why were the gerasenes afraid

They had been unable to control these two men [Luke only mentions one man, but Matthew tells us there were two]. (5) Torment. Pig carcasses were washing ashore and drifting out to sea. Ouija boards are found in many American homes. Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. The people (nations) were divided up, and boundaries allocated' and the sons of god were put over these nations. The word translated windstorm here, and storm in the KJ, is the word lailaps, which is more than just a storm. December 2017 . They would have to trust Jesus. (2) Pork was a food forbidden to Jews, and as such, those who raised these pigs may have done so knowingly in violation of divine injunction. I will not ask him to leave. You will receive a monthly newsletter with Scriptural teaching plus notifications of any new articles, courses or books. 35Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. Evil is self-defeating in the end. No! Thats just westernised interpretation which simply doesnt work when interpretating a Jewish book. Satan loves those Christians. The pigs had been driven mad and rushed down a steep slope plunging into the lake and drowning. The drowning of the swine was an accident, possibly simultaneous with the healing, and report mixed up the two incidents. He said he had come to the house of Israel, not to the gentiles. 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. January 2015 monetization of National Catholic Register RSS feeds is strictly prohibited. Jesus has lead me away from my old life. 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. One is that he was a fascinating man. The sons of god ended up becoming the gods of these nations. Fear that you would not be in control? Rather, they attributed the power of Jesus to Satan (Mark 3:22). Whereas he had been a slave, he was now delivered from demon possession. It indicates full and permanent control. Perhaps they clenched their fists or picked up driftwood with which to defend themselves. 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. 17, pp. 26). It was not the loss of their property or investment that caused them to be afraid of Jesus. It is something like the behavior and personality change in a man who is totally intoxicated. The demoniacs frightened the swine, and the transfer of demons from them to the swine was imagined. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors, and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.110. It hit them hard in the pocketbook. 36 Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. The Gerasenes were the people of the district of which Gerasa was the capital. And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? Once a menace to society, now a messenger with words of deliverance and healing. November 2021 The passage in Daniel especially suggests specific geographical boundaries within which spirit beings must abide. . January 2016 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. For more information about Glenn Davis see our About Glenn page and/or his Author's Page. Welcome to Biblical Hermeneutics! The Lord, in an act of great mercy, freed the Gadarenes' man by casting the demons out of him and allowing them to enter a nearby herd of pigs. So he got into the boat and left., Luke 8:37, NIV, great fear [KJV] thoroughly frightened [Phillips]gripped with great fear [NASB]. F. F. Bruce adds additional helpful insight: According to the best texts, Matthew calls it the country of the Gadarenes (viii. The house that is left swept and clean is a likely target for Satanic influence (cf. In the King James Version it is called the country of the Gadarenes in Mark and Luke, and of the Gergesenes in Matthew. What was it that caused these people to react in such a way? Lane believes the modern Kersa is the most likely place: The point of arrival is indicated in a general way as the district of the Gerasenes, most probably in reference to a town whose name is preserved in the modern Kersa or Koursi. They had heard what had happened to the pigs and knew the Jews considered Gentiles unclean, too. Why did Jesus allow the demons to enter the herd of pigs? Why would God tell King David to take a census of the people in verses one through nine, and then cast judgment on him because he did what he told him to do? The lesson of this passage is that Satan is a defeated foe. 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). It didnt take long for the word to spread quickly. We will examine two incidents -- the stilling of the storm on the sea of Galilee, and that which follows immediately, the healing of the demoniac. Then they sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, across the lake from Galilee. I think that this story is a little bit of an Easter story. For example, He didnt condemn a prostitute for her actions, He saw a daughter of God who was valuable beyond measure and only needed genuine love and forgiveness. 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. Mark 3:14). Demons are highly organized (cf. Bob is a pastor/teacher and elder at Community Bible Chapel in Richardson, Texas, and has contributed many of his Bible study series for use by the Foundation. Follow Up: struct sockaddr storage initialization by network format-string, How do you get out of a corner when plotting yourself into a corner, Movie with vikings/warriors fighting an alien that looks like a wolf with tentacles. The people were afraid when they saw the possessed man healed. Pigs were seen as unclean animals in the eyes of the people of Israel. From this point on, Jesus began to speak to the crowds in parables in order to veil or conceal the gospel from those who had blasphemed the Holy Spirit (Mark 4:lff). Accordingly this was not merely an ordinary form of mental disease as some writers have alleged, but a special phenomenon which was particularly frequent during Jesus earthly sojourn and thus was directly connected with His coming to destroy