DEUT 32:8 When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind, he fixed the borders of the peoples, according to the number of the sons of God. If it is a feminine spirit, the voice will be a feminine one, if masculine then very manly. October 2020 August 2017 Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professors, theologians, and those interested in exegetical analysis of biblical texts. Their first question is a rather pragmatic one, namely, How can demons possess animals? To this we must confess that we know too little to understand the mechanism of demon possession but the reality is very evident. Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood. What would happen to them? The Gadarenes was the place where Jesus confronted a man whose possession by demons gave him a level of superhuman strength like Samson (Mark 5:3 - 5, Luke 8:27). 123 1. 2 Now a centurion had a servant 1 who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. Also, frequently associated with demon possession was a super-human strength (cf. September 2016 They came face-to-face with the Son of God, the Being with the power to change their world forever, and they said, "Please leave." Why? On several occasions, when Jesus forgave someone, He specifically said, Go and sin no more. That only works for people who are sick of their sin and want to change. The pig shepherds had gone and spread the news of what had happened all around. The demoniac further evidenced demon activity by the depth of his spiritual insight. The man, who was naked when he saw Jesus, had the added ability of enduring both freezing and sweltering temperatures as well as pain he inflicted upon himself! Why did Jesus allow the demons to enter the herd of pigs? Why as the question? It had nothing to do the farmers losing revenue - at all. The Lord, in an act of great mercy, freed the Gadarenes' man by casting the demons out of him and allowing them to enter a nearby herd of pigs. Jesus deserves the benefit of the doubt even when we don't have all the facts. Nor was it the Jewish population of Galilee. Dave Armstrong Dave Armstrong is a full-time Catholic author and apologist, who has been actively proclaiming and defending Christianity since 1981. 2 And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. Understand the meaning of Luke 8:37 using all available Bible versions and commentary. 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. That would be a strong message, by allowing them to be possessed and then drowned. Some appeared not to be oppressed by them so much as exploiting their powers (cf. It is amazing to think that people could be fearful of Jesus. Jesus has lead me away from my old life. The people of Gerasenes were willing to live with the devils they knew - quite literally. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The typical explanation for the petition of the residents that Christ leave their country is that they were motivated by materialistic considerations. December 2021 Why is there a voltage on my HDMI and coaxial cables? They likely were Gentiles and had been under the influence of the demonic principality of the region their whole life. Bob is a pastor/teacher and elder at Community Bible Chapel in Richardson, Texas, and has contributed many of his Bible study series for use by the Foundation. No matter where you are on life's journey you are welcome here! 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. But for most of us, the world and the flesh are all that are necessary to cause us to stumble. Swine were unclean animals according to the Torah. in a crowd in a crowd where many people were bumping into Him? monetization of National Catholic Register RSS feeds is strictly prohibited. 5. That the unclean spirits were personal beings is evident from what is related about their leaving a possessed person, talking or crying out, possessing knowledge concerning Jesus, as well as other supernatural knowledgeshowing fear, and the like. The occult and every front for demonic influence and activity should be avoided like the plague. To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers. As He had landed with His disciples He had been confronted with a demon-possessed man - a man that no one had been able to control. In this context, however, he insists that legion has nothing of its usual Roman military overtones, but is the designation of numerous powers which oppose themselves to Jesus as the embodiment of the power of God. Lane, Mark, fn. February 2018 They are happy in their sin and the consequences seem far away. The swine then immediately killed themselves by rushing off a cliff. Although it is often claimed that Christians were persecuted for their refusal to worship the emperor, general dislike for Christians likely arose from their refusal to worship the gods or take part in sacrifice, which was expected of those living in the Roman Empire. https://www.ncregister.com/blog/gerasene-or-gadarene-swine, What Archaeology Tells Us About Joshuas Conquest, 50 Verses to Help You Prepare for Pentecost, St. Polycarp, Who Learned the Faith From an Apostle, Did Not Believe in Faith Alone, The Three Kinds of Atheists, and How to Respond to Them, We Know That Hes in Heaven: Thousands Gather for Funeral of Bishop David OConnell in Los Angeles, Archbishop Naumann and Bishop Paprocki Speak Out in Support of Traditional Latin Massgoers in Their Dioceses, Survey: Decline in Vocations to the Priesthood Is Worse Where Priests Serve Larger Flocks, God Really Intervened: How a Catholic Priest Escaped From His Kidnappers in Haiti, Amber and Dave VanVickle on Finding God in the Midst of Suffering. When the pigs were sent into the sea, the people of Gadara lost money. March 2022 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). The particular focus of this mans testimony was the Decapolis region. What about us, as Christians, are we afraid of Jesus? We will examine two incidents -- the stilling of the storm on the sea of Galilee, and that which follows immediately, the healing of the demoniac. You might be thinking back to Easter and not recall very many hogs showing up except for at Easter supper. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs. January 2015 Jesus asked Mary why she was crying at the grave site. 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. Instead of opening themselves up to Jesus and receiving His love and forgiveness, they allowed fear to drive a wedge between them. He shivered at the disturbing memory. How Can a Person Get Rid of Evil Spirits. The demoniacs frightened the swine, and the transfer of demons from them to the swine was imagined. Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. I was in a dialogue with an atheist regarding what he believes is one of many so-called biblical contradictions. Odd guy that I am, I actually find this sort of thing fun. 8ff.). and 1 Kings xxii. Although the manifestations of demonization vary widely, this man115 evidenced several of the classic symptoms. seen it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed. 