject God not because they do not know His power. 14. Why were the people of Gerasene afraid of the presence of Jesus? 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. 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. Reproduction of material from this website without written permission, or unlicensed commercial use or 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. Mark 5:16 says the thoughts of the people were on the swine. Then any greatest of men, like any prophet, hero or king? . The religious rulers hated Jesus for exposing their hypocrisy and feared the consequences His actions might have with Rome, but they were not afraid of Jesus as a Person. The entrance of the term into colloquial speech indicates that the Roman occupation was a heavy burden. The exorcism of the Gerasene demoniac (Matthew 8.28-34; Mark 5.1-20; Luke 8.26-39), frequently known as the Miracle of the (Gadarene) Swine and the exorcism of Legion, is one of the miracles performed by Jesus according to the New Testament. 34When the swineherds saw what had happened, they ran off and told it in the city and in the country. The demons freak out that Jesus is there because it's not time for them to be tormented by Him yet. A friend of mine told me later that two students were attempting to cast a demon out of a fellow. 37 Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. By His power, we, too, are able to overcome Satans treacheries. 17, pp. It is very appropriate that these two incidents . COMMENTARY: Atheism is generally the expression of a moral attitude more than a real intellectual conviction based on evidence thought through. And, it can not be understood properly out of this context. Why is this sentence from The Great Gatsby grammatical? Matthew 8:4; Luke 8:56). Satan loves those Christians. 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. That is why he was living in the solitude of the tombs, away from civilization. 31. The Demonized Man of the Garasenes (Luke 8:26-39) - JesusWalk The occult and every front for demonic influence and activity should be avoided like the plague. 3); they are reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day (Jude 6); and what the unclean spirits deprecate here, is the bringing in, by anticipation, of that final doom. R. C. Trench, Notes on the Miracles of Our Lord (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1949), p. 100. Archaeological or Historical Support for the Gerasene Pigs It became one of the proudest cities of Syria. It was situated some 30 miles southeast of Gadara, on the borders of Peraea and a little north of the river Jabbok. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Dave has been happily married to his wife Judy since October 1984. 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. 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. The drowning of the swine was an accident, possibly simultaneous with the healing, and report mixed up the two incidents. e.g., Matt. What sort of strategies would a medieval military use against a fantasy giant? We see people in other places where he worked miracles, endeavoring to make him their king (Jn 6:15) . June 2015 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. Then all the people of the Gerasenes and the surrounding region asked Jesus to leave them alone, for they were seized . 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. A land that was essentially under another god (lower case g). Luke seems to base this fear solely upon what happened to the demoniac, not on the loss of their pigs. Gergesa may have been a variant spelling of Gerasa. Ralph Earle, The Gospel According to Mark (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1957), p. 70. The man looked out on the Tiberius. "The trains were . The Politics of Luke 8:26-39 | Political Theology Network especially fn. They greatly desire to enter and control a physical body, whereby they may reflect their character and attributes. Now appreciate the reaction - another God was messing with their god - and demonstrating authority! As C. S. Lewis aptly put it: There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. 13ff.). No matter where you are on life's journey. May 2022 Others cited unfaithfulness, lack of seriousness, and the lack of confidence to sustain a relationship. 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). As indicated in the textual note, the best Greek text reads Gerasenes in Mark and Luke, Gadarenes in Matthew. The Man from the Tombs: Christ Speaks to the Problem of Spiritual Fear that you might do something that would embarrass you? No one was strong enough to subdue him (verses 3,4). Gerasenes, Gadarenes, Pigs and "Contradictions" - NCR 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. Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. The conduct of this pathetic individual was obviously anti-social. The demonically possessed man who came to Jesus cried out his name was Legion. March 2020 He felt Jesus' reassuring hand on his shoulder. The pig tenders reported it far and wide, in city and country (verse 14). 2ff., xvv. Is there any archaeological evidence for Joshua entering Israel and conquering cities in the late Bronze Age and early Iron Age? Who Were The Gerasenes In The Bible? - Mastery Wiki (4) Super-human strength. You can flip a coin hoping for heads, but you know that tails is a very real probability. and 1 Kings xxii. This story is a little bit of an Easter story. Does a barbarian benefit from the fast movement ability while wearing medium armor? (3) Spiritual insight. And those who had seen it reported to them how the man who was demon-possessed had been made well. 