And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.
When he was asked his name, the evil spirits themselves answered through the afflicted men that their collective name was Legion because many demons held control of the man. The name points to their great number and organized strength, as a Roman legion numbered several thousand men. The account lays bare the number, power and malignity of the demons as beyond all human help, and lays bare the supremacy of Christ, whose word alone forces them to leave and frees their victims. Those thus delivered were marvelously restored to right minds and made witnesses to his saving power throughout Decapolis. The same legion is the great host of fallen angels arrayed against humanity, yet through faith in him and his sacrifice those under Satan's power are given power to meet and conquer him.
Name and Setting
The reply gives the collective name of the possessing spirits as Legion because many demons controlled the man, or the two men. The name expresses their number, that they were many.
Legion illustrates their great number and organization, for a Roman legion numbered about three to five thousand men or soldiers. The demons were organized in companies and belonged to a numerous, organized host of Satan, and this company numbered at least a legion. Their number and malignity made the deliverance an example displaying both the demons' power and malignity and Christ's power and mercy.
When Jesus asked the name, the demons themselves answered through the afflicted men, using the men as mediums of communication to speak to and address Jesus. His question and the answer reveal the number of tormenting spirits from whom the men needed deliverance. The men fell down in worship, but when they opened their mouths the demons spoke through them.
The encounter took place on the eastern shore of Gennesaret in a comparatively desolate region with a largely non-Jewish population, identified as the account of the demoniacs of Gadara. The passage gives the setting for the encounter but does not explain the verse's words or the name Legion beyond that setting. The healing at Gadara took place just before Jesus returned across the sea, where Jairus met him to plead for his dying daughter.
The word for the many demons also designates the many varieties of scrofula, a disease whose name comes from the Latin word for a breeding sow.
Christ Overcomes the Demons
Jesus met the two raging men with calm authority, raising His hand and commanding the unclean spirits to come out so that they could come no nearer. His words pierced their darkened minds enough for them dimly to know that One near could save them from torment.
With authority He questioned the unclean spirits, and the men fell down in worship, but when they opened their mouths the demons spoke through them. The demons begged not to be sent away out of the country or region, but to be allowed to enter a great herd of swine feeding not far distant on a mountainside, which He permitted.
By His word and authority He forced the evil spirits to leave their victims and freed them from demonic power and madness, and the victims obeyed and worshiped Him. Immediately panic seized the herd and they rushed madly down the steep place or cliff into the sea or lake and perished in drowning. The delivered men were marvelously changed and restored to their right minds, with light dawning and shining into their minds, eyes beaming with intelligence and beaming intelligent eyes, countenances changed from a satanic image to mildness, hands become quiet, glad voices praising God for deliverance, and a desire to seek safety near Jesus.
The account displays the number, power and malignity of the demons, which was beyond the reach of human wisdom or strength alone, and displays Christ's power and mercy and supremacy, in which the Prince of Light by His word overcomes the Prince of Darkness and even demonic power remains under the Saviour's control. The destruction of the swine was caused by Satan to turn the people away from the Saviour and prevent preaching in that region, and the people rejected Him from fear of financial loss, so Christ departed when rejected in ignorance; yet the event roused the whole country as nothing else could have done and directed attention to Christ, showing that the working of evil is overruled for good.
The legion is the large host of fallen or satanic angels arrayed against humanity, who take control of a person with their own spirit and take possession of humanity through the working and growth of sin under Satan as prince of this world and prince of the power of the air. Through faith in Him and through the grace of God and His wonderful sacrifice by which the prince of this world is cast out, people under Satan's power are given power against this host of fallen angels, so that a mightier power meets and conquers Satan and men and women can regain what was lost, live as Christ lived with all the help He had, and be more than conquerors in conflict with Satan.
