This episode plays a key role in the literary critic Ren Girard's theory of the Scapegoat. 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. 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. 28); Mark the country of the Gerasenes (v. 1), and Luke, probably, the country of the Gergesenes (viii. Why did Jesus not allow demons to proclaim his name, Archaeological or Historical Support for the Gerasene Pigs. No one was strong enough to subdue him (verses 3,4). How do I stop the Flickering on Mode 13h? A small crowd of people was approaching, with the pig herdsmen leading the way. The New Testament writers chose to refer to the area in different ways. The possessed pigs plunged down a hillside into the lake, where they drowned. First of all, the EPA would have been investigating the pollution of Lake Galilee with decaying pigs. And, Gerasene was one. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. 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. 22, xvii. 8ff.). Why were the people of Gerasene afraid of the presence of Jesus among them? At this distance from the Sea of Galilee, Gerasa could not have been the site of the healing of Legion. It is doubtful that Jesus ever visited it. Dr. Thomson discovered on the eastern shore the ruins of a village called Khersa. Because some confusion exists in the gospel MS evidence and perhaps in other source material, absolute certainty cannot be attained; but the following identification seems correct. The Greek word in Matthew 8:28, however, reveals that Jesus went to the country of the Gadarenes (p. 23). Who do you care more about, people or pigs? Second (and primarily), Mark employs this event to authenticate the claims of Jesus to be the Son of God and Israels Messiah. 1). 22ff. It was like being attacked by two Hulks. They probably thought of quickly getting aboard ship and pushing off. He said he had come to the house of Israel, not to the gentiles. First, the man is hunted, then stoned, and finally he is killed; this is why the possessed lived among the tombs. It was a hard call to return to the place where he had known demons, chains, tombs, self-mutilation, public humiliation, abuse, loneliness, and suicidal torment. The confrontation of Jesus and the Gerasene demoniac made it clear that Jesus was no servant of Satan. But Christianity early became important in the city; several churches were built during these centuries, so that by the 5th cent., Gerasa could send a bishop to the Council of Chalcedon. Other textual variations include "Gadarenes" and "Gergesenes". Josephus mentions it with Pella and Golan as being taken by storm during Alexander Jannaeus campaign E of the Jordan in about 83 b.c. They greatly desire to enter and control a physical body, whereby they may reflect their character and attributes. If you are able tosupport usthis month we will invest your gift in making the hope of the gospel freely available to others who are wandering in the tombs of despair. They didn't understand! Ched Myers, Binding the Strong Man: A Political Reading of Marks Story of Jesus (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1988) p. 192; Richard A. Horsley, Hearing the Whole Story: The Politics of Plot in Marks Gospel (Louisville, KY: Westminster/John Knox, 2001); Gerd Thiessen, Miracle Stories of the Early Christian Tradition (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1983); Hollenbach, P. W. (1981). The Synoptic Gospels record one episode of Jesus calming a violent storm: "Then [Jesus] got into the boat and his disciples followed him. What is the 'age of accountability' and is it Biblical. But, the context is not going to be comfortable (accepted by) to some traditional understandings. v. 37) describe Jesus healing of the demoniac Legion and the drowning of the swine in the Sea of Galilee (cf. The miracle of Gerasa reverses the universal schema of violence fundamental to all societies of the world. But from all of the Gospel accounts, I get the distinct impression that this mans eyes were riveted on Jesus. There was no such danger in Perea, and thus the mercy of the Lord was to be heralded. An inscr. Classical theological commentary cited this story to argue that animals have no moral importance in Christianity. He recognized most of them. May I open all that I am to you, boldly trusting you. Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. Although the Gospels give us little information as to how individuals become targets of Satanic control, I would suggest for your consideration that they sometimes do so by leaving themselves open to Satanic influence. Gadara). Ptolemy says Gerasa was a city in Coele-Syria, thirty-five travel m. from Pella. tar command with and without --absolute-names option. The Maniac Who Became a Missionary, Part 1. ( Luke 8:39) 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). 