xii. 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. September 2022 To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers. 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. Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighbourhood. If an Israelite, why was he in Gerasene in the first place and why was he living so near a large herd of swine? Jesus asked some pretty crazy questions like What Things Happened? In the King James Version it is called the country of the Gadarenes in Mark and Luke, and of the Gergesenes in Matthew. Holy Communion From the Chalice Reintroduced in the UK: What About the US? At the side of Kersa the shore is level, and there are no tombs. 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. But the city of Gadara owned some territory round about Khersa, so that the district and the pigs could properly also be called Gadarene. F. F. Bruce, Are the New Testament Documents Reliable? What purposes did Mark intend to achieve by the inclusion of this event? March 2021 On the other hand, it may be correct to understand that although there were many demons, they had combined as one force to possess this man.119 While Mark records Legions request as one of not being sent out of the country (verse 10), Luke adds a significant explanation by interpreting the meaning behind this request: And they were entreating Him not to command them to depart into the abyss (Luke 8:31). (5) Torment. F. F. Bruce adds additional helpful insight: According to the best texts, Matthew calls it the country of the Gadarenes (viii. This is probably the Gerasa of Mark and Luke. 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? Another approach is to note the different intentions of the Gospel writers. How Can a Person Get Rid of Evil Spirits. As Jesus began to get back into the boat, the delivered demoniac pleaded with Him that he might accompany Him. xvii. The word translated windstorm here, and storm in the KJ, is the word lailaps, which is more than just a storm. When our Lord confronted the demons, they had to submit to His power and authority. 4, p. 180. Jesus asked some crazy questions like "Why are you afraid?" Treasury of Scripture. He seemed to view Jesus approach as the launching of a direct attack on the demonic forces. What they were not willing to accept was the frightening power that could cure him. Top Ten Reasons Why There Were Pigs In Gerasenes Remember the story of Jesus casting demons out of the crazy man in Luke 8? The best human analogy might be in the area of drug abuse. 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.. Although God's word does not name which cities were considered part of this region, Pliny's Natural History (c. 77 A.D.) lists these cities as Gerasa, Scythopolis, Hippos, Gadara, Pella, Philadelphia, Capitolias (Dion), Canatha, Raphana and Damascus. He who feared His arrival now dreaded His departure. Note that the texts dont say Gerasa or Gadara, so they arent necessarily referring just to one of the cities. August 2016 22, xvii. When you get a chance, please take the, We've added a "Necessary cookies only" option to the cookie consent popup. 118 H. March 2015 January 2017 Those demons were terrified of Him! 115 While Mark and Luke describe only one demoniac, Matthew informs us that there were two. Unfortunately, Christians [or those using the name] can be harsh, condemning and critical driving people further into sin and away from God. Why is that. 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. Non-Christians can often experience this fear of Jesus as well. We are seeking a replacement and hope to have it in your newspaper soon. How Satan blinds our minds! April 2015 Their influence and control leads to untold agony and destruction. 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. 36Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. It was like being attacked by two Hulks. They probably thought of quickly getting aboard ship and pushing off. 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! Norval Geldenhuys, Commentary on the Gospel of Luke (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1951), p. 174. In contrast, the people of Gerasene are asking him to leave their place. In the past several weeks, there has come to light the case of a man arrested for various crimes who has several of the symptoms of demon possession, including multiple personalities, even multiple IQs. 2ff., xvv. Known as the Judas Iscariot of Gnosticism for revealing that which is not to be revealed. If they dare to open up their lives to Jesus what will happen? 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. 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. Satans most effective tool is not the demoniac wandering about the desolate places. With a little knowledge of the geography of the region, this apparent contradiction can be resolved. No matter who you are. 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. 127 The view of Greek philosophy was that these were the spirits of those who lived in the Golden Age. 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. His teachings have inspired great moral reformations such as abolition of slavery and the Civil Rights movement. Author of The Gnostic Notebook series, stand-up comedian, and Gnostic. No! Into the country of the Gadarenes, or rather, Gera-senes, which is now generally admitted to be the true reading, from Gerasa, Gersa, or Kersa.There was another Gerasa, situated at some distance from the sea, on the borders of Arabia Petraea. It was not the loss of their property or investment that caused them to be afraid of Jesus. October 2021 Then people came to see what it was that had happened. 