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?" . The region is located east of the Jordan River and southeast of the Sea of Galilee. May 2021 Exorcism of the Gerasene demoniac - Wikipedia 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. Who Was Afraid Of Jesus And Why? "They sailed to the country of the Gerasenes which is opposite Galilee. 26). 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. All of us may be so concerned with our own livelihoods that we fail to serve other people and help those in desperat (1) Severe personality change. Those demons were terrified of Him! Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. Why were the people of Gerasene afraid of the presence of Jesus - Quora On the other hand, the scene gains in grandeurhas, so to speak, a fitting backgroundif we suppose the Saviour and His disciples to have landed on the other side late in the evening, when perhaps the silvery moon was shedding her pale light on the weird scene, and laying her halo around the shadows cast upon the sea by the steep cliff down which the herd of swine hurried and fell. November 2021 The commission of our Lord is considerably different from His instructions to the Israelites whom He had delivered. Earles comments are helpful: The difference in names for the destination on the east side of the take has caused considerable comment. Jesus asked some pretty crazy questions like What Things Happened? The Death Of Relationships In Nairobi - YAZA Kenya May 2018 Its important to note that this was the first demonstration of Jesuss authority outside of Canaan. A crowd had come to see what had happened for themselves. Have you even been in a service where the Spirit of God was moving and felt fear? 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). Jesus deserves the benefit of the doubt even when we don't have all the facts. September 2020 Demons are highly organized (cf. His teachings have inspired great moral reformations such as abolition of slavery and the Civil Rights movement. As an alternative to confinement, the demons posed the option of being permitted to enter the pigs, some 2,000 in number, feeding nearby. This man demonstrated all four characteristics. Lane, Mark, p. 182, fn. At the side of Kersa the shore is level, and there are no tombs. There is no conflict, however, for Mark and Luke have apparently focused their attention on the most striking of the two. They likely were Gentiles and had been under the influence of the demonic principality of the region their whole life. Just imagine, a man in a cinema, having bought popcorn and cola and watching an action movie, with a lot of violence and harsh language in it, and then he sees suddenly that a saintly bishop is sitting just next to his seat, not watching the movie, but reading silently psalms with a countenance radiating a deep contemplation; will not the first man be upset and lose all pleasure of watching the movie? Pigs were specifically set aside as the animal used in sacrifices to their god. Rather, they attributed the power of Jesus to Satan (Mark 3:22). 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. Chapati Movement 1857: Why were the British afraid of the Roti? Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. This suggests that whoever was the customer for the swineherder in the "region of the Gerasenes", it was not the Roman army to any significant extent. 3 When the centurion 2 heard about Jesus, c he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his . Demon possession, such as that of the Gerasene demoniac is the crudest and cruelest form of Satanic control, but by and large also one of the less common manifestations of Satans work in the world today. Ananias and Sapphira did so by allowing their greed to grip their hearts (cf. 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. The Truth is Jesus is a safe Person Who loves them, values them, wants their best and will never force Himself on them. (4) Our Lord did not command the demons to enter into the pigs and bring about their destruction; He only permitted it.124. 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. October 2017 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. Satans most useful instrument is the outstanding, outwardly moral and upright religious man, whose good deeds are done independently of God. August 2015 (it should be added that Plummer himelf does not hold to any of these views.). (Matthew 8:28; Mark 5:1; Luke 8:26) In Gerasenes in place of Gadarenes. It was opposite Galilee. and thank you for your contribution. January 2018 Whereas he had been a slave, he was now delivered from demon possession. If he was a pagan, why did Jesus cast out his demons? 14ff. and our The destructive desires of the demons were dramatically carried out in the drowning of the swine. Christians are to be a "safe" people - an expression of that love of God so people who do not know Him can be drawn to the Truth. EWTN News, Inc. is the worlds largest Catholic news organization, comprised of television, radio, 2 And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. 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. 123 1. Men in their unbelief suppose that the choice is either to be free (independent of God) or to be the slaves of Christ. Why did Jesus allow the legion of demons to stay in the area when they begged him? April 2021 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. Our Lord responded sternly by calling this accusation blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, and as such was the one unpardonable sin (verses 28-30). 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.