21,22). A main street with columns on both sides leads out of the forum. The Matthew account mentions two demon-possessed men, while Mark and Luke only mention one. As indicated in the textual note, the best Greek text reads Gerasenes in Mark and Luke, Gadarenes in Matthew. 8:28, Mark 5:1-2, Luke 8:26-27. 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. He could think! 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. 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? We should know from other Scriptures that our present spiritual experience is one of spiritual warfare. These, however, are not the problem raised by Bible students. Now he knew better. 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. Following Jesus with you wherever he calls. about a.d. 65. The lose of the pigs meant loose of partial income in the area. 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. It would seem that these people had no Messianic expectations, and therefore wanted nothing to do with One Who had such awesome power, a power over which they had no control. Thanks for contributing an answer to Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange! Nevertheless, for consideration. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. Until then, we have been commissioned to preach the gospel and declare God's saving gr The story of the Gerasene demoniac is surely one of the strangest in the Gospels. The stamp of a ship on Gadarene coins suggests that the region called Gadara probably extended to Galilee (McGarvey, n.d., p. 344; McClintock and Strong, 1969, 3: 706). The word translated windstorm here, and storm in the KJ, is the word lailaps, which is more than just a storm. 1 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. Were on a mission to change that. 2. Some have suggested that the words Gergesenes and Gerasenes are not words referring to people from a city other than Gadara, but merely different variations of the word Gadarenes (Youngblood, p. 468; McGarvey, p. 344). All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. 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. 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. The spectrum ranges from those who seem to control the demonic powers to those who are utterly controlled by them. Most scholars today would agree with Origen that near Gergesa was the precise site for the healing of Legion. It was a small village about midway along the E shore of the Sea of Galilee. HDB, II, p. 158, 159 for a detailed description.). Modern Jerash lies on both banks of Wady Jerash, about 6 miles from its confluence with Wady ez-Zerqa (the Jabbok). At Luke 8:27, the gospel writer notes that the demoniac wore no clothes. Be my Lord! No other place on the E side of the sea fits this requirement of the story. It was a region of 10 Greco-Roman cities, a Gentile region. By His power, we, too, are able to overcome Satans treacheries. Preisker, TWNT IV (1942), pp. Moreover, this story challenges us to examine our own reaction to Jesus. The demoniacs frightened the swine, and the transfer of demons from them to the swine was imagined. 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 will not ask him to leave. vi. Here is one of the few times that a miracle drove people away, rather than to draw them to Jesus. Description:Modern Jerash lies on both banks of Wady Jerash, about 6 miles from its confluence with Wady ez-Zerqa (the Jabbok). (5) What our Lord could have given the people of this territory was much greater than what He took away. 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. Whereas he had been a slave, he was now delivered from demon possession. Yet, on a deeper level, they we afraid of how Jesus might impact their lives. 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. War II. This reveals to us that demons have an intuitive knowledge of their impending doom.117. It's not them. 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. 4. Amen. It shows that the writers had not agreed to impose on the world; for if they had, they would have mentioned the same city; and it shows, also, they were familiar with the country. Gergesa, Gerasa, or Gadara? 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. His animal-like shrieks must have sent chills up the spines of any who were nearby. The story was interpreted by Saints Augustine of Hippo and Thomas Aquinas to mean that Christians have no duties to animals. Their influence and control leads to untold agony and destruction. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. Over his son GAD he said: "Gad, a troop shall overcome him: but he shall overcome at the last." Now WHERE in the New Testament do you remember hearing about something like a 'troop'? When once he was an instrument of Satanic opposition against the Messiah, now he is a witness to His power. It was the terror of the damned. ii. Ananias and Sapphira did so by allowing their greed to grip their hearts (cf. As soon as Jesus disembarked from the boat that carried him here, a man possessed by demons approached, shrieking and falling before him. This is when the storm arose which threatened to destroy the ship (Mark 4:35-41). The whole story is a myth. 