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Known as the Judas Iscariot of Gnosticism for revealing that which is not to be revealed. What was it that caused these people to react in such a way? Why as the question? No matter where you are on life's journey you are welcome here! If Jesus had that kind of power, then He could not be controlled. The US Congress is currently debating whether TikTok should be banned for everyone in the US, not just government officials. 2ff., xvv. Why did Jesus allow the legion of demons to stay in the area when they begged him? F. F. Bruce adds additional helpful insight: According to the best texts, Matthew calls it the country of the Gadarenes (viii. Will they be condemned like unclean animals? Also, the wholesale slaughter of these pigs dramatically illustrated the destructive purposes of the demons. Others cited unfaithfulness, lack of seriousness, and the lack of confidence to sustain a relationship. Rather, they attributed the power of Jesus to Satan (Mark 3:22). Although it is likely that the larger towns of Galilee were predominantly Gentile, as was the Decapolis, the first-century civilian diet did not . How to prove that the supernatural or paranormal doesn't exist? In all three instances the word is chra (Strongs word #5561). 4, p. 180. "The name "Gerasenes" is to be associated with the modern city of Jerash, located in Transjordan, 22 miles N of Amman." John McRay, "Gerasenes," ed. In any event, I love defending the Bible and Christianity. Jesus Heals a Centurion's Servant. At their request, He left. So they refer to Gerasenes. Horoscopes and astrological predictions are found in most major newspapers. In any event, they were not Israelites, as indicated by the fact that a herd of swine was being kept nearby, which would have been forbidden by the Mosaic Law, since swine were unclean animals (Leviticus 11:7-8). July 2015 All of us may be so concerned with our own livelihoods that we fail to serve other people and help those in desperat Top Ten Reasons Why There Were Pigs In Gerasenes Remember the story of Jesus casting demons out of the crazy man in Luke 8? Archaeological or Historical Support for the Gerasene Pigs Why ChatGPT should be considered a malevolent AI - and be destroyed First let us see what the Sacred Texts says: The swineherds ran off and told it in the city and in the country. Thats why also Peter having realized who Christ was, was dreaded and asked Him to leave him for he said to be a sinful man (Luke 5:8). The region is located east of the Jordan River and southeast of the Sea of Galilee. So who was afraid? Then all the people of the Gerasenes and the surrounding region asked Jesus to leave them alone, for they were seized . They look forward to their future with great dread. Norval Geldenhuys, Commentary on the Gospel of Luke (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1951), p. 174. Its important to note that this was the first demonstration of Jesuss authority outside of Canaan. For these demons to be sent out of the country would have meant that they would then be confined along with other fallen angels (cf. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. There was no such danger in Perea, and thus the mercy of the Lord was to be heralded. Christians are to be a "safe" people - an expression of that love of God so people who do not know Him can be drawn to the Truth. Catholic Church. "The trains were . EIN 27-4581132 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? Do roots of these polynomials approach the negative of the Euler-Mascheroni constant? November 2021 The people who witnessed this are . He could just as easily commanded them to return to the deepest, darkest pit of Hell. Why is that. In Galilee and Judea there were Messianic hopes which would have been quickly fanned into flames if the miracles of Jesus were too widely publicized. On several occasions, when Jesus forgave someone, He specifically said, Go and sin no more. That only works for people who are sick of their sin and want to change. Jesus asked some crazy questions like "Why are you afraid?" In recent years the matter has been getting uncomfortably close to home. Who Were The Gerasenes In The Bible? - Mastery Wiki The center of personality, the volitional and active ego, is impaired by alien powers which seek to ruin the man and sometimes drive him to self-destruction (Mk. The house that is left swept and clean is a likely target for Satanic influence (cf. But then also Christ will triumph, and finally put an end to the evil one and all his powers of darkness (Rev. Can devils entreat in such a manner any highest of angels, be he Michael, Gabriel or Raphael, or any greatest cherub or seraph? Vote Up Demonized individuals are not to be viewed so much as a pigeon hole category, as they are a continuem. Thats just westernised interpretation