Tell them what great things the Lord has done for you

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 today's reading, we read about the man so possessed by many demons, that he calls his name "Legion." This story has so much in it, and it is fascinating in its details of what takes place here in Gentile territory. We recall from yesterday that Jesus had commanded his disciples that they should go to the other side of the Lake, the Sea of Galilee. So, in some way, there is intention here. Did Jesus know he was to meet this man, in chains and tormented by a legion of demons?

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. What a pitiful sight this poor man must have been! We can understand his torment; he's shackled and chained -- but he always manages to break free, so great is the strength of the demons inside of him. He's condemned, in a sense, to living among the tombs, among the dead. He cannot be allowed into the society of the living. His "unclean" spirit is sent to dwell with the "unclean," the bodies of the dead, among the tombs. These tombs would have been caves hewn from soft rock. "And always, night and day," we are told, "he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones." If this is not a picture of terrible illness and affliction, I don't know what is. It is the plague of the evil of the world that has befallen this man, in some sense, his torment and torture -- night and day -- a terrible thing to imagine.

When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped him. This is quite interesting, because we see, in this passage, the poor afflicted man's true desire. The first thing he does, despite his possession by a legion of demons, is to worship Jesus. So we see the true picture of the identity of the man, what is in his heart, his true nature. Even as he sees Jesus from afar, we're told, he runs and worships him. This is quite a testament to faith, I think.

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!" There is a sort of conflict here: the fear of healing and what it will bring. This is a picture of the transformation process, in some sense. Whether we understand our terrible affliction or not, fear attends change. What will Christ's change in this man's life bring? The demons speak here: as they have tormented the young man, so they are afraid Jesus will torment them. They don't wish to leave their dwelling place in this afflicted young man.

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. "My name is Legion, for we are many." The burden of his afflictions is a whole host of demons, a legion. Again, the fear of what change will bring results in the fear of being sent out of the country. It's not quite clear whether it is the man's fear or the demons' fear ... but it seems that there is so much in this passage about relationship and community. He is exiled from his community, to live not among the living but the dead. Once the "Legion" is confronted by Christ, the man's fears come to protest that he does not want to be sent away. My study bible notes that these words about being sent out of the country perhaps reflects both the man's fear of being compelled to leave his homeland and the demons' fear of being cast out of the man.

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. Again, we venture into the unclean in the Jewish understanding. Swine, according to Jewish law, are unclean animals. The demons want to go there, into the swine. And Jesus gives them permission. The whole herd of swine rush into the sea, "violently down the steep place," and drown. There is an overwhelming picture here of affliction, horror, evil. The tombs with the decaying bodies which this poor man is consigned to live among, the terrible self-destruction of ceaseless crying out and the battering of his body among the stones. The swine running violently down the steep place into the sea to their deaths, a total picture of the energy of self-destruction, mass suicide. We are told that there were about two thousand swine. Numbers are never without significance when they are so noted in detail, and I think we can presume that this "doubling" of a basic number like one thousand is to indicate a sureness -- that this opportunity is one provided by God for the action of salvation and healing, and sought out by Christ, whom the man ran to meet from far away.

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. My study bible points out that these people who were the keepers of the swine are only concerned about property rights and the animals. They don't understand Jesus' power and are afraid of the future possible disturbance from him: again, we encounter fear regarding this change. But it depends upon the focus: they all saw "the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind." Yet "they were afraid." The evidence of healing and restoration is lost on them. Once it is explained to them how the man was healed from his legion of demons, they simply beg Jesus to leave their region as well. They'd rather have the status quo they were used to, and the material benefit they've lost.

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. And the young man who is healed would rather go with Jesus. Again, there is this suggestion of community, and belonging, and community choice. The community has put this afflicted young man in company with the dead, and the areas where the swine dwell. The community of the Gadarenes, on viewing the healed man and the destruction of the swine, beg for Jesus to leave them and depart from their community. But Jesus sends the healed man back to his people, to proclaim the good news, as a witness to his own healing by Jesus. It is, in a sense, like Jesus' words in the gospel of John about his disciples, when he told them that he had taken them "out of the world." This man has been taken out of his world, only to be placed back in it, as a witness -- transformed and healed through the power of Christ. So, among the Gentiles, in the Decapolis, he becomes the first evangelist and even "apostle" -- sent by Jesus to witness and proclaim his good news. A note in my study bible speculates that perhaps his messianic secret may be revealed among the Gentiles because they do not possess so many preconceptions about the Messiah, and so it would be less likely to be misunderstood. But I think we can be sure to understand that the greatest afflicted among us, with a legion - a host - of demons causing terrible self-destruction and exile in the places of the dead, a life of crying out and self-hurt, can become the chosen one to proclaim this good news among his own people. Salvation is at once total and tremendous: there is no power, no matter how many problems we have or their depth and severity, that can stop the immediate healing power present in Christ. We are not powerless against our problems and afflictions. And we are beloved enough to stand as examples of this good news, to witness, to proclaim "what great things the Lord has done for you, and how he has had compassion on you." Let us consider today this young man. How does this picture of affliction remind us of those in despair to addiction and self-destructive behavior? Those tormented by too many problems beyond their ability to cope alone, and solely of their own strength? Those set apart and put away by the community as lost cases, because the effects of their affliction are too great? Those who cry out night and day, and suffer a terrible battering and destruction of their bodies? These afflictions are with us today, and the love of Christ reaches to the person within that wants to be healed, no matter what. We should consider all afflicted persons opportunities for healing, in whatever form necessary. But most of all, those who are eligible recipients for Christ's love. This young man indicates perfectly his desire for God and the love of Christ. Let's remember the person inside, and pray for all, for the life of the world. The greatest missionaries may be entrusted with this word who have been healed from so many afflictions, whose help is in the strength of God to defeat what ails them.