why were the gerasenes afraid

Earles comments are helpful: The difference in names for the destination on the east side of the take has caused considerable comment. Then the Livestock Association and consumer groups would have been greatly distressed over the sudden decrease in the pig population and the resulting impact on pork prices. For those who are shaken like leaves in the wind at the mention of demons, let us remember from this story that demons cannot even possess pigs without prior permission from our Lord. What was the country of the Gerasenes (or Gadarenes) and why is it At the conclusion of this day of teaching by parables, the Lord had instructed His disciples to cross over the Sea of Galilee to the other side. 16ff., xix. 5:5). Why is Darrow's victory in the Passage taken so personally? Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. The demoniacs frightened the swine, and the transfer of demons from them to the swine was imagined. Gergesenes is also in some manuscripts (Khersa or Gersa was a town actually on the shore of the sea). In the past several weeks, there has come to light the case of a man arrested for various crimes who has several of the symptoms of demon possession, including multiple personalities, even multiple IQs. The pig shepherds had gone and spread the news of what had happened all around. The drowning of these pigs has caused a great deal of discussion amongst Bible students, for as a friend of mine once observed, Thats a lot of pork chops! Had our Lord achieved such a miracle today He would have been in deep trouble. Pig carcasses were washing ashore and drifting out to sea. Definition of Gadarenes (Gergesenes) in the Bible - Bible Study To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. The district of the Gerasenes probably included that of the Gadarenes; so that the demoniac of Gergesa belonged to the country of the Gadarenes and also to that of the Gerasenes, as the same person may, with equal truth, be said to live in the city or the state, or in the United States. January 2015 This supposition would be further confirmed, if the evening when Jesus embarked was what the Jews were wont to call the first evening, that is, the time when the sun was declining in the heaven, but before it had actually set, the latter time being the second evening. For it seems most unlikely that multitudes would have resorted to Jesus at Capernaum after the second evening, or that either the disciples or other boats would have put to sea after nightfall. What scared them was a power so fierce it could free a man. when He was the only One Who truly knew what had happened. Mark 5:1And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. 128 In most of the stories of possession what is at issue is not merely sickness but a destruction and distortion of the divine likeness of man according to creation. Why do people like Jesus a lot? Non-Christians can often experience this fear of Jesus as well. The occult and every front for demonic influence and activity should be avoided like the plague. They greatly desire to enter and control a physical body, whereby they may reflect their character and attributes. Although God's word does not name which cities were considered part of this region, Pliny's Natural History (c. 77 A.D.) lists these cities as Gerasa, Scythopolis, Hippos, Gadara, Pella, Philadelphia, Capitolias (Dion), Canatha, Raphana and Damascus. Whenever a man, woman, or child surrenders control of himself either to fleshly desires (anger, lust, passion, etc.) May 2020 But, Im telling you. Crazy question or.? Note that the texts dont say Gerasa or Gadara, so they arent necessarily referring just to one of the cities. These people from the region of the Gerasenes had undoubtedly felt the anger or disgust of Jews for making a career out of such unclean animals, but Jesus had not criticized them for their profession. He pleaded with Jesus not to be tormented. It only takes a minute to sign up. She is a graduate of the Divinity School at Wake Forest University and Chicago Theological Seminary. Commentator R. C. H. Lenski states: The distance of these cities from the lake is immaterial for the narrative since this deals with the region that is near the lake and not with the vicinity of either of the cities to the lake.. The people (nations) were divided up, and boundaries allocated' and the sons of god were put over these nations. Men and women (as well as children) were demonized in that they fell under the influence of these unclean spirits. This is probably the Gerasa of Mark and Luke. Acts 5:1-6). I asked why people are afraid of commitment and relationships and some said they are afraid because they fear being hurt again. Men in their unbelief suppose that the choice is either to be free (independent of God) or to be the slaves of Christ. Give a Gift SubscriptionBless friends, family or clergy with a gift of the Register. Why did Jesus allow the legion of demons to stay in the area when they begged him? Therefore, Jesus Christ for demons is God and thus even demons inadvertently reveal themselves as being better theologians than Arians and their modern day heirs - Jehovawitnesians and all different breeds of Unitarians - their name being legion! Gergesenes means "those who come from pilgrimage or fight.". The particular focus of this mans testimony was the Decapolis region. Slain Los Angeles auxiliary bishop was remembered at the Mass of Christian burial as friend of Jesus Christ and of Mary, our Blessed Mother.. Gospel Parallels: The Gerasene Demoniac - READ-SCRIPTURE.COM When the Gadarenes saw what Christ was capable of, they panicked. Perhaps they clenched their fists or picked up driftwood with which to defend themselves. The Politics of Luke 8:26-39. Mark 9:17-29). The Gospels use different names for the place where this occurred: This is supposedly a contradiction. Gerasa is (as we know) some 30-35 miles southeast of the Sea of Galilee, but may have also been the name of the larger region. Another approach is to note the different intentions of the Gospel writers. He had only known Jesus for a few hours, but had already determined to be Jesus' disciple for life. In any event, I love defending the Bible and Christianity. Not long after that, while I was still a student in seminary, there was a car parked by the seminary in a somewhat suspicious manner and I called the police to check it out. They are unclean spirits, (vss. The demons freak out that Jesus is there because it's not time for them to be tormented by Him yet. I felt somewhat guilty, particularly fearing that I may have created an unintentional hardship for some classmate. Legion of Demons - NeverThirsty Confusion, fear in moments after crash "There were many big pieces of steel," said Vassilis Polyzos, a local resident who said he was one of the first people on the scene. Although demon-possession after that time no longer occurs on such a devastating and noticeable scale, the absolute form of demon-possession will appear at the end of the age in the Antichrist and in his followers (2 Thess. NET Bible Then all the people of the Gerasenes and the surrounding region asked Jesus to leave them alone, for they were seized with great fear. 2,8) who can possess men and animals. February 2018 July 2022 The Gadarene: When Following Jesus Means Going Home Jesus had actually helped them. "I am afraid of Trump on a very personal level because I don't think he likes me. From this point on, Jesus began to speak to the crowds in parables in order to veil or conceal the gospel from those who had blasphemed the Holy Spirit (Mark 4:lff). Jesus asked some crazy questions like "Why are you afraid?" But here we speak not about a bishop, but about Christ who made His Godhead revealed through devils beseeching Him not to cast them to hell but enter the swine. October 2020 Here in Mark, he purposely set out to travel into another land. xvi. For example, He didnt condemn a prostitute for her actions, He saw a daughter of God who was valuable beyond measure and only needed genuine love and forgiveness. August 2016 Who Was Afraid Of Jesus And Why? 28); Mark the country of the Gerasenes (v. 1), and Luke, probably, the country of the Gergesenes (viii. When once he was an instrument of Satanic opposition against the Messiah, now he is a witness to His power. They came to Jesus and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the legion; and they were afraid. There is the so-called demon of doubt, of anger, of overindulgence, of drunkenness, laziness and so on. When the townspeople arrived on the scene, they saw the formerly demon-possessed men, clothed, in their right mind and sitting at the feet of Jesus. 37 Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear (Luke 8:35-37). December 2015 Do roots of these polynomials approach the negative of the Euler-Mascheroni constant? December 2014 At their request, He left. How do I connect these two faces together? A Jewish exorcist with such authority in the region, risked to damage the beliefs and reputation of the local pagan inhabitants. But the distance is so short that, even making allowance for the delay by the tempest, the passage could scarcely have occupied the whole night. This reveals to us that demons have an intuitive knowledge of their impending doom.117. He said unexpected things and lived by a high ethical standard. They were instructed to keep quiet about what Jesus had done for them (cf. August 2018 Some of the proposed answers to this question are totally unacceptable to an orthodox, evangelical Christian.123 By way of explanation, there are several factors which should be given serious consideration. The Death Of Relationships In Nairobi - YAZA Kenya Second (and primarily), Mark employs this event to authenticate the claims of Jesus to be the Son of God and Israels Messiah. 114 We are indebted to Edersheim, who reminds us that the expression demon possession never occurs in the New Testament: The term demoniacal possession occurs not in the New Testament. Satan loves those Christians. So who was afraid? One is that he was a fascinating man. June 2020 When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met Him a man from the city who had demons. (Matthew 8:28; Mark 5:1; Luke 8:26) In Gerasenes in place of Gadarenes. That is not the choice at all. It's a curious passage with many unanswered questions. How ironic, as others have noted, that the tormentor pleads not to be tormented. They had dealt with Legion (I suspect) by forcing him from their presence. So who was afraid? February 2016 4 Reasons Jesus Cast Demons Into a Herd of Pigs 2ff., xvv. There seems to be no excuse here for the charge of contradiction. Though Legion bowed before Jesus (verse 6), it was no act of worship (as the King James Version would seem to indicate). especially fn. They all say country of (in the sense of region, not nation). 117 so that, by their own confession, a time is coming when there shall be an entire victory of the kingdom of light over that of darkness (Rev. They had been unable to control these two men [Luke only mentions one man, but Matthew tells us there were two]. French Monastery Survives War and Famine After 885 Years, the Basilica of St. Ambrose in Milan, and More Great Links! August 2017 Luke 8:26-39 Mark 5:1-20 ESV - 1 They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. The price tag of possession was high, for those who fell victim to the demons agonized in constant torment. Another reason they may have been afraid of Jesus was the realization that if they accepted Him, it would mean a radical change of lifestyle. Bill Maher says he's scared of former President Trump "on a very personal level" and "what he would do" to the comedian if he were to win the 2024 White House race. Luke 8 I will not look for a reason to return to it. January 2018 The man looked out on the Tiberius. To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers. Fear that you would not be in control? It is mentioned in some ancient manuscripts of the . 