The pig shepherds had gone and spread the news of what had happened all around. I think that this story is a little bit of an Easter story. We should be warned that fooling with these Satanic fronts is like experimenting with drugs. That would be a strong message, by allowing them to be possessed and then drowned. And they were afraid. Acts 16:16), while others were the virtual pawns of these spirits, losing their own identity and autonomy. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors, and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.110. The Man Jesus Renamed | Reformed Theological Seminary And, Gerasene was one. But from all of the Gospel accounts, I get the distinct impression that this mans eyes were riveted on Jesus. When our Lord confronted the demons, they had to submit to His power and authority. May the Spirit of God be so evident in us that men may see God in our lives. (6) Tendency towards self-destruction. 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. His animal-like shrieks must have sent chills up the spines of any who were nearby. In recent years the matter has been getting uncomfortably close to home. Why do people like Jesus a lot? He also maintains a popular Facebook page. September 2015 April 2021 Women, children and defenceless people all admired Him and felt comfortable in His presence. Note: 'had the legion', i.e., the many unclean spirits inhabiting him. January 2023 He said he had come to the house of Israel, not to the gentiles. The Politics of Luke 8:26-39. 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. They all say country of (in the sense of region, not nation). Even in our sophisticated times, there is an intense interest in the supernatural and the occult. Is it a bug? Instead of opening themselves up to Jesus and receiving His love and forgiveness, they allowed fear to drive a wedge between them. Nor was it the Jewish population of Galilee. How Can a Person Get Rid of Evil Spirits. They had dealt with Legion (I suspect) by forcing him from their presence. There is, as we know, the world, the flesh, and the Devil. March 2022 Did Jesus command the demon before he fell on his knees in Mark 5:6? Only 30 of 175 dioceses ordained an average number of priests at or above replacement level over the five years from 2016 to 2021, according to the report. Luke 8:25 "Where is your faith?" He asked. Frightened and amazed, they Small sins lead to big sins, and big sins bring about a terrible spiritual darkness. This story is a little bit of an Easter story. (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. The demoniacs were mere maniacs, whom Jesus cured by humouring their fancies; and His giving leave to imaginary demons to enter into the swine, produced the story of the disaster to the herd.All these explanations assume that the Gospel narratives are wholly or in part unhistorical. Plummer, Luke, p. 228. (Matthew 8:28; Mark 5:1; Luke 8:26) In Gerasenes in place of Gadarenes. As these people began to piece together the previous events, not only of the destruction of the pigs, but also the deliverance of Legion, they began to sense that there was One far more awesome, much more to be feared, than Legion. The reply Legion118 may be some kind of evasion, a reluctance on the part of the demons to individually identify themselves. 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. We see people in other places where he worked miracles, endeavoring to make him their king (Jn 6:15) . According to another theory, the Chapati movement of 1857 was an attempt to prevent a cholera outbreak in central India. Jesus heals the Gerasene demoniac in Luke 8 | Psephizo While he was once wild and uncontrollable, he was sitting quietly at the feet of Jesus. It didnt take long for the word to spread quickly. The demonically possessed man who came to Jesus cried out his name was Legion. 14. The demons freak out that Jesus is there because it's not time for them to be tormented by Him yet. With a little knowledge of the geography of the region, this apparent contradiction can be resolved. Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. The reference could hardly be to the better known Gerasa (Jerash) between thirty and forty miles southeast from the lake. 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. This request was granted and the entire herd rushed headlong to their own destruction. (1) Severe personality change. 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. October 2015 Lets face it, we all like to be in control. 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 conduct of this pathetic individual was obviously anti-social. 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, 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 . Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighbourhood. This city was better known than Gadara or Gergesa; indeed in the Roman age no city of Palestine was better known. 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. 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. 5. He brought up the story of Jesus casting out demons and sending them into pigs, which promptly ran over a cliff into the sea. 9. 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). 