The normally merciful Messiah destroyed the pigs in accordance with Gods Law about clean and unclean meat. Throughout Scripture itself, its a perpetual theme: Never believe anyone who says the Word of God which liveth and abideth forever (1 Peter 1:23; KJV) changeth! You know, a month ago, a month ago, if you had said to anyone, You know, Tiger Woods is in slavery. They would have looked at you and said, You've got to be out of your mind. were the gerasenes gentiles Something else to ponder about the Son of God is his other title, The Good Shepherd: David, the son of Jesse, was another selfless, compassionate shepherd. Before the war it was a Gentile settlement. Something else to ponder about the Son of God is his other title, I am the good shepherd. I asked him how could it be that Jesus carried on an intelligent, protracted, two-way conversation with an illness after the illness was excised out of the man. He used another pseudonym, Julian Ross. He was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert.) Being made in God's image, we are more important to the Lord than any animal. Perhaps even ask who might that future group of individuals be to whom Jesus will say, Depart, I never knew you (Matthew 7:22) because even though they called him, Lord, Lord [and had gone to seminary and made dispensational charts] they somehow were on the wrong path. These pastors have added to Scripture that the God of the Old Testament is different in the New and taken away from it Mosess 613 commandments are now reduced to 2. Hello, I dont know the real answer but I have heard from others that Jesus has authority over any demonic presence and there were many in this man (other Gospel says two men), so it clearly shows Jesus Power and Authority and that is probably the main point to show the people and the demon possessed at that time that it doesnt matter how many of you there are your not staying and your leaving now because I say so and you cant do anything and because I say so you can go into them pigs because you are unclean, so it was a demonstration for all, including his Disciples who were with him, I do believe that Jesus went there for that purpose because of his Love for us, Jesus knows why He did it, maybe one day He will tell us or not ? It's just 8 or 9 verses before this passage. All you need to know right now, if youre interested in that I'm happy to talk about it until the cows come home, but all you need to know is each of those places the regions of the Gergesenes, the Gadarenes, and the Gerasenes it's all on the other side of the Lake of Galilee. Inhabitants of Gadara, known from an alleged miracle of Jesus ( Matthew 8; Mark 5; Luke 8) in which he transferred the demons He was completely in the thrall of sin. One unambiguous (but hotly debated) verse that supports this doctrine is, 1 John 5:7: For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. So if we agree Messiah is part of the Godhead, then logically we agree Messiah also co-authored, with the Father, the Law of God. He says that the demon expulsions are just unenlightened men of the first century trying to explain illnesses being healed. Delivered to your inbox! But as Gergesa was a small village, and little known, the evangelists, who wrote for more distant readers, spoke of the event as taking place in the country of the Gadarenes, so named from its largest city, Gadara; and this country included the country of the Gergesenes as a state includes a county. He also makes excursions into Gentile territory, such as when he exorcizes the Gerasene/Gadarene demoniac (Mark 5:1-20). Heavenly Father, we thank You that the name of Jesus is sweet in the ears of believers, but we know, O Lord, that those who love this world do not know the sweetness of the sound of His name. (But that may sadly describe a good number of Christians.) To any Jew, Jesuss actions were crystal clear. Gergesenes means "those who come from pilgrimage or fight." Them there pigs were trying to hog Jesus limelight! We "are of more value than many sparrows" (Matt. were badly damaged in major Note that Jesus never touched the demon-inhabited individual: He merely spoke to him, commanding the evil to depart. Theories of men that attack statements made by God evolution for example are sadly creeping into the minds of Christian leaders. So why did the meek n merciful Son of Man cast countless defiling demons into two thousand piglets, sows and boars? He couldnt introduce a new religion. founders day speech by students were the gerasenes gentiles. The good pastor actually believes that a Jewish man can rationally decide the best sleeping quarters , In the end, the good pastors assumptions keep us, Just remember the wonderful folks in Jesuss hometown? Gergesa - Wikipedia Its all so reminiscent of John MacArthur joking and John Piper giving pat answers because n body wants to be honest with the Word of God and face facts and Jesus killing pigs is one of those uncomfortable contradictions.). WebWhy were there pigs in gerasenes? Reading the whole account in Acts 19:23 to 41, we see that it was not hard for the sore silversmith to drum up anti-Jewish anger in the crowd that day. 8 ) Their pork was kosher, kept out of the camp for 7 days, and circumcised. Jesus enters enemy territory in two ways. Demons, Jesus, and the Pigs The Outlaw Bible Student, http://www.linearconcepts.com/archives/2011. So if you have the