the power of darkness. All of us may be so concerned with our own livelihoods that we fail to serve other people and help those in desperat Many New Testament manuscripts refer to the "Country of the Gadarenes" or "Gerasenes" rather than the Gergesenes. Dr. Thomson discovered on the eastern shore the ruins of a village called Khersa. . April 2016 There is no conflict, however, for Mark and Luke have apparently focused their attention on the most striking of the two. Bill Maher says he's scared of former President Trump "on a very personal level" and "what he would do" to the comedian if he were to win the 2024 White House race. May 2022 People who have no appr Fallen people reject God not because they do not know His power. There was no such danger in Perea, and thus the mercy of the Lord was to be heralded. print and digital media outlets, dedicated to reporting the truth in light of the Gospel and the And, yes, Dana did just read us something about a man possessed by a whole bunch of demons that later go and possess a bunch of hogs. Satans most useful instrument is the outstanding, outwardly moral and upright religious man, whose good deeds are done independently of God. 37Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. Matt. They were sacrificed by being thrown off a cliff. 36Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. 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? By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. July 2016 As always, we must begin with the principle: Interpretation is one, application is many. (4) Super-human strength. 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). 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. He could just as easily commanded them to return to the deepest, darkest pit of Hell. . Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. "And all the people of the country of the Gerasenes round about asked him to depart from them, for they were holden with great fear: and he entered into a bo." But about a mile further south there is a fairly steep slope within forty yards from the shore, and about two miles from there cavern tombs are found which appear to have been used for dwellings. William L. Lane, The Gospel According to Mark (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1974), p.181. 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. The demons in the man recognize Jesus and the man bows before him. 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). How do I connect these two faces together? 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. Small sins lead to big sins, and big sins bring about a terrible spiritual darkness. Wikipedia states about it: In the second half of the 1st century AD, the city of Jerash achieved great prosperity.. Our Lord responded sternly by calling this accusation blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, and as such was the one unpardonable sin (verses 28-30). August 2015 xii. November 2014. "The trains were . Gergesenes means "those who come from pilgrimage or fight.". "I am afraid of Trump on a very personal level because I don't think he likes me. When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met Him a man from the city who had demons. Acts 19:16). January 2023 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. Most people confessed to having the fear of things not working out, an inability to trust and others said they . August 2021 Its important to note that this was the first demonstration of Jesuss authority outside of Canaan. 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. . The ego is so impaired that the spirits speak through him. SubscribeStart your Register subscription today. 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. 2ff., xvv. 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. Why is that. 10). We should be warned that fooling with these Satanic fronts is like experimenting with drugs. And he said to them, Where is your faith? Five squad cars converged on it. They have three sons and a daughter (all homeschooled) and reside in southeast Michigan. Until we decide on a new comic, you'll likely see a gray box where "Dilbert" had appeared. This reveals to us that demons have an intuitive knowledge of their impending doom.117. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs. That is not the choice at all. My office mate of several years back was interrupted by a young and very zealous new Christian teacher accompanied by a student from whom she wanted my friend to cast out a demon. They are unclean spirits, (vss. 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. And all the people of the country of the Gerasenes and the surrounding district asked Him to depart from them; for they were gripped with great fear; and He got into a boat, and returned (Luke 8:35-37). We should know from other Scriptures that our present spiritual experience is one of spiritual warfare. It is in no way certain, however, that the pig raisers were Jews. where something similar occurs) is a demon-possession mentioned, and that outside the Gospels it is referred to only twice in the New Testament (Acts xvi. Fallen people reject God not because they do not know His power. Copyright 2023 EWTN News, Inc. All rights reserved. The pleas of Legion were in response to the command of Jesus for the demons to come out of him (verse 8). 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). Read the Scripture: Mark 4:35 - 5:20. Jesus asked Mary why she was crying at the grave site. Since the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave in their fear, it seems that Jesus' ability to exorcise Legion was disturbing to the people. 16ff., xix. 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. They are happy in their sin and the consequences seem far away. The reply Legion118 may be some kind of evasion, a reluctance on the part of the demons to individually identify themselves. Immediately, as this weary group disembarked from the ship, they were met by what appeared to be a madman. 