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. Two paved streets with double colonnades cut through the city at right angles, four massive pedestals still marking the point of intersection. The man is grateful. Fellowship is an irreplaceable means of grace in the Christian life and offers us two priceless joys: receiving Gods grace through the helping words of others and giving his grace to others through our own. Jesus wasn't anything like the demons. 3. The demons beg Jesus not to send them away, but instead to send them into the pigs on a nearby hillside, which he does. It is something like the behavior and personality change in a man who is totally intoxicated. Jerash, ancient Gerasa 4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore . The modern village Jarash is situated on the hillside above the ruins, built with stones from the ruins. That is not the choice at all. Before the war it was a Gentile settlement. Metzger, Bruce M. (1975 corrected edition), A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament (New York, NY: United Bible Societies). None of the accounts indicate why Jesus allowed the demons to go into the swine, but certainly it was better that they go into the pigs than into people. In retaliation for the massacre of the Jews at Caesarea, the Jews sent several raiding parties into the Gentile cities of the Decapolis. Some today have given demons far more than their due by blaming demons for every malady of mankind. But the rest stopped some twenty feet away. The triumphal arch to the South of the city is almost entire. The forum, with a semicircle of columns still standing, was paved with large cut stones. Did they cease to exist? Mention is made of the strength of the site and the mighty masonry of its walls. Origen says this is a good example of how Biblical writers simply were not concerned to precisely identify certain sites. Can devils entreat in such a manner any highest of angels, be he Michael, Gabriel or Raphael, or any greatest cherub or seraph? But, the pigs were a part of their economic wealth. Another indication of demonic control is the fact that this man was continually doing harm to himself by gashing himself with stones (verse 5). It was Jesus they were afraid of. Coffman, James Burton (1975), Commentary on Mark (Abilene, TX: ACU Press). He had only known Jesus for a few hours, but had already determined to be Jesus' disciple for life. The site is identified today with the town of Kersa, or Gersa, just below Wadi es-Samak. Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. Says he is "the bread of life"; many are stumbled and leave 6:22-71. It is also a possibility that in the handing down of New Testament manuscripts over many years, slightly different readings of the same word have developed. iii. It was besieged by Baldwin II, in 1121 A.D. Why were the people of Gerasene afraid of the presence of Jesus? Did the drapes in old theatres actually say "ASBESTOS" on them? You should not suggest in any way that The High Calling or Theology of Work endorses you or your use of the work. A few men went on to survey the dead floating herd. The sultan of Damascus is said to have fortified it; but there is nothing to show that the Moslems occupied it for any length of time.3. If total energies differ across different software, how do I decide which software to use? Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! Such was the case with this man (cf. Country of the Gerasenes: The town itself is not named in Scripture, and is referred to only in the expression, "country of the Gerasenes" ( Mark 5:1; Luke 8:26,37; see Westcott and Hort, The New Testament in Greek, Appendix, 11). How many demons possessed the man in Mark 5:6? 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. 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. 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. conquest of Syria in 65 b.c. The best text in Matthew reads Gadarenes, in Mark and Luke it reads Gerasenes, whereas some MSS preserve Gergesenes and Gergustenes (cf. Jesus, Go Away! As you heal me, as you empower me, as you use me for your purposes, my life will never be the same. The simple fact is that Matthew mentions two of the demoniacs while Mark and Luke only mention one. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. Sometimes to follow Jesus means being sent back to a place where we once knew desolation and indescribable pain. We'd love to keep you up to date with what is happening at CARM. Generic Doubly-Linked-Lists C implementation, Understanding the probability of measurement w.r.t. In both the accounts of Mark and Luke, the primary motivation is described as that of fear. 127 The view of Greek philosophy was that these were the spirits of those who lived in the Golden Age. He himself earnestly desired to stay with Jesus, knowing that Jesus had saved him an otherwise completely hopeless and unremediable condition. Exercising authority in the land allocated to Abraham, for Israel, the land set aside for God and his people. 