how many times did jesus go to gerasenes

The NT references ( Mark 5:1; Luke 8:26; cf. The story appears to be set close to the Sea of Galilee, since it takes place as soon as Jesus gets out of the boat, but neither Gadara nor Gerasa is nearby; both cities are southeast of the lake, Gadara 10km away or a two-hour walking distance, and Gerasa well over twice as far. Heal me, Lord, but let me remain the lord of at least part of my life. Thus, the story in Luke 8:26-39 challenges me to consider how open I really am to the Lord. Why were the people of Gerasene afraid of the presence of Jesus? It didnt take long for the word to spread quickly. vi. Just imagine, a man in a cinema, having bought popcorn and cola and watching an action movie, with a lot of violence and harsh language in it, and then he sees suddenly that a saintly bishop is sitting just next to his seat, not watching the movie, but reading silently psalms with a countenance radiating a deep contemplation; will not the first man be upset and lose all pleasure of watching the movie? Jesus Restores a Demon-Possessed Man. But, the context is not going to be comfortable (accepted by) to some traditional understandings. Why would God condemn Balaam for doing what God told him to do with the Moabites? ', referring to the nuclear power plant in Ignalina, mean? What do I do about calling a priest father at my Catholic University? Used with Permission. The lose of the pigs meant loose of partial income in the area. Then he notes that he was clothed and in his own mind (Luke 8:35). The Cross And Our Response to Trials (1 Peter 4:12-19), 8. It is in no way certain, however, that the pig raisers were Jews. There seems to be no excuse here for the charge of contradiction. On the other hand, it may be correct to understand that although there were many demons, they had combined as one force to possess this man.119 While Mark records Legions request as one of not being sent out of the country (verse 10), Luke adds a significant explanation by interpreting the meaning behind this request: And they were entreating Him not to command them to depart into the abyss (Luke 8:31). Thats just westernised interpretation which simply doesnt work when interpretating a Jewish book. Ewing. Spam, November 04 2019 I'll follow you anywhere! 68f. 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. No matter what men attempted to bind him with, he broke loose. But Jesus had other plans. The commission of our Lord is considerably different from His instructions to the Israelites whom He had delivered. If we had a video livestream of a clock being sent to Mars, what would we see? And all the people in the region of the Gerasenes begged Jesus to go away and leave them alone, for a great wave of fear swept over them. xx. I will not look for a reason to return to 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. 84,145). As I have been studying this account through the week, it has seemed to me a rather bizarre and remote situation, the liberation of this Gerasene demoniac. Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighbourhood. Matthew 8:4; Luke 8:56). Some were already hurrying back toward the city. Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. It had nothing to do the farmers losing revenue - at all. When Jesus asked his name the man answered, Legion, for we are many (Mark 5:9). Josephus names it as marking the eastern limit of Peraea (BJ, III, iii, 3). (1995), New Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Nashville, TN: Nelson). Acts 16:16), while others were the virtual pawns of these spirits, losing their own identity and autonomy. The man is now seen, dressed and restored to sanity: he asks to be included among the disciples who travel with Jesus, but he is refused and instructed to remain in the Decapolis region, to tell of "the great things the Lord has done and [how he] has had compassion on you". The subject of demons and demon possession has always seemed somewhat remote and academic to sophisticated 20th century Americans. They were jumping to the wrong conclusions. Who do you care more about, people or pigs? It was on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, and must have been a locality where the steep edges of the Bashan plateau drop close upon the brink of the lake. Even in our sophisticated times, there is an intense interest in the supernatural and the occult. The pig tenders reported it far and wide, in city and country (verse 14). Are there things that perplex you? The story of Jesus casting out the demons from a human and into a herd of swine is well-known, but where it happened, and what it means, are more contentious questions and deserve fuller analysis and discussion. The presence of holiness and, moreover, the most intense divine holiness is undesirable; I mean, unless you are an angel or a saintly recluse in his ascetic toils in a cave or a top of a pillar. city in Pal. If he can break the death-grip Satan once had on us and set us free, then he can redeem the places of our former slavery and make them showcases of God's omnipotent grace. Demonized individuals are not to be viewed so much as a pigeon hole category, as they are a continuem. Did the scribes realize that God gave Jesus the authority in Mark 11:33? tar command with and without --absolute-names option. Everyone strained for a look at the tomb-man. The entrance of the term into colloquial speech indicates that the Roman occupation was a heavy burden. Vote Up Matthew 12:43-45). The three passages that describe the incident with the demoniacs in the country of the Gerasenes, also called Gadarenes, are Matthew 8:28-34, Mark 5:1-20, and Luke 8:26-39. 