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). They had been unable to control these two men [Luke only mentions one man, but Matthew tells us there were two]. xvi. Sign-up for E-NewsletterGet Register Updates sent daily or weeklyto your inbox. So, they asked Him to leave. You will receive a monthly newsletter with Scriptural teaching plus notifications of any new articles, courses or books. "They sailed to the country of the Gerasenes which is opposite Galilee. especially fn. 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. March 2017 July 2021 "The Gerasenes were the people of the district of which Gerasa was the capital. 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. 14ff. It is in no way certain, however, that the pig raisers were Jews. Give a Gift SubscriptionBless friends, family or clergy with a gift of the Register. Although the Gospels give us little information as to how individuals become targets of Satanic control, I would suggest for your consideration that they sometimes do so by leaving themselves open to Satanic influence. Instead, they reject Him because all they know is His power and purity. January 2022 Then the SPCA would have been up in arms over such cruelty to animals. 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. Holiness hurts! 16ff., xix. There is no true freedom and fulfillment apart from Jesus Christ, the Creator and Redeemer of men. July 2022 By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. And they were afraid. Pig carcasses were washing ashore and drifting out to sea. . Was it fear that a secret sin might be exposed? A friend of mine told me later that two students were attempting to cast a demon out of a fellow. 3); they are reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day (Jude 6); and what the unclean spirits deprecate here, is the bringing in, by anticipation, of that final doom. R. C. Trench, Notes on the Miracles of Our Lord (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1949), p. 100. 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. The Lord granted the only request of these residents, which was for Him to leave. Even in our sophisticated times, there is an intense interest in the supernatural and the occult. 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. Lets face it, we all like to be in control. Stack Exchange network consists of 181 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. May 2020 These people did not want to change. 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. . 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). 2 And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. Men in their unbelief suppose that the choice is either to be free (independent of God) or to be the slaves of Christ. This reveals to us that demons have an intuitive knowledge of their impending doom.117. The drowning of the swine was an accident, possibly simultaneous with the healing, and report mixed up the two incidents. April 2015 Well, it is because atheists, in their zealous rush to make fun of Christians, Christianity, and the Bible, start to lose their logical rigor and rationality, leading them to contend for implausible things: as presently. Why were the people of Gerasene afraid of the presence of Jesus? Father Macaire, 33, who was ordained fewer than two years ago, was kidnapped the morning of Feb. 7 when he was on his way to his missionary community in Kazal, about 20 miles north of Port-au-Prince. Although it is likely that the larger towns of Galilee were predominantly Gentile, as was the Decapolis, the first-century civilian diet did not . Now they were delivered and ready to be productive members of society. July 2016 August 2018 November 2020 Bulk update symbol size units from mm to map units in rule-based symbology. They valued their pigs more than they valued salvation. 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. To understand this event, you need consider the incident at Babel, and Deuteronomy. 4, p. 102. 4. The lectionary reading for Trinity 1, Year C, is Luke's version of Jesus meeting and healing the demon-possessed man in the 'region of the Gerasenes' (Luke 8.26-39). (5) What our Lord could have given the people of this territory was much greater than what He took away. At first we may deceive ourselves into thinking that we are controlling them, but the ultimate likelihood is that they will master us. 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. 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.. Bob was born and raised in a Christian home i More, The Net Pastors Journal, Eng. Early Christians like St. Polycarp clearly held the Catholic view on salvation. The miracle referred to took place, without doubt, near the town of Gergesa, the modern Kersa, close by the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, and hence in the country of Gergesenes. 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. 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. Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. It is noteworthy that it is distinguished (especially in the Gospel of the physician, Luke) from cases of ordinary sickness, insanity (lunacy), leprosy, blindness, lameness, deafness and other natural defects and diseases (cf. The house that is left swept and clean is a likely target for Satanic influence (cf. They were willing to post guards and chain and shackle their neighbor to keep him from hurting someone. Norval Geldenhuys, Commentary on the Gospel of Luke (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1951), p. 174. There is the so-called demon of doubt, of anger, of overindulgence, of drunkenness, laziness and so on. Brazilian Charity Caring for Children Who Survived Abortions Issues Urgent Appeal, Memento Mori: Remember You Are Going to Die, The Meat of the Matter: St. Patricks Day and the Lenten Fast. March 2016 e.g., Matt. The first two are in the Authorized Version. As C. S. Lewis aptly put it: There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. I will not ask him to leave. Thus an economic lose of revenue was involved. Instantly he recognized the Lord Jesus to be the Son of God (verse 7).116 There was a source of spiritual insight beyond human capabilities here. The commission of our Lord is considerably different from His instructions to the Israelites whom He had delivered. Is it a bug? Why was Jesus going to walk past the disciples as they were rowing on the Sea of Galilee? Matt. June 2016 The nearby townspeople, upon hearing of the great miracle (and not wanting to suffer further economic loss), begged Christ to leave the Gadarenes and never come back! Satans most useful instrument is the outstanding, outwardly moral and upright religious man, whose good deeds are done independently of God.
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