Witnesses and Warnings
Christ freed the men who had been under the power of many demons and made them witnesses to His saving power. They praised the Lord and served by carrying to others the good news that He can save from Satan's bondage. They went throughout Decapolis declaring His power to save. They had been degraded into instruments of Satan and mediums of darkness whose course was most offensive to God. Through Christ's power they were transformed into messengers of righteousness and channels of light, the first missionaries sent to teach the gospel in the region of Decapolis.
They had listened to His words only a short time and no sermon from His lips had ever fallen on their ears, so they could not instruct as those who had been daily with Christ could. But they could tell what they knew and what they themselves had seen and heard and felt of the Saviour's power. They were sent forth into the camp of the disloyal to proclaim His mercy and to tell how great things the Lord had done for them and had compassion on them. Christ did not leave the people to darkness but sent the light again through the healed men, to whom they would listen. Through them a door was opened to the gospel throughout that region, so that when He returned to Decapolis thousands from all the surrounding country flocked about Him and for three days heard the message of salvation.
Their change shows that everyone whose heart has been touched by the grace of God can give this witness. Such witness presents the gospel not as lifeless theory but as a living force to change the life. It testifies that through grace people may possess Christlikeness of character and rejoice in assurance of His great love. Even the most degraded are freely accepted when they repent and receive His divine Spirit, and God will not be satisfied until all who will accept salvation are reclaimed and reinstated as His sons and daughters.
Being possessed as the man was, who tore and cut himself until the devils were cast out, means giving soul, body and spirit to Satan to carry out a determined will to rule another in both mind and body. That rule makes married life a reign of terror, perverts the senses and poisons the mind against brethren, so that resistance requires constant warfare. A passionate professed believer ruled by a selfish heart is controlled by such a legion. If the curtain could be withdrawn he would be seen, while ruled by them, standing in the presence of holy angels and a hellish army. His unrestrained outbursts of worry, faultfinding, accusation and wrath when selfish ideas are interfered with prove he has no right to the name Christian. The name Legion also describes the many mighty adversaries who oppose the truth and those who advocate it.
When he was asked his name, the evil spirits themselves answered through the afflicted men that their collective name was Legion because many demons held control of the man.
The name points to their great number and organized strength, as a Roman legion numbered several thousand men.
The account lays bare the number, power and malignity of the demons as beyond all human help, and lays bare the supremacy of Christ, whose word alone forces them to leave and frees their victims.
Those thus delivered were marvelously restored to right minds and made witnesses to his saving power throughout Decapolis.
The same legion is the great host of fallen angels arrayed against humanity, yet through faith in him and his sacrifice those under Satan's power are given power to meet and conquer him.
Name and Setting
The reply gives the collective name of the possessing spirits as Legion because many demons controlled the man, or the two men. The name expresses their number, that they were many.
Legion illustrates their great number and organization, for a Roman legion numbered about three to five thousand men or soldiers. The demons were organized in companies and belonged to a numerous, organized host of Satan, and this company numbered at least a legion. Their number and malignity made the deliverance an example displaying both the demons' power and malignity and Christ's power and mercy.
When Jesus asked the name, the demons themselves answered through the afflicted men, using the men as mediums of communication to speak to and address Jesus. His question and the answer reveal the number of tormenting spirits from whom the men needed deliverance. The men fell down in worship, but when they opened their mouths the demons spoke through them.
The encounter took place on the eastern shore of Gennesaret in a comparatively desolate region with a largely non-Jewish population, identified as the account of the demoniacs of Gadara. The passage gives the setting for the encounter but does not explain the verse's words or the name Legion beyond that setting. The healing at Gadara took place just before Jesus returned across the sea, where Jairus met him to plead for his dying daughter.
The word for the many demons also designates the many varieties of scrofula, a disease whose name comes from the Latin word for a breeding sow.
Christ Overcomes the Demons
Jesus met the two raging men with calm authority, raising His hand and commanding the unclean spirits to come out so that they could come no nearer. His words pierced their darkened minds enough for them dimly to know that One near could save them from torment.