5 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. Their answer is: 'No, we do not want to stone you because we want to keep you near us. But the most strangely wonderful thing of all was his sense of cleanness. ), you also need to understand the significance of this - to the people in Gerasene. Pigs were seen as unclean animals in the eyes of the people of Israel. Can you relate to the people who sent Jesus away? The time of this event was before Jesus' crucifixion, and before the gentiles were grafted in to the promise (Acts 10). Moreover, this story challenges us to examine our own reaction to Jesus. Our children would probably understand best if I said that his appearance must have been somewhat like that of the television creation, The Incredible Hulk. He had only known Jesus for a few hours, but had already determined to be Jesus' disciple for life. 28); Mark the country of the Gerasenes (v. 1), and Luke, probably, the country of the Gergesenes (viii. No! In contrast, the people of Gerasene are asking him to leave their place. He seemed to view Jesus approach as the launching of a direct attack on the demonic forces. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors, and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.110. (1) Severe personality change. get to know the Bible better! Their mitigated violence is an ineffective protest. These forces plundered Gerasa, Philadelphia, Pella, and others (Jos. 14:22-36. Jon Bloom serves as teacher and cofounder of Desiring God. 9. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. [14], Similarly, Thomas Aquinas argued that Jesus allowed the demons to destroy the pigs in order to make the point that his purpose was primarily for the good of men's souls, not their bodies or property (including their animals). Are we welcoming him into our lives? 184-185. Now he knew better. Gergesa, Gerasa, or Gadara? Jesus' power was clean, holy. 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. 123 1. It's not them. Fellowship is an irreplaceable means of grace in the Christian life and offers us two priceless joys: receiving Gods grace through the helping words of others and giving his grace to others through our own. But I know there are ways I do this all the time. Youngblood, Ronald F., ed. All accounts involve Jesus exorcising demons, identified collectively in Mark and Luke as "Legion". Country of the Gerasenes:The town itself is not named in Scripture, and is referred to only in the expression, "country of the Gerasenes" (Mark 5:1 Luke 8:26, 37; see Westcott and Hort, The New Testament in Greek, Appendix, 11). He dispatched Lucius Annius with a force of cavalry and an army of foot soldiers, who took the city on the first attack, slaughtering a thousand young men, taking their families captive, plundering and burning the city and the surrounding towns (Jos. This town is not to be confused with either Gerasa or Gadara. No rage. The distance is about 19 miles from the river. Origen says this is a good example of how Biblical writers simply were not concerned to precisely identify certain sites. What scares you away from being fully sold-out as a disciple of Jesus? 13ff.). Demonic influence further destroys mans reflection of God as originally designed.128 Demons have great spiritual insight and reluctantly submit to Jesus as Lord of all. May the Spirit of God be so evident in us that men may see God in our lives. There is no contradiction, therefore, in the evangelists. A main street with columns on both sides leads out of the forum. May I never send you away from me, even in small things. 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. The herdsmen who witnessed this event spread the news to the people living in that area. The Cross And Christs Suffering For Sins (1 Peter 3:18-22), 6. [a] There, a man "possessed by a demon" comes from the caves to meet him. The tomb-man from Gadara looked up at Jesus again. Jesus wasn't anything like the demons. They asked Jesus to leave that place. 4. Horoscopes and astrological predictions are found in most major newspapers. Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood. They didn't understand! Home was a place of memories so dark and pain-filled that he likely just wanted to escape them and never go back. Thank you for your interest in supporting CARM. The second question is an ethical one: What right had the Lord to inflict this loss on the owners of the swine?121 Put even more crassly, Huxley censored this act with these words: the wanton destruction of other peoples property is a misdemeanour of evil example.122. You could hear alarm in their voices. Albert Barnes explained the difference between Gadara and Gerasa: Gadara was a city not far from the Lake Gennesareth, one of the ten cities that were called Decapolis. 