why were the gerasenes afraid

3 When the centurion 2 heard about Jesus, c he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his . The demoniacs were mere maniacs, whom Jesus cured by humouring their fancies; and His giving leave to imaginary demons to enter into the swine, produced the story of the disaster to the herd.All these explanations assume that the Gospel narratives are wholly or in part unhistorical. Plummer, Luke, p. 228. Afraid of Jesus | Reformed Bible Studies & Devotionals at Ligonier.org These people from the region of the Gerasenes had undoubtedly felt the anger or disgust of Jews for making a career out of such unclean animals, but Jesus had not criticized them for their profession. 112 Skeptics and liberals have made much of the differences between the Gospel writers as to the place Jesus landed with His disciples. Second, while the death of the pigs is clearly an economic loss for the owner, Jesus is illustrating the infinite value of human life. 2ff., xvv. Gergesa may have been a variant spelling of Gerasa. Ralph Earle, The Gospel According to Mark (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1957), p. 70. especially fn. Will they be condemned like unclean animals? The passage in Daniel especially suggests specific geographical boundaries within which spirit beings must abide. May 2021 Is it a bug? art thou come hither to torment us before the time? What they were not willing to accept was the frightening power that could cure him. Even as the purpose of Roman legions was to enforce the will of the emperor, the goal of the multiple evil spirits was to carry out the devil's will of bringing pain, destruction and chaos to humans! Well, it is because atheists, in their zealous rush to make fun of Christians, Christianity, and the Bible, start to lose their logical rigor and rationality, leading them to contend for implausible things: as presently. Men in their unbelief suppose that the choice is either to be free (independent of God) or to be the slaves of Christ. They were among North Korea's elite, but they fled anyway. Here's why September 2020 The Man from the Tombs: Christ Speaks to the Problem of Spiritual EWTN News, Inc. is the worlds largest Catholic news organization, comprised of television, radio, - 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. Even the demons confessed that He was the Son of the Most High (Mark 5:7). Or they are too afraid of what the change might bring. Gergesenes means "those who come from pilgrimage or fight.". The conduct of this pathetic individual was obviously anti-social. Demonized individuals are not to be viewed so much as a pigeon hole category, as they are a continuem. We owe it to Josephus, from whom it has passed into ecclesiastical language. The people were afraid when they saw the possessed man healed. Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. August 2020 26). They all say country of (in the sense of region, not nation). Thanks for contributing an answer to Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange! The particular focus of this mans testimony was the Decapolis region. and 1 Kings xxii. As indicated in the textual note, the best Greek text reads Gerasenes in Mark and Luke, Gadarenes in Matthew. They were not looked upon as necessarily evil in all cases. Then the SPCA would have been up in arms over such cruelty to animals. No matter where you are on life's journey. Why is there a voltage on my HDMI and coaxial cables? . Then people came to see what it was that had happened. December 2021 117 so that, by their own confession, a time is coming when there shall be an entire victory of the kingdom of light over that of darkness (Rev. People who have no appr Cookie Notice Have you even been in a service where the Spirit of God was moving and felt fear? July 2021 For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs. All Scripture agrees with this, that the judgment of the angels is yet to come (1 Cor. If they dare to open up their lives to Jesus what will happen? Thus, all the circumstances lead us to regard the healing of the demonized at Gerasa as a night scene, immediately on Christs arrival from Capernaum, and after the calming of the storm at sea. Alford Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1965), I, pp. Note that the texts dont say Gerasa or Gadara, so they arent necessarily referring just to one of the cities. Ridiculous? Thus, it is not always used of one specific country (nation), but rather, usually to regions or areas of either small (Bethlehem) or large (Judaea and Samaria) size, including regions surrounding large cities. There is the so-called demon of doubt, of anger, of overindulgence, of drunkenness, laziness and so on. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). Gadara, though not directly named in Scripture, was part of the Decapolis. When addressed, the person was the mouthpiece of the demon (such as Legion, Mark 5:9). Such seems to be a similar case with Judas (John 13:1-2). March 2017 Textual variations have compounded the problem. Bible-believing Christians have always accepted the fact of demons and their activity in New Testament times, but most of us are inclined to relegate demonic activity in these days to pagan lands and missionary experiences. Why ChatGPT should be considered a malevolent AI - and be destroyed The before and after descriptions of the demoniac reveal that he was a totally different person under demonic influence. Some today have given demons far more than their due by blaming demons for every malady of mankind. Gospel Parallels: The Gerasene Demoniac - READ-SCRIPTURE.COM The reply Legion118 may be some kind of evasion, a reluctance on the part of the demons to individually identify themselves. 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. No! The presence of holiness and, moreover, the most intense divine holiness is undesirable; I mean, unless you are an angel or a saintly recluse in his ascetic toils in a cave or a top of a pillar. They would have to trust Jesus. Does a barbarian benefit from the fast movement ability while wearing medium armor? There is no true freedom and fulfillment apart from Jesus Christ, the Creator and Redeemer of men. The price tag of possession was high, for those who fell victim to the demons agonized in constant torment. So he got into the boat and left. Is there a single-word adjective for "having exceptionally strong moral principles"? Many New Testament manuscripts refer to the "Country of the Gadarenes" or "Gerasenes" rather than the Gergesenes. Jesus has lead me away from my old life. It is mentioned in some ancient manuscripts of the . What sort of strategies would a medieval military use against a fantasy giant? Series NotesScripture references are based on the King James translation. Jesus was saying, (demonstrating) that He had all authority, in any land. The commission of our Lord is considerably different from His instructions to the Israelites whom He had delivered. As the servant of Elisha was told, Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them (2 Kings 6:16). Events that are important to our Church Community, Mark 5:1-20 Jesus Heals the Gerasene Demoniac. man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 'Return home and tell how much God has done for you.' So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus (Luke 8:26-39, NIV) (2) Pork was a food forbidden to Jews, and as such, those who raised these pigs may have done so knowingly in violation of divine injunction. Spam. April 2015 We read at Mk 5:14-17 (NRSVCE), the immediate after-effects of the driving out of evil spirits by Jesus at Gerasene by allowing them to enter pigs: The swineherds ran off and told it in the city and in the country. Matthew 9:2-8 Why was "This man is blaspheming" considered an evil thought without knowing Jesus' identity? Such must have been the response of those with our Lord. How to show that an expression of a finite type must be one of the finitely many possible values? 16, x. First of all, the EPA would have been investigating the pollution of Lake Galilee with decaying pigs. July 2022 He who feared His arrival now dreaded His departure. Similar to the storm we see in the book of Job that killed Jobs sons - and Satan was the instigator of that as well. 0 Responses 110 C. S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (New York: The Macmillan Co., 1971), p. 3. This city was better known than Gadara or Gergesa; indeed in the Roman age no city of Palestine was better known. It is amazing to think that people could be fearful of Jesus. Also, frequently associated with demon possession was a super-human strength (cf. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. (2) Anti-social behavior. Sermon for July 26, 2020: Why Were They So Afraid: Mark 5:1-20 The region is located east of the Jordan River and southeast of the Sea of Galilee. He obviously attracted crowds. Region of the Gerasenes - Fire and Light Why would God tell King David to take a census of the people in verses one through nine, and then cast judgment on him because he did what he told him to do? They likely were Gentiles and had been under the influence of the demonic principality of the region their whole life. The Gadarene: When Following Jesus Means Going Home . No! We see the first reaction to this in the storm MARK 4:7 And a great windstorm arose [snip]. It became one of the proudest cities of Syria. It was situated some 30 miles southeast of Gadara, on the borders of Peraea and a little north of the river Jabbok. Luke 8:26And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee. 10). When once he was an instrument of Satanic opposition against the Messiah, now he is a witness to His power. We will examine two incidents -- the stilling of the storm on the sea of Galilee, and that which follows immediately, the healing of the demoniac. Afraid of Jesus? | Sermons | College Park Church to sign up for our free Water Of The Word newsletter at the top of any page! Mark 5:1 On the other side of the sea, they arrived in the region of 4 Reasons Jesus Cast Demons Into a Herd of Pigs 28); Mark the country of the Gerasenes (v. 1), and Luke, probably, the country of the Gergesenes (viii. Why would Jesus ask, "Who touched Me?" From this it is clear that demon-possession is a phenomenon which occurred almost exclusively, but then to be sure on an amazing scale, during Jesus appearance on earth and to a lesser extent during the activity of the apostles. 