Jesus Lands on the Shore of the GadarenesBible World
5:1Mark 5:1
And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.
They came by boat across the lake to its eastern or far shore, landing early in the morning in the country of the Gadarenes in a comparatively desolate and largely non-Jewish region offering seclusion. As they stepped onto the beach they were met by two violently distressed demon-possessed men living among the tombs, who spurned restraint, raged and cried out, injured themselves and endangered others. At the word and command of Jesus the controlling demons, a great organized company called Legion, left their victims calm, intelligent and restored, and by His permission entered a herd of swine and drove them into the sea. He allowed this that the disciples might witness Satan's cruel power upon man and beast and know the foe they must meet, and that the region might behold His authority to break Satan's bondage and release captives. Though the people valued property above deliverance and asked Him to depart, He sent the restored men home as the first missionaries to Decapolis, and through them opened the door so that when He later returned thousands flocked to hear salvation for three days.
Place and Arrival
They came over the lake to the far, eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, into the country of the Gadarenes. The landing was on the eastern side in the territory of Gadara, with the boat driven toward the southern end of the lake. That shore belonged to Gadara, a largely non-Jewish city set on high ground above the water, and the path from the landing led toward caves and tombs. The place is also called Gergesa and lies in the region of Decapolis.
The district had scattered towns but was desolate compared with the western shore, mostly heathen rather than Jewish, and had little contact with Galilee. For that reason it offered a place of seclusion. The crossing was made to seek solitude after a day of teaching and healing. People in other boats followed across with them.
The passage was stormy, and the landing came early in the morning with the disciples and the companions who had crossed with them. As they stepped onto the beach they were met by two demon-possessed men living among the tombs. The men appeared violently distressed and were dangerous. Their deliverance there would show authority over storm and demons.
Power Over Evil
The men who met Jesus there spurned all restraint, writhing and foaming and raging, crying out, injuring themselves and endangering others, with bleeding bodies and distracted minds that delighted the prince of darkness. The demons controlling them belonged to a single organized company called Legion, numbering no fewer than a legion, for a Roman legion holds three to five thousand men, showing their great number and power and malignity. Satan works through many evil angels, and their cruel and destructive purpose toward both people and animals is laid bare here, for human wisdom and power alone cannot overcome them.
At the word and command of Jesus the demons left and the madness left, and the victims sat calmly at His feet, subdued and intelligent and gentle, restored, worshiping Him and praising God. Jesus permitted the demons to enter a herd of swine and drive them into the sea, while only His restraining power preserved the keepers and owners, who otherwise would have been plunged in with them. He allowed this so the disciples would witness Satan's cruel power upon both man and beast, know the foe they must meet, and not be deceived and overcome, and so the region would behold His power to break Satan's bondage and release captives, showing His authority over storm and demons.
He allowed the destruction of the swine as a rebuke to Jews raising unclean beasts for gain, and even demonic power remains under the Saviour's control so that the working of evil is overruled for good. Satan designed the loss to blame Jesus, stir selfish fear, turn the people from His blessing, and stop them from hearing Him, just as he constantly blames Christians for the loss and misfortune and suffering that belong to himself and his agents.
Rejection and Witness
The healing brought Jesus before the notice of the people and displayed His mercy and power, yet they prized property above the deliverance and feared further financial loss. They treated Him as an unwelcome visitor and in ignorance asked Him to depart without having heard His words. He therefore departed by ship and crossed back to the other side. The healing of Jairus' daughter took place after His return from there.
The restored men desired to remain with Him, but He sent them home to their households and countrymen to tell what God had done for them. They obeyed and remained as witnesses to His power. They were changed from mediums of the prince of darkness into channels of light and messengers of the Son of God, proclaiming throughout Decapolis His power to save and their deliverance from demons. They became the first missionaries sent to teach the gospel there, obediently carrying to others the good news that Christ saves from Satan's bondage.
Satan caused the destruction of the swine to turn the people away from the Saviour and to prevent the preaching of the gospel there. But the event roused the whole country as nothing else could have done and directed attention to Christ. Their testimony powerfully convinced people in the region that He was the Son of God. Though Jesus Himself departed, He did not leave them to the darkness they chose but sent the light to them again by the healed demoniacs to whom they would listen, opening a door to the gospel throughout that region. When He later returned, thousands from all the surrounding region flocked to Him and heard the message of salvation for three days, drawn by the witness that had told throughout Decapolis what Jesus had done.
His power to heal and restore, by which at His word the demons left and madness left and the victims worshiped Him, brings hope to the sick and suffering. Christians should not lose hope or become discouraged by the activity of evil spirits, which human wisdom and power alone cannot overcome. The Gadarenes' choice warns that people still turn Jesus from their hearts when following His teachings appears to threaten or cost worldly interests, for they cannot serve both God and mammon. The account of a man fully possessed who tore and cut himself until Jesus cast the devils out shows the same possession when a person gives soul, body, and spirit to Satan to carry out a determined will to rule another in mind and body. That course makes married life a reign of terror and constant warfare, sacrificing manhood and integrity, and perverting and poisoning the mind against others.
