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

 

 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 

 

Yesterday we read that, when evening had come, Jesus said to the disciples, "Let us cross over to the other side."  Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was.  And other little boats were also with Him.  And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.  But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow.  And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!"  And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.  But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful?  How is it that you have no faith?"  And they feared exceedingly, and said to 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, 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.  The country of the Gadarenes, according to my study Bible, was in Galilee, in an area with many Gentiles living among the Jews.  This man's behavior is the result of demonic influence and demon-possession; we observe that his life and his behavior exemplify chaos, delusion, and self-destruction.

 

 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.   The unclean spirit recognizes Christ, by now a familiar occurrence in St. Mark's Gospel.  Let us note that this comes in response to a command by Christ to come out of the man.  The pitiful state of the man is attributable to a Legion of demons.

 

 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 large herd of swine is more evidence of Gentile populations living among the Jews, as swine were considered unclean for Jews.  Once again we note the effect of the demons, to create violent and self-destructive behavior even collectively in the herd of about two thousand swine.  

 

 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 comments that Gentile influence on the Jews caused many of them to take on Gentile practices, such as raising swine, which was forbidden by Law.  While there are those who say these people, who plead with Christ to depart from their region, are Gentiles, it's more likely they are apostate Jews engaged in a practice forbidden by the Law (see Deuteronomy 14:8).   Note that these people's response to the healing of this formerly demon-possessed man is similar to the cold hard-heartedness of the Pharisees at the healing of the man with the withered hand.  Their concern is with the swine, and the commercial value of what they have lost -- and they respond to the man's healing with fear.  

 

 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.  This shows Jesus' marvelous effect on our lives.  Not only does He heal the man, but because this man can no longer return to where he was, Jesus gives him a new mission in life, and equips him to go home to those who are his friends.  

 

Christ's effect of resurrection in our lives may not always be obvious to us, but it's important to  note and to understand the reality of it at work in today's reading.  If we note this terrible state of the man who is demon-possessed, we can hardly help but understand just how dismal a prospect he was.  Possessed by a self-professed Legion of demons, we might ask ourselves how on earth he would have survived such a predicament.  Indeed, one comment in my study Bible notes that his very survival shows God's care for human beings, as we can see by the death of the swine once the demons enter into them; the man was still in some way protected from such a fate.  According to commentary by Father Stephen De Young, to be demon-possessed in the sense of this man is only possible first through some sort of participation, a form of invitation to this activity, on the part of the man in the first place.  Given the pagan environment of the time and place in our reading, such participation (perhaps in pagan temple worship rituals) would not have been hard to come by.  But this backdrop to the story adds to our understanding of Christ and His mission, and the story of this demon-possessed man.  We might still presume him to be Jewish, and to have participated in things influenced by such practices, just as the raising of swine teaches us about these (presumed) Jews engaging in a practice forbidden by Law but for profit among the Gentiles.  Of course, if they had welcomed the liberation of this demon-possessed man from his Legion of demons, they, too, would be welcome among Christ's followers.  Today's reading foreshadows the coming into the Church of the Gentiles, but it tells us more about Christ's saving work.  We are saved by the power of Christ from what's not good for us, what is destructive and malicious.  But we, also, make choices as to whether or not we participate in the energies of those forces which would perpetuate evil, and be destructive to human beings and even to the life of creation, such as the swine.  We make choices as to what we allow, regarding the things in which we choose to participate, even what we welcome or reject (such as the healing of this man).  Our lives here in the world are in a sense "in the middle" of things we can't see, but among which we nevertheless choose.  Let us carefully align with the beautiful and healthful, and forego a short-term gain for the great things which God offers in their place.  For Christ's power of resurrection is at work in the life of this formerly demon-possessed man, and so it can be also in ours.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you

 

 Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee.  And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time.  And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs.  When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  I beg You, do not torment me!"  For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man.  For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.  Jesus asked him, saying, "What is your name?"  And he said, "Legion," because many demons had entered him.  And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.  

Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain.  So they begged Him that he would permit them to enter them.  And He permitted them.  Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned.  When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country.  Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind.  And they were afraid.  They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed.  Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear.  And he got into the boat and returned.

