But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,
When he caught sight of Jesus from a distance, the demon-possessed man ran to Him and fell down before Him in worship and reverence. Those who rushed toward Him were wretched maniacs under a legion of evil angels, spurning restraint, raging and foaming, wounding themselves and terrifying all who came near. Their running and falling at His feet was their own act, from minds darkened yet dimly sensing that One was near who could save them from torment, reaching out for mercy and deliverance even though demons then spoke through their mouths. At His authoritative command the unclean spirits came out, the madness left, and the men were left calm, intelligent and gentle, sitting at the Saviour's feet and listening to His instruction. The account stands as a striking proof of the number and malignity of evil spirits and of the supremacy, power and mercy of the Son of God over Satan, showing that even demonic power is under Christ's control.
Running to Worship Jesus
When he saw Jesus from afar off, the demon-possessed man ran to him and fell down before him in worship and reverence. The men ran to Jesus and worshiped him, recognizing that One was near who could save them from the tormenting spirits. Afterward they sat calmly at his feet, listened to his instruction, and praised God for deliverance, and their running to him stands at the start of that deliverance as a display of Christ's power and mercy in freeing those controlled by demons.
There were two men from the tombs who rushed at Jesus, but he did not flee and stood his ground. He raised the hand that had beckoned the waves to rest, the hand of the one who had stilled the tempest and conquered Satan, so they could come no nearer. They were halted a few feet away, gnashing, raging and foaming yet helpless before his calm authority, unable to come nearer.
Their running and falling at his feet to worship him was their own act, their own reaching out to entreat his mercy and deliverance. Their minds were darkened, yet his authoritative command for the unclean spirits to come out penetrated their darkened minds enough for them to dimly recognize that One was near who could save them from the demons tormenting them. When they opened their mouths and their lips to entreat him, the demons used them as mediums and spoke through them.
They were wretched maniacs tortured by a legion of evil angels, spurning all restraint, writhing, foaming, raging, filling the air with cries. They did violence to themselves and endangered all who approached, with bleeding and disfigured bodies and distracted minds. Their paralyzing madness left them when they obeyed Christ's word, showing the power of evil spirits over one person and then its breaking. Such a condition of bleeding disfigurement, distracted mind, and raging self-destruction was pleasing to and delighted the prince of darkness.
This meeting belongs to the healing of the demoniacs at Gadara among the Gadarenes, where power over the Prince of Darkness was shown in the restoration of the afflicted men. It took place just before Jesus returned across the sea to the place where Jairus met him.
Christ's Power and Mercy
The healing at Gadara is a striking example of the number, power, and malignity of evil spirits and of the supremacy, power, and mercy of the Son of God over Satan and the prince of darkness. It shows Christ supreme over Satan, with even the power of demons under His control. Christ's power and mercy free the sufferers from demonic bondage, making their running to Him from afar the beginning of their deliverance.
At His authoritative command for the unclean spirits to come out, which penetrated their darkened minds, the evil spirits departed at His word and the madness left. The men were left calmly sitting at the Saviour's feet, subdued, intelligent, gentle, and safe, listening to His instruction and praising God for their deliverance. They stayed at His feet, listened to His words, and wanted to remain near Him where they felt safe from the demons. This rest and deliverance brought through Jesus begins in this life and leads to eternal life, showing His power to break the bondage of Satan and release captives.
Jesus permitted the demons to sweep a herd of swine into the sea as a rebuke for raising unclean beasts for gain, and only His restraining power preserved the keepers and owners, whom the demons would otherwise have destroyed with the swine. The event was permitted so the disciples might 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 people might behold Christ's delivering power. Even the working of evil is thus overruled for good under the control of Christ. The same power had been shown in stilling the tempest on the sea, and the people saw both displays of His power.
Rejection and Witness
The people who saw the deliverance counted the loss of the swine above the blessing that had been given, fixing their minds on property and fearing further financial loss. They entreated Jesus to depart and drove Him away, showing how worldly interests and selfish fears lead men to reject His presence and grace. This fulfilled the design to cast the blame for the loss upon Jesus and to arouse selfish fear so as to stop their listening, yet His purposes were not thwarted.
Though He Himself departs from those who in ignorance reject what they are rejecting, the marvelously delivered men remained to declare the mercy of their Benefactor. That brief personal contact with His saving power qualified them to witness for Him. On repentance they were freely accepted, received His divine Spirit, and were transformed from mediums of the prince of darkness into channels of light and messengers of righteousness, reinstated as sons of God.
After being freed they sat calmly at the Saviour's feet, listened to His instruction, praised God for their deliverance, and wanted to remain near Him where they felt safe. Then in obedience they carried the good news through Decapolis, going to heathen homes and throughout the region declaring His power to save and how great things the Lord had done for them and had compassion on them. Though they had listened to His words only a short time and had never heard one sermon from His lips, and could not instruct as those daily with Christ could, they could tell what they knew, what they themselves had seen and heard and felt of the Saviour's power, presenting the gospel not as lifeless theory but as a living force to change the life.
They were sent forth as the first missionaries to teach the gospel in that region. By them light was sent again to those who would not listen to Christ directly, attention was directed to Christ throughout the country, and a door was opened to the gospel so that when He returned to Decapolis thousands flocked about Him to hear the message of salvation. This is the witness for which the Lord calls and for which all whose hearts have been touched by grace are called, bearing testimony that through His grace men may possess Christlikeness of character and rejoice in assurance of His great love, that He cannot be satisfied until all who will accept salvation are reclaimed, and that even the most offensive course does not bar mercy.