They came by boat across the lake to its eastern or far shore, landing early in the morning in the country of the Gadarenes in a comparatively desolate and largely non-Jewish region offering seclusion. As they stepped onto the beach they were met by two violently distressed demon-possessed men living among the tombs, who spurned restraint, raged and cried out, injured themselves and endangered others. At the word and command of Jesus the controlling demons, a great organized company called Legion, left their victims calm, intelligent and restored, and by His permission entered a herd of swine and drove them into the sea. He allowed this that the disciples might witness Satan's cruel power upon man and beast and know the foe they must meet, and that the region might behold His authority to break Satan's bondage and release captives. Though the people valued property above deliverance and asked Him to depart, He sent the restored men home as the first missionaries to Decapolis, and through them opened the door so that when He later returned thousands flocked to hear salvation for three days.
Place and Arrival
They came over the lake to the far, eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, into the country of the Gadarenes. The landing was on the eastern side in the territory of Gadara, with the boat driven toward the southern end of the lake. That shore belonged to Gadara, a largely non-Jewish city set on high ground above the water, and the path from the landing led toward caves and tombs. The place is also called Gergesa and lies in the region of Decapolis.
The district had scattered towns but was desolate compared with the western shore, mostly heathen rather than Jewish, and had little contact with Galilee. For that reason it offered a place of seclusion. The crossing was made to seek solitude after a day of teaching and healing. People in other boats followed across with them.
The passage was stormy, and the landing came early in the morning with the disciples and the companions who had crossed with them. As they stepped onto the beach they were met by two demon-possessed men living among the tombs. The men appeared violently distressed and were dangerous. Their deliverance there would show authority over storm and demons.
Power Over Evil
The men who met Jesus there spurned all restraint, writhing and foaming and raging, crying out, injuring themselves and endangering others, with bleeding bodies and distracted minds that delighted the prince of darkness. The demons controlling them belonged to a single organized company called Legion, numbering no fewer than a legion, for a Roman legion holds three to five thousand men, showing their great number and power and malignity. Satan works through many evil angels, and their cruel and destructive purpose toward both people and animals is laid bare here, for human wisdom and power alone cannot overcome them.
At the word and command of Jesus the demons left and the madness left, and the victims sat calmly at His feet, subdued and intelligent and gentle, restored, worshiping Him and praising God. Jesus permitted the demons to enter a herd of swine and drive them into the sea, while only His restraining power preserved the keepers and owners, who otherwise would have been plunged in with them. He allowed this so the disciples would witness Satan's cruel power upon both man and beast, know the foe they must meet, and not be deceived and overcome, and so the region would behold His power to break Satan's bondage and release captives, showing His authority over storm and demons.
He allowed the destruction of the swine as a rebuke to Jews raising unclean beasts for gain, and even demonic power remains under the Saviour's control so that the working of evil is overruled for good. Satan designed the loss to blame Jesus, stir selfish fear, turn the people from His blessing, and stop them from hearing Him, just as he constantly blames Christians for the loss and misfortune and suffering that belong to himself and his agents.
Rejection and Witness
The healing brought Jesus before the notice of the people and displayed His mercy and power, yet they prized property above the deliverance and feared further financial loss. They treated Him as an unwelcome visitor and in ignorance asked Him to depart without having heard His words. He therefore departed by ship and crossed back to the other side. The healing of Jairus' daughter took place after His return from there.
The restored men desired to remain with Him, but He sent them home to their households and countrymen to tell what God had done for them. They obeyed and remained as witnesses to His power. They were changed from mediums of the prince of darkness into channels of light and messengers of the Son of God, proclaiming throughout Decapolis His power to save and their deliverance from demons. They became the first missionaries sent to teach the gospel there, obediently carrying to others the good news that Christ saves from Satan's bondage.
Satan caused the destruction of the swine to turn the people away from the Saviour and to prevent the preaching of the gospel there. But the event roused the whole country as nothing else could have done and directed attention to Christ. Their testimony powerfully convinced people in the region that He was the Son of God. Though Jesus Himself departed, He did not leave them to the darkness they chose but sent the light to them again by the healed demoniacs to whom they would listen, opening a door to the gospel throughout that region. When He later returned, thousands from all the surrounding region flocked to Him and heard the message of salvation for three days, drawn by the witness that had told throughout Decapolis what Jesus had done.
His power to heal and restore, by which at His word the demons left and madness left and the victims worshiped Him, brings hope to the sick and suffering. Christians should not lose hope or become discouraged by the activity of evil spirits, which human wisdom and power alone cannot overcome. The Gadarenes' choice warns that people still turn Jesus from their hearts when following His teachings appears to threaten or cost worldly interests, for they cannot serve both God and mammon. The account of a man fully possessed who tore and cut himself until Jesus cast the devils out shows the same possession when a person gives soul, body, and spirit to Satan to carry out a determined will to rule another in mind and body. That course makes married life a reign of terror and constant warfare, sacrificing manhood and integrity, and perverting and poisoning the mind against others.