Mark Study 23
The Son of the Most High God
Mark Study #23 by Michael Spencer
Step into the study, pour yourself a cup of coffee, get comfortable and let's enjoy the Gospel of Mark.
Our scripture this week is Mark 5:1-20
1 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes.
2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him.
3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain.
4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him.
5 Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.
6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him.
7 He shouted at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won't torture me!"
8 For Jesus had said to him, "Come out of this man, you evil spirit!"
9 Then Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" "My name is Legion," he replied, "for we are many."
10 And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.
11 A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside.
12 The demons begged Jesus, "Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them."
13 He gave them permission, and the evil spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.
14 Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened.
15 When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.
16 Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man--and told about the pigs as well.
17 Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.
18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him.
19 Jesus did not let him, but said, "Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you."
20 So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.
(NIV)
I will immediately confess that this may be my favorite story in the ministry of Jesus. Without checking, I can say I've preached on it more than any other part of Mark. I'm sure many of you love it as well. It's full of striking images and tremendous applications, far more than I can possibly hope to deal with in out study. I assume it's safe to assume many of you love it as well. One of my favorite preachers, the late Tom Jenkyn, used to use this text in a sermon called "The Thing!" It holds most audiences with its drama and unexpected turns. I would suggest that few passages in the Bible benefit more from a look into the background, the details, the literary connections and the current application. Live with it for a week and see if it doesn't speak deeply to you.
Mark- and the Gospels in general- bear strong evidence of those incidents that made a particularly vivid impression on the disciples. This story, with its many details, seems to have stayed alive in the mind of those who witnessed it because of the extraordinary change in the demon-possessed man, the incredible conversation between Jesus and the demonic forces and the reaction of the community. All three of these areas make excellent studies, so I will try to deal briefly with each one. First, let's look at the story in its literary context in Mark.
The chapter break is unfortunate, because Mark is obviously again dealing with the identity of Jesus, a question explicitly raised in 4:41. The story answers the question in exact terms in 5:7. The passage is heavily ironic, as disciples and townspeople cannot admit who Jesus is, but demons readily recognize him. This is a device that Mark students must appreciate and look for, as it is a theme throughout the book, especially in chapter 8 and even at the crucifixion itself. It is an irony that continues in the real world. Jesus is unrecognized in a world where the demonic realm works full time to conceal the obvious. In fact, the whole sweep of the section from 4:35 to 6:6 is constructed around the answer to the question "Who is this man?" He is the one nature obeys, the one demons obey, the one who heals the sick immediately and even raises the dead. Yet, in chapter 6, even his hometown rejects him as anything other than a local boy gone wrong.
The location of this event is a puzzle. Three different words are used in various gospels and textual variants. The actual town Mark seems to mention was 33 miles from the lake. The town indicated in Matthew's version was 6 miles from the lake, but has none of the physical characteristics needed. Origen seemed to think Mark's original word was a derivation of one of the Canaanite peoples who had lived in the area. This has some merit, as these groups were associated with demonic worship and activity. Pious Jews tried to avoid those communities associated with Canaanite religion. This may why the disciples were so terrified by the storm, another manifestation of the power of evil. A more recent suggestion is that the town may actually be at the site of a village known as Kersa (Gersa). It is only a mile from the eastern shore of the lake, a mile from the Decapolis and has all the specific physical characteristics demanded in the story. While locating the place is relatively unimportant, we should note that this was Gentile territory, and well out of Jesus' normal environment; strange territory for him to visit so intentionally and for such a short time. The implications are interesting, particularly that Jesus would go this far to release one man from demonic oppression.