13; Luke iv. Author of The Gnostic Notebook series, stand-up comedian, and Gnostic. May the Spirit of God be so evident in us that men may see God in our lives. Do roots of these polynomials approach the negative of the Euler-Mascheroni constant? The Truth is Jesus is a safe Person Who loves them, values them, wants their best and will never force Himself on them. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? Preisker, TWNT IV (1942), pp. They had dealt with Legion (I suspect) by forcing him from their presence. Matthew 8:28 - 29, 31, 34And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way. But having recalled a passage in Ephesians, I realize now that this man is a reminder of the dilemma of every man, woman, and child who have not come to a saving dependence upon the work of Jesus Christ for sinners on the cross. Ouija boards are found in many American homes. November 2021 Hence there was demon-worship, the worship not necessarily of evil spirits; but of the spirits of those who had existed in the Golden Age. G. Campbell Morgan, The Gospel According to Mark (New York: Fleming H. Revell, 1927), p. 114. Have we stepped back, in effect asking Jesus to leave us alone, only to discover, as a Gentleman, He did? 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. A crowd had come to see what had happened for themselves. It didnt take long for the word to spread quickly. Bob is a pastor/teacher and elder at Community Bible Chapel in Richardson, Texas, and has contributed many of his Bible study series for use by the Foundation. The New Testament speaks of those who had a spirit, or a demon, or demons, or an unclean spirit, or the spirit of an unclean demon, but chiefly of persons who were demonised. Edersheim, Life and Times, I, p. 479. Crazy question or.? ESV - The capital of the region was Gerasa, and the largest city in the region was Gadera. July 2016 and thank you for your contribution. So much pain, so much sin. Vote Up (it should be added that Plummer himelf does not hold to any of these views.). The demoniac was uncontrollable by any of the normal means of human confinement. A Lesson From the Gadarenes - Sabbath Thoughts or school. In other words, even though he set the bar extremely high, he seemed to be a fascinating man. The man, who was naked when he saw Jesus, had the added ability of enduring both freezing and sweltering temperatures as well as pain he inflicted upon himself! (London: InterVarsity Fellowship, 1950), fn. Jesus asked some pretty crazy questions like What Things Happened? For the Christian, there are two extremes which must be avoided with reference to Satanic activity. And, Gerasene was one. Their influence and control leads to untold agony and destruction. 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? The conduct of this pathetic individual was obviously anti-social. He seemed to view Jesus approach as the launching of a direct attack on the demonic forces. The ego is so impaired that the spirits speak through him. Horoscopes and astrological predictions are found in most major newspapers. Oh Hye-son recently published a Korean-language memoir on how she and her husband Thae Yong-ho, then deputy ambassador at North Korea's London embassy, defected in 2016. It might be better to hide behind masks than risk being hurt again After all, if God rejects youwhere else can you go? His teachings have inspired great moral reformations such as abolition of slavery and the Civil Rights movement. We should know from other Scriptures that our present spiritual experience is one of spiritual warfare. Nevertheless, for consideration. You can flip a coin hoping for heads, but you know that tails is a very real probability. Lane believes the modern Kersa is the most likely place: The point of arrival is indicated in a general way as the district of the Gerasenes, most probably in reference to a town whose name is preserved in the modern Kersa or Koursi. The people of Gerasenes were willing to live with the devils they knew - quite literally. The choice is to be free by submission to Christ (cf. The story shows Jesus exorcising a demon or demons out of a man and into a herd of swine, causing the swine to run down a hill into a lake and drown . This was a federation of ten cities (deka = ten, polis = city). And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another . Like it or not, demons and demonic activity are likely to become much more of a concern to you in days to come. 2). Gergesa - Wikipedia In this context, however, he insists that legion has nothing of its usual Roman military overtones, but is the designation of numerous powers which oppose themselves to Jesus as the embodiment of the power of God. Lane, Mark, fn. June 2016 Flavius Josephus and Steve Mason, Flavius Josephus: Life of Josephus (Boston; Leiden: Brill, 2003), 47. Why did Jesus have the authority to forgive sins, why did the scribes take it as a blasphemy, and was this authority also given to men in general? By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. These men were a danger to themselves and others. 