ears to hear, the Father and the Son both wrote the Law and gave it to 630,000 men (and women and children) at Mt. So why were these pig owners on the east side of the lake afraid? One moose, two moose. Pingback: The Prophet in the Hometown A Pilgrim in Augsburg. Because God is so steady, and doesnt reverse or repeal, He can be trusted to do what He promises; good or evil. The tricky bit is finding the correct reason why gentle Jesus dumped hundreds of murderous, unclean spirits on so many swine. This was the authentic Messiah that the Jews were waiting for. He also wrote the poem Greatheart. This one verse alone, without all the extra proof from Jesuss joke, should convince us that his commandments are the 613 commandments of the Law of Moses. Show us the only hope of deliverance from those sins and teach us these things from this passage. ]. One was, His Name Was Legion, Not Ligon. I have been confused with Legion all my life and it worries me that it's not just the sound of the name, but I want to make it clear that Legion is not in any way related to Ligon. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before Him and said with a loud voice, What have You to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? And was the Master doing the right thing sacrificing someone elses pigs. In course of time, as the Jews began more and more to pride themselves on their peculiar privileges, it acquired unpleasant associations, and was used as a term of contempt. WATER DESTROYED HER!!!! For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs. ; Mark v.; Luke viii.) Dont demons like sheep? WebThe terrified Gerasenes beseeching Jesus to leave them. Gods Law even has two commands that equate domestic livestock with wild animals. It seems to happen a lot in the gospels. Echoes of Exodus in the Land of theGerasenes, Wesleys Eschatological Optimism Explains itAll, The Prophet in the Hometown A Pilgrim in Augsburg, The Methodist Million Dollar Appeal in World WarII. It's back just a few verses, the answer is back just a few verses. (Matthew 8:28; Mark 5:1; Luke 8:26) In Gerasenes in place of Gadarenes. Jesus though he was The Prophet (Deuteronomy 18:15-18 and John 1:21) had to play by the same laws. His sermon should have given us some point, some excuse, or some logical explanation for it all. The only other commandment with this same specific promise is the command to honour thy mother and father (Exodus 20:12 and Deuteronomy 5:16; c.f., Ephesians 6:2-3 where Paul copies out the entire commandment and the promise). These three verse from John really are earth-shattering. To save this word, you'll need to log in. Another title that didn't make it was Demons, Pigs, and a Request to Leave. Now I think actually that beautifully outlines what happens in this passage, but for a specific reason I've wanted to zero your attention in on this man, this nameless man, who is afflicted by demons and who is liberated by Jesus Christ because there is a Gospel message for all of us. Did Jesus really sacrifice the swine for the man? Search the web and you will find many opinions about why the pigs died. 2. So did the demons surprise him? The Messiah gave every Jew there that day a glimpse of the judgement to come. Saying God reverses a verdict or compromises a promise soils His Name. And His promise to make a new promise (covenant) with Israel and with Judah in Jeremiah 31:31-32 does not repeal the first promise (the covenant that Israel broke), it strengthens it. display: none !important; led to the substitute reading Gergesenes, a reading that was suggested by a study of the geography of the area. Christians never finish reading the chapter. Without a question, if Jesuss pig-farmers had been Gentiles, there would have been bloodshed. the obscure phrase, (declaring all food clean), is magically transformed by the New International Version into, In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean, or into even lovelier prose like, By saying this, he declared that every kind of food is acceptable in Gods eyes, by the New Living Translation (talk about making silk purse out of a sows ear). Those people were Jews in Nazareth. There is no captivity that you can be captive to that is not captive to Jesus Christ for He has ascended on high and led captivity captive and He makes a sport and a spoil of the forces of darkness which are arrayed against God and against heaven. ), his power over blindness (John 9:32) and even over death, as in the case of a three-days dead Lazarus (John 11:1-44). This software has many innovative features and you can trap a Bull or Bear in REAL TIME! Also, He is sometimes more open with outsiders/Gentiles than Jews because the negative reaction by the Jewish leaders would hinder his ministry more than rejection by Gentiles. Jesus Heals the Gerasene Demoniac Mark 7). He's been set free by Jesus. Incredible. War I. iv. And Jews are forbidden by God and His eternal commands to own pigs. Luke doesn't think that it's an every day occurrence for a person to be possessed by a host of demons. (For many a time it had seized him. For centuries, land wars are a type of a national sport among Middle Eastern nations. Cute little silver goddess dolls would have sold for the same price as a full-grown boar or sow in those days. Swine there because they could eat pork, just not while it is representing a clean sacrifice, which would be representing Jesus as the real sacrifice not yet available until Jesus actually came and died for all of our sins naturally. Pretty quickly the whole city was in an uproar. Lastly, based on culture, human-nature and most importantly, on specific Scripture passages, we know the demoniac could not have been a Gentile but was most assuredly, Yet a complete interpretation of Mark 5 needs to clear up one last point: the pigs were forbidden but did they, Christ kept kosher and cleaned up the town, I can of Myself do nothing. Seven Biblical facts await you that prove Jesus was obliged to love all creatures, except that a higher command forced him to partially judge the Jews who owned the two thousand poor pigs. But should you also doubt, my friendly blog reader, read on. Plus, when Jesus chased the sellers out of the Temple courts (Matthew 21:12-13; Mark 11:12-19; Luke 19:45-48; John 12:13-16), there is a small, but wonderful, detail that is in complete harmony with Matthew 10:29. He is more open with Gentiles because it fits His purpose about revelation to the Gentiles and the new inclusion in the kingdom. The last point to tidy up Jesus allowed the demons to kill the pigs or Jesus did it? In the story of the Gerasene demoniac, Jesus invades enemy territory and defeats a powerful army to deliver people from bondage. In the Book of Acts, Chapter Nineteen, we read about Demetrius, a Greek silver-statue maker, who was connecting a few dots of his own and had reasoned that a certain big-mouthed Jew was bad for business. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. Where He goes, they show up and they say things to Him. But it was what they loved and they preferred it to everlasting blessing in Jesus Christ. If you have your Bibles I'd invite you to turn with me to Luke chapter 8 and this great story of the man who was possessed by demons, liberated by the Lord Jesus Christ. He was totally dominated by these demonic forces. In the three Synoptic Gospels and John 2:15, Jesus forces all the sellers out of the Temple courts. So He gave them permission. And at the end of the passage, look how he is described. View our current career opportunities. Pliny described it as a city of the Decapolis founded after the Rom. In actual fact, when you stop to think about it, because God denounced pork in Leviticus, and then Jesus destroyed two thousand, and that event is thrice repeated by Matthew, by Mark, by Luke it all adds up to a big confirmation of the fact that God doesn't change. In Luke 4 and 5, great multitudes are following Jesus Christ when He does His miracles. Also, Orthodox Jews see a clear connection between Deuteronomy 12:32, do not add, and what happened in the Garden of Eden. Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. And wild animals are not forget because farmers in the Land of Israel are commanded in Exodus 23:11 to leave parts of their fields for food for wildlife. Another problem with the Catch-22 interpretation is the sheer number of other animals or places that Jesus could have negotiated for. Gerasa. Answer: the impurity of the swine. The text of Mark 5 says pigs were nearby, but it doesnt say they were the only things nearby. Its odd that dispensationalist preachers dont preach this obvious, permanent truth. But it struck me as interesting that Bertrand Russell had the exact same reaction to this miracle that the people of the Gerasenes had. (. But they dont prove his point. They are out to steal, kill, and destroy, so we dare not trifle with evil spirits. So how on earth could they dictate to the Son of God where they wished to go? In a recent online essay on the Gospel of Mark, Peter Leithart wrote. In light of these facts, Jesus' ministry in the Gerasenes reveals the Lord's remarkable concern not only for the Jews but also for the Gentiles. (, For I tell you truly, until the passing away of Heaven and the Earth, not the smallest letter nor the smallest comma will pass away from the Law until everything has happened. That's what disciples do, they sit at their master's feet. And do you believe for one minute that God told us to obey something that He knew full-well we couldnt obey? For you Tolkien fans it reminds me of a character in the trilogy of the Lord of the Rings. But John is more precise, saying none should add or remove words. However, the silversmith was a smart cookie and knew that the more people bought into Pauls line of thinking, Note: Demetrius was angry only because of, Therefore, were those cool-headed pig-farmers really Gentiles? Also oral tradition in this area talks of Christ coming and preaching the gospel there but being asked to leave shortly afterwards. Notice how Gods, Plus, when Jesus chased the sellers out of the Temple courts (. See more comments below.). Without a doubt, both men know God never came up with the line, Put pork on your fork. And because they did not hear Him, they lost even what they had. This town is not to be confused with either Gerasa or Gadara. Jerash We are pleased to launch our new product Money Maker Software for world's best charting softwares like AmiBroker, MetaStock, Ninja Trader & MetaTrader 4. Working with the Law, and not against it, Jesus is shown to be completely in character and not out of his mind. Therefore he had every right to judge the Jews and how they used land. In, David was a good example of what Jesus meant by , Sadly, our two good pastors seem oblivious to the fact that under the Law of Moses, animals have benefits too, and this fact should have bearing on any interpretation of Mark 5. WebGadarenes. Also, Johns emphasis do not take away from the words is stronger than Mosess original statement. ___________________________________________________________________. The Gerasenes, however, was located in the territory of the Decapolis, a group of ten cities with a majority population of Gentiles. 