why were the gerasenes afraid
37Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. xx. July 2015 Why were the Romans afraid of the Christians? Here in Mark, he purposely set out to travel into another land. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. A friend of mine told me later that two students were attempting to cast a demon out of a fellow. Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. When once he was an instrument of Satanic opposition against the Messiah, now he is a witness to His power. 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. He obviously attracted crowds. The demoniacs frightened the swine, and the transfer of demons from them to the swine was imagined. 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. 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. We owe it to Josephus, from whom it has passed into ecclesiastical language. Another reason they may have been afraid of Jesus was the realization that if they accepted Him, it would mean a radical change of lifestyle. Norval Geldenhuys, Commentary on the Gospel of Luke (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1951), p. 174. PDF A Legion of Fears ii. 2 Now a centurion had a servant 1 who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. His greatest impact would be on those who knew his former state. It is noteworthy that Jesus nowhere speaks of forgiveness of sins or of purification-sacrifices, that have to be brought after His curing of such cases (as He did in some cases of physical illness). Holiness hurts! John 8:32; Matthew 11:28-30), or to be the pawns of Satan (Ephesians 2:1-2). Thats just westernised interpretation which simply doesnt work when interpretating a Jewish book. So who was afraid? February 2017 Immediately, as this weary group disembarked from the ship, they were met by what appeared to be a madman. They had heard what had happened to the pigs and knew the Jews considered Gentiles unclean, too. Read the Scripture: Mark 4:35 - 5:20. to sign up for our free Water Of The Word newsletter at the top of any page! The time of this event was before Jesus' crucifixion, and before the gentiles were grafted in to the promise (Acts 10). Such seems to be a similar case with Judas (John 13:1-2). It was significant. xvii. In Jewish thinking, spirit beings were assigned to certain geographical territories.120. 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! No! Jesus has lead me away from my old life. People who have no appr 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. Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023, Highlights in the Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ. EIN 27-4581132 It is ironic that while the demons didnt want to leave the country, the dwellers of that land didnt want the Messiah to stay. But from all of the Gospel accounts, I get the distinct impression that this mans eyes were riveted on Jesus. 13ff.). Luke 8:26-39 Mark 5:1-20 ESV - 1 They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. No matter who you are. It was scary. Why are you Afraid? | Mark 4:35 - 5:20 | RayStedman.org Mark 3:14). 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). Ridiculous? You will receive a monthly newsletter with Scriptural teaching plus notifications of any new articles, courses or books. And they were afraid. They were sacrificed by being thrown off a cliff. First let us see what the Sacred Texts says: The swineherds ran off and told it in the city and in the country. That is why he was living in the solitude of the tombs, away from civilization. David Noel Freedman, The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 991. For more information, please see our 120 The request is in both cases the same; for, according to Jewish notions, certain countries being assigned to evil as well as to good spirits, whose limits they were unable to overpass, to be sent out of their own country, no other being open to them, implied being sent into the abyss, or bottomless pit, since that remains for them alone. Trench, Miracles , p. 101. They valued their pigs more than they valued salvation. This makes sense, I couldn't believe they asked Jesus to leave. 2 And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. April 2017 Why were the people of Gerasene afraid of the presence of Jesus? That the unclean spirits were personal beings is evident from what is related about their leaving a possessed person, talking or crying out, possessing knowledge concerning Jesus, as well as other supernatural knowledgeshowing fear, and the like. We see the first reaction to this in the storm MARK 4:7 And a great windstorm arose [snip]. Based on all the evidence we have seen over the past four months with regards to ChatGPT and how it can be manipulated or even how it will lie . In fact the region was known as the Gadarenes-Gerasenes region. As always, we must begin with the principle: Interpretation is one, application is many. The country of the Gadarenes (Gergesenes) is one of the few areas Jesus visited where Gentiles (non-Jews) composed the majority of the population. They were among North Korea's elite, but they fled anyway. Here's why We read at Mk 5:14-17 (NRSVCE), the immediate after-effects of the driving out of evil spirits by Jesus at Gerasene by allowing them to enter pigs: The swineherds ran off and told it in the city and in the country. 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. Textual variations have compounded the problem. 125 This is the position of Lane, Mark, p. 187. rev2023.3.3.43278. 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. Matthew is habitually more oriented to a Jewish readership, and so he refers to Gadarenes because Gadara was the most important Jewish city in the area. This man demonstrated all four characteristics. Lane, Mark, p. 182, fn. Those possessed are depicted throughout as unfortunate sufferers who by no fault of their own are dominated by evil spirits and who, when the spirits are cast out by Jesus, accept their deliverance with joy and gratitude (Mark v. 18-20, Luke viii. 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, Non-Christians can often experience this fear of Jesus as well. 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. 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. Luke seems to base this fear solely upon what happened to the demoniac, not on the loss of their pigs. The region is located east of the Jordan River and southeast of the Sea of Galilee. Rev. So he got into the boat and left., Luke 8:37, NIV, great fear [KJV] thoroughly frightened [Phillips]gripped with great fear [NASB]. Matthew 8:4; Luke 8:56). When the Gadarenes saw what Christ was capable of, they panicked. The sons of god ended up becoming the gods of these nations. When Jesus asked his name the man answered, Legion, for we are many (Mark 5:9). 13; Luke iv. April 2018 It's a curious passage with many unanswered questions. Will they be rejected? 8ff.). Order Bulk SubscriptionsGet a discount on 6 or more copies sent to your parish, organization Gergesa may have been a variant spelling of Gerasa. Ralph Earle, The Gospel According to Mark (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1957), p. 70. and 1 Kings xxii. . Known as the Judas Iscariot of Gnosticism for revealing that which is not to be revealed. Region of the Gerasenes - Fire and Light His teachings have inspired great moral reformations such as abolition of slavery and the Civil Rights movement. 127 The view of Greek philosophy was that these were the spirits of those who lived in the Golden Age. Since the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave in their fear, it seems that Jesus' ability to exorcise Legion was disturbing to the people. The Gadarenes was the place where Jesus confronted a man whose possession by demons gave him a level of superhuman strength like Samson (Mark 5:3 - 5, Luke 8:27). Copyright 2023 EWTN News, Inc. All rights reserved. If anything, that would have made them angry. or school. The price tag of possession was high, for those who fell victim to the demons agonized in constant torment. That is why the inhabitants of the area are referred to variously in different Bible manuscripts as Gergasenes, Gadarenes, or Gerasenes. Why did the demon-possessed Gadarene bow down before Jesus? It should also be observed that nowhere in the Old Testament (except in I Sam. So they refer to Gerasenes. 14). Although Gadarenes and Gergesenes are derived from a different Greek word, they are essentially referring to the same area. August 2020 Robert L. (Bob)Deffinbaugh graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary with his Th.M. Those who had seen it told them how the man who had been demon-possessed had been healed. November 2020 The whole story is a myth. January 2015 Thats why also Peter having realized who Christ was, was dreaded and asked Him to leave him for he said to be a sinful man (Luke 5:8). Gergesenes means "those who come from pilgrimage or fight.". Verse 1. By His power, we, too, are able to overcome Satans treacheries. seen it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed. The Gospels use different names for the place where this occurred: This is supposedly a contradiction. Gerasa is (as we know) some 30-35 miles southeast of the Sea of Galilee, but may have also been the name of the larger region. Should TikTok be banned? Your guide to understanding why the platform 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. The destructive desires of the demons were dramatically carried out in the drowning of the swine. December 2015 Is it a bug? Was it fear that a secret sin might be exposed? They greatly desire to enter and control a physical body, whereby they may reflect their character and attributes. His website/blog, Biblical Evidence for Catholicism, has been online since March 1997. 61-62. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. He said unexpected things and lived by a high ethical standard. The man, who was naked when he saw Jesus, had the added ability of enduring both freezing and sweltering temperatures as well as pain he inflicted upon himself! 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. 36Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. These people did not want to change. Then they sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, across the lake from Galilee. 31. The Demonized Man of the Garasenes (Luke 8:26-39) - JesusWalk 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, it can not be understood properly out of this context. October 2017 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. Train crash in Greece: 43 dead, stationmaster arrested. Live updates. What were the women in Mark 16:8 afraid of? April 2020 February 2022 No! 1 They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. The US Congress is currently debating whether TikTok should be banned for everyone in the US, not just government officials. The demons freak out that Jesus is there because it's not time for them to be tormented by Him yet. Hence it would be called the land of the Gadarenes.. He shivered at the disturbing memory. Ouija boards are found in many American homes. Mark 5:1 On the other side of the sea, they arrived in the region of And those who had seen it reported to them how the man who was demon-possessed had been made well. A Lesson From the Gadarenes - Sabbath Thoughts in 1971. They had dealt with Legion (I suspect) by forcing him from their presence. . You can like Jesus for two different reasons. 5:5). These, however, are not the problem raised by Bible students. 3. How do I connect these two faces together? Why were the Romans afraid of the Christians? - Sage-Answers There is, as we know, the world, the flesh, and the Devil. But let us return to the gist of the matter: if Christ showed them His Divinity through the reason given above, is it easy to be in the presence of God? The entire population of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them because they were seized with great fear. And Jesus, being a Gentleman, was not about to force Himself on them. They look forward to their future with great dread. Top Ten Reasons Why There Were Pigs In Gerasenes May 2018 The demoniac was uncontrollable by any of the normal means of human confinement. Similar to the storm we see in the book of Job that killed Jobs sons - and Satan was the instigator of that as well. 28); Mark the country of the Gerasenes (v. 1), and Luke, probably, the country of the Gergesenes (viii. Now' as to the pigs (an unclean animal, so you know Jesus wasnt in Israel! Do roots of these polynomials approach the negative of the Euler-Mascheroni constant? Satans most useful instrument is the outstanding, outwardly moral and upright religious man, whose good deeds are done independently of God. 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. I will not ask him to leave. 117 so that, by their own confession, a time is coming when there shall be an entire victory of the kingdom of light over that of darkness (Rev. The Lord granted the only request of these residents, which was for Him to leave. 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. Daniel 10:13; Ephesians 6:12), whose leader and prince is Satan (Matthew 12:24). For the Christian, there are two extremes which must be avoided with reference to Satanic activity. He who feared His arrival now dreaded His departure. The swine then immediately killed themselves by rushing off a cliff. (1) Severe personality change. 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. All of us may be so concerned with our own livelihoods that we fail to serve other people and help those in desperat Jesus never interacted with people as they were, but as He knew they were created to be. They came to Jesus and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the legion; and they were afraid. The 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. According to another theory, the Chapati movement of 1857 was an attempt to prevent a cholera outbreak in central India. A crowd had come to see what had happened for themselves. Some illicitly use drugs, supposing that they have them completely under their control. Privacy Policy. Will they be condemned like unclean animals? Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. February 2015 Though Legion bowed before Jesus (verse 6), it was no act of worship (as the King James Version would seem to indicate). People who have no appr Fallen people reject God not because they do not know His power.