This man is certainly one of the most interesting characters in scripture. We have to wonder how he found himself in this condition, where was his family and why was he such an extreme example of possession? (I have dealt with Jesus as an exorcist in earlier studies on 1:21ff.) Tombs were always associated with the habitation of demons in the Jewish mind and Gentiles would often make offerings at cemeteries to appease the spirits of the dead or demons that inhabited the area. This man is a classic case of what demon possession means in the Bible; he is not merely odd or slightly disturbed. He is beyond human help and control. He cannot be bound with chains because his strength is super-human. He ran wild among the tombs like an animal. He cut himself, which some have pointed out was a common practice among Canaanite cultic rituals, but in this story is seems an act of self-destruction inspired by the "unclean spirit." Yet the phrase "crying out" reveals the man's remaining humanity. He was still a person who knew what it was to hurt, to be miserable and perhaps to long for healing. As frightening as this man is, we recognize in him those forms of misery, pain, isolation and bondage that the evil one brings into the world. Whether or not it fits into our modern concepts of psychology is unimportant. The Bible recognizes that demonic powers are at war against God on the battlefield of the human soul.
The man's reaction to Jesus is immediate. This is common in the Gospels; wayward spirits speak to him with recognition and fear. Those who are involved in the occult, especially young people, should take note that demons are under no illusions regarding the truth of Jesus Christ. Only human beings are so prejudiced towards sin that they cannot see what every corner of the universe acknowledges. The man adopts a stance of worship, prefiguring the truth that "every knee will bow" including those in active rebellion against God. The voice that speaks from this tortured man is not the man himself, but a demonic personality. And in one sentence, he confesses Mark's main concern. Jesus is the Son of the Most high God. This is the name of God that occurs in Genesis 14:18-20, El-Elyon. Abram knows that this Canaanite name for God is the same God that has called him from Ur into covenant with himself. It is the first name of God that Abram recognizes and affirms. In this Canaanite culture, the demons call Jesus the son of El-Elyon, God most high.
The demon's request is that Jesus not torture him. This is not surprising if we understand that the appearing of Jesus in the world is the announcement of the end of Satan's Kingdom and the impending eternal punishment of rebel spirits in the lake of fire. (Matthew 25:41) Christians must realize and understand that there is no longer any question of the defeat of Satan's forces. Demons and devils recognize the victory of Jesus and know that his authoritative word will be carried out. Spiritual warfare is not a fight with a questionable ending. If Satan gains a victory it is an unnecessary one. The Christian, acting in the authority of Jesus Christ, is always victorious, no matter what the outward circumstances seem to dictate. The text says that Jesus was commanding the spirit to come out and there was no question whether the spirit would obey, only a question of where the spirit would go next! Death, demons, disease--- all must obey the Lord Jesus. The demon even invokes the name of God as protection!
Interestingly, the text says that Jesus had been repeatedly commanding the demon to come out, as A.T. Robertson comments: "{For he said} (|elegen gar|). For he had been saying (progressive imperfect). Jesus had already repeatedly ordered the demon to come out of the man whereat the demon made his outcry to Jesus and protested. " This is the only time that the Gospels hint a repeated command may have been given by Jesus in an exorcism. John Gill comments on this command... "which was said with so much authority and power, that there was no withstanding it: the devil knew he was not a match for him; that he must, at his command, quit his possession, and therefore fell to confession and entreaty. Christ will not dwell where Satan does; when therefore he is about to take up his residence in the hearts of any, he outs with Satan; he binds the strong man armed, and dispossesses him; he causes the spirit of uncleanness to depart; he sanctifies the heart by his grace and Spirit, and so makes it a proper habitation for him to dwell in by faith; and this is done by mighty power: a man cannot deliver himself out of the hands of Satan, or cause him to quit his hold of him, or the unclean spirit to depart; nor can he sanctify and cleanse himself, and make himself meet for the master's use: this is all owing to efficacious grace."
Jesus' naming of the demon is another aspect of the techniques used in typical exorcisms of the time. This particular part of the story has been exaggerated and overemphasized by many interested in spiritual warfare ministries. At times, a sort of magical concept has been created where Christians demand that demons speak their names before they have authority over them. Aside from this incident, which is certainly never imitated as an example, the Bible never hints that such knowledge is necessary to pray for people with authority. The name "Legion" may be personal or merely descriptive. It is unclear whether it is a boast by one or a claim to be many. Again, this detail is primarily there for the sake of the narrative and not as an example of a normative encounter with demons or those influenced by the demonic. Verse ten provides some evidence that demons have a particular territory or realm to which they are confined. In my opinion, this is the result of the fact demons are angels who have fallen and the Bible clearly teaches angelic assignments or territories.
