And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.
As Jesus was stepping into the boat to leave Gergesa at the bidding of the people, the restored men stayed close to Him, knelt at His feet, and begged to go with Him. They longed to remain near Him, to listen to Him and be taught His truth, because in His presence they felt safe from the demons that had tormented them. Jesus refused their request and instead gave them a work to do, directing them to return to their homes, households, and friends in that heathen land and tell what great things God had done for them. Though they had been with Him only briefly and had not heard one of His sermons, they obeyed at once and proclaimed their freedom and His power to save throughout Decapolis, enlightening their households and neighbors. In this He did not leave the people to the darkness they chose in sending Him away, but sent the light to them again by those to whom they would listen, so that the working of evil was overruled for good and a door was opened for the gospel until thousands flocked to Him on His return.
Setting and Plea
The crossing belongs to the eastern shore of Gennesaret, a sparsely settled and predominantly non-Jewish region where Jesus sought seclusion. Near Gadara two men had been living in caves and tombs beside the road, and their violent condition had made the route nearly impassable.
The request was made as Jesus was entering the boat to depart from Gergesa at the bidding of the people after they asked Him to leave. The restored men stayed close to Him, knelt at His feet, and begged to accompany Him and go with Him. Both of the healed men pleaded in this way to remain with Him rather than be left behind.
The freed man longed to remain with Jesus and stay near Him, to listen to Him and be taught His truth. In His presence he felt safe from the demons that had tormented him and wasted his manhood. He knelt and asked to stay with his Deliverer because that nearness guarded him from the spirits that had afflicted him. The men wanted to accompany Him and continue listening to His words.
Coming to Jesus is the beginning of rest and eternal life. Walking with Him brings His love and presence now, while joy and closeness to God continue to deepen in heaven.
Commission and Witness
Jesus refused the request to go with Him and instead gave the men a work to do, directing them to return home to their friends, household, and community in a heathen home and tell what great things God had done for them. As soon as the path of duty was pointed out they obeyed it, though separation from their Benefactor at that early stage was a trial. Contact with their countrymen would be difficult, and their long isolation from society seemed to disqualify them for the work.
Though Jesus Himself departed, the delivered men remained in the region as witnesses to His power to declare the mercy of their Benefactor. They served by carrying the good news of Christ's saving power to others. They enlightened their households and neighbors, and their testimony helped the people of the region learn about Jesus and His saving power. They proclaimed His power to save and their freedom from the demons throughout Decapolis among the Gentiles.
Though they had listened to Him only briefly and had not heard one of His sermons, their experience shows that hearts touched by God's grace can tell what they have seen, heard, and felt of Christ's power. People once degraded as mediums of the prince of darkness and instruments of Satan can be transformed into channels of light and messengers of righteousness and of the Son of God. In sending them, Jesus did not leave the people to the darkness they chose when they sent Him away without hearing His words and in ignorance of what they were rejecting, but sent the light to them again by those to whom they would listen. Satan caused the destruction of the swine to turn the people from the Saviour and prevent the preaching of the gospel in that region, but that very occurrence roused the whole country as nothing else could have done and directed attention to Christ. A door was opened to the gospel throughout that region, so that when Jesus returned to Decapolis thousands from all the surrounding region flocked about Him and heard the message of salvation for three days, showing that even the power of demons is under the Saviour's control and the working of evil is overruled for good. The account warns that people can reject Christ and turn His Spirit from their hearts when they fear losing worldly interests; unlike the Gadarenes they may not send Jesus away in person, but they can refuse to follow His teachings.
As Jesus was stepping into the boat to leave Gergesa at the bidding of the people, the restored men stayed close to Him, knelt at His feet, and begged to go with Him. They longed to remain near Him, to listen to Him and be taught His truth, because in His presence they felt safe from the demons that had tormented them. Jesus refused their request and instead gave them a work to do, directing them to return to their homes, households, and friends in that heathen land and tell what great things God had done for them. Though they had been with Him only briefly and had not heard one of His sermons, they obeyed at once and proclaimed their freedom and His power to save throughout Decapolis, enlightening their households and neighbors. In this He did not leave the people to the darkness they chose in sending Him away, but sent the light to them again by those to whom they would listen, so that the working of evil was overruled for good and a door was opened for the gospel until thousands flocked to Him on His return.
Setting and Plea
The crossing belongs to the eastern shore of Gennesaret, a sparsely settled and predominantly non-Jewish region where Jesus sought seclusion. Near Gadara two men had been living in caves and tombs beside the road, and their violent condition had made the route nearly impassable.
The request was made as Jesus was entering the boat to depart from Gergesa at the bidding of the people after they asked Him to leave. The restored men stayed close to Him, knelt at His feet, and begged to accompany Him and go with Him. Both of the healed men pleaded in this way to remain with Him rather than be left behind.
The freed man longed to remain with Jesus and stay near Him, to listen to Him and be taught His truth. In His presence he felt safe from the demons that had tormented him and wasted his manhood. He knelt and asked to stay with his Deliverer because that nearness guarded him from the spirits that had afflicted him. The men wanted to accompany Him and continue listening to His words.
Coming to Jesus is the beginning of rest and eternal life. Walking with Him brings His love and presence now, while joy and closeness to God continue to deepen in heaven.
Commission and Witness
Jesus refused the request to go with Him and instead gave the men a work to do, directing them to return home to their friends, household, and community in a heathen home and tell what great things God had done for them. As soon as the path of duty was pointed out they obeyed it, though separation from their Benefactor at that early stage was a trial. Contact with their countrymen would be difficult, and their long isolation from society seemed to disqualify them for the work.
Though Jesus Himself departed, the delivered men remained in the region as witnesses to His power to declare the mercy of their Benefactor. They served by carrying the good news of Christ's saving power to others. They enlightened their households and neighbors, and their testimony helped the people of the region learn about Jesus and His saving power. They proclaimed His power to save and their freedom from the demons throughout Decapolis among the Gentiles.
Though they had listened to Him only briefly and had not heard one of His sermons, their experience shows that hearts touched by God's grace can tell what they have seen, heard, and felt of Christ's power. People once degraded as mediums of the prince of darkness and instruments of Satan can be transformed into channels of light and messengers of righteousness and of the Son of God. In sending them, Jesus did not leave the people to the darkness they chose when they sent Him away without hearing His words and in ignorance of what they were rejecting, but sent the light to them again by those to whom they would listen. Satan caused the destruction of the swine to turn the people from the Saviour and prevent the preaching of the gospel in that region, but that very occurrence roused the whole country as nothing else could have done and directed attention to Christ. A door was opened to the gospel throughout that region, so that when Jesus returned to Decapolis thousands from all the surrounding region flocked about Him and heard the message of salvation for three days, showing that even the power of demons is under the Saviour's control and the working of evil is overruled for good. The account warns that people can reject Christ and turn His Spirit from their hearts when they fear losing worldly interests; unlike the Gadarenes they may not send Jesus away in person, but they can refuse to follow His teachings.