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 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, the disciples were crossing over the Sea of Galilee, while Jesus slept in the same boat from which He had preached during the day. Other small boats followed them. But a storm came up, so great that the waves washed into the boat ,and it was filling. Seasoned fishermen became very afraid, and woke Jesus up, saying, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?" Jesus stood up and rebuked the storm so that the sea calmed, and asked the disciples, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?" The disciples were even more awed by what Jesus had done, and asked, "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. They land on the other side of the Sea of Galilee, in Gentile territory.

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 is so lovely about Mark's Gospel is the great contrast between its brevity, and also the number of details we are given. Particularly in today's reading, we take note of the details of the pitiable state of this man's condition: he lives among the tombs, the chains can't bind him and keep him from harming himself -- and "night and day, he was in the mountains and the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones." It's a terribly sad and dramatic sight of a person who can't help themselves, whose self-destructive behavior is pitiful to see. And, in addition, he's consigned to this lonely and desolate state, among the tombs!

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!" Here is a powerful picture of a man with tremendous conflicting impulses: we note that he immediately falls at Jesus' feet in worship. This is the true heart of the man, who recognizes his healer and savior from his torment. And yet the "unclean" within him is afraid (but being of the spirit world, also recognizes who Jesus is): "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." If we note the language in the Greek, this word for torment was once used to signify specifically the torment of torture or beating under examination. So we are in the realm of the judicial language so often a part of the New Testament: witnessing, testifying, judging. But Jesus as Judge is not a tormenter. We recall the words of 1 John 4:18: "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love." The word for torment in John's Epistle is different, and involves punishment (rather than examination) - but still implying the torment of beating. So we have the great contrast, of the heart of the man responding with faith, with love: and the demons with fear of the torment they expect and understand. And surely what the possessed man has endured with them is endless torment.

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. A Legion was approximately 6,000 soldiers. My study bible notes that, "Out of the country perhaps reflects both the wretched man's fear of being compelled to leave his homeland and the demons' fear of being cast out of the man." Perhaps also it may reflect the demons' fear of leaving Gentile territory, and being thrust into a place of the worship of God.

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. The swine, of course, are "unclean animals" in the context of Jewish law. Their destruction is immediate and reflects again the tormenting, nihilistic and self-destructive effect of the demons -- and perhaps also the presence of the One who is the fulfillment of the Law.

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 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. There's another indication here of what "this country" is like, this territory. The people simply beg Jesus to leave: they have lost their swine. This counts much more with them than the healing of the demoniac. Jesus' work is rejected here - which perhaps tells us more about the demons' request not to send them out of the country.

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. It's quite another thing to marvel at -- that Jesus simply accepts their rejection and returns to the boat, seemingly (at least as it's reported here) without a word. But the one who worships Him, the healed man, wants to stay and be a disciple, to "be with Him." However, Jesus sends him out on a mission, making him the first evangelist, a witness to testify to the good news. "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." He will go to the Decapolis, a mixed region of ten cities of Greek and Roman influence, founded during the Hellenistic period, but also with Jewish and other Semitic population. So this healed man, once imprisoned in the tombs near the places that swine were kept, will go to the mixed territory, witnessing and declaring what has happened, and perhaps most importantly for this story, proclaiming the love of God.

It's a fine picture we're drawn by Mark in today's reading, of a man filled with such conflicting influences: the demons, who are Legion, who expect the torment and fear they understand. And there is the poor man himself, who responds with worship and faith to the presence of Jesus -- and the compassion and healing he receives. Such is this faith that Jesus sends him out into the Decapolis, to proclaim to others, to witness the great things the Lord has done for him, and the compassion of God. And it is this for which Jesus has come incarnate into the world, to teach us all of the love of God, and God's compassion -- perhaps especially for those enslaved by things they don't understand, who can't help themselves and need God's help to overcome the things that torment them. Let us also understand the conflict in the man, and his true response to Christ and His healing power over the demons. Have you experienced such powerful effects in your life, over things you felt you had no power over, no control? Let us think of the things that bind us and harm us -- and the power of love we call upon and put our faith in. Perhaps there are great things the Lord has done for you as well, and if you know His compassion, you are truly blessed. The reading for today teaches us that to be healed is to truly know God's love; perhaps faith is a continual journey of this deepening experience for each of us. Healing also calls us to witnessing and work as we are called to do: to telling others of the great things the Lord has done for us, and of His compassion.