A Jewish audience would have appreciated the incident with the pigs differently than we do today! Requesting to be allowed to move into a herd of unclean animals was bad enough, but to be tricked into destroying themselves was even more hilarious! Some are troubled that this is a miracle of destruction, but Mark's readers would not have been troubled with such a politically correct thought, only seeing the authority of Jesus to drive out the demonic from the lives of people and make his triumph over demons obvious, awesome and even entertaining. Those of us reading in a so-called enlightened time should beware of subjecting Mark or Jesus to our judgments about right and wrong or what is appropriate. This is not a story to subject to modern sensibilities. It is a glimpse of the battle that goes on in all places and at all times- and a powerful picture of the difference Jesus makes.
The response and reaction of the community is fascinating. First, the pig-tenders rush into town to tell the news of the destruction of a large investment and source of profit. When the crowd returns, they see no pigs, but an astonishing sight: the formerly out-of-control man is now "sitting there, dressed and in his right mind..." This phrase has always captivated me. The presence of God is not manifested by fanaticism and manic behavior, but by peace, clarity, sanity and self-control, a beautiful picture of the human personality restored to harmony with itself, others and our creator. There is no doubt that Christ makes a difference and this passage is no comfort for those who believe praying a prayer or walking an aisle, but no change in life, amounts to real conversion. This is also a study of pure, sovereign grace. This man was elected and regenerated (born-again) in dramatic terms, with no effort or ability on his part. He was helpless, a captive of the devil. But then grace delivered him from the power of the devil and made him a new creation. How do those who believe we assist in our own salvation explain this story?
Time for a bit of a rant: Why are so many Christians enamored with fanaticism? Why do they speak about zeal for God as if it must be "nuts?" Why do we talk about being "on fire for Jesus" as if we must act like rude and obsessed individuals? Why do we point to crazed sports fans and screaming music fans as models for our public expression of faith? I am speaking from my own fundamentalist Southern Baptist experience at this point and those of you who have never heard these comparisons should be grateful. I am convinced that millions of believing Christians do not live out their faith in the workplace or in education or in the public square because they have been told you must act like a fanatic to be a Christian. The world certainly has picked up that message- look at the media's portrayal of Christians! Faith is giving all I know of myself to all I know of God right now. Fanaticism, zeal, fervor, excitement, emotional intensity- it has its place but it is not the main menu of the Christian life. And to those screaming at pregnant women on sidewalks, knocking people on the floor, being obnoxious, rude and argumentative as a witness-- quit it. I'm no Tony Campolo fan but How to Follow Jesus Without Embarrassing God is a great book title. I believe the personality of Jesus was the sum of the fruit of the Spirit and the same Holy Spirit will produce the same beautiful fruit in my life.
Mark says the sight of this man struck fear into the hearts of the townspeople. When real religion does its real work, it can't be taken as a trivial thing. Mockers and cynics tremble when God is obvious from His mighty deeds- and they despise Him and Christians all the more. These people began to beg Jesus to leave! Such a demonstration of what the fallen human heart is really capable of! Those who think lost people are just not paying attention should read this verse again and again. When he has shown his power and done the most compassionate miracle, they beg him to leave. It is this condition of the human heart that demands the miracle of grace and the power of God. In my work with students I have seen this so many times. A notorious drug using, occult obsessed student will meet Jesus and be wonderfully changed. And his peers react with hostility and rejection. Thank God for those who are positively interested in what produced this change, but I plead God's mercy for those who see in this a reason to hate the Son of God. Such is our world and even more certain will be God's judgement on so many, apart from his grace. The most tragic thing in the story is the fact that Jesus left as they wished. C.S. Lewis said if we do not say "Thy will be done," in the end God will say to us "Thy will be done."