which simply doesnt work when interpretating a Jewish book. They were content where they were. They are unclean spirits, (vss. Such must have been the response of those with our Lord. - 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. Gadara is about six miles from the sea. The district of the Gerasenes probably included that of the Gadarenes; so that the demoniac of Gergesa belonged to the country of the Gadarenes and also to that of the Gerasenes, as the same person may, with equal truth, be said to live in the city or the state, or in the United States. As an alternative to confinement, the demons posed the option of being permitted to enter the pigs, some 2,000 in number, feeding nearby. Commentator R. C. H. Lenski states: The distance of these cities from the lake is immaterial for the narrative since this deals with the region that is near the lake and not with the vicinity of either of the cities to the lake.. Jesus had been performing miracles in Gods nation - Israel. The Gadarenes was the place where Jesus confronted a man whose possession by demons gave him a level of superhuman strength like Samson (Mark 5:3 - 5, Luke 8:27). Have you even been in a service where the Spirit of God was moving and felt fear? 36 Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. A Jewish exorcist with such authority in the region, risked to damage the beliefs and reputation of the local pagan inhabitants. Why is this even an issue, I wonder? Where did the demons go after they went into the pigs and caused them to jump to their death. or school. HELPING CHRISTIANS BUILD POSITIVE, GODLY FAMILIES, CHURCHES, AND NATIONS, Follow us on social media for daily Scripture comments and more at. Fallen people reject God not because they do not know His power. 22ff. Small sins lead to big sins, and big sins bring about a terrible spiritual darkness. The difference between the phonemes /p/ and /b/ in Japanese, Is there a solutiuon to add special characters from software and how to do it. Therefore, Jesus Christ for demons is God and thus even demons inadvertently reveal themselves as being better theologians than Arians and their modern day heirs - Jehovawitnesians and all different breeds of Unitarians - their name being legion! Second (and primarily), Mark employs this event to authenticate the claims of Jesus to be the Son of God and Israels Messiah. In the King James Version it is called the country of the Gadarenes in Mark and Luke, and of the Gergesenes in Matthew. 68f. It is ironic that while the demons didnt want to leave the country, the dwellers of that land didnt want the Messiah to stay. Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023, Highlights in the Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ. What they were not willing to accept was the frightening power that could cure him. His teachings have inspired great moral reformations such as abolition of slavery and the Civil Rights movement. January 2018 Gergesa, also Gergasa ( in Byzantine greek) or the Country of the Gergesenes, is a place on the eastern ( Golan Heights) side of the Sea of Galilee located at some distance to the ancient Decapolis cities of Gadara and Gerasa. Sign up for 6 Free IssuesTry us out with a free trial subscription. The expression to be with Jesus is used particularly of His disciples (cf. No matter what men attempted to bind him with, he broke loose. When the Gadarenes saw what Christ was capable of, they panicked. . Some appeared not to be oppressed by them so much as exploiting their powers (cf. Jewish theology, at least on this point, seems consistent with biblical revelation. He felt Jesus' reassuring hand on his shoulder. Their first question is a rather pragmatic one, namely, How can demons possess animals? To this we must confess that we know too little to understand the mechanism of demon possession but the reality is very evident. Mark 3:14). In the wake of new restrictions on the traditional Latin Mass, two American bishops spoke with EWTNs Raymond Arroyo Thursday about how their dioceses have responded. Pope Francis Inexhaustible Font of Words: 10 Gems From the Heart Over 10 Years, Pope Francis, Biden Commend Peacemaker Bishop OConnell as Memorial Services Begin. Does a barbarian benefit from the fast movement ability while wearing medium armor? . 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. Why did the demon-possessed Gadarene bow down before Jesus? It is mentioned in some ancient manuscripts of the . The people of Gerasenes were willing to live with the devils they knew - quite literally. December 2015 Then the Livestock Association and consumer groups would have been greatly distressed over the sudden decrease in the pig population and the resulting impact on pork prices. And the people went out to see what happened; and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting down at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they became frightened. Have we stepped back, in effect asking Jesus to leave us alone, only to discover, as a Gentleman, He did? to sign up for our free Water Of The Word newsletter at the top of any page! 