61-62. If it is a feminine spirit, the voice will be a feminine one, if masculine then very manly. I was in a dialogue with an atheist regarding what he believes is one of many so-called biblical contradictions. Odd guy that I am, I actually find this sort of thing fun. The US Congress is currently debating whether TikTok should be banned for everyone in the US, not just government officials. On the other hand, Gadara is only six miles from the southern tip of the lake and could easily have given its name to the district. Who Was Afraid Of Jesus And Why? And they were afraid. xvi. April 2022 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. At the side of Kersa the shore is level, and there are no tombs. And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? 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. Accordingly this was not merely an ordinary form of mental disease as some writers have alleged, but a special phenomenon which was particularly frequent during Jesus earthly sojourn and thus was directly connected with His coming to destroy the power of darkness. 122 Quoted by Alfred Plummer, The Gospel According to Saint Luke, (Edinburg: T. and T. Clark, 5th ed., 1969): p. 228. 9. Why as the question? May 2018 We dismiss it the more readily, that, in our view, it conveys a wrong impression. Instead of opening themselves up to Jesus and receiving His love and forgiveness, they allowed fear to drive a wedge between them. We're no longer publishing the comic strip 'Dilbert.' Here's why April 2020 9. The Gerasene Demoniac (Mark 5:1-20) | Bible.org They came to Jesus and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the legion; and they were afraid. (3) Spiritual insight. By His power, we, too, are able to overcome Satans treacheries. March 2015 But, the pigs were a part of their economic wealth. Your comment will be posted after it is approved. June 2022 4. His greatest impact would be on those who knew his former state. T. H. Huxley, in his Essays upon some Controverted Questions (1892), made merry over the escapade of the Gadarene swine, running the seven miles between Gadar and the lake of Galilee, crossing the deep river Yarmuk en route. As the world's top superpower, how unsure of itself can the US be to . January 2022 NEW STAR WARS MERCH PAGE: https://bit.ly/3baWVZv For all sponsorship and business inquiries please contact: thestupendousscrub@gmail.com NEW CHANNEL: https:/. But the city of Gadara owned some territory round about Khersa, so that the district and the pigs could properly also be called Gadarene. F. F. Bruce, Are the New Testament Documents Reliable? January 2016 What did we miss because we allowed fear instead of faith to drive our lives? https://www.ncregister.com/blog/gerasene-or-gadarene-swine, What Archaeology Tells Us About Joshuas Conquest, 50 Verses to Help You Prepare for Pentecost, St. Polycarp, Who Learned the Faith From an Apostle, Did Not Believe in Faith Alone, The Three Kinds of Atheists, and How to Respond to Them, We Know That Hes in Heaven: Thousands Gather for Funeral of Bishop David OConnell in Los Angeles, Archbishop Naumann and Bishop Paprocki Speak Out in Support of Traditional Latin Massgoers in Their Dioceses, Survey: Decline in Vocations to the Priesthood Is Worse Where Priests Serve Larger Flocks, God Really Intervened: How a Catholic Priest Escaped From His Kidnappers in Haiti, Amber and Dave VanVickle on Finding God in the Midst of Suffering. Although his symptoms would have appeared to be those of an insane man,113 the Gospel writers inform us that he was demon-possessed.114. Treasury of Scripture. Here is where Satan can use a man to influence scores of people, blinding minds and hearts to the truths of the Word of God (2 Corinthians 4:4). This city was better known than Gadara or Gergesa; indeed in the Roman age no city of Palestine was better known.. For example, He didnt condemn a prostitute for her actions, He saw a daughter of God who was valuable beyond measure and only needed genuine love and forgiveness. It is something like the behavior and personality change in a man who is totally intoxicated. For more information, please see our The Greeks were believers in the spirit world, but not necessarily convinced that demons were evil.127 As a result, Marks readers needed to be instructed as to the essential nature of demons and demon possession. Small sins lead to big sins, and big sins bring about a terrible spiritual darkness. The second question is an ethical one: What right had the Lord to inflict this loss on the owners of the swine?121 Put even more crassly, Huxley censored this act with these words: the wanton destruction of other peoples property is a misdemeanour of evil example.122. 