Similar to the storm we see in the book of Job that killed Jobs sons - and Satan was the instigator of that as well. Although the manifestations of demonization vary widely, this man115 evidenced several of the classic symptoms. Exercising authority in the land allocated to Abraham, for Israel, the land set aside for God and his people. 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. I felt somewhat guilty, particularly fearing that I may have created an unintentional hardship for some classmate. At their request, He left. 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. Ridiculous? 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. 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. They became as afraid of Jesus as the demons were. Ananias and Sapphira did so by allowing their greed to grip their hearts (cf. Like it or not, demons and demonic activity are likely to become much more of a concern to you in days to come. 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. Why were the people of Gerasene afraid of the presence of Jesus among them? It is something like the behavior and personality change in a man who is totally intoxicated. February 2021 They would have to trust Jesus. The people were afraid when they saw the possessed man healed. Lets face it, we all like to be in control. 18). Sign-up for E-NewsletterGet Register Updates sent daily or weeklyto your inbox. 26). The Truth is Jesus is a safe Person Who loves them, values them, wants their best and will never force Himself on them. February 2022 The house that is left swept and clean is a likely target for Satanic influence (cf. So, they asked Him to leave. 21,22). Jesus did say to count the cost [Luke 14:28-33]. of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were So he got into the boat and left. in 1971. Jesus asked Mary why she was crying at the grave site. Why do people like Jesus a lot? 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 demoniacs frightened the swine, and the transfer of demons from them to the swine was imagined. - And they came to the other side of the sea.The other side of the sea would be the south-east side of the sea. Swine were unclean animals according to the Torah. As has been said before, look for Satans man behind the pulpit. November 2017 The people of Gerasenes were willing to live with the devils they knew - quite literally. 36 Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. Preisker, TWNT IV (1942), pp. (5) What our Lord could have given the people of this territory was much greater than what He took away. March 2015 In recent years the matter has been getting uncomfortably close to home. Known as the Judas Iscariot of Gnosticism for revealing that which is not to be revealed. But, the context is not going to be comfortable (accepted by) to some traditional understandings. That is why he was living in the solitude of the tombs, away from civilization. It didnt take long for the word to spread quickly. There is no conflict, however, for Mark and Luke have apparently focused their attention on the most striking of the two. Why would the Gerasene people beg Jesus to leave their region after He cast the demons into the pigs? What was it that caused these people to react in such a way? Spam. The US Congress is currently debating whether TikTok should be banned for everyone in the US, not just government officials. November 2016 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). According to another theory, the Chapati movement of 1857 was an attempt to prevent a cholera outbreak in central India. He who feared His arrival now dreaded His departure. Their influence and control leads to untold agony and destruction. While he was once wild and uncontrollable, he was sitting quietly at the feet of Jesus. art thou come hither to torment us before the time? Immediately, as this weary group disembarked from the ship, they were met by what appeared to be a madman. For more information, please see our One is to disbelieve in their existence. and 1 Kings xxii. 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. It might be better to hide behind masks than risk being hurt again After all, if God rejects youwhere else can you go? This is when the storm arose which threatened to destroy the ship (Mark 4:35-41). 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. Jesus Heals a Centurion's Servant. First let us see what the Sacred Texts says: The swineherds ran off and told it in the city and in the country. Sproul says in his commentary on Mark, When the Holy One is manifest in the midst of unholy people, the only appropriate human response is dread.. What scared them was a power so fierce it could free a man. 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. No! 8ff.). (2) Anti-social behavior. How to show that an expression of a finite type must be one of the finitely many possible values? The scene which Mark presents is deliberately dark. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. Fear that you might do something that would embarrass you? 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. 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. This story is a little bit of an Easter story. Rev. That would be a strong message, by allowing them to be possessed and then drowned. It is even possible that his request was to become one of our Lords disciples.125. 37Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. Jesus has lead me away from my old life. All of us may be so concerned with our own livelihoods that we fail to serve other people and help those in desperat The demons freak out that Jesus is there because it's not time for them to be tormented by Him yet. They were willing to post guards and chain and shackle their neighbor to keep him from hurting someone. Many times people - Non-Christians and Christians - push Jesus away because they do not want to change. I will not ask him to leave. 