 

Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him.  But Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you."  And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.  

 

- Luke 8:26–39 

 

In yesterday's reading, Jesus taught, "No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light.  For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.  Therefore take heed how you hear.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him." Then His mother and brothers came to  Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd.  And it was told Him by some, who said, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You."  But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."  Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples.  And He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake."  And they launched out.  But as they sailed He fell asleep.  And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy.  And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water.  And they ceased, and there was a calm.  But He said to them, "Where is your faith?"  And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be?  For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!"

 

  Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee.  And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time.  And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs.  When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  I beg You, do not torment me!"  For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man.  For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.  Jesus asked him, saying, "What is your name?"  And he said, "Legion," because many demons had entered him.  And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.   The demons recognize Jesus as the Son of the Most High God.  Once again, the Gospel has thrust us into an opening in which we view the "unseen warfare" going on all the time in our world, with human beings as the battleground.  This unfortunate man is occupied by a legion of demons, language suggestive of the political occupation of Israel but teaching us about the "strong man" whom Jesus has come into the world to overthrow (see Luke 11:20-22).  We see evidence of the enslaving, destructive, and torturous nature of the demonic influence, the realm opposed to Jesus, in the description of this afflicted man.

 

 Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain.  So they begged Him that he would permit them to enter them.  And He permitted them.  Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned.  When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country.  Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind.  And they were afraid.  They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed.  Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear.  And he got into the boat and returned.  Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him.  But Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you."  And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.  My study Bible comments that, although the malice of the demons is great, they can do nothing against the will of God.  Therefore, they can only enter the swine with the permission of Christ.  It notes that the immediate destruction of the herd shows that the man had been protected by God care.  Otherwise, he would have perished under the demonic influence.  It further reinforces that swineherding was not lawful for the Jews, my study Bible comments, and shows the incomparable value of human beings, whose salvation is worth every price.  While there are those who teach that the presence of the swine indicates a Gentile population, this passage would seem to indicate otherwise.  Jesus forbade His disciples to go to the Gentiles (Matthew 10:5), and He Himself was reluctant to seek them out (Matthew 15:24).  These are likely to be Jews engaged in a sinful occupation.  their hardhearted response to the healing of this man seems to be further validation of their irreverent attitude.

 

Let us take a look at the man who's been "relieved" of the affliction of a legion of demons.  The last part of today's reading tells us:  Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him.  But Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you."  And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.   In some sense, the man has been through a terrible ordeal from which he's been relieved.  It reminds us, perhaps, of a person who has been through the experience of a terrible addiction, years of self-destructive behavior, with his world that of people who know him in this state, find ways to tolerate him, or otherwise live side by side in the same place.  But now that this man is healed and cleared of the demons, the ones who were formerly his "neighbors" in this wilderness of tombs and caves and deserted places away from the city want nothing to do with him.  For he in his "right mind" and in his healed state, is a symbol of the effects of Jesus, who has also sent the legion of demons into their swine.  For the swineherders of this region, the loss of their property is a far more distasteful experience than any good news of this man's healing could cover.  They've made their choices, and just as they sought an occupation sinful in the eyes of Jews for a lucrative Gentile market, so they choose again that the power of God working to relieve a man of a legion of demons is not what they want anything to do with if it threatens their livelihood by which they profit handsomely.  They have made their choice for money over the values of their faith, and now over the direct act of the Messiah.  The healed man understands this and knows that his former habitation is no place for him to remain.  Like an addict seeking to be freed of a life of addiction, he no longer fits where he was and must find a new life, and new company.  But neither does Jesus allow the man to continue with Him and with the apostles.  Instead, Jesus finds the healed man the right occupation, and gives him a new path to pursue.  He's told, "Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you."   This is, in fact, a strong indication of Christ's work on us when we come to a kind of dead end -- when we can't go on the way we were, need to change, and to find a new life, so to speak, a new direction.   It is Christ who will give us direction, a new place we can't necessarily create of ourselves, for God's perspective is so much greater than ours is.  There are times when God will give us inspiration beyond what we could have planned or even the alternatives we can see, just like with this healed man, to whom Jesus gives a great new job -- and sends home with glorious good news.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you

 

 Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee.  And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time.  And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs.  When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  I beg You, do not torment me!"  For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man.  For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.  Jesus asked him, saying, "What is your name?"  And he said, "Legion," because many demons had entered him.  And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.  