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. It was like being attacked by two Hulks. They probably thought of quickly getting aboard ship and pushing off. ESV - The people were more terrified of Jesus and His authority than they were of this crazed and demonized man living among the tombs. And the people there were scared, they recognised this, but more, they realised the significance of this. The before and after descriptions of the demoniac reveal that he was a totally different person under demonic influence. In the form of tongues as of fire, the Holy Spirit rests on the disciples on the morning of Pentecost and fills them with himself. (CCC 696). And, it can not be understood properly out of this context. (London: InterVarsity Fellowship, 1950), fn. 14ff. 8; Mark vi. No matter who you are. The Secret behind Jesus Healing the Gerasene Demoniac December 2022 These men were a danger to themselves and others. Acts 16:16), while others were the virtual pawns of these spirits, losing their own identity and autonomy. Read the Scripture: Mark 4:35 - 5:20. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. The demoniac was uncontrollable by any of the normal means of human confinement. 1) He Exposes Evil (v 28-30) . This suggests that whoever was the customer for the swineherder in the "region of the Gerasenes", it was not the Roman army to any significant extent. It had nothing to do the farmers losing revenue - at all. This supposition would be further confirmed, if the evening when Jesus embarked was what the Jews were wont to call the first evening, that is, the time when the sun was declining in the heaven, but before it had actually set, the latter time being the second evening. For it seems most unlikely that multitudes would have resorted to Jesus at Capernaum after the second evening, or that either the disciples or other boats would have put to sea after nightfall. His greatest impact would be on those who knew his former state. The passage in Daniel especially suggests specific geographical boundaries within which spirit beings must abide. It should also be observed that nowhere in the Old Testament (except in I Sam. 3); they are reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day (Jude 6); and what the unclean spirits deprecate here, is the bringing in, by anticipation, of that final doom. R. C. Trench, Notes on the Miracles of Our Lord (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1949), p. 100. 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. February 2021 And they were afraid. "Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear." (Luke 8:37a) Fear plagues us. February 2015 There seems to be no excuse here for the charge of contradiction. As has been said before, look for Satans man behind the pulpit. I think that this story is a little bit of an Easter story. (4) Our Lord did not command the demons to enter into the pigs and bring about their destruction; He only permitted it.124. and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. It is even possible that his request was to become one of our Lords disciples.125. He was received into the Catholic Church in 1991. 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. The subject of demons and demon possession has always seemed somewhat remote and academic to sophisticated 20th century Americans. DEUT 32:8 When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind, he fixed the borders of the peoples, according to the number of the sons of God. The confrontation of Jesus and the Gerasene demoniac made it clear that Jesus was no servant of Satan. The most likely answer is to the country of the Gerasenes: i.e., Gerasa, a Greek town thought to be the same as the similarly-named Kersa on the east shore of Lake Tiberias. 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. 10). The fear of the unknown, the uncontrollableof change. Although the manifestations of demonization vary widely, this man115 evidenced several of the classic symptoms. For more information, please see our (3) Spiritual insight. The Gerasenes were the people of the district of which Gerasa was the capital. Some of the proposed answers to this question are totally unacceptable to an orthodox, evangelical Christian.123 By way of explanation, there are several factors which should be given serious consideration. 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. Mark 5:16 says the thoughts of the people were on the swine. 127 The view of Greek philosophy was that these were the spirits of those who lived in the Golden Age. Jesus asked Mary why she was crying at the grave site. vi. July 2016 Who Was Afraid Of Jesus And Why? May 2017 First of all the Scriptures do not say that the local Pagans were afraid of Jesus, but that they merely begged him to leave their neighbourhood. Acts 5:1-6). Bob was born and raised in a Christian home i More, The Net Pastors Journal, Eng. November 2022 Whereas he had been a slave, he was now delivered from demon possession. Why Darth Sidious Was AFRAID of General Grievous - YouTube They became as afraid of Jesus as the demons 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. The Man Jesus Renamed | Reformed Theological Seminary Most people confessed to having the fear of things not working out, an inability to trust and others said they . The region and polygon don't match. Only 30 of 175 dioceses ordained an average number of priests at or above replacement level over the five years from 2016 to 2021, according to the report. When Jesus asked his name the man answered, Legion, for we are many (Mark 5:9). So, they asked Him to leave. March 2017 August 2021 This incident in the Gerasenes requires some entry understanding. Perhaps they clenched their fists or picked up driftwood with which to defend themselves. 113 According to the Talmud there were four characteristics of madness: walking abroad at night; spending the night on a grave; tearing ones clothes and destroying what one was given. 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! 122 Quoted by Alfred Plummer, The Gospel According to Saint Luke, (Edinburg: T. and T. Clark, 5th ed., 1969): p. 228. verse 5). And, yes, Dana did just read us something about a man possessed by a whole bunch of demons that later go and possess a bunch of hogs. Jesus heals the Gerasene demoniac in Luke 8 | Psephizo Who was afraid of Jesus and why? October 2020 They found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus' feet, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. He brought up the story of Jesus casting out demons and sending them into pigs, which promptly ran over a cliff into the sea. It only takes a minute to sign up. Why were the Romans afraid of the Christians? - Sage-Answers The occult and every front for demonic influence and activity should be avoided like the plague. There is no conflict, however, for Mark and Luke have apparently focused their attention on the most striking of the two. Their influence and control leads to untold agony and destruction. This makes sense, I couldn't believe they asked Jesus to leave. Events that are important to our Church Community, Mark 5:1-20 Jesus Heals the Gerasene Demoniac. No! Luke 8:37 Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked According to another theory, the Chapati movement of 1857 was an attempt to prevent a cholera outbreak in central India. Like the Samaritans who followed the woman at the well to see this One who had told her all she had done, so these residents came to see for themselves what had happened. She is a graduate of the Divinity School at Wake Forest University and Chicago Theological Seminary. October 2018 The price tag of possession was high, for those who fell victim to the demons agonized in constant torment. Subscriber Service CenterAlready a subscriber? By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. ), you also need to understand the significance of this - to the people in Gerasene. How many demons possessed the man in Mark 5:6? You will receive a monthly newsletter with Scriptural teaching plus notifications of any new articles, courses or books. 5. 8ff.). The religious rulers hated Jesus for exposing their hypocrisy and feared the consequences His actions might have with Rome, but they were not afraid of Jesus as a Person. The people were gentiles who had not yet any interest in the Messiah. Its ruins include two amphitheaters, a basilica, temple, a hippodrome, aqueducts and colonnades, showing its importance and stature. People who have no appr In fact the region was known as the Gadarenes-Gerasenes region. This was surely not so in every case, and perhaps in none. 112 Skeptics and liberals have made much of the differences between the Gospel writers as to the place Jesus landed with His disciples. Luke seems to base this fear solely upon what happened to the demoniac, not on the loss of their pigs. Matthew is habitually more oriented to a Jewish readership, and so he refers to Gadarenes because Gadara was the most important Jewish city in the area. They greatly desire to enter and control a physical body, whereby they may reflect their character and attributes. This man demonstrated all four characteristics. Lane, Mark, p. 182, fn. We're no longer publishing the comic strip 'Dilbert.' Here's why More from Medium Jameson Steward in. Bible scholar Gleason Archer (Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties) argues similarly, It is entirely possible that the political control of this region was centered in Gadara as the capital city. August 2015 Did Jesus command the demon before he fell on his knees in Mark 5:6? Paul says of the former life of the Christian, And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience (Ephesians 1:1-2). June 2017 May 2022 9. Understand the meaning of Luke 8:37 using all available Bible versions and commentary. There is, as we know, the world, the flesh, and the Devil. Sometime after the Lord Jesus miraculously calmed the storm, the ship landed, perhaps late in the evening,111 on the other side of the lake in the country of the Gerasenes.112 If, indeed, it was late at night, the scene must have been an eerie one, with the nerves of the disciples already worn thin by the terrifying experience of the storm. But as Gergesa was a small village, and little known, the evangelists, who wrote for more distant readers, spoke of the event as taking place in the country of the Gadarenes, so named from its largest city, Gadara; and this country included the country of the Gergesenes as a state includes a county. Ananias and Sapphira did so by allowing their greed to grip their hearts (cf. It is very appropriate that these two incidents . 2). People who have no appr Fallen people reject God not because they do not know His power. You can flip a coin hoping for heads, but you know that tails is a very real probability. Evil is self-defeating in the end. print and digital media outlets, dedicated to reporting the truth in light of the Gospel and the All Scripture agrees with this, that the judgment of the angels is yet to come (1 Cor. This is probably the Gerasa of Mark and Luke. It is not difficult to imagine what was going through the minds of the disciples as their ship landed and as these two demon possessed men rushed to them. 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 . 37 Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear (Luke 8:35-37). When you get a chance, please take the, We've added a "Necessary cookies only" option to the cookie consent popup. (4) Super-human strength. Jude 6), no longer to afflict men or resist God. What did Jesus do? The typical explanation for the petition of the residents that Christ leave their country is that they were motivated by materialistic considerations. Immediately, as this weary group disembarked from the ship, they were met by what appeared to be a madman. 1, pp. June 2021 Gadara, though not directly named in Scripture, was part of the Decapolis. September 2022 Should TikTok be banned? Your guide to understanding why the platform They valued their pigs more than they valued salvation. Just imagine, a man in a cinema, having bought popcorn and cola and watching an action movie, with a lot of violence and harsh language in it, and then he sees suddenly that a saintly bishop is sitting just next to his seat, not watching the movie, but reading silently psalms with a countenance radiating a deep contemplation; will not the first man be upset and lose all pleasure of watching the movie? xvii. January 2015 3 When the centurion 2 heard about Jesus, c he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his . Paul tells us that our struggle is, at bottom, a spiritual one (Ephesians 6:12). 116 As Lane observes this title Son of the Most High God, is not a messianic designation but a divine one. Lane, Mark, p. 133, cf. Daniel 10:13; Ephesians 6:12), whose leader and prince is Satan (Matthew 12:24). The religious rulers hated Jesus for exposing their hypocrisy and feared the consequences His actions might have with Rome, but they were not afraid of Jesus as a Person. (2) Anti-social behavior. You can like Jesus for two different reasons. Who do you care more about, people or pigs? Note: 'had the legion', i.e., the many unclean spirits inhabiting him. Why did the Gerasenes become afraid when they saw that the - Reddit and our When our Lord confronted the demons, they had to submit to His power and authority. . Then the SPCA would have been up in arms over such cruelty to animals. Why did Jesus allow the demons to enter the herd of pigs? November 2015 4 Reasons Jesus Cast Demons Into a Herd of Pigs One is to disbelieve in their existence. In contrast, the people of Gerasene are asking him to leave their place. Dr. Thomson discovered on the eastern shore the ruins of a village called Khersa. The Gadarenes' Rejection | Reformed Bible Studies & Devotionals at That would be a strong message, by allowing them to be possessed and then drowned. 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. Afraid of Jesus? | Sermons | College Park Church 4, p. 102. They would have to trust Jesus. COMMENTARY: Atheism is generally the expression of a moral attitude more than a real intellectual conviction based on evidence thought through. 184-185. Embedded into both stories are people who were afraid of Jesus.