7 After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, b he entered Capernaum. to men facing fear and death. They look forward to their future with great dread. Some illicitly use drugs, supposing that they have them completely under their control. Bible scholar Gleason Archer (Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties) argues similarly, It is entirely possible that the political control of this region was centered in Gadara as the capital city. Jesus has lead me away from my old life. (2) Anti-social behavior. The Gerasenes were the people of the district of which Gerasa was the capital. Both Gerasa and Gadara were cities to the east of the Sea of Galilee and the River Jordan. In the King James Version it is called the country of the Gadarenes in Mark and Luke, and of the Gergesenes in Matthew. The center of personality, the volitional and active ego, is impaired by alien powers which seek to ruin the man and sometimes drive him to self-destruction (Mk. Others cited unfaithfulness, lack of seriousness, and the lack of confidence to sustain a relationship. Afraid of Jesus? | Sermons | College Park Church But the city of Gadara owned some territory round about Khersa, so that the district and the pigs could properly also be called Gadarene. F. F. Bruce, Are the New Testament Documents Reliable? of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were So he got into the boat and left. November 2014. Why is this even an issue, I wonder? According to another theory, the Chapati movement of 1857 was an attempt to prevent a cholera outbreak in central India. Why would the Gerasene people beg Jesus to leave their region - EBible The conduct of this pathetic individual was obviously anti-social. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. Here is one of the few times that a miracle drove people away, rather than to draw them to Jesus. September 2020 More from Medium Jameson Steward in. Events that are important to our Church Community, Mark 5:1-20 Jesus Heals the Gerasene Demoniac. Textual variations have compounded the problem. Far from this, He had stormed the gates of Hell and prevailed. For many Christians today, the horrifying experience of Legion should be sufficient testimony of the reality of the Satanic underworld. What sort of strategies would a medieval military use against a fantasy giant? Sign-up for E-NewsletterGet Register Updates sent daily or weeklyto your inbox. We see the first reaction to this in the storm MARK 4:7 And a great windstorm arose [snip]. So he got into the boat and left., Luke 8:37, NIV, great fear [KJV] thoroughly frightened [Phillips]gripped with great fear [NASB]. But notice, even though Jesus permitted them to enter the swine, they were unable to overcome their evil impulses and drove the swine over the cliff to their death. As always, we must begin with the principle: Interpretation is one, application is many. Top Ten Reasons Why There Were Pigs In Gerasenes First of all, the EPA would have been investigating the pollution of Lake Galilee with decaying pigs. to sign up for our free Water Of The Word newsletter at the top of any page! Finally, there is in demon possession a counterpart to the filling (or control) of the Holy Spirit. And all the people of the country of the Gerasenes and the surrounding district asked Him to depart from them; for they were gripped with great fear; and He got into a boat, and returned (Luke 8:35-37). 9. The Gadarenes' Rejection | Reformed Bible Studies & Devotionals at 127 The view of Greek philosophy was that these were the spirits of those who lived in the Golden Age. Many New Testament manuscripts refer to the "Country of the Gadarenes" or "Gerasenes" rather than the Gergesenes. All of us may be so concerned with our own livelihoods that we fail to serve other people and help those in desperat Unbelieving men may not rave and carry on like the Gerasene demoniac, but they are nevertheless under Satans control, doing his bidding. Our Lord responded sternly by calling this accusation blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, and as such was the one unpardonable sin (verses 28-30). Gadara, though not directly named in Scripture, was part of the Decapolis. How much more sinful than Peter were the Geraseneans, who because of love of money did not shun even to engage in a non-Jew business of herding swine; how much more unbearable and dreadful must have been for them the Lords presence! In all three instances the word is chra (Strongs word #5561). Bulk update symbol size units from mm to map units in rule-based symbology. The people were gentiles who had not yet any interest in the Messiah. Then all the people of the Gerasenes and the surrounding region asked Jesus to leave them alone, for they were seized . Gergesa - Wikipedia The lose of the pigs meant loose of partial income in the area. May 2022 5. They found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus' feet, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. The demons in the man recognize Jesus and the man bows before him. Region of the Gerasenes - Fire and Light I have always wondered what my Christian brothers had to say to the police officers by way of explanation. When our Lord confronted the demons, they had to submit to His power and authority. iv. January 2022 It is amazing to think that people could be fearful of Jesus. Why ChatGPT should be considered a malevolent AI - and be destroyed April 2018 COMMENTARY: Atheism is generally the expression of a moral attitude more than a real intellectual conviction based on evidence thought through. My office mate of several years back was interrupted by a young and very zealous new Christian teacher accompanied by a student from whom she wanted my friend to cast out a demon. October 2022 When Jesus asked his name the man answered, Legion, for we are many (Mark 5:9). In this story, we have a demon-possessed Gadarene who saw Jesus from a distance, and immediately he appeared to have felt a strong compulsion to run up to Jesus and bow down before him. . No one was strong enough to subdue him (verses 3,4). The choice is to be free by submission to Christ (cf. Also, the wholesale slaughter of these pigs dramatically illustrated the destructive purposes of the demons. They came to Jesus and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the legion; and they were afraid. 14). The reference could hardly be to the better known Gerasa (Jerash) between thirty and forty miles southeast from the lake. Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professors, theologians, and those interested in exegetical analysis of biblical texts. Demons are highly organized (cf. Asked October 24 2014 2 And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit.