why were the gerasenes afraid

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. 26). (6) Tendency towards self-destruction. And, lastly, this would allow sufficient time for those miracles which took place on that second day in Capernaum after His return thither. 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. Gergesa may have been a variant spelling of Gerasa. Ralph Earle, The Gospel According to Mark (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1957), p. 70. If we put ourselves in their place, and use empathy to feel how we might have reacted if we were confronted with the loss of our next year's source of feeding our families, it will be easier to understand that they were afraid to suffer any other loss that might result if Jesus stayed in their area. This reveals to us that demons have an intuitive knowledge of their impending doom.117. Ananias and Sapphira did so by allowing their greed to grip their hearts (cf. November 2020 2). His animal-like shrieks must have sent chills up the spines of any who were nearby. Anonymous, October 25 2014 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. They were content where they were. Why would the Gerasene people beg Jesus to leave their region after He cast the demons into the pigs? 1, pp. April 2020 Spam. 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). 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? They are happy in their sin and the consequences seem far away. Nevertheless, for consideration. 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? The people were gentiles who had not yet any interest in the Messiah. Oh Hye-son recently published a Korean-language memoir on how she and her husband Thae Yong-ho, then deputy ambassador at North Korea's London embassy, defected in 2016. Jesus showed to the local population the inferiority of pagan life. It is something like the behavior and personality change in a man who is totally intoxicated. If they dare to open up their lives to Jesus what will happen? Yes, I know that Easter was weeks ago in April. The commission of our Lord is considerably different from His instructions to the Israelites whom He had delivered. The center of personality, the volitional and active ego, is impaired by alien powers which seek to ruin the man and sometimes drive him to self-destruction (Mk. The before and after descriptions of the demoniac reveal that he was a totally different person under demonic influence. On several occasions, when Jesus forgave someone, He specifically said, Go and sin no more. That only works for people who are sick of their sin and want to change. And when the man spoke to Jesus, it looks like the demons inside the man were the ones doing the speaking. He said unexpected things and lived by a high ethical standard. 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 scene which Mark presents is deliberately dark. Since the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave in their fear, it seems that Jesus' ability to exorcise Legion was disturbing to the people. Finally, there is in demon possession a counterpart to the filling (or control) of the Holy Spirit. Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. 7. (Matthew 8:28; Mark 5:1; Luke 8:26) In Gerasenes in place of Gadarenes. 22ff. It might be better to hide behind masks than risk being hurt again After all, if God rejects youwhere else can you go? Men and women (as well as children) were demonized in that they fell under the influence of these unclean spirits. More from Medium Jameson Steward in. You can like Jesus for two different reasons. Create your own unique website with customizable templates. June 2017 This is when the storm arose which threatened to destroy the ship (Mark 4:35-41). When the pigs were sent into the sea, the people of Gadara lost money. Perhaps they clenched their fists or picked up driftwood with which to defend themselves. July 2022 December 2014 Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. NET Bible Then all the people of the Gerasenes and the surrounding region asked Jesus to leave them alone, for they were seized with great fear. 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? April 2018 Such seems to be a similar case with Judas (John 13:1-2). As Jesus began to get back into the boat, the delivered demoniac pleaded with Him that he might accompany Him. They all say country of (in the sense of region, not nation). What did we miss because we allowed fear instead of faith to drive our lives? They have three sons and a daughter (all homeschooled) and reside in southeast Michigan. 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. October 2015 No! Reproduction of material from this website without written permission, or unlicensed commercial use or For these demons to be sent out of the country would have meant that they would then be confined along with other fallen angels (cf. As has been said before, look for Satans man behind the pulpit. With a little knowledge of the geography of the region, this apparent contradiction can be resolved. The swine then immediately killed themselves by rushing off a cliff. - 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. 1 They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. Thats just westernised interpretation which simply doesnt work when interpretating a Jewish book. Instead, they reject Him because all they know is His power and purity. . 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? xvii. February 2018 How to show that an expression of a finite type must be one of the finitely many possible values? 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. to sign up for our free Water Of The Word newsletter at the top of any page! 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). First let us see what the Sacred Texts says: The swineherds ran off and told it in the city and in the country. September 2021 iv. 606-607. That is why he was living in the solitude of the tombs, away from civilization. According to another theory, the Chapati movement of 1857 was an attempt to prevent a cholera outbreak in central India. And all the people of the country of the Gerasenes and the surrounding district asked Him to depart from them; for they were gripped with great fear; and He got into a boat, and returned (Luke 8:35-37). He did not appear to rush upon the small group of men to attack them (as he would normally have done), but rather to plead with Jesus. 8; Mark vi. Now appreciate the reaction - another God was messing with their god - and demonstrating authority! 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. Thanks for contributing an answer to Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange! 13ff.). The pig shepherds had gone and spread the news of what had happened all around. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). The subject of demons and demon possession has always seemed somewhat remote and academic to sophisticated 20th century Americans. 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. 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. They were sacrificed by being thrown off a cliff. In all three instances the word is chra (Strongs word #5561). Why was Jesus going to walk past the disciples as they were rowing on the Sea of Galilee? August 2020 The capital of the region was Gerasa, and the largest city in the region was Gadera. January 2017 Early Christians like St. Polycarp clearly held the Catholic view on salvation. Like children convinced there are monsters under our beds, the unknown scares us. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. People who have no appr Fallen people reject God not because they do not know His power. 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. For the reason why this is so we refer the reader to the introduction preceding the exposition of verses 33-7. To understand this event, you need consider the incident at Babel, and Deuteronomy. He was also humorous in his answers. Where did the demons go after they went into the pigs and caused them to jump to their death. To date they have failed to respond in any way. 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. Its ruins include two amphitheaters, a basilica, temple, a hippodrome, aqueducts and colonnades, showing its importance and stature. This would also give time afterwards for the dispersion, not only into the city, but into the country of them who had fed the swine. So they refer to Gerasenes. What scared them was a power so fierce it could free a man. March 2018 Those demons were terrified of Him! or by some form of self-emptying (such as various forms of eastern meditation) in my opinion, they are in a precarious position. He who feared His arrival now dreaded His departure. Another reason could be as Dr. R.C. August 2018 . (it should be added that Plummer himelf does not hold to any of these views.). 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). 5:5). Ouija boards are found in many American homes. May 2016 Welcome to Biblical Hermeneutics! Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood. In other words, even though he set the bar extremely high, he seemed to be a fascinating man. March 2022 July 2016 Cookie Notice (2) Anti-social behavior. 37Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. April 2016 It's a curious passage with many unanswered questions. In fact the region was known as the Gadarenes-Gerasenes region. In contrast, the people of Gerasene are asking him to leave their place. 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 conduct of this pathetic individual was obviously anti-social. Jesus had freed the man and for a reason known only to Himself, He had granted the demons request to go into a nearby herd of pigs rather than go into the Abyss [bottomless pit]. February 2021 Then people came to see what it was that had happened. ESV - The story shows Jesus exorcising a demon or demons out of a man and into a herd of swine, causing the swine to run down a hill into a lake and drown . verse 5). What did Jesus do? However, the point was clearly made; Jesus, the Son of God, has power over all things, including the powers of darkness. It is noteworthy that it is distinguished (especially in the Gospel of the physician, Luke) from cases of ordinary sickness, insanity (lunacy), leprosy, blindness, lameness, deafness and other natural defects and diseases (cf. The exercising of authority over demons, in the land under another god, was a message. That would be a strong message, by allowing them to be possessed and then drowned. 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. When Jesus asked the demoniac his name, it was not without significance for He was, I believe, asking the demons to reveal their identity. Jesus asked some pretty crazy questions like What Things Happened? March 2016 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. 8ff.). October 2017 Swine were unclean animals according to the Torah. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. September 2018 05 /5 Another theory. Now they would deal with this One greater than he by doing likewise. As I have been studying this account through the week, it has seemed to me a rather bizarre and remote situation, the liberation of this Gerasene demoniac. April 2021 The word translated windstorm here, and storm in the KJ, is the word lailaps, which is more than just a storm. I have always wondered what my Christian brothers had to say to the police officers by way of explanation. Why is that. 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. By clicking Post Your Answer, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. Luke 8:26And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee. Jesus asked Mary why she was crying at the grave site. Significantly, the demons are called unclean spirits (verse 2,9). It is mentioned in some ancient manuscripts of the . No! Although it is likely that the larger towns of Galilee were predominantly Gentile, as was the Decapolis, the first-century civilian diet did not . February 2022 He said he had come to the house of Israel, not to the gentiles. The region was known also as the Decopolis because ten Greek cities were located in the region. November 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). As indicated in the textual note, the best Greek text reads Gerasenes in Mark and Luke, Gadarenes in Matthew. (3) Our Lord was moved with compassion by the torment of Legion and the loss of these pigs should in no way dim our view of the deliverance of the demoniac. It only takes a minute to sign up. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. The drowning of the swine was an accident, possibly simultaneous with the healing, and report mixed up the two incidents. November 2021 14. xx. We are seeking a replacement and hope to have it in your newspaper soon. His greatest impact would be on those who knew his former state. This story is a little bit of an Easter story. Others are absolutely controlled (hooked) by the drug and totally dependent upon it. Author of The Gnostic Notebook series, stand-up comedian, and Gnostic. Why is this even an issue, I wonder? All of us may be so concerned with our own livelihoods that we fail to serve other people and help those in desperat March 2020 You might be thinking back to Easter and not recall very many hogs showing up except for at Easter supper. His teachings have inspired great moral reformations such as abolition of slavery and the Civil Rights movement. 14ff. Note that the texts dont say Gerasa or Gadara, so they arent necessarily referring just to one of the cities. Hence it would be called the land of the Gadarenes.. Jesus asked some crazy questions like "Why are you afraid?" October 2018 Christians are to be the answer, but often they are part of the problem. (4) Super-human strength. This man demonstrated all four characteristics. Lane, Mark, p. 182, fn. Your comment will be posted after it is approved. 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. Read the Scripture: Mark 4:35 - 5:20. 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. 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 choice is to be free by submission to Christ (cf. Matthew is habitually more oriented to a Jewish readership, and so he refers to Gadarenes because Gadara was the most important Jewish city in the area. This was a power far beyond anything they had seen or even imagined. Instead of opening themselves up to Jesus and receiving His love and forgiveness, they allowed fear to drive a wedge between them. 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. August 2017 Events that are important to our Church Community, Mark 5:1-20 Jesus Heals the Gerasene Demoniac. It was not the loss of their property or investment that caused them to be afraid of Jesus. Sproul says in his commentary on Mark, When the Holy One is manifest in the midst of unholy people, the only appropriate human response is dread.. 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. There is, as we know, the world, the flesh, and the Devil. Acts 19:16). The demoniac further evidenced demon activity by the depth of his spiritual insight. Wasn't the answer obvious?

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