Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:
The verse describes two demon-possessed men living among the tombs and graves in a desolate region, in caves beside the road where Jesus landed after stilling the tempest, whom no one could bind or restrain even with chains and bolts they had broken. They lived in wild isolation beyond human society, so violent and furious that they terrorized the community, rushed upon travelers, cut and bruised their own torn flesh with stones until they looked more like wild beasts than men, and made the road almost impassable. When they rushed to attack, the disciples fled in terror, but Jesus who had stilled the tempest did not flee, and with uplifted hand held them raging but helpless before Him. Their condition displays the cruel, destructive malignity of Satan controlling them as his mediums, and shows that human power alone cannot overcome evil spirits. With authority He bade the unclean spirits come out, freeing them from Satan's bondage to sit clothed, calm, sane and intelligent, and then sent these former terrors forth as His first missionaries to tell in Decapolis what great things the Lord had done for them.
Dwelling Among the Tombs
The dwelling described is among the tombs and graves in a desolate region, in caves beside the road from the lake to Gadara, on the shore where Jesus landed in the early morning after stilling the tempest. The account involves two demon-possessed men, not one alone. No one could bind or restrain them, not even with chains and bolts, for they had broken free from confinement and parts of the broken chains still hung about them, showing confinement had failed.
They lived in wild isolation beyond ordinary human society and were a terror to the community, so violent and furious that they rushed upon travelers, endangered anyone who came near, and made the road almost impassable. They rushed from hiding as if to tear Jesus and His companions in pieces, with glaring eyes and long matted hair, gnashing teeth and foaming at the mouth, cutting and bruising their torn and bleeding flesh with sharp stones and other missiles. The likeness of humanity was blotted out and they looked more like wild beasts than men, with severe suffering and loss of ordinary human appearance.
When they approached, the disciples fled in terror, but Jesus, who had stilled the tempest and conquered Satan before, did not flee. He raised the hand that had beckoned the waves to rest, they could come no nearer, and stood raging but helpless before Him. Their condition displayed the cruel, destructive power and malignity of the demons and of Satan controlling them as mediums of the prince of darkness and instruments of Satan, in a course most offensive to God. It shows that human power alone cannot overcome evil spirits, and the man is set forth as an example of demonic possession.
The healing of the demoniacs at Gadara was finished when Jesus returned, and His return from Gadara came just before Jairus came to ask Him to heal his dying daughter.
Deliverance and Gospel Witness
With authority He bade the unclean spirits come out of them, and His words penetrated their darkened minds so that they dimly realized One was near who could save them from the tormenting demons. They obeyed His word, their madness left them, and they worshiped Him.
Christ freed them from demonic bondage and Satan's power, leaving them clothed and sane after such violent affliction that no one could restrain them even with chains. They were restored to reason so they no longer needed bolts or chains and could sit calmly with Him, calm and intelligent and gentle. This deliverance shows His power and mercy to free those held in Satan's bondage and His control over even demonic power, with the working of evil overruled for good.
After healing, the men who had been a terror to their community became channels of light, witnesses to Christ's saving power and messengers of the gospel and of His truth in Decapolis and to heathen homes. Their changed lives helped convince people that Jesus was the Son of God, and through them light was sent again to people ignorant of what they were rejecting. The whole country was roused as nothing else could have roused it, attention was directed to Christ, and a door was opened to the gospel throughout that region. When Jesus returned, thousands from all the surrounding region flocked to Him and for three days heard the message of salvation.
Though their course had been most offensive to God and degraded into instruments of Satan, and though their long isolation seemed to leave them unfit to return to their neighbors, when they repented Christ freely accepted them and imparted His divine Spirit. They had listened to His words only a short time, had never heard one sermon from His lips, and could not instruct as the disciples who had been daily with Christ. Yet He sent them forth as the first missionaries to go throughout the region telling what they themselves had seen and heard and felt of the Saviour's power, how great things the Lord had done for them and had compassion on them. This proves the gospel a living force to change the life and that through grace even the worst may possess Christlikeness of character and be reinstated as sons and daughters of God. Their healing showed Jesus' power and mercy, but the people rejected Him because they feared financial loss. The man was fully possessed, tearing and cutting himself until Jesus cast the devils out, and the same full possession happens when a person gives soul, body and spirit to Satan in order to rule another person mind and body and carry out a determined will.