114 We are indebted to Edersheim, who reminds us that the expression demon possession never occurs in the New Testament: The term demoniacal possession occurs not in the New Testament. 68f. In Luke 2:8 it is applied to the city of Bethlehem; in Acts 18:23 to Galatia and Phrygia. No matter what men attempted to bind him with, he broke loose. This would also give time afterwards for the dispersion, not only into the city, but into the country of them who had fed the swine. However, the point was clearly made; Jesus, the Son of God, has power over all things, including the powers of darkness. Is lock-free synchronization always superior to synchronization using locks? Verse 1. Legion of Demons - NeverThirsty It is very appropriate that these two incidents . "The trains were . They came to Jesus and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the legion; and they were afraid. Finally, there is in demon possession a counterpart to the filling (or control) of the Holy Spirit. The destructive desires of the demons were dramatically carried out in the drowning of the swine. F. F. Bruce adds additional helpful insight: According to the best texts, Matthew calls it the country of the Gadarenes (viii. Why Darth Sidious Was AFRAID of General Grievous - YouTube In fact the region was known as the Gadarenes-Gerasenes region. You can like Jesus for two different reasons. Why were the people of Gerasene afraid of the presence of Jesus among them? Both Gerasa and Gadara were cities to the east of the Sea of Galilee and the River Jordan. It is ironic that while the demons didnt want to leave the country, the dwellers of that land didnt want the Messiah to stay. March 2018 Can devils entreat in such a manner any highest of angels, be he Michael, Gabriel or Raphael, or any greatest cherub or seraph? HELPING CHRISTIANS BUILD POSITIVE, GODLY FAMILIES, CHURCHES, AND NATIONS, Follow us on social media for daily Scripture comments and more at. Pastor Chrissy is a native of East Tennessee. When the townspeople arrived on the scene, they saw the formerly demon-possessed men, clothed, in their right mind and sitting at the feet of Jesus. February 2021 December 2016 When the Gadarenes saw what Christ was capable of, they panicked. Why is Darrow's victory in the Passage taken so personally? 125 This is the position of Lane, Mark, p. 187. That is why the inhabitants of the area are referred to variously in different Bible manuscripts as Gergasenes, Gadarenes, or Gerasenes. June 2021 May 2022 Jesus is conscious that He now breaks the power of the devil and his angels because He is the One in whom the dominion of God is present on behalf of humanity. W. Foerster, as quoted by Lane, Mark, fn. verse 5). The Secret behind Jesus Healing the Gerasene Demoniac These people did not want to change. 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. It is now called Jerash and is a deserted ruin. The people were more terrified of Jesus and His authority than they were of this crazed and demonized man living among the tombs. A Summary and Analysis of Jesus and the Gadarene Swine It is even possible that his request was to become one of our Lords disciples.125. At their request, He left. The people who witnessed this are . As has been said before, look for Satans man behind the pulpit. Why do people like Jesus a lot? Although it is likely that the larger towns of Galilee were predominantly Gentile, as was the Decapolis, the first-century civilian diet did not . They were sacrificed by being thrown off a cliff. The demons freak out that Jesus is there because it's not time for them to be tormented by Him yet. Those who had seen it told them how the man who had been demon-possessed had been healed. On the other hand, it may be correct to understand that although there were many demons, they had combined as one force to possess this man.119 While Mark records Legions request as one of not being sent out of the country (verse 10), Luke adds a significant explanation by interpreting the meaning behind this request: And they were entreating Him not to command them to depart into the abyss (Luke 8:31). Others cited unfaithfulness, lack of seriousness, and the lack of confidence to sustain a relationship. Jesus heals the Gerasene demoniac in Luke 8 | Psephizo As I have been studying this account through the week, it has seemed to me a rather bizarre and remote situation, the liberation of this Gerasene demoniac. If anything, that would have made them angry. Gerasenes, Gadarenes, Pigs and "Contradictions" - NCR 120 The request is in both cases the same; for, according to Jewish notions, certain countries being assigned to evil as well as to good spirits, whose limits they were unable to overpass, to be sent out of their own country, no other being open to them, implied being sent into the abyss, or bottomless pit, since that remains for them alone. Trench, Miracles , p. 101. Far from this, He had stormed the gates of Hell and prevailed. That would be a strong message, by allowing them to be possessed and then drowned. David Noel Freedman, The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 991.



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