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. Is there any archaeological evidence for Joshua entering Israel and conquering cities in the late Bronze Age and early Iron Age? How Satan blinds our minds! They were sacrificed by being thrown off a cliff. HELPING CHRISTIANS BUILD POSITIVE, GODLY FAMILIES, CHURCHES, AND NATIONS, Follow us on social media for daily Scripture comments and more at. 606-607. So he got into the boat and left., Luke 8:37, NIV, great fear [KJV] thoroughly frightened [Phillips]gripped with great fear [NASB]. Earles comments are helpful: The difference in names for the destination on the east side of the take has caused considerable comment. If he was a pagan, why did Jesus cast out his demons? Mark 9:17-29). Mark 5:16 says the thoughts of the people were on the swine. The spectrum ranges from those who seem to control the demonic powers to those who are utterly controlled by them. Bob was born and raised in a Christian home i More, The Net Pastors Journal, Eng. monetization of National Catholic Register RSS feeds is strictly prohibited. Then all the people of the Gerasenes and the surrounding region asked Jesus to leave them alone, for they were seized . He felt Jesus' reassuring hand on his shoulder. And, yes, Dana did just read us something about a man possessed by a whole bunch of demons that later go and possess a bunch of hogs. 124 Augustine: The devils were driven out and permitted to go into the swine; and Aquinas: But that the swine were driven into the sea was no work of the divine miracle, but was the work of the devils by divine permission. Quoted by Trench, Miracles, fn. No! She is a graduate of the Divinity School at Wake Forest University and Chicago Theological Seminary. Fear that you might do something that would embarrass you? (London: InterVarsity Fellowship, 1950), fn. Sermon for July 26, 2020: Why Were They So Afraid: Mark 5:1-20 The people (nations) were divided up, and boundaries allocated' and the sons of god were put over these nations. Who Were The Gerasenes In The Bible? - Mastery Wiki 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. Although it is likely that the larger towns of Galilee were predominantly Gentile, as was the Decapolis, the first-century civilian diet did not . Jesus had been performing miracles in Gods nation - Israel. 127 The view of Greek philosophy was that these were the spirits of those who lived in the Golden Age. Why would the Gerasene people beg Jesus to leave their region - EBible Why would the Gerasene people beg Jesus to leave their region after He cast the demons into the pigs? But then also Christ will triumph, and finally put an end to the evil one and all his powers of darkness (Rev. Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighbourhood. Create your own unique website with customizable templates. Region of the Gerasenes - Fire and Light Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood. September 2016 Luke 8:26And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee. A Lesson From the Gadarenes - Sabbath Thoughts 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. Some today have given demons far more than their due by blaming demons for every malady of mankind. Jesus had just performed an incredible miracleand one they desperately needed, at that! Unbelieving men may not rave and carry on like the Gerasene demoniac, but they are nevertheless under Satans control, doing his bidding. It had nothing to do the farmers losing revenue - at all. 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.. Who do you care more about, people or pigs? What Does Luke 8:37 Mean? "And all the people of the country of the print and digital media outlets, dedicated to reporting the truth in light of the Gospel and the As indicated in the textual note, the best Greek text reads Gerasenes in Mark and Luke, Gadarenes in Matthew. But, the pigs were a part of their economic wealth. Pope Francis Inexhaustible Font of Words: 10 Gems From the Heart Over 10 Years, Pope Francis, Biden Commend Peacemaker Bishop OConnell as Memorial Services Begin. Welcome to Biblical Hermeneutics! The swine then immediately killed themselves by rushing off a cliff. 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). . Other demoniacs described in Scripture were bent on self-destruction as well (cf. French Monastery Survives War and Famine After 885 Years, the Basilica of St. Ambrose in Milan, and More Great Links! It was greatly influenced by Greek culture.126. May 2018 Luke 8:37 Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked 16ff., xix. She and her wife moved to Maine from Illinois. Lets learn why. 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. But, the context is not going to be comfortable (accepted by) to some traditional understandings. 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. Do roots of these polynomials approach the negative of the Euler-Mascheroni constant? By clicking Post Your Answer, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. The man looked out on the Tiberius. All Scripture agrees with this, that the judgment of the angels is yet to come (1 Cor. 17, pp. You are welcome here. Afraid of Jesus? | Sermons | College Park Church The house that is left swept and clean is a likely target for Satanic influence (cf. 2 And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. September 2018 The New Testament speaks of those who had a spirit, or a demon, or demons, or an unclean spirit, or the spirit of an unclean demon, but chiefly of persons who were demonised. Edersheim, Life and Times, I, p. 479. The conduct of this pathetic individual was obviously anti-social. This makes sense, I couldn't believe they asked Jesus to leave. Who was afraid of Jesus and why? 40, vii. No one was strong enough to subdue him (verses 3,4). 36Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. October 2018 Why is this even an issue, I wonder? Five squad cars converged on it. verse 5). 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! They were instructed to keep quiet about what Jesus had done for them (cf. Ouija boards are found in many American homes. How do I connect these two faces together? Privacy Policy. The best human analogy might be in the area of drug abuse. When Jesus asked his name the man answered, Legion, for we are many (Mark 5:9). 