When he caught sight of Jesus from a distance, the demon-possessed man ran to Him and fell down before Him in worship and reverence. Those who rushed toward Him were wretched maniacs under a legion of evil angels, spurning restraint, raging and foaming, wounding themselves and terrifying all who came near. Their running and falling at His feet was their own act, from minds darkened yet dimly sensing that One was near who could save them from torment, reaching out for mercy and deliverance even though demons then spoke through their mouths. At His authoritative command the unclean spirits came out, the madness left, and the men were left calm, intelligent and gentle, sitting at the Saviour's feet and listening to His instruction. The account stands as a striking proof of the number and malignity of evil spirits and of the supremacy, power and mercy of the Son of God over Satan, showing that even demonic power is under Christ's control.
Running to Worship Jesus
When he saw Jesus from afar off, the demon-possessed man ran to him and fell down before him in worship and reverence. The men ran to Jesus and worshiped him, recognizing that One was near who could save them from the tormenting spirits. Afterward they sat calmly at his feet, listened to his instruction, and praised God for deliverance, and their running to him stands at the start of that deliverance as a display of Christ's power and mercy in freeing those controlled by demons.
There were two men from the tombs who rushed at Jesus, but he did not flee and stood his ground. He raised the hand that had beckoned the waves to rest, the hand of the one who had stilled the tempest and conquered Satan, so they could come no nearer. They were halted a few feet away, gnashing, raging and foaming yet helpless before his calm authority, unable to come nearer.
Their running and falling at his feet to worship him was their own act, their own reaching out to entreat his mercy and deliverance. Their minds were darkened, yet his authoritative command for the unclean spirits to come out penetrated their darkened minds enough for them to dimly recognize that One was near who could save them from the demons tormenting them. When they opened their mouths and their lips to entreat him, the demons used them as mediums and spoke through them.
They were wretched maniacs tortured by a legion of evil angels, spurning all restraint, writhing, foaming, raging, filling the air with cries. They did violence to themselves and endangered all who approached, with bleeding and disfigured bodies and distracted minds. Their paralyzing madness left them when they obeyed Christ's word, showing the power of evil spirits over one person and then its breaking. Such a condition of bleeding disfigurement, distracted mind, and raging self-destruction was pleasing to and delighted the prince of darkness.
This meeting belongs to the healing of the demoniacs at Gadara among the Gadarenes, where power over the Prince of Darkness was shown in the restoration of the afflicted men. It took place just before Jesus returned across the sea to the place where Jairus met him.
Christ's Power and Mercy
The healing at Gadara is a striking example of the number, power, and malignity of evil spirits and of the supremacy, power, and mercy of the Son of God over Satan and the prince of darkness. It shows Christ supreme over Satan, with even the power of demons under His control. Christ's power and mercy free the sufferers from demonic bondage, making their running to Him from afar the beginning of their deliverance.
At His authoritative command for the unclean spirits to come out, which penetrated their darkened minds, the evil spirits departed at His word and the madness left. The men were left calmly sitting at the Saviour's feet, subdued, intelligent, gentle, and safe, listening to His instruction and praising God for their deliverance. They stayed at His feet, listened to His words, and wanted to remain near Him where they felt safe from the demons. This rest and deliverance brought through Jesus begins in this life and leads to eternal life, showing His power to break the bondage of Satan and release captives.
Jesus permitted the demons to sweep a herd of swine into the sea as a rebuke for raising unclean beasts for gain, and only His restraining power preserved the keepers and owners, whom the demons would otherwise have destroyed with the swine. The event was permitted so the disciples might 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 people might behold Christ's delivering power. Even the working of evil is thus overruled for good under the control of Christ. The same power had been shown in stilling the tempest on the sea, and the people saw both displays of His power.
Rejection and Witness
The people who saw the deliverance counted the loss of the swine above the blessing that had been given, fixing their minds on property and fearing further financial loss. They entreated Jesus to depart and drove Him away, showing how worldly interests and selfish fears lead men to reject His presence and grace. This fulfilled the design to cast the blame for the loss upon Jesus and to arouse selfish fear so as to stop their listening, yet His purposes were not thwarted.
Though He Himself departs from those who in ignorance reject what they are rejecting, the marvelously delivered men remained to declare the mercy of their Benefactor. That brief personal contact with His saving power qualified them to witness for Him. On repentance they were freely accepted, received His divine Spirit, and were transformed from mediums of the prince of darkness into channels of light and messengers of righteousness, reinstated as sons of God.
After being freed they sat calmly at the Saviour's feet, listened to His instruction, praised God for their deliverance, and wanted to remain near Him where they felt safe. Then in obedience they carried the good news through Decapolis, going to heathen homes and throughout the region declaring His power to save and how great things the Lord had done for them and had compassion on them. Though they had listened to His words only a short time and had never heard one sermon from His lips, and could not instruct as those daily with Christ could, they could tell what they knew, what they themselves had seen and heard and felt of the Saviour's power, presenting the gospel not as lifeless theory but as a living force to change the life.
They were sent forth as the first missionaries to teach the gospel in that region. By them light was sent again to those who would not listen to Christ directly, attention was directed to Christ throughout the country, and a door was opened to the gospel so that when He returned to Decapolis thousands flocked about Him to hear the message of salvation. This is the witness for which the Lord calls and for which all whose hearts have been touched by grace are called, bearing testimony that through His grace men may possess Christlikeness of character and rejoice in assurance of His great love, that He cannot be satisfied until all who will accept salvation are reclaimed, and that even the most offensive course does not bar mercy.