The verse describes two demon-possessed men living among the tombs and graves in a desolate region, in caves beside the road where Jesus landed after stilling the tempest, whom no one could bind or restrain even with chains and bolts they had broken. They lived in wild isolation beyond human society, so violent and furious that they terrorized the community, rushed upon travelers, cut and bruised their own torn flesh with stones until they looked more like wild beasts than men, and made the road almost impassable. When they rushed to attack, the disciples fled in terror, but Jesus who had stilled the tempest did not flee, and with uplifted hand held them raging but helpless before Him. Their condition displays the cruel, destructive malignity of Satan controlling them as his mediums, and shows that human power alone cannot overcome evil spirits. With authority He bade the unclean spirits come out, freeing them from Satan's bondage to sit clothed, calm, sane and intelligent, and then sent these former terrors forth as His first missionaries to tell in Decapolis what great things the Lord had done for them.
Dwelling Among the Tombs
The dwelling described is among the tombs and graves in a desolate region, in caves beside the road from the lake to Gadara, on the shore where Jesus landed in the early morning after stilling the tempest. The account involves two demon-possessed men, not one alone. No one could bind or restrain them, not even with chains and bolts, for they had broken free from confinement and parts of the broken chains still hung about them, showing confinement had failed.
They lived in wild isolation beyond ordinary human society and were a terror to the community, so violent and furious that they rushed upon travelers, endangered anyone who came near, and made the road almost impassable. They rushed from hiding as if to tear Jesus and His companions in pieces, with glaring eyes and long matted hair, gnashing teeth and foaming at the mouth, cutting and bruising their torn and bleeding flesh with sharp stones and other missiles. The likeness of humanity was blotted out and they looked more like wild beasts than men, with severe suffering and loss of ordinary human appearance.
When they approached, the disciples fled in terror, but Jesus, who had stilled the tempest and conquered Satan before, did not flee. He raised the hand that had beckoned the waves to rest, they could come no nearer, and stood raging but helpless before Him. Their condition displayed the cruel, destructive power and malignity of the demons and of Satan controlling them as mediums of the prince of darkness and instruments of Satan, in a course most offensive to God. It shows that human power alone cannot overcome evil spirits, and the man is set forth as an example of demonic possession.
The healing of the demoniacs at Gadara was finished when Jesus returned, and His return from Gadara came just before Jairus came to ask Him to heal his dying daughter.
Deliverance and Gospel Witness
With authority He bade the unclean spirits come out of them, and His words penetrated their darkened minds so that they dimly realized One was near who could save them from the tormenting demons. They obeyed His word, their madness left them, and they worshiped Him.
Christ freed them from demonic bondage and Satan's power, leaving them clothed and sane after such violent affliction that no one could restrain them even with chains. They were restored to reason so they no longer needed bolts or chains and could sit calmly with Him, calm and intelligent and gentle. This deliverance shows His power and mercy to free those held in Satan's bondage and His control over even demonic power, with the working of evil overruled for good.
After healing, the men who had been a terror to their community became channels of light, witnesses to Christ's saving power and messengers of the gospel and of His truth in Decapolis and to heathen homes. Their changed lives helped convince people that Jesus was the Son of God, and through them light was sent again to people ignorant of what they were rejecting. The whole country was roused as nothing else could have roused it, attention was directed to Christ, and a door was opened to the gospel throughout that region. When Jesus returned, thousands from all the surrounding region flocked to Him and for three days heard the message of salvation.
Though their course had been most offensive to God and degraded into instruments of Satan, and though their long isolation seemed to leave them unfit to return to their neighbors, when they repented Christ freely accepted them and imparted His divine Spirit. They had listened to His words only a short time, had never heard one sermon from His lips, and could not instruct as the disciples who had been daily with Christ. Yet He sent them forth as the first missionaries to go throughout the region telling what they themselves had seen and heard and felt of the Saviour's power, how great things the Lord had done for them and had compassion on them. This proves the gospel a living force to change the life and that through grace even the worst may possess Christlikeness of character and be reinstated as sons and daughters of God. Their healing showed Jesus' power and mercy, but the people rejected Him because they feared financial loss. The man was fully possessed, tearing and cutting himself until Jesus cast the devils out, and the same full possession happens when a person gives soul, body and spirit to Satan in order to rule another person mind and body and carry out a determined will.