 

Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain.  So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them.  And He permitted them.  Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned.  

 

When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country.  Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind.  And they were afraid.  They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed.  Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear.  And He got into the boat and returned.  Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him.  But Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you."  And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.

 

- Luke 8:26–39 

 

On Saturday, we read that Jesus taught, "No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light.  For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.  Therefore take heed how you hear.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him."  Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd.  And it was told Him by some, who said, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You."  But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."  Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples.  And He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake."  And they launched out.  But as they sailed He fell asleep.  And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy.  And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Master, master, we are perishing!"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water.  And they ceased, and there was a calm.  But He said to them, "Where is your faith?"  And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be?  For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!"

 

  Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee.  And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time.  And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs.  When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  I beg You, do not torment me!"  For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man.  For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.  Jesus asked him, saying, "What is your name?"  And he said, "Legion," because many demons had entered him.  And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.  My study Bible comments that these demons recognize Jesus as the Son of the Most High God.  Notice that the demons speak through the man, saying, "I beg You, do not torment me!" when clearly this man, occupied by a legion of demons, is tormented by them himself.  A Roman legion consisted of over 5,000 men divided into ten cohorts, so we can imagine what this name "Legion" meant at the time the Gospels were written -- at a time when the Roman Empire had expanded to its largest extent.  The text describes the man's torment under this legion of demons:  it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.   His life is in such a miserable isolated state that he wore no clothes and lived among the dead in the tombs.  

Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain.  So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them.  And He permitted them.  Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned.  My study Bible comments that, although the malice of these demons is great, they can do nothing against the will of God.  Therefore, they can only enter the herd of many swine if Christ permitted them.  The immediate destruction of these swine, my study Bible says, shows that the man had been protected by God's care.  Otherwise, he would have perished under the demonic influence.  Additionally, it reinforces that swineherding was not lawful for the Jews -- plus it shows the incomparable vale of human beings, whose salvation is worth every sacrifice.  There are those who say that the presence of the swine indicates a Gentile population.  But, my study Bible comments, since our Lord forbade His disciples to go to the Gentiles (Matthew 10:5) and was Himself reluctant to seek out the Gentiles (Matthew 15:24), it's likely that these were Jews engaged in a sinful occupation.  

 

When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country.  Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind.  And they were afraid.  They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed.  Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear.  And He got into the boat and returned.  Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him.  But Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you."  And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.    My study Bible comments that the magnitude of the economic loss of the herd of swine would remain as a sign for the hard-hearted people who fled the region.  Their response is simply to treat Jesus with great fear, clearly caring more for their economic loss rather than the marvelous healing of this man who had suffered so extremely.  Note that although this man has no community among these people who simply want to banish Jesus, Christ Himself appoints a place for him, and a good mission:  "Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you."  And so he did.