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. No matter who you are. September 2020 August 2021 He was a totally safe Person. The entire population of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them because they were seized with great fear. 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. Why was Jesus going to walk past the disciples as they were rowing on the Sea of Galilee? in 1971. 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. Asked October 24 2014 Unfortunately, Christians [or those using the name] can be harsh, condemning and critical driving people further into sin and away from God. So who was afraid? Why were the people of Gerasene afraid of the presence of Jesus among them? June 2022 What did Jesus do? 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. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs. or school. 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. They were content where they were. Brazilian Charity Caring for Children Who Survived Abortions Issues Urgent Appeal, Memento Mori: Remember You Are Going to Die, The Meat of the Matter: St. Patricks Day and the Lenten Fast. For more information about Glenn Davis see our About Glenn page and/or his Author's Page. In Luke 2:8 it is applied to the city of Bethlehem; in Acts 18:23 to Galatia and Phrygia. 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. 14ff. Top Ten Reasons Why There Were Pigs In Gerasenes Some appeared not to be oppressed by them so much as exploiting their powers (cf. 4, p. 102. in a crowd in a crowd where many people were bumping into Him? March 2021 Satans most effective tool is not the demoniac wandering about the desolate places. But for most of us, the world and the flesh are all that are necessary to cause us to stumble. February 2018 21,22). It is ironic that while the demons didnt want to leave the country, the dwellers of that land didnt want the Messiah to stay. 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. August 2015 Acts 19:16). Until we decide on a new comic, you'll likely see a gray box where "Dilbert" had appeared. The time of this event was before Jesus' crucifixion, and before the gentiles were grafted in to the promise (Acts 10). They were among North Korea's elite, but they fled anyway. Here's why It was not the loss of their property or investment that caused them to be afraid of Jesus. This name (Strong's #G3003) is a reference to a Roman military regiment that varied in soldier strength from 4,000 to 6,000. May 2017 https://www.ncregister.com/blog/gerasene-or-gadarene-swine, What Archaeology Tells Us About Joshuas Conquest, 50 Verses to Help You Prepare for Pentecost, St. Polycarp, Who Learned the Faith From an Apostle, Did Not Believe in Faith Alone, The Three Kinds of Atheists, and How to Respond to Them, We Know That Hes in Heaven: Thousands Gather for Funeral of Bishop David OConnell in Los Angeles, Archbishop Naumann and Bishop Paprocki Speak Out in Support of Traditional Latin Massgoers in Their Dioceses, Survey: Decline in Vocations to the Priesthood Is Worse Where Priests Serve Larger Flocks, God Really Intervened: How a Catholic Priest Escaped From His Kidnappers in Haiti, Amber and Dave VanVickle on Finding God in the Midst of Suffering. Why is there a voltage on my HDMI and coaxial cables? Demonic influence further destroys mans reflection of God as originally designed.128 Demons have great spiritual insight and reluctantly submit to Jesus as Lord of all. Why were the people of Gerasene afraid of the presence of Jesus - Quora Preisker, TWNT IV (1942), pp. The people of Gerasenes were willing to live with the devils they knew - quite literally. In other words, even though he set the bar extremely high, he seemed to be a fascinating man. Winthrop Congregational Church, UCC No matter who you are. iv. Verse 1. Evil is self-defeating in the end. 36 Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. Read the Scripture: Mark 4:35 - 5:20. No! If anything, that would have made them angry. The spread of cholera was linked to the movements of . It is something like the behavior and personality change in a man who is totally intoxicated. February 2017 You will receive a monthly newsletter with Scriptural teaching plus notifications of any new articles, courses or books. 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. The demoniac further evidenced demon activity by the depth of his spiritual insight. The confrontation of Jesus and the Gerasene demoniac made it clear that Jesus was no servant of Satan. We should know from other Scriptures that our present spiritual experience is one of spiritual warfare. (5) Torment. Understand the meaning of Luke 8:37 using all available Bible versions and commentary. Pastor Chrissy is a native of East Tennessee. That is why the inhabitants of the area are referred to variously in different Bible manuscripts as Gergasenes, Gadarenes, or Gerasenes. All of us may be so concerned with our own livelihoods that we fail to serve other people and help those in desperat What they were not willing to accept was the frightening power that could cure him. 2. Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. 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. When addressed, the person was the mouthpiece of the demon (such as Legion, Mark 5:9). It only takes a minute to sign up. February 2015 Wikipedia states about it: In the second half of the 1st century AD, the city of Jerash achieved great prosperity.. 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) 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. Jesus asked some pretty crazy questions like What Things Happened? ESV - Why is that. His greatest impact would be on those who knew his former state. 1 They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. Known as the Judas Iscariot of Gnosticism for revealing that which is not to be revealed. Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear.