Then they sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, across the lake from Galilee. January 2015 The demonically possessed man who came to Jesus cried out his name was Legion. In contrast, the people of Gerasene are asking him to leave their place. Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. 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. I understand why," the HBO "Real Time" host told Jake Tapper on Tuesday as part . They valued their pigs more than they valued salvation. 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. But from all of the Gospel accounts, I get the distinct impression that this mans eyes were riveted on Jesus. 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. No! 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. Copyright 2023 EWTN News, Inc. All rights reserved. 118 H. April 2021 The confrontation of Jesus and the Gerasene demoniac made it clear that Jesus was no servant of Satan. 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. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. In Luke 2:8 it is applied to the city of Bethlehem; in Acts 18:23 to Galatia and Phrygia. A Jewish exorcist with such authority in the region, risked to damage the beliefs and reputation of the local pagan inhabitants. The before and after descriptions of the demoniac reveal that he was a totally different person under demonic influence. 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. 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. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors, and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.110. Those who had seen it told them how the man who had been demon-possessed had been healed. Some appeared not to be oppressed by them so much as exploiting their powers (cf. 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. Even the demons confessed that He was the Son of the Most High (Mark 5:7). SubscribeStart your Register subscription today. and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. Gergesenes is also in some manuscripts (Khersa or Gersa was a town actually on the shore of the sea). I felt somewhat guilty, particularly fearing that I may have created an unintentional hardship for some classmate. In fact the region was known as the Gadarenes-Gerasenes region. It is even possible that his request was to become one of our Lords disciples.125. He could just as easily commanded them to return to the deepest, darkest pit of Hell. in 1971. First let us see what the Sacred Texts says: The swineherds ran off and told it in the city and in the country. He said unexpected things and lived by a high ethical standard. 4, p. 102. 2 And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. Fear that you might do something that would embarrass you? especially fn. 22, xvii. EIN 27-4581132 Jesus asked Mary why she was crying at the grave site. August 2022 People who have no appr Fallen people reject God not because they do not know His power. Once a menace to society, now a messenger with words of deliverance and healing. 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. You are welcome here. 3. December 2017 They were instructed to keep quiet about what Jesus had done for them (cf. He felt Jesus' reassuring hand on his shoulder. 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? 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. 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. July 2016 These men were a danger to themselves and others. 22ff. Although demon-possession after that time no longer occurs on such a devastating and noticeable scale, the absolute form of demon-possession will appear at the end of the age in the Antichrist and in his followers (2 Thess. September 2016 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). It is mentioned in some ancient manuscripts of the . The Truth is Jesus is a safe Person Who loves them, values them, wants their best and will never force Himself on them. 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. DEUT 32:8 When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind, he fixed the borders of the peoples, according to the number of the sons of God. Like it or not, demons and demonic activity are likely to become much more of a concern to you in days to come. October 2017 They had heard what had happened to the pigs and knew the Jews considered Gentiles unclean, too. These, however, are not the problem raised by Bible students. Other demoniacs described in Scripture were bent on self-destruction as well (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. 05 /5 Another theory. 10). 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. And Jesus, being a Gentleman, was not about to force Himself on them. And they were afraid. Exercising authority in the land allocated to Abraham, for Israel, the land set aside for God and his people. 2ff., xvv. In this context, however, he insists that legion has nothing of its usual Roman military overtones, but is the designation of numerous powers which oppose themselves to Jesus as the embodiment of the power of God. Lane, Mark, fn. December 2020 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. The demoniac was uncontrollable by any of the normal means of human confinement. 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. There is, as we know, the world, the flesh, and the Devil. When the townspeople arrived on the scene, they saw the formerly demon-possessed men, clothed, in their right mind and sitting at the feet of Jesus. The Lord granted the only request of these residents, which was for Him to leave. It is something like the behavior and personality change in a man who is totally intoxicated. In any event, I love defending the Bible and Christianity. They had dealt with Legion (I suspect) by forcing him from their presence. November 2017 The Politics of Luke 8:26-39. Subscriber Service CenterAlready a subscriber? 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. No matter who you are. 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. People who have no appr Many times people - Non-Christians and Christians - push Jesus away because they do not want to change. In other words, Jesus had caused a loss to them of 2,000 swine already; what else would His presence cost? For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs. This was a region east of the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River. January 2021 13; Luke iv. December 2014 He was a totally safe Person. November 2015 184-185. 127 The view of Greek philosophy was that these were the spirits of those who lived in the Golden Age. Why did the demon-possessed Gadarene bow down before Jesus? Confusion, fear in moments after crash "There were many big pieces of steel," said Vassilis Polyzos, a local resident who said he was one of the first people on the scene. 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. 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. Sign up for 6 Free IssuesTry us out with a free trial subscription. There seems to be no excuse here for the charge of contradiction. August 2018 January 2016 Embedded into both stories are people who were afraid of Jesus. Early Christians like St. Polycarp clearly held the Catholic view on salvation. Why would Jesus ask, "Who touched Me?" 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. The region was known also as the Decopolis because ten Greek cities were located in the region. 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. Also, frequently associated with demon possession was a super-human strength (cf. Immediately, as this weary group disembarked from the ship, they were met by what appeared to be a madman. November 2016 3 When the centurion 2 heard about Jesus, c he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his . monetization of National Catholic Register RSS feeds is strictly prohibited. June 2022 July 2015 The man looked out on the Tiberius. of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were So he got into the boat and left. 16, x. She is a graduate of the Divinity School at Wake Forest University and Chicago Theological Seminary. I have always wondered what my Christian brothers had to say to the police officers by way of explanation. Now they were delivered and ready to be productive members of society. 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). Men in their unbelief suppose that the choice is either to be free (independent of God) or to be the slaves of Christ. Mark 5:16 says the thoughts of the people were on the swine. The people were afraid when they saw the possessed man healed. October 2020 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. 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. 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. Cookie Notice What did Jesus do? Then the Livestock Association and consumer groups would have been greatly distressed over the sudden decrease in the pig population and the resulting impact on pork prices. Why are trials on "Law & Order" in the New York Supreme Court? Well, it is because atheists, in their zealous rush to make fun of Christians, Christianity, and the Bible, start to lose their logical rigor and rationality, leading them to contend for implausible things: as presently. Dave Armstrong Dave Armstrong is a full-time Catholic author and apologist, who has been actively proclaiming and defending Christianity since 1981. The people (nations) were divided up, and boundaries allocated' and the sons of god were put over these nations. This reveals to us that demons have an intuitive knowledge of their impending doom.117. 18). The demoniacs frightened the swine, and the transfer of demons from them to the swine was imagined. So who was afraid? art thou come hither to torment us before the time? David Noel Freedman, The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 991. Reproduction of material from this website without written permission, or unlicensed commercial use or He had only known Jesus for a few hours, but had already determined to be Jesus' disciple for life. June 2015 rev2023.3.3.43278. Renew or manage your subscription here. 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?" . We see people in other places where he worked miracles, endeavoring to make him their king (Jn 6:15) . 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. In that case, of course, it would be in the early morning that the Gerasenes afterwards resorted to Jesus and that He again returned to Capernaum. Instead of opening themselves up to Jesus and receiving His love and forgiveness, they allowed fear to drive a wedge between them. 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. All Scripture agrees with this, that the judgment of the angels is yet to come (1 Cor. 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. August 2020 The price tag of possession was high, for those who fell victim to the demons agonized in constant torment. So he got into the boat and left., Luke 8:37, NIV, great fear [KJV] thoroughly frightened [Phillips]gripped with great fear [NASB]. . 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. As an alternative to confinement, the demons posed the option of being permitted to enter the pigs, some 2,000 in number, feeding nearby. At the side of Kersa the shore is level, and there are no tombs. This was a federation of ten cities (deka = ten, polis = city). December 2016 (1) Severe personality change. to sign up for our free Water Of The Word newsletter at the top of any page! November 2014. 7 After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, b he entered Capernaum. 28); Mark the country of the Gerasenes (v. 1), and Luke, probably, the country of the Gergesenes (viii. Understand the meaning of Luke 8:37 using all available Bible versions and commentary. Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. You will receive a monthly newsletter with Scriptural teaching plus notifications of any new articles, courses or books. ), you also need to understand the significance of this - to the people in Gerasene. 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? Pig carcasses were washing ashore and drifting out to sea. Another approach is to note the different intentions of the Gospel writers. 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. That is why he was living in the solitude of the tombs, away from civilization. Men and women (as well as children) were demonized in that they fell under the influence of these unclean spirits. They found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus' feet, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. in a crowd in a crowd where many people were bumping into Him? Far from this, He had stormed the gates of Hell and prevailed. Can devils entreat in such a manner any highest of angels, be he Michael, Gabriel or Raphael, or any greatest cherub or seraph? But, Im telling you. That is why he was living in the solitude of the tombs, away from civilization. What were the women in Mark 16:8 afraid of? Holy Communion From the Chalice Reintroduced in the UK: What About the US? Note: 'had the legion', i.e., the many unclean spirits inhabiting him. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Once naked, he is now clothed. What sort of strategies would a medieval military use against a fantasy giant? 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. There probably were not many who had been told yet of the Messiah, and so were not yet believers. 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. Horoscopes and astrological predictions are found in most major newspapers. Jesus never interacted with people as they were, but as He knew they were created to be. Anonymous, October 25 2014 May 2017 Mark 5:1And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. November 2020 Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professors, theologians, and those interested in exegetical analysis of biblical texts. July 2017 verse 5). Then the SPCA would have been up in arms over such cruelty to animals. Perhaps they clenched their fists or picked up driftwood with which to defend themselves. Treasury of Scripture. In Acts 8:1 we have the regions of Judaea and Samaria (KJV), and in Acts 16:6, Galatia alone. Second, while the death of the pigs is clearly an economic loss for the owner, Jesus is illustrating the infinite value of human life. Neither is it only a kind of physical disease, although spiritual and physical disease often accompany it (e.g. The people of Gerasenes were willing to live with the devils they knew - quite literally. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. With a little knowledge of the geography of the region, this apparent contradiction can be resolved. 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. 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. Jesus had simply sailed across the Lake of Galilee to the region of the Gerasenes. 26). Now they would deal with this One greater than he by doing likewise. Paul says of the former life of the Christian, And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience (Ephesians 1:1-2). Dave has been happily married to his wife Judy since October 1984. 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. February 2022 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. Mark 3:14). Gergesa, also Gergasa ( in Byzantine greek) or the Country of the Gergesenes, is a place on the eastern ( Golan Heights) side of the Sea of Galilee located at some distance to the ancient Decapolis cities of Gadara and Gerasa. For more information, please see our When the pigs were sent into the sea, the people of Gadara lost money. 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. Who do you care more about, people or pigs? It is not difficult to imagine what was going through the minds of the disciples as their ship landed and as these two demon possessed men rushed to them. From this it is clear that demon-possession is a phenomenon which occurred almost exclusively, but then to be sure on an amazing scale, during Jesus appearance on earth and to a lesser extent during the activity of the apostles. In recent years the matter has been getting uncomfortably close to home. 1, pp. Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood. They all say country of (in the sense of region, not nation). December 2015 Pigs were specifically set aside as the animal used in sacrifices to their god. It was significant. In this story, we have a demon-possessed Gadarene who saw Jesus from a distance, and immediately he appeared to have felt a strong compulsion to run up to Jesus and bow down before him. As Jesus began to get back into the boat, the delivered demoniac pleaded with Him that he might accompany Him. (London: InterVarsity Fellowship, 1950), fn. Nor was it the Jewish population of Galilee. How do I connect these two faces together? July 2022 Instead, they reject Him because all they know is His power and purity. And, it can not be understood properly out of this context. 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). Putting all of these factors together the term demon-possessed inplies too much. The entire population of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them because they were seized with great fear. 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. 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!
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