Lately I have been reading a lot and pondering quite a bit over the idea of giving thanks.  How important is gratitude in our lives?  Some say that the whole of our well-being depends upon how able we are to give thanks, or not.  How do we experience gratitude, and what are we grateful for?  Is it possible that without his horrible "occupation" by a legion of demons, this man never would have known Christ?  It's very strange indeed how Christ comes straight across the Sea of Galilee, and through a very frightening storm of wind and waves in which the disciples thought they were perishing, to come to this one man.  What loneliness it must have been, living among the tombs, unable even to wear clothes, and tormented night and day by a legion of demons!  It is almost a metaphorical image of a child subject to terrible abuse, the isolation and torment that he would have survived.  Certainly the "hard-hearted" (as my study Bible describes them) people around him cared little that he was cured, finding the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind.   They had no use for him, but the swine were their livelihood (likely Jews selling to a Gentile market in this region of mixed populations), and that's what they cared about.   So this man is saved, but wants to go on with Jesus, because there is seemingly no tie for him here where people do not care for his life and salvation.  It seems they were happier when he lived among the dead and with the daily terrible punishment and torment of the demons.  But Jesus finds a place for him, an honored place -- he becomes a kind of evangelist under Christ's direction.  This is the saving nature of Christ's command, which brings this man beyond the lack of mercy of such people, and under Christ's authority,  "Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you."  So he does:  and he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.   A good mission, a good identity, under the saving yoke of Christ, who is gentle and lowly in heart.  Indeed, we may presume that sooner or later, he will come under the care of the Church to come, and remain a disciple.  Surely we can imagine the gratitude this man feels to Christ, who singled him out enough to come across the sea to save him.  But what of his early life experiences?  Perhaps to find this singular place in the Gospels, a man who had demons for a long time, and who survived to tell of the great things Jesus had done for him, the first from his region to proclaim this good news, experienced a tragic beginning.  For some of us who have survived harmful things, this may be the best story of all, and with the best outcome -- the truth of Christ's saving redemption from the callous to a life of dedication and mission and belonging, to the unique identity only He can give.  

 

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

 

 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-posssessed 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 

 

 Yesterday we read that, on the same day Jesus had preached using parables to the crowds, when evening had come, He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side."  Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was.  And other little boats were also with Him.  And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.  But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow.  And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!"  And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.  But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful?  How is it that you have no faith?"  And they feared exceedingly, and said to 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, 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.  My study Bible explains that the country of the Gadarenes was in Galilee, an area with many Gentiles who lived among the Jews (Matthew 4:15).  This Gentile influence is considered to be important for this story, as we will read further along.  Here the unclean spirits recognize Jesus as the Son of the Most High God.   My study Bible asks us to recognize that although the malice of the demons is great, they can do nothing against the will of God, and they fear torment from Him. 

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.    My study Bible comments that Gentile influence on the Jews caused many of them to take on Gentile practices, such as raising swine, which is forbidden by the Law (Deuteronomy 14:8).   In the previous reading, Christ's power over creation was evident in His command to the wind and the sea (see above).  Here, we note His power over the demons.  They have begged Him not to be sent out of the country, and they can only enter the swine at Christ's command.  The immediate destruction of the herd, my study Bible comments, shows that the possessed man had been protected by God's care; otherwise he would have perished under this extraordinarily destructive demonic influence.  There is a great deal of focus in today's passage on the raising of swine which was not lawful for the Jews.  Commentary focuses on the Gentile influence which caused Jews to take on Gentile practices, such as this.  While my study Bible notes that some teach that the presence of the swine indicates a Gentile population, it points out that our Lord forbade His disciples to go to the Gentiles (Matthew 10:5) and was Himself reluctant to seek out Gentiles (Matthew 15:24), these are likely Jews engaged in a sinful occupation.  The destruction of the herd reinforces its unlawful aspect, but also shows the incomparable value of human beings, whose salvation is worth every sacrifice.  

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-posssessed 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.  We see here the people of the region are much more fearful that they've lost their swine than that this demon-possessed man has been miraculously healed, and is once more in his right mind.  We must be sympathetic to him that he wants to be with Jesus and the disciples.  But Jesus has a better job for him; he's to spread the good news of Christ:  "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."

 