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. As always, we must begin with the principle: Interpretation is one, application is many. October 2021 Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. . 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. Jesus had just performed an incredible miracleand one they desperately needed, at that! Another reason could be as Dr. R.C. 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? Now they would deal with this One greater than he by doing likewise. This makes sense, I couldn't believe they asked Jesus to leave. We are seeking a replacement and hope to have it in your newspaper soon. Acts 19:16). 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?" . Bulk update symbol size units from mm to map units in rule-based symbology. 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). The lesson of this passage is that Satan is a defeated foe. By clicking Post Your Answer, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. (4) Our Lord did not command the demons to enter into the pigs and bring about their destruction; He only permitted it.124. There probably were not many who had been told yet of the Messiah, and so were not yet believers. So they refer to Gerasenes. 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. print and digital media outlets, dedicated to reporting the truth in light of the Gospel and the It is in no way certain, however, that the pig raisers were Jews. They are unclean spirits, (vss. Now they were delivered and ready to be productive members of society. It had nothing to do the farmers losing revenue - at all. You might be thinking back to Easter and not recall very many hogs showing up except for at Easter supper. That is not the choice at all. He said unexpected things and lived by a high ethical standard. HELPING CHRISTIANS BUILD POSITIVE, GODLY FAMILIES, CHURCHES, AND NATIONS, Follow us on social media for daily Scripture comments and more at. "They sailed to the country of the Gerasenes which is opposite Galilee. 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. Acts 5:1-6). September 2016 vi. ii. 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. People who have no appr 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. They were not looked upon as necessarily evil in all cases. Also, frequently associated with demon possession was a super-human strength (cf. Author of The Gnostic Notebook series, stand-up comedian, and Gnostic. Read the Scripture: Mark 4:35 - 5:20. 16, x. Gerasenes could have had a sense of reference to the entire region (as well as to a city: just as New Yorker can refer to the state or city), and Gadarenes likely was a reference to the most prominent city of the region at the time. April 2017 22, xvii. December 2022 Demon-possession is, therefore, not merely a mental state in which someone suffers from a delusion or is subjected to some subjective disturbance of the world of ideas. EIN 27-4581132 They were sacrificed by being thrown off a cliff. 5. The most likely answer is to the country of the Gerasenes: i.e., Gerasa, a Greek town thought to be the same as the similarly-named Kersa on the east shore of Lake Tiberias. Daniel 10:13; Ephesians 6:12), whose leader and prince is Satan (Matthew 12:24). 40, vii. 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. Such was the case with this man (cf. Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. The Politics of Luke 8:26-39. xvi. The demoniac further evidenced demon activity by the depth of his spiritual insight. To understand this event, you need consider the incident at Babel, and Deuteronomy. They valued their pigs more than they valued salvation. 22ff. Luke 8:26And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee. We should be warned that fooling with these Satanic fronts is like experimenting with drugs. In fact the region was known as the Gadarenes-Gerasenes region. Embedded into both stories are people who were afraid of Jesus. What did we miss because we allowed fear instead of faith to drive our lives? rev2023.3.3.43278. Matthew 12:43-45). Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood. But then also Christ will triumph, and finally put an end to the evil one and all his powers of darkness (Rev. For many Christians today, the horrifying experience of Legion should be sufficient testimony of the reality of the Satanic underworld. Note that the texts dont say Gerasa or Gadara, so they arent necessarily referring just to one of the cities. And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another . 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. Why did the demon-possessed Gadarene bow down before Jesus? Until we decide on a new comic, you'll likely see a gray box where "Dilbert" had appeared. xii. "I am afraid of Trump on a very personal level because I don't think he likes me. The exercising of authority over demons, in the land under another god, was a message. December 2017 They liked Him and wanted to be with Him. (London: InterVarsity Fellowship, 1950), fn. Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. For some people, the cost is too high. We see people in other places where he worked miracles, endeavoring to make him their king (Jn 6:15) . Once naked, he is now clothed. French Monastery Survives War and Famine After 885 Years, the Basilica of St. Ambrose in Milan, and More Great Links! 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. Then people came to see what it was that had happened. Jesus asked some pretty crazy questions like What Things Happened? How Satan blinds our minds!