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. December 2020 Instantly he recognized the Lord Jesus to be the Son of God (verse 7).116 There was a source of spiritual insight beyond human capabilities here. (1) Severe personality change. 2 And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. 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. 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. But notice, even though Jesus permitted them to enter the swine, they were unable to overcome their evil impulses and drove the swine over the cliff to their death. The demoniacs frightened the swine, and the transfer of demons from them to the swine was imagined. e.g., Matt. The region and polygon don't match. Paul tells us that our struggle is, at bottom, a spiritual one (Ephesians 6:12). This is when the storm arose which threatened to destroy the ship (Mark 4:35-41). Unbelieving men may not rave and carry on like the Gerasene demoniac, but they are nevertheless under Satans control, doing his bidding. Matthew 9:2-8 Why was "This man is blaspheming" considered an evil thought without knowing Jesus' identity? February 2022 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?" . Then the SPCA would have been up in arms over such cruelty to animals. 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. The country of the Gadarenes (Gergesenes) is one of the few areas Jesus visited where Gentiles (non-Jews) composed the majority of the population. 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. And those who had seen it reported to them how the man who was demon-possessed had been made well. Some today have given demons far more than their due by blaming demons for every malady of mankind. So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine . 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. Your comment will be posted after it is approved. Nevertheless, for consideration. Exercising authority in the land allocated to Abraham, for Israel, the land set aside for God and his people. David Noel Freedman, The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 991. Such an entreaty can be addressed by them to only God. 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. Five squad cars converged on it. Sign up for 6 Free IssuesTry us out with a free trial subscription. Is there any archaeological evidence for Joshua entering Israel and conquering cities in the late Bronze Age and early Iron Age? 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. These, however, are not the problem raised by Bible students. The drowning of the swine was an accident, possibly simultaneous with the healing, and report mixed up the two incidents. June 2020 The price tag of possession was high, for those who fell victim to the demons agonized in constant torment. The demoniac was uncontrollable by any of the normal means of human confinement. The people of Gerasenes were willing to live with the devils they knew - quite literally. Lets learn why. Winthrop Congregational Church, UCC No matter who you are. This was a federation of ten cities (deka = ten, polis = city). The subject of demons and demon possession has always seemed somewhat remote and academic to sophisticated 20th century Americans. Ouija boards are found in many American homes. First let us see what the Sacred Texts says: The swineherds ran off and told it in the city and in the country. September 2020 . Wikipedia states about it: In the second half of the 1st century AD, the city of Jerash achieved great prosperity.. Have we stepped back, in effect asking Jesus to leave us alone, only to discover, as a Gentleman, He did? 7. Clarify COMMENTARY: Atheism is generally the expression of a moral attitude more than a real intellectual conviction based on evidence thought through. 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. Finally, there is in demon possession a counterpart to the filling (or control) of the Holy Spirit. They had dealt with Legion (I suspect) by forcing him from their presence. and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. 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). The Lord granted the only request of these residents, which was for Him to leave. Where did the demons go after they went into the pigs and caused them to jump to their death. Jesus had simply sailed across the Lake of Galilee to the region of the Gerasenes. In the form of tongues as of fire, the Holy Spirit rests on the disciples on the morning of Pentecost and fills them with himself. (CCC 696). Matthew 8:4; Luke 8:56). Other demoniacs described in Scripture were bent on self-destruction as well (cf. xiii. The entrance of the term into colloquial speech indicates that the Roman occupation was a heavy burden. 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. She and her wife moved to Maine from Illinois. November 2017 Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. The demoniac further evidenced demon activity by the depth of his spiritual insight. Not long after that, while I was still a student in seminary, there was a car parked by the seminary in a somewhat suspicious manner and I called the police to check it out. July 2018 And he said to them, Where is your faith? I have always wondered what my Christian brothers had to say to the police officers by way of explanation. They had been unable to control these two men [Luke only mentions one man, but Matthew tells us there were two]. March 2016 18). Immediately, as this weary group disembarked from the ship, they were met by what appeared to be a madman. 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. 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). 14). August 2017 What sort of strategies would a medieval military use against a fantasy giant? The pig tenders reported it far and wide, in city and country (verse 14). How ironic, as others have noted, that the tormentor pleads not to be tormented. The typical explanation for the petition of the residents that Christ leave their country is that they were motivated by materialistic considerations. Early Christians like St. Polycarp clearly held the Catholic view on salvation. What did we miss because we allowed fear instead of faith to drive our lives? Although it is often claimed that Christians were persecuted for their refusal to worship the emperor, general dislike for Christians likely arose from their refusal to worship the gods or take part in sacrifice, which was expected of those living in the Roman Empire. Today, it is identified with El-Koursi or Kursi. Christians are to be the answer, but often they are part of the problem. (4) Our Lord did not command the demons to enter into the pigs and bring about their destruction; He only permitted it.124. 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. We see the first reaction to this in the storm MARK 4:7 And a great windstorm arose [snip]. xvi. Hence it would be called the land of the Gadarenes.. Instead, they reject Him because all they know is His power and purity. No! February 2021 There was no such danger in Perea, and thus the mercy of the Lord was to be heralded. He was received into the Catholic Church in 1991. Also, the wholesale slaughter of these pigs dramatically illustrated the destructive purposes of the demons. Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. He was Someone Who could control the spirit realm. January 2018 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. 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! Why were the Romans afraid of the Christians? 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. Jesus never interacted with people as they were, but as He knew they were created to be. December 2022 April 2018 Was there some sort of unwritten rule that Darrow (or any non-Bellona) was supposed to throw the fight? The house that is left swept and clean is a likely target for Satanic influence (cf. 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. June 2016 February 2015 The region is located east of the Jordan River and southeast of the Sea of Galilee. 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]. The spectrum ranges from those who seem to control the demonic powers to those who are utterly controlled by them. I think that this story is a little bit of an Easter story. I felt somewhat guilty, particularly fearing that I may have created an unintentional hardship for some classmate. Jesus showed to the local population the inferiority of pagan life. Such was the case with this man (cf. The passage in Daniel especially suggests specific geographical boundaries within which spirit beings must abide. Does a barbarian benefit from the fast movement ability while wearing medium armor? His website/blog, Biblical Evidence for Catholicism, has been online since March 1997. They are unclean spirits, (vss. 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. Whereas he had been a slave, he was now delivered from demon possession. 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. Women, children and defenceless people all admired Him and felt comfortable in His presence. The second question is an ethical one: What right had the Lord to inflict this loss on the owners of the swine?121 Put even more crassly, Huxley censored this act with these words: the wanton destruction of other peoples property is a misdemeanour of evil example.122. October 2017 The people were afraid when they saw the possessed man healed. 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. Holiness hurts! He pleaded with Jesus not to be tormented. and thank you for your contribution. Nor was it the Jewish population of Galilee. Hence there was demon-worship, the worship not necessarily of evil spirits; but of the spirits of those who had existed in the Golden Age. G. Campbell Morgan, The Gospel According to Mark (New York: Fleming H. Revell, 1927), p. 114. So, they asked Him to leave. Welcome to Biblical Hermeneutics! When the Gadarenes saw what Christ was capable of, they panicked. It was opposite Galilee. It is something like the behavior and personality change in a man who is totally intoxicated. Another indication of demonic control is the fact that this man was continually doing harm to himself by gashing himself with stones (verse 5). 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). 9. October 2015 In Galilee and Judea there were Messianic hopes which would have been quickly fanned into flames if the miracles of Jesus were too widely publicized. The occult and every front for demonic influence and activity should be avoided like the plague. 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. As the world's top superpower, how unsure of itself can the US be to . Though Legion bowed before Jesus (verse 6), it was no act of worship (as the King James Version would seem to indicate). May 2016 Jesus had just performed an incredible miracleand one they desperately needed, at that! ii. December 2015 . For those who are shaken like leaves in the wind at the mention of demons, let us remember from this story that demons cannot even possess pigs without prior permission from our Lord. Why did the demons ask to be cast into the herd of pigs, and why did the pigs then run into the water to be drowned? Our Lord responded sternly by calling this accusation blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, and as such was the one unpardonable sin (verses 28-30). 21,22). Thanks for contributing an answer to Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange! He said he had come to the house of Israel, not to the gentiles. 8ff.). 61-62. Those who have witnessed demon possession tell us that each demon has its own distinct personality and that the individual possessed begins to manifest the distinct personality of the demon by which he is possessed. Thats just westernised interpretation which simply doesnt work when interpretating a Jewish book. October 2022 8; Mark vi. Thus an economic lose of revenue was involved. May 2015 123 1. It only takes a minute to sign up. Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. The pig shepherds had gone and spread the news of what had happened all around. Pigs were specifically set aside as the animal used in sacrifices to their god. 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 best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? Thus, all the circumstances lead us to regard the healing of the demonized at Gerasa as a night scene, immediately on Christs arrival from Capernaum, and after the calming of the storm at sea. Alford Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1965), I, pp. By clicking Post Your Answer, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. No matter where you are on life's journey. Anonymous, October 25 2014 February 2018 It is even possible that his request was to become one of our Lords disciples.125. Now they were delivered and ready to be productive members of society. For some people, the cost is too high. Although it is likely that the larger towns of Galilee were predominantly Gentile, as was the Decapolis, the first-century civilian diet did not . When addressed, the person was the mouthpiece of the demon (such as Legion, Mark 5:9). 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. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. August 2018 Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. The people who witnessed this are . Acts 16:16), while others were the virtual pawns of these spirits, losing their own identity and autonomy. Why as the question? Then any greatest of men, like any prophet, hero or king? There probably were not many who had been told yet of the Messiah, and so were not yet believers. While he was once wild and uncontrollable, he was sitting quietly at the feet of Jesus. This was a region east of the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River. It might be better to hide behind masks than risk being hurt again After all, if God rejects youwhere else can you go? So he got into the boat and left. 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. December 2017 (Matthew 8:28; Mark 5:1; Luke 8:26) In Gerasenes in place of Gadarenes. September 2021 But here we speak not about a bishop, but about Christ who made His Godhead revealed through devils beseeching Him not to cast them to hell but enter the swine. 28); Mark the country of the Gerasenes (v. 1), and Luke, probably, the country of the Gergesenes (viii. 10). Why did Jesus allow the demons to enter the herd of pigs? 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. No one was strong enough to subdue him (verses 3,4). May 2022 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. Rev. May 2020 September 2015 In fact the region was known as the Gadarenes-Gerasenes region. In Mark 1:5 it is used of the land of Judaea (KJV) and in Acts 10:39, to land of the Jews (KJV). Will they be rejected? These men were a danger to themselves and others. Why is this sentence from The Great Gatsby grammatical? Wasn't the answer obvious? He felt Jesus' reassuring hand on his shoulder. 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. This request was granted and the entire herd rushed headlong to their own destruction. especially fn. August 2022 xx. I understand why," the HBO "Real Time" host told Jake Tapper on Tuesday as part . More than this, however, is the fact that the mans own identity and individuality were swallowed up by the demons with him. November 2022 April 2021 June 2015 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. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors, and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.110. There is no conflict, however, for Mark and Luke have apparently focused their attention on the most striking of the two. 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. March 2020 In all three instances the word is chra (Strongs word #5561). 05 /5 Another theory. Acts 5:1-6). It hit them hard in the pocketbook. 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. When the pigs were sent into the sea, the people of Gadara lost money. Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. For many Christians today, the horrifying experience of Legion should be sufficient testimony of the reality of the Satanic underworld. Some of the proposed answers to this question are totally unacceptable to an orthodox, evangelical Christian.123 By way of explanation, there are several factors which should be given serious consideration. 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.
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