4. (it should be added that Plummer himelf does not hold to any of these views.). This was a federation of ten cities (deka = ten, polis = city). 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. In addition, Matthew includes the comment, Have You come here to torment us before the time? (Matthew 8:29). Our children would probably understand best if I said that his appearance must have been somewhat like that of the television creation, The Incredible Hulk. Vote Up 3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one . A contradiction occurs only when one statement makes the other impossible. Are we welcoming him into our lives? Theologian Tom Wright calls him "the first apostle to the gentiles". The Greek word commonly accepted in Mark 5:1 and Luke 8:26 as the basis for the name of the people who inhabited the place where Jesus and the disciples went is rendered Gerasenes in English (Metzger, 1975, pp. Jesus showed to the local population the inferiority of pagan life. Although the manifestations of demonization vary widely, this man 115 evidenced several of the classic symptoms. Jesus permitted the *demons to do this. 37 Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome Horoscopes and astrological predictions are found in most major newspapers. While the Jews had not denied the works of Jesus were supernatural, they had declined to admit they established His deity. What happened to the evil spirits Jesus cast out of the man named "Legion" after the swine drowned? This town is not to be confused with either Gerasa or Gadara. At first we may deceive ourselves into thinking that we are controlling them, but the ultimate likelihood is that they will master us. It opens our eyes to a world that is largely unknown and frankly unsettling. If Mark or Luke said that only one demoniac came to Jesus while Matthew says that two came out, that would be a contradiction. Having been properly warned of the demonic underworld, let us not fall into the opposite error of absolute paranoia. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). Earles comments are helpful: The difference in names for the destination on the east side of the take has caused considerable comment. Romans Bible Study, Chapter 5 Romans 5 speaks about justification and our relationship to Adam. 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. They had dealt with Legion (I suspect) by forcing him from their presence. BEST VALUE in digital Bible study. 10). In this light, Matthew identified the exorcism with the local center of power, Gadara, located about ten kilometres southeast of Sea of Galilee, whereas Mark identified the event with the regional center of power, Gerasa, located further inland. What purposes did Mark intend to achieve by the inclusion of this event? We dismiss it the more readily, that, in our view, it conveys a wrong impression. A land that was essentially under another god (lower case g). It is almost 20 miles from Amman (Philadelphia), and 22 from Fahil (Pella). It is clear that Matthew, Mark, and Luke did not contradict each otherin fact, they complemented each other. Jesus has lead me away from my old life. In other words, Jesus had caused a loss to them of 2,000 swine already; what else would His presence cost? Gerasa is mentioned next by Josephus in connection with the Jewish rebellion against the Romans in a.d. 70. Rather, they attributed the power of Jesus to Satan (Mark 3:22). The differing geographical references to Gadara and Gerasa can be understood in light of the social, economic, and political influence each city exerted over the region. 14:22-36. Matt. ), you also need to understand the significance of this - to the people in Gerasene. It is a violent tempest, that is, outside of the natural. It became the seat of a bishopric, and one of its bishops attended the Council of Chalcedon. Jesus' power was clean, holy. 84,145). Daily Reflection / Produced by The High Calling, 10 Key Points About Work in the Bible Every Christian Should Know, Beyond Rank and Power: What Philemon Tells Us About Leadership, Learning From the Psalms How to Pray Through Your Work, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. But Jesus told him to go back. Why were the people of Gerasene afraid of the presence of Jesus among them? The healing of the demoniacs and the repulse of the Healer by the inhabitants are historical, but the incident of the swine is a later figment. 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. The next allusion to Gerasa concerns its capture during Vespasians campaign. The crowd should remain on top of the cliff and the victim fall over; instead, in this case, the crowd plunges and the victim is saved. 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. And now here was someone even more powerful.