Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. I will not look for a reason to return to it. In Acts 8:1 we have the regions of Judaea and Samaria (KJV), and in Acts 16:6, Galatia alone. When once he was an instrument of Satanic opposition against the Messiah, now he is a witness to His power. What did we miss because we allowed fear instead of faith to drive our lives? So much pain, so much sin. This story is a little bit of an Easter story. Why was Jesus going to walk past the disciples as they were rowing on the Sea of Galilee? (4) Super-human strength. I think that this story is a little bit of an Easter story. May 2016 Have you even been in a service where the Spirit of God was moving and felt fear? Matt. Pigs were seen as unclean animals in the eyes of the people of Israel. Lets face it, we all like to be in control. rev2023.3.3.43278. 61-62. This suggests that whoever was the customer for the swineherder in the "region of the Gerasenes", it was not the Roman army to any significant extent. 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. 2 And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. On the other hand, the scene gains in grandeurhas, so to speak, a fitting backgroundif we suppose the Saviour and His disciples to have landed on the other side late in the evening, when perhaps the silvery moon was shedding her pale light on the weird scene, and laying her halo around the shadows cast upon the sea by the steep cliff down which the herd of swine hurried and fell. We are seeking a replacement and hope to have it in your newspaper soon. But then also Christ will triumph, and finally put an end to the evil one and all his powers of darkness (Rev. Even as the purpose of Roman legions was to enforce the will of the emperor, the goal of the multiple evil spirits was to carry out the devil's will of bringing pain, destruction and chaos to humans! Christians are to be the answer, but often they are part of the problem. 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). Reproduction of material from this website without written permission, or unlicensed commercial use or No! It might be better to hide behind masks than risk being hurt again After all, if God rejects youwhere else can you go? Both Gerasa and Gadara were cities to the east of the Sea of Galilee and the River Jordan. Pigs were specifically set aside as the animal used in sacrifices to their god. From this it is clear that demon-possession is a phenomenon which occurred almost exclusively, but then to be sure on an amazing scale, during Jesus appearance on earth and to a lesser extent during the activity of the apostles. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. Rather, they attributed the power of Jesus to Satan (Mark 3:22). The best known Gerasa was a Greek city nearly forty miles southeast of the lake (modern village of Khersa, on the east shore of the lake. In other words, Jesus had caused a loss to them of 2,000 swine already; what else would His presence cost? The people (nations) were divided up, and boundaries allocated' and the sons of god were put over these nations. 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? 0 Responses Why is this even an issue, I wonder? Horoscopes and astrological predictions are found in most major newspapers. What would happen to them? Now appreciate the reaction - another God was messing with their god - and demonstrating authority! One is that he was a fascinating man. It is very appropriate that these two incidents . December 2022 In Galilee and Judea there were Messianic hopes which would have been quickly fanned into flames if the miracles of Jesus were too widely publicized. How to prove that the supernatural or paranormal doesn't exist? Jesus showed to the local population the inferiority of pagan life. For those near by the local name would be used; but in writing to a distant people, as the Greeks and Romans, the more comprehensive and general name would be given.. or by some form of self-emptying (such as various forms of eastern meditation) in my opinion, they are in a precarious position. Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighbourhood. September 2022 The pig shepherds had gone and spread the news of what had happened all around. Series NotesScripture references are based on the King James translation. And, Gerasene was one. The conduct of this pathetic individual was obviously anti-social. A land that was essentially under another god (lower case g). Gergesenes means "those who come from pilgrimage or fight.". November 2015 14). Why were the people of Gerasene afraid of the presence of Jesus among them? In this account we, by inference, learn much about the demonic spirits. She is a graduate of the Divinity School at Wake Forest University and Chicago Theological Seminary. 17, pp. Browse other questions tagged, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. Jesus Heals a Centurion's Servant. It is in no way certain, however, that the pig raisers were Jews. Jesus asked a sick man if he wanted to get well. where something similar occurs) is a demon-possession mentioned, and that outside the Gospels it is referred to only twice in the New Testament (Acts xvi. Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. The pigs had been driven mad and rushed down a steep slope plunging into the lake and drowning. 18). Women, children and defenceless people all admired Him and felt comfortable in His presence. It hit them hard in the pocketbook. March 2021 It was not the loss of their property or investment that caused them to be afraid of Jesus. Yet, conversely, the known can be just as scaryif not more. 26). December 2015 But for most of us, the world and the flesh are all that are necessary to cause us to stumble. 35Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. The destructive desires of the demons were dramatically carried out in the drowning of the swine. 