why were the gerasenes afraid

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). Why is that. Second (and primarily), Mark employs this event to authenticate the claims of Jesus to be the Son of God and Israels Messiah. Such was the case with this man (cf. This is probably the Gerasa of Mark and Luke. 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. The before and after descriptions of the demoniac reveal that he was a totally different person under demonic influence. The exorcism of the Gerasene demoniac (Matthew 8.28-34; Mark 5.1-20; Luke 8.26-39), frequently known as the Miracle of the (Gadarene) Swine and the exorcism of Legion, is one of the miracles performed by Jesus according to the New Testament. Can devils entreat in such a manner any highest of angels, be he Michael, Gabriel or Raphael, or any greatest cherub or seraph? Jesus had just performed an incredible miracleand one they desperately needed, at that! February 2021 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. 115 While Mark and Luke describe only one demoniac, Matthew informs us that there were two. Ouija boards are found in many American homes. A Jewish exorcist with such authority in the region, risked to damage the beliefs and reputation of the local pagan inhabitants. Matthew 12:43-45). But from all of the Gospel accounts, I get the distinct impression that this mans eyes were riveted on Jesus. Stack Exchange network consists of 181 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. 17, pp. The subject of demons and demon possession has always seemed somewhat remote and academic to sophisticated 20th century Americans. But the distance is so short that, even making allowance for the delay by the tempest, the passage could scarcely have occupied the whole night. 125 This is the position of Lane, Mark, p. 187. March 2015 What sort of strategies would a medieval military use against a fantasy giant? Also, the wholesale slaughter of these pigs dramatically illustrated the destructive purposes of the demons. 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. NET Bible Then all the people of the Gerasenes and the surrounding region asked Jesus to leave them alone, for they were seized with great fear. Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood. (6) Tendency towards self-destruction. To understand this event, you need consider the incident at Babel, and Deuteronomy. The spread of cholera was linked to the movements of . 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. Neither is it only a kind of physical disease, although spiritual and physical disease often accompany it (e.g. Why was Jesus going to walk past the disciples as they were rowing on the Sea of Galilee? That is why the inhabitants of the area are referred to variously in different Bible manuscripts as Gergasenes, Gadarenes, or Gerasenes. 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. . Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. xiii. For those who are shaken like leaves in the wind at the mention of demons, let us remember from this story that demons cannot even possess pigs without prior permission from our Lord. This was a region east of the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River. Some appeared not to be oppressed by them so much as exploiting their powers (cf. Lets face it, we all like to be in control. It is noteworthy that it is distinguished (especially in the Gospel of the physician, Luke) from cases of ordinary sickness, insanity (lunacy), leprosy, blindness, lameness, deafness and other natural defects and diseases (cf. Why did Jesus allow the legion of demons to stay in the area when they begged him? 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. 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. Was there some sort of unwritten rule that Darrow (or any non-Bellona) was supposed to throw the fight? 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 2020 verse 5). Why did Jesus allow the demons to enter the herd of pigs? . 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. There was no such danger in Perea, and thus the mercy of the Lord was to be heralded. It had nothing to do the farmers losing revenue - at all. EIN 27-4581132 Similar to the storm we see in the book of Job that killed Jobs sons - and Satan was the instigator of that as well. 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. When our Lord confronted the demons, they had to submit to His power and authority. 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). This man demonstrated all four characteristics. Lane, Mark, p. 182, fn. First of all, the EPA would have been investigating the pollution of Lake Galilee with decaying pigs. At first we may deceive ourselves into thinking that we are controlling them, but the ultimate likelihood is that they will master us. Others are absolutely controlled (hooked) by the drug and totally dependent upon it. 21,22). December 2016 Dave Armstrong Dave Armstrong is a full-time Catholic author and apologist, who has been actively proclaiming and defending Christianity since 1981. Like it or not, demons and demonic activity are likely to become much more of a concern to you in days to come. For more information about Glenn Davis see our About Glenn page and/or his Author's Page. Putting all of these factors together the term demon-possessed inplies too much. 8ff.). 61-62. But, the pigs were a part of their economic wealth. And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another . Or they are too afraid of what the change might bring. Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. No matter what men attempted to bind him with, he broke loose. Such an entreaty can be addressed by them to only God. Order Bulk SubscriptionsGet a discount on 6 or more copies sent to your parish, organization Why did Jesus not allow demons to proclaim his name, Archaeological or Historical Support for the Gerasene Pigs. There is no conflict, however, for Mark and Luke have apparently focused their attention on the most striking of the two. 1) He Exposes Evil (v 28-30) . February 2022 Why were the people of Gerasene afraid of the presence of Jesus? Demon possession, such as that of the Gerasene demoniac is the crudest and cruelest form of Satanic control, but by and large also one of the less common manifestations of Satans work in the world today. 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. This request was granted and the entire herd rushed headlong to their own destruction. So he got into the boat and left. Mark and Luke, on the other hand, write to more general audiences, and Gerasa was the main Greek-Roman city of the area. Does a barbarian benefit from the fast movement ability while wearing medium armor? (3) Spiritual insight. They have three sons and a daughter (all homeschooled) and reside in southeast Michigan. Men and women (as well as children) were demonized in that they fell under the influence of these unclean spirits. He said he had come to the house of Israel, not to the gentiles. Understand the meaning of Luke 8:37 using all available Bible versions and commentary. Mark 5:1And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. The demoniac further evidenced demon activity by the depth of his spiritual insight. April 2018 Where did the demons go after they went into the pigs and caused them to jump to their death. The miracle referred to took place, without doubt, near the town of Gergesa, the modern Kersa, close by the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, and hence in the country of Gergesenes. Sign up for 6 Free IssuesTry us out with a free trial subscription. 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. When you get a chance, please take the, We've added a "Necessary cookies only" option to the cookie consent popup. The Lord refused this request and commissioned this delivered man to return to his own people and declare to them what God had done for him. They were content where they were. A land that was essentially under another god (lower case g). Why were the Romans afraid of the Christians? He was received into the Catholic Church in 1991. In both the accounts of Mark and Luke, the primary motivation is described as that of fear. Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023, Highlights in the Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. The confrontation of Jesus and the Gerasene demoniac made it clear that Jesus was no servant of Satan. They valued their pigs more than they valued salvation. It was greatly influenced by Greek culture.126. When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met Him a man from the city who had demons. October 2015 But about a mile further south there is a fairly steep slope within forty yards from the shore, and about two miles from there cavern tombs are found which appear to have been used for dwellings. William L. Lane, The Gospel According to Mark (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1974), p.181. Preisker, TWNT IV (1942), pp. As an alternative to confinement, the demons posed the option of being permitted to enter the pigs, some 2,000 in number, feeding nearby. Is there any archaeological evidence for Joshua entering Israel and conquering cities in the late Bronze Age and early Iron Age? And, Gerasene was one. Paul tells us that our struggle is, at bottom, a spiritual one (Ephesians 6:12). To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers. In contrast, the people of Gerasene are asking him to leave their place. January 2018 Such seems to be a similar case with Judas (John 13:1-2). Life with him would be heaven on earth. Jude 6), no longer to afflict men or resist God. Small sins lead to big sins, and big sins bring about a terrible spiritual darkness. If an Israelite, why was he in Gerasene in the first place and why was he living so near a large herd of swine? January 2016 Where it falls apart for me is why the Bellonas, knowing that only one person is allowed to survive each duel, take the defeat so personally. Second, while the death of the pigs is clearly an economic loss for the owner, Jesus is illustrating the infinite value of human life. That the unclean spirits were personal beings is evident from what is related about their leaving a possessed person, talking or crying out, possessing knowledge concerning Jesus, as well as other supernatural knowledgeshowing fear, and the like. 4, p. 180. The nearby townspeople, upon hearing of the great miracle (and not wanting to suffer further economic loss), begged Christ to leave the Gadarenes and never come back! Rev. 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). 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.

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