120 The request is in both cases the same; for, according to Jewish notions, certain countries being assigned to evil as well as to good spirits, whose limits they were unable to overpass, to be sent out of their own country, no other being open to them, implied being sent into the abyss, or bottomless pit, since that remains for them alone. Trench, Miracles , p. 101. (1) Severe personality change. This was a region east of the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River. 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. It is noteworthy that Jesus nowhere speaks of forgiveness of sins or of purification-sacrifices, that have to be brought after His curing of such cases (as He did in some cases of physical illness). [8] The city of Gerasa had been a major urban center since its founding and during the Roman period it was the more widely known among the ten-city league known as the Decapolis. It is a violent tempest, that is, outside of the natural. Jesus, Demoniacs, and Public Authorities: A Socio-Historical Study. Thanks for contributing an answer to Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange! This describes the district in which Christ met and healed the . Jesus approaches and calls the demon to come out of the man, who replies "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you in the name of God never to torment me!". 4.1K views, 50 likes, 28 loves, 154 comments, 48 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from 7th District AME Church: Thursday Morning Opening Session The house that is left swept and clean is a likely target for Satanic influence (cf. During the time of Christ, the ten cities of Decapolis and the surrounding region were inhabited mostly by Gentiles, not Jews, and the area had a strong Greek influence. As Jesus began to get back into the boat, the delivered demoniac pleaded with Him that he might accompany Him. A miracle performed by Jesus according to the New Testament. This would also give time afterwards for the dispersion, not only into the city, but into the country of them who had fed the swine. What is this brick with a round back and a stud on the side used for? When Jesus asked the demoniac his name, it was not without significance for He was, I believe, asking the demons to reveal their identity. F. F. Bruce adds additional helpful insight: According to the best texts, Matthew calls it the country of the Gadarenes (viii. People had tried to tie him down but he was too strong to be bound, even with chains, for he would always break out of them; night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones. In this immediate area, steep hills come down to the shoreline and fit the story of the swine rushing headlong into the sea. But it was there that the grace of God in his life would shine the brightest. 16ff., xix. Who would have thought that the Son of God looked so much like other Jewish men? Did they open their hearts to hear the good news of the kingdom of God? Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. They were not looked upon as necessarily evil in all cases. Other textual variations include "Gadarenes" and "Gergesenes". In Jewish thinking, spirit beings were assigned to certain geographical territories.120. john kiuta masuka, December 19 2016 The city was large and well planned. In other words, Jesus had caused a loss to them of 2,000 swine already; what else would His presence cost? Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. It is Geldenhuys who gives us the most concise description of demon-possession: in the New Testament demon-possession means that a person is dominated by the spirit of a demon and tormented by him. 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? 122 Quoted by Alfred Plummer, The Gospel According to Saint Luke, (Edinburg: T. and T. Clark, 5th ed., 1969): p. 228. 3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one . The Gerasenes must have had some understanding of why they are reproached or they would not respond as they do. Reland (Pal, II, 806) notes certain extant coins of Gerasa, from which it is clear that in the 2nd century it was a center of the worship of Artemis. Demon possession, such as that of the Gerasene demoniac is the crudest and cruelest form of Satanic control, but by and large also one of the less common manifestations of Satans work in the world today. November's featured resource is an Advent poem that John Piper delivered in 1993 at Bethlehem titled "The Gadarene." (BJ, I, iv, 8). At times, my honest prayer might be: Lord, yes, do in me the things I want you to do. Jesus permitted the *demons to do this. Theology of Work Project Online Materials by The High Calling are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. In this instance, each writer intended to draw attention to an area close to the Sea of Galilee. We dismiss it the more readily, that, in our view, it conveys a wrong impression. 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. The King James Version in (Matthew 8:28) has the location as "Gergesenes" which corresponds to the modern "Kursi" (Kheras), the most plausible location of the Gospel event. Then people came to see what it was that had happened. War IV. Matthew, Mark, and Luke were writing of the same general area. iv. 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. solar plexus chakra anxiety,

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