My name is Legion; for we are many

Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes. And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains, because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones. When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him. And he cried out with a loud voice and said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me." For He said to him, "Come out of the man, unclean spirit!" Then He asked him, "What is your name?" And he answered, saying, "My name is Legion; for we are many." Also he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country. Now a large herd of swine was feeding there near the mountains. So all the demons begged Him, saying, "Send us to the swine, that we may enter them." And at once Jesus gave them permission. Then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there were about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea.

So those who fed the swine fled, and they told it in the city and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that had happened. Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine. Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their region. And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him. However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, "Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how he has had compassion on you." And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled.

- Mark 5:1-20

In yesterday's reading, Jesus and the disciples were crossing the Sea of Galilee, for Jesus wanted to go to the other side. Many small boats also accompanied them. The wind and the sea swept up in a terrible storm, and waves were crashing into the boat, even as water spilled in and began to fill it. The disciples were terrified. But Jesus was asleep on a pillow in the stern of the boat. They woke Him up, saying, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?" Then He got up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" and all was calm. He asked the disciples, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?" They only grew more fearful, asking one another, "Who can this be; that even the wind and the sea obey Him!"

Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes. And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit . . . Here we are, on the "other side" of the Sea of Galilee, in Gentile territory. The tombs would be caves cut out of soft rock.

. . . who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains, because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones. Here Mark describes for us the condition of this young man with the unclean spirit. Not only is he forced to live among the tombs, away from the people, but he's wild with this demon. He is truly another example of the unruly -- like the demons Jesus has previously encountered and told to "be quiet" or "be still" or the sea in yesterday's reading, which Jesus calmed with the identical command, coming from the Greek word to "muzzle." Here, the unruliness is tantamount to a life which cannot be lived at all within community. He is too wild for any sort of order; even the chains and shackles can't hold him; the chains are pulled apart and shackles broken in pieces. The impression is that there is nothing that can keep him in a ruly or ordered state. He's only fit, because of his wildness, for the company of the dead, among the tombs. And the sad note is interjected here, of his constant suffering, and even self-destruction. "Always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones." A terrible wail must come from this person, a terrible loneliness, and utter loss.

When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him. But here is a startling note. This man, so unruly, disorganized, out of order altogether, runs to Jesus and worships Him! The desperate heart, true inside of Him, recognizes Logos, the One who puts order into all things, and runs to Him. It reminds us of the first line of Psalm 130: "Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord!"

And he cried out with a loud voice and said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me." For He said to him, "Come out of the man, unclean spirit!" Jesus doesn't hesitate to act. He commands the unclean spirit to leave this man who worships Him. Tellingly, the unclean spirit fears from Jesus the same torment that has been afflicted upon this man in the tombs.

Then He asked him, "What is your name?" And he answered, saying, "My name is Legion; for we are many." Also he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country. Here we have a dialogue with the unclean spirit. His name is Legion -- there are many that have gathered within this man, afflicting him with torment, isolation, pain. (A Roman legion typically consisted of about 5,000 soldiers, all of Roman citizenship. In colonized Israel, an oppressive foreign force.) Again, the forces that have sent this man away from all community beg that they not be sent "out of the country." Isn't it telling that the forces of evil influence cannot imagine any behavior unlike their own?

Now a large herd of swine was feeding there near the mountains. So all the demons begged Him, saying, "Send us to the swine, that we may enter them." And at once Jesus gave them permission. Then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there were about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea. This is Gentile territory, and so swine are being raised, animals considered unclean to the Jews. The total self-destruction of the herd of swine results from this "legion" of demons. They are crazed with the destructive, violent force.

So those who fed the swine fled, and they told it in the city and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that had happened. Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine. Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their region. This Gentile community cannot accept what has happened, and especially the destruction of their swine. My study bible says, "They fear Jesus' power, which they do not understand, and possible further disturbance from Him. Their primary concern is with animals and property rights; Jesus is more concerned about the life of a demon-possessed man."

And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him. However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, "Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how he has had compassion on you." And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled. But the formerly demon-possessed man continues in his worship of Jesus, and wants to continue as a disciple. But Jesus, who has said that He has been sent first for the lost sheep of the house of Israel, has other plans for the man. He is to go to his own community, proclaiming the "great things the Lord has done for you, and how he has had compassion on you." The message is clear, the Lord of compassion is here, His kingdom is here. He will go on to proclaim the good news of the kingdom in the Decapolis, the mixed region of Gentiles and Jews, cities of Greek and Roman heritage. "And all marveled."

We must marvel, too, at this story of this man, so denigrated and so abased by his condition that he is consigned to the tombs and wandering, destructive loneliness. Yet, his first true impulse is to worship Jesus. We can see in Jesus' first acts of healing and of casting out demons, and in His calming of the stormy sea in yesterday's reading, a similar effect as this spectacular one in this story. He is Logos, He sets things in order with a word, gives them reason. The disciples marveled in awe in yesterday's reading: "Who can this be; that even the wind and the sea obey Him!" In today's reading, Jesus' effect is even more spectacular: a legion-possessed demoniac, whom even chains and shackles cannot control, is set aright by Jesus, brought into order and community. It echoes for us ancient Israel given the Law, in order to set in place community, a people gathered under faith; and even more: the echo of Creation itself coming out of chaos. Here the true giver and fulfillment of the Law and Prophets sets what is total chaos in order, bringing back into community -- and more, proclaiming the Kingdom coming into this world. The Kingdom here goes to the Gentiles. The extraordinary power of this faith has healed this legion-possessed man, and has made him the first evangelist, going to all the cities in the power of the Roman legion, spreading the Kingdom to the Gentiles, who marvel. There really could be no greater "good news" than this story. How is your testimony like his? Mark's Gospel teaches us that even a sea of troubles, a legion of oppressive forces within us, can't stop this faith and its healing power. Christ's compassion gives us hope.