37 Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. It is something like the behavior and personality change in a man who is totally intoxicated. At first we may deceive ourselves into thinking that we are controlling them, but the ultimate likelihood is that they will master us. EIN 27-4581132 Although his symptoms would have appeared to be those of an insane man,113 the Gospel writers inform us that he was demon-possessed.114. Lane believes the modern Kersa is the most likely place: The point of arrival is indicated in a general way as the district of the Gerasenes, most probably in reference to a town whose name is preserved in the modern Kersa or Koursi. (it should be added that Plummer himelf does not hold to any of these views.). Or they are too afraid of what the change might bring. Luke 8:26And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee. Now' as to the pigs (an unclean animal, so you know Jesus wasnt in Israel! And, yes, Dana did just read us something about a man possessed by a whole bunch of demons that later go and possess a bunch of hogs. especially fn. The choice is to be free by submission to Christ (cf. The pig tenders reported it far and wide, in city and country (verse 14). So he got into the boat and left., Luke 8:37, NIV, great fear [KJV] thoroughly frightened [Phillips]gripped with great fear [NASB]. Here is where Satan can use a man to influence scores of people, blinding minds and hearts to the truths of the Word of God (2 Corinthians 4:4). People who have no appr Fallen people reject God not because they do not know His power. Thats why also Peter having realized who Christ was, was dreaded and asked Him to leave him for he said to be a sinful man (Luke 5:8). Jesus never interacted with people as they were, but as He knew they were created to be. April 2018 The people who witnessed this are . As C. S. Lewis aptly put it: There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were So he got into the boat and left. October 2022 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! In that case, of course, it would be in the early morning that the Gerasenes afterwards resorted to Jesus and that He again returned to Capernaum. monetization of National Catholic Register RSS feeds is strictly prohibited. By His power, we, too, are able to overcome Satans treacheries. Those demons were terrified of Him! Winthrop Congregational Church, UCC No matter who you are. March 2016 The particular focus of this mans testimony was the Decapolis region. (2) Pork was a food forbidden to Jews, and as such, those who raised these pigs may have done so knowingly in violation of divine injunction. Why did the demons ask to be cast into the herd of pigs, and why did the pigs then run into the water to be drowned? Into the country of the Gadarenes, or rather, Gera-senes, which is now generally admitted to be the true reading, from Gerasa, Gersa, or Kersa.There was another Gerasa, situated at some distance from the sea, on the borders of Arabia Petraea. Lukes reading Gergesenes may represent even more accurately the ancient name of this place, as Origen knew of a Gergesa on the lake of Galilee. Rev. The Truth is Jesus is a safe Person Who loves them, values them, wants their best and will never force Himself on them. The conduct of this pathetic individual was obviously anti-social. Jesus did say to count the cost [Luke 14:28-33]. 115 While Mark and Luke describe only one demoniac, Matthew informs us that there were two. 13ff.). Your comment will be posted after it is approved. As these people began to piece together the previous events, not only of the destruction of the pigs, but also the deliverance of Legion, they began to sense that there was One far more awesome, much more to be feared, than Legion. Satans most useful instrument is the outstanding, outwardly moral and upright religious man, whose good deeds are done independently of God. February 2016 I understand why," the HBO "Real Time" host told Jake Tapper on Tuesday as part . October 2018 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. To date they have failed to respond in any way. Finally, there is in demon possession a counterpart to the filling (or control) of the Holy Spirit. recognizes the military background of the term, pointing out that in the imperial period a legion consisted of 6000 foot soldiers, 120 horsemen and technical personnel. and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. vi. November 2021 122 Quoted by Alfred Plummer, The Gospel According to Saint Luke, (Edinburg: T. and T. Clark, 5th ed., 1969): p. 228. And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts. 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. January 2018 And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? They were willing to post guards and chain and shackle their neighbor to keep him from hurting someone. Small sins lead to big sins, and big sins bring about a terrible spiritual darkness. 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. September 2016 According to another theory, the Chapati movement of 1857 was an attempt to prevent a cholera outbreak in central India. Hence it would be called the land of the Gadarenes.. This incident in the Gerasenes requires some entry understanding. Vote Up John 8:32; Matthew 11:28-30), or to be the pawns of Satan (Ephesians 2:1-2). We should be warned that fooling with these Satanic fronts is like experimenting with drugs. Why is that. Treasury of Scripture. Embedded into both stories are people who were afraid of Jesus. They ask Him if they can enter some nearby pigs, and He lets them. 2ff., xvv. He did not appear to rush upon the small group of men to attack them (as he would normally have done), but rather to plead with Jesus. August 2018 Why is this sentence from The Great Gatsby grammatical? By clicking Post Your Answer, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. Romans 9:19-23). Luke 8 He was also humorous in his answers. 123 1. 36Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. June 2021 and thank you for your contribution. Just as demons desire to possess persons through whom they can exhibit their personalities, so the Spirit of God indwells man, imparting new life, and progressively gaining control so that the character of God is exhibited, but not in such a way as to hinder our individuality and identity. May the Spirit of God be so evident in us that men may see God in our lives. The people of Gerasenes were willing to live with the devils they knew - quite literally.
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