Who can blame this healed demoniac -- freed of a legion of demons (we're told that there were about two thousand swine) -- for wanting to come away with Jesus?  Why would someone in his position want to remain around people who apparently cared far more for the swine than they did for his healing?  After all, these people in some sense find it far more tolerable that he was among them as a ranting demoniac, out of his mind and out of control, and even living among the tombs!  What an outcast condition.  Moreover, he was so disordered that "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 pitiable site of human deterioration and degradation to compare with what human beings might potentially be.  But it is Christ's presence that brings about that change for him, and unleashes his dignified and glorious potentials instead of the slavery he's been freed from.  But these people among whom he's lived -- they were happier with the previous status quo.  They'd prefer him as a wasted potential of humanity, doomed to the life he was living among the dead and in agony of one who constantly cries out.  Perhaps he's one of those sad people who felt at least tolerated, but has now awakened to the reality of the people and his environment.  No wonder he pleads with Jesus to get into the boat and come with Him and the disciples, wherever they were going.  But Jesus, of course, has better plans for him, and gives him a commission, a job to do, in which he glorifies God.  When we read his story, we might be reminded of the epic adventures of ancient myths such as that of Odysseus, traveling to strange sights across the seas.  Jesus and the disciples have come across a stormy sea of Galilee to get to this forsaken place, where Jews raise swine, and a man is possessed by a legion of unclean spirits.  For those Jewish Christians who first heard this story, perhaps years before it was written down, the tale of this sad man might have seemed strange and even terrifying as a prospect.  But for those of us living in the modern world, in big cities in the West, it should not seem that strange.  In many of the urban areas of our big cities, we might find people routinely living on the streets who remind us of this man, possessed perhaps not with demons (although one can't always know) but with the demon-like effects of alcohol or drug addiction, to which they are surely enslaved.  We might well recognize the disorder, the crying out, even the lack of clothing.  Perhaps we've seen people ourselves dragged down to such a condition in which they are a spectacle of humanity in its degradation, seemingly cast down the cliffs so far away from the heights to which human beings can aspire.  Yes, we who live in certain cities can well and easily see spectacles like this regularly, especially in certain public spaces.  Among those who enter recovery programs, it is well-known how difficult it is to return to the people considered friends once upon a time, without falling back into a self-destructive pattern of behavior -- even how environment might conspire to keep us in what turns into an enslavement to addiction.  Who wouldn't need a mission that pulled them out of that place where this man lived among the tombs, and among those who simply didn't care about him at all?  When we lose sight of this need to differentiate between what's good for human beings and bad, when we blur the lines between correction and tolerance but omit notions of healing, when we fail to understand bad influence -- well, then, we are headed for poor results, to put it mildly.  We need to see what destroys us and what helps us.  Those are hard choices and sometimes involve even family, even those whom we think are our friends. But Christ will show us the way, and we will always find a mission to take us out of the misery of the forsaken place in which we once found ourselves.  This man's mission to glorify God is his life being saved.  May it be so for each one of us.  There is no compassion among those who preferred their swine; but he will proclaim the Lord's compassion to all.

 

 

 

 

What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?

 Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee.  And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time.  And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs.  When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  I beg You, do not torment me!"  For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man.  For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.

Jesus asked him, saying, "What is your name?"  And he said, "Legion," because many demons had entered him.  And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.  Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain.  So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them.  And He permitted them.

Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned.  When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country.  Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind.  And they were afraid.  They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed.  Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear.  And He got into the boat and returned. 

Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him.  But Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you."  And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him. 

- Luke 8:26-39

Yesterday, we our reading began with the continuation of Jesus' talk to the disciples about the parable of the Sower:  "No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light.  For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.  Therefore take heed how you hear.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him."  Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd.  And it was told Him by some, who said, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You."  But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."  Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples.  And He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake."  And they launched out.  But as they sailed He fell asleep.  And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy.  And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water.  And they ceased, and there was a calm.  But He said to them, "Where is your faith?"  And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be?  For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!"

 Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee.  And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time.  And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs.  When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  I beg You, do not torment me!"  For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man.  For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.  This particular Gospel story reads like an adventure worthy of Odysseus; except this isn't a myth.   In yesterday's reading, Jesus told the disciples to set out for the other side of the Lake, or the Sea of Galilee.  They've already come through a frightening storm, which was violent enough to send these experienced fishermen into absolute fear for their lives.  Here they sail to this country opposite Galilee, and meet a man so overcome by demons and for such a long time that he wore no clothes, and lived in the tombs among the dead.   Christ has wasted no time immediately commanding the unclean spirits to come out of the man, and the demons respond in fear, having recognized Him, something with which we're already familiar in Luke's Gospel.  But this is an extreme case; this poor man was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles, and has broken the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness. 

Jesus asked him, saying, "What is your name?"  And he said, "Legion," because many demons had entered him.  And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.  Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain.  So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them.  And He permitted them.  In this story we're given the image of the occupying legion of demons, as a hostile military force who've taken this man hostage.  Fittingly, the language we have for angels is also military; we're given a picture of hostile forces in a battle for lives, minds, souls.  The demons beg to enter the swine, an animal considered unclean by the Jews.

Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned.  When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country.  Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind.  And they were afraid.  They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed.  Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear.  And He got into the boat and returned.   This shocking sight of the herd of swine running violently down the steep place into the lake and drowning gives us a picture of the true nature of the demons, and how destructive they are.  My study bible comments that it shows us how human beings -- even this man in this place and under such circumstances -- are protected and loved by God, as such a fate did not happen to him.  There are many who understand this event as happening in Gentile territory, but it seems more likely that in fact these are apostate Jews raising swine for money, most likely to sell to Gentile populations.  We note the contrast between the frightening death of the swine and the now calm, clothed, and mentally fit many who was formerly tormented by the demons.  But this community to whom the swine belonged simply respond with great fear, asking Jesus to depart from them.  So Jesus does not stay with this community.

Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him.  But Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you."  And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.   As we might think understandable, this healed man does not wish to stay in this and among these people who preferred the swine to his healing.  But Jesus has an interesting task for him; he's to return to his own house -- presumably not among this particular community -- and to tell the good news to those who know him.  He proclaimed the news of Jesus and the great things He had done for him throughout the whole city, becoming a type of evangelist preparing the way for the apostles who will go out to the world.

This story of the demon-possessed man who gave the name "Legion" due to so many demons is a powerful reminder of the possibilities of a world given over to a darkness that despises the light of Christ.  It's not simply a cautionary tale, but one also of great wonder and true healing.  It teaches us, first of all, that there is no situation or circumstance too great for Christ to address, to help, and to heal.  Seemingly, Christ has directed His disciples to this place precisely in order to find this man, so afflicted and oppressed, in order to set him free.  It is, in that sense, a story of a Liberator, Christ who comes into our world precisely in order to set us free from the things that oppress and afflict us.  He brings His greater power and authority over the demons in order to release us as captive to forces we might not always be able to control.  We note the chaos created by the demons; there is an entire breakdown of order in the life of this man.  He's so far out of control that he's been bound with chains, but breaks them and is driven out into the wilderness, and living in the tombs rather than among the living.  Moreover, the only people around him are those so hard-hearted -- and devoted simply to making money in any way they can regardless of the religious restrictions for Jews regarding swine -- they care less for his healing than the loss of their source of income.  We might find easy parallels there among homeless populations afflicted with addiction and mental illness and living on the street among others who care less for them than what money might be made from their afflictions.  The breakdown of this man's life into pure chaos is also something modern societies are familiar with, including the total isolation that results.  The story is a strange one, coming to the disciples in a place perhaps unknown to them across the sea -- but it presents us who live in modern societies with an unfortunately familiar picture in some aspects, and in this sense gives us a very compelling pertinent picture of our modern need for Christ.  Even in the picture of alienation and isolation of this man we find modern parallels we need to address with important considerations of what it is that really creates community.   We frequently overlook, in modern societies, the very roots of social rules that come from faith designed to give community in the first place -- and the results that seem to give us persistent problems which social programs fail to cure.  While the text reads like an adventure, our modern sensibilities encounter all-too-often scenaria of those left behind and forgotten, alienated from what would be considered "home" and without means to escape from what torments them.  When the demons ask, in the voice of the possessed man, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?" we might just hear the voice of a wretched and forlorn person seemingly forgotten by the world, and given over to the hostility of affliction in all its forms (including prizing material gain over human life).  We clearly remain human beings who need help, and need to recall from whence that help comes.  We call upon the One who can restore order in chaos, who comes not just to help but to liberate us from affliction, and with the compassion that supersedes all things.  Let us consider what we see around ourselves in this light, and question our own values and concerns for healing and what it takes.  We may have to reconsider our priorities to do so, as those who've lost their swine in the story fail to do -- and remember the good news of the great things that God has done for those who've found healing from Christ.