With authority He questioned the unclean spirits, and the men fell down in worship, but when they opened their mouths the demons spoke through them. The demons begged not to be sent away out of the country or region, but to be allowed to enter a great herd of swine feeding not far distant on a mountainside, which He permitted.
By His word and authority He forced the evil spirits to leave their victims and freed them from demonic power and madness, and the victims obeyed and worshiped Him. Immediately panic seized the herd and they rushed madly down the steep place or cliff into the sea or lake and perished in drowning. The delivered men were marvelously changed and restored to their right minds, with light dawning and shining into their minds, eyes beaming with intelligence and beaming intelligent eyes, countenances changed from a satanic image to mildness, hands become quiet, glad voices praising God for deliverance, and a desire to seek safety near Jesus.
The account displays the number, power and malignity of the demons, which was beyond the reach of human wisdom or strength alone, and displays Christ's power and mercy and supremacy, in which the Prince of Light by His word overcomes the Prince of Darkness and even demonic power remains under the Saviour's control. The destruction of the swine was caused by Satan to turn the people away from the Saviour and prevent preaching in that region, and the people rejected Him from fear of financial loss, so Christ departed when rejected in ignorance; yet the event roused the whole country as nothing else could have done and directed attention to Christ, showing that the working of evil is overruled for good.
The legion is the large host of fallen or satanic angels arrayed against humanity, who take control of a person with their own spirit and take possession of humanity through the working and growth of sin under Satan as prince of this world and prince of the power of the air. Through faith in Him and through the grace of God and His wonderful sacrifice by which the prince of this world is cast out, people under Satan's power are given power against this host of fallen angels, so that a mightier power meets and conquers Satan and men and women can regain what was lost, live as Christ lived with all the help He had, and be more than conquerors in conflict with Satan.
Witnesses and Warnings
Christ freed the men who had been under the power of many demons and made them witnesses to His saving power. They praised the Lord and served by carrying to others the good news that He can save from Satan's bondage. They went throughout Decapolis declaring His power to save. They had been degraded into instruments of Satan and mediums of darkness whose course was most offensive to God. Through Christ's power they were transformed into messengers of righteousness and channels of light, the first missionaries sent to teach the gospel in the region of Decapolis.
They had listened to His words only a short time and no sermon from His lips had ever fallen on their ears, so they could not instruct as those who had been daily with Christ could. But they could tell what they knew and what they themselves had seen and heard and felt of the Saviour's power. They were sent forth into the camp of the disloyal to proclaim His mercy and to tell how great things the Lord had done for them and had compassion on them. Christ did not leave the people to darkness but sent the light again through the healed men, to whom they would listen. Through them a door was opened to the gospel throughout that region, so that when He returned to Decapolis thousands from all the surrounding country flocked about Him and for three days heard the message of salvation.
Their change shows that everyone whose heart has been touched by the grace of God can give this witness. Such witness presents the gospel not as lifeless theory but as a living force to change the life. It testifies that through grace people may possess Christlikeness of character and rejoice in assurance of His great love. Even the most degraded are freely accepted when they repent and receive His divine Spirit, and God will not be satisfied until all who will accept salvation are reclaimed and reinstated as His sons and daughters.
Being possessed as the man was, who tore and cut himself until the devils were cast out, means giving soul, body and spirit to Satan to carry out a determined will to rule another in both mind and body. That rule makes married life a reign of terror, perverts the senses and poisons the mind against brethren, so that resistance requires constant warfare. A passionate professed believer ruled by a selfish heart is controlled by such a legion. If the curtain could be withdrawn he would be seen, while ruled by them, standing in the presence of holy angels and a hellish army. His unrestrained outbursts of worry, faultfinding, accusation and wrath when selfish ideas are interfered with prove he has no right to the name Christian. The name Legion also describes the many mighty adversaries who oppose the truth and those who advocate it.