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. And, it can not be understood properly out of this context. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). I will not look for a reason to return to it. It might be better to hide behind masks than risk being hurt again After all, if God rejects youwhere else can you go? 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. February 2022 e.g., Matt. We see people in other places where he worked miracles, endeavoring to make him their king (Jn 6:15) . The people were gentiles who had not yet any interest in the Messiah. The Politics of Luke 8:26-39. October 2017 The best human analogy might be in the area of drug abuse. and thank you for your contribution. If they dare to open up their lives to Jesus what will happen? "The name "Gerasenes" is to be associated with the modern city of Jerash, located in Transjordan, 22 miles N of Amman." John McRay, "Gerasenes," ed. One is to disbelieve in their existence. There is no true freedom and fulfillment apart from Jesus Christ, the Creator and Redeemer of men. I felt somewhat guilty, particularly fearing that I may have created an unintentional hardship for some classmate. February 2018 Matthew 9:2-8 Why was "This man is blaspheming" considered an evil thought without knowing Jesus' identity? 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?" . Life with him would be heaven on earth. For the Christian, there are two extremes which must be avoided with reference to Satanic activity. Now they would deal with this One greater than he by doing likewise. 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? They ask Him if they can enter some nearby pigs, and He lets them. This was a power far beyond anything they had seen or even imagined. Instead of opening themselves up to Jesus and receiving His love and forgiveness, they allowed fear to drive a wedge between them. xiii. Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professors, theologians, and those interested in exegetical analysis of biblical texts. Putting all of these factors together the term demon-possessed inplies too much. (2) Anti-social behavior. I would like to invite you to return to where we left off a few weeks ago in our studies in the gospel of Mark. 14. You can flip a coin hoping for heads, but you know that tails is a very real probability. 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. Sign up for 6 Free IssuesTry us out with a free trial subscription. 128 In most of the stories of possession what is at issue is not merely sickness but a destruction and distortion of the divine likeness of man according to creation. 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. Clarify 2. 61-62. First let us see what the Sacred Texts says: The swineherds ran off and told it in the city and in the country. Why was Jesus going to walk past the disciples as they were rowing on the Sea of Galilee? There seems to be no excuse here for the charge of contradiction. to men facing fear and death. Ananias and Sapphira did so by allowing their greed to grip their hearts (cf. March 2015 Here in Mark, he purposely set out to travel into another land. 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. 123 1. "The Gerasenes were the people of the district of which Gerasa was the capital. That is why the inhabitants of the area are referred to variously in different Bible manuscripts as Gergasenes, Gadarenes, or Gerasenes. Unfortunately, Christians [or those using the name] can be harsh, condemning and critical driving people further into sin and away from God. 21,22). August 2016 July 2018 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. They became as afraid of Jesus as the demons were. I think all these attempts to harmonize what may at first seem like a contradiction are plausible, respectable, and adequate. Jesus asked some pretty crazy questions like What Things Happened? The demoniac further evidenced demon activity by the depth of his spiritual insight. His animal-like shrieks must have sent chills up the spines of any who were nearby. Why did Jesus not allow demons to proclaim his name, Archaeological or Historical Support for the Gerasene Pigs. Where did the demons go after they went into the pigs and caused them to jump to their death. Rev. We dismiss it the more readily, that, in our view, it conveys a wrong impression. 22, xvii. 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. Vote Up Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighbourhood. The lose of the pigs meant loose of partial income in the area. Such must have been the response of those with our Lord. And those who had seen it reported to them how the man who was demon-possessed had been made well. For more information, please see our So who was afraid? It is very appropriate that these two incidents . March 2020 November 2022 November 2020 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). 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). And the people went out to see what happened; and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting down at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they became frightened. Jesus never interacted with people as they were, but as He knew they were created to be. He was received into the Catholic Church in 1991. If Jesus had that kind of power, then He could not be controlled. Mark and Luke, on the other hand, write to more general audiences, and Gerasa was the main Greek-Roman city of the area. 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. We owe it to Josephus, from whom it has passed into ecclesiastical language. April 2018 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, March 2016 ESV - 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. 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. 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.

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