As all genuinely converted persons do, this new-born man wants to follow and serve Jesus. I appreciate all the emphasis on follow up and discipling in modern evangelical circles, but we must know that the Holy Spirit produces affection for Jesus and the resulting acts of worship, service and devotion. You do not need to program someone who has met the Son of God. The heresy of the so-called "carnal Christian" is not just based on a misunderstanding of I Corinthians 3, it is based on a poor reading of the Gospels. With all their flaws and failures, the disciples want to follow Jesus and it grieves them when they fail at being faithful to him. They didn't need a course in making it a habit to love the Lord. Non-converts can be run through the mill, but God's Spirit can alone produce a disciple.
Jesus says go home and tell your family what God has done for you. Those of us who have been called to small places and small mission fields (like our children and families) have no reason to be ashamed. An entire community of Christ-rejecting pagans could- in Jesus opinion- best be impacted by one converted and changed man, even more than by Jesus' own presence. Did you ever think that you might be a better witness than even Jesus himself in the place where you are? This isn't a blasphemous thought; it is the very reason Jesus left us in a world that crucified him. God's work in us, as residents of the world God loves, is the presence of Christ in the world.
I would love to go on and on (I think I have!) but I'll let you listen to the Holy Spirit speak in this wonderful story. This is the Christ we follow and what following him means. We can't learn enough of the lessons Mark has for us here.
Questions
Why is this story so popular among preachers and teachers?
Look at the sweep of 4:35 to 6:6. How is this entire section occupied with the question of who is Jesus?
Given the long geographical distance, why is it significant that Jesus would go so far to help one man and be rejected by so many?
Michael is aware that modern science would explain this man's condition and healing by some non-spiritual means. Yet the Bible straightforwardly presents his condition as demon posession. How can Christians balance being Biblical and being credible in the subject of demon posession? (One interesting answer: Read M. Scott Peck's book People of the Lie. Peck is a practicing Psychiatrist and was a new Christian when he wrote the book, which deals with the reality of demon posession.)
How does Mark remind us of this man's remaining humanity in the description of his demon posessed condition? Does this remind you of any situation you are familiar with?
What is the significance of the demon's reaction and response to Jesus? What does this reaction teach us about the future? What does it teach about spiritual warfare?
John Gill says Jesus' deliverance of this man is repeated in every Christians's experience. Read Ephesians 2:1ff and see how this is true. Do you agree with Gill? Have you experienced this?
If you suspect you need to pray for someone about a problem that is related to the demonic realm, do you need to know the demon's name? Why or Why not? Are Jesus' exorcisms normative as examples for us as believers?
How would a Jewish audience interpret the incident with the pigs? Especially,why would they find it funny?
Some will read this story and say it was wrong for Jesus to kill pigs. How does a "politically correct" reading of the Bible (especially on issues such as the treatment of women or violence in OT narratives) miss the meaning entirely?
Michael says the deliverance of this man is a miracle of sovereign grace. Do you agree?
The man meets Jesus and is changed. What do you believe the Bible teaches about those who make a profession of faith, but don't change? (See Mark 4)
Why didn't the community rejoice in what had happened to this man? How does the world typically react to the positive things that occur in the lives of Christians or are done by Christians?
Reread Mike's "Rant" about fanaticism. What do you think of his point?
What do we learn about the human condition when Jesus is asked to leave after his truth and power are obvious? How does it happen today?
What do you think Michael means by the heresy of the "carnal Christian?"
What is the balance between the work of the Holy Spirit in a heart producing love for God and the work of Christians discipling new believers?
What does Michael mean that sometimes we can be a more effective witness than Jesus was, at least in our own situation?
RECOMMENDED RESOURCE: Synopsis of the Four Gospels edited by Kurt Aland/ABS. A Synopsis of this kind is essential to Gospel study. It is a scholarly work, but ABS has this one in English and it is very helpful to see how all the Gospels handle similar material. This RSV translation is a good choice. Not usually sold in a bookstore, get the American Bible Society Scholars catalog.