1. (, David, the son of Jesse, was another selfless, compassionate shepherd. It isnt a long list. Although He encountered and ministered to Gentiles such as the centurion who had a paralyzed servant (Matt. One possible reason the Son of David chose the pigs was that he had no choice. It is a wonderful fact, but unlike you and I, Gods character is constant and consistent I AM that I AM and understanding His unchanging nature is at the center of forming the right interpretation of Mark 5. He wouldnt have lived long enough to get to a cross to die. This story is a technicolor picture of Luke 8:18, and my friends, there don't have to be demons around for us to be facing the same challenge. Top Ten Reasons Why There Were Pigs In Gerasenes It's amazing Jesus comes to shore and it's obvious that He has immediately commanded the spirits to leave the man because they remonstrate with Him. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. Ba-dum-tsss.). Jun 21, 2021. (, Worse yet, dont trust one who says Scripture. Such a conclusion will annoy a lot of people, even funny, leaky dispensationalists like John MacArthur. Most translations interpret the Hebrew to say, Canaanite, but both are more than possible and perhaps the double meaning was intended by the prophet. Again, these classifications come from God, not man, and show up in Scripture as early as Genesis 7:1-9. And Christ went sadly.He had wrought for them a signOf Love, and Hope, and Tenderness divine;They wantedswine.Christ stands without _your_ door and gently knocks;But if your gold, or swine, the entrance blocks,He forces no man's holdhe will depart,And leave you to the treasures of your heart. A great deal of the Law applies only to priests (Leviticus 6:3) and to Levites (Numbers 7:9), so how could Jesus, of the tribe of Judah, keep one of those commandments? Scripture also makes it abundantly clear that God Almighty cannot change, and no one, not even the Lord's Anointed Messiah can change the Law which they both wrote. When Jesus and his disciples landed on the other side, it was in a region known as the Gerasenes, Gentile territory. 'Hiemal,' 'brumation,' & other rare wintry words. Their line of reasoning supposes that Jesus wanted to save the man (men) but too many unclean spirits meant Jesus had to negotiate to get them to move out. GotQuestions has three articles alone on the subject: here is their best. Unsurprisingly in such a place, Jesus finds a man possessed by unclean spirits. She needs someone strong enough to cast a legion of demons into the sea, like Pharaoh and his hosts. The distinction between the two is clear (now). But this I do know, when people say that because those pigs died it shows that Jesus was not a good and virtuous man theyre forgetting three things. He is the freest man in the world. But today, if you said to anybody, Tiger Woods is a slave to his desires, they would recognize it. He knew how bad it was going to go for the pigs. (, Although the Almightys statement is only one sentence in, For I myself witness truthfully to everyone hearing the words of the prophecy of this book, , Besides Johns cute play on words dont, Also, Orthodox Jews see a clear connection between, This curse should deter makers of dispensational charts from chopping up Scripture because having my share taken from the Book of Life, or my name , Also, Johns emphasis do not take away from , As a result, our biggest take-away lesson is to never take away from the Word of the Almighty.But dispensational-flavoured pastors ignore this and teach us that Moses and David and even Jesus lived by different rules. To run Money Maker Software properly, Microsoft .Net Framework 3.5 SP1 or higher version is required. He seen himself demon possessed people that had extrodinary powers. R.C. Years earlier, when the ancient Israelis came to the border of the Promised Land, part of the eastern shore was controlled by the Geshurites (and the Maakathites) but Joshua told Israel to possess their land (, Last Fact: The coming Judgement Jews First, We have seen that God Almighty loves animals as much as humans, so Jesus randomly killing two thousand swine seems senseless, unless we remember God has commanded righteous people to avoid defiling food, such as pork. Besides, each of the synoptic gospels quotes the demons saying out loud that Jesus had the power to torture them all at will (Matthew 8:29, Mark 5:7 and Luke 8:28). Jewish rabbis, when interpreting the Word of God, follow an important principle: no word in Gods Word is superfluous or pointless. While foretelling death and doom was often, Fifth Fact: The True Author(s) of Scripture. If you're carrying a sheep, is it still a "piggy" back ride? * If one believes demons exists, why invent a false story to make the point that Jesus has power over demons? Post the Definition of Gerasene to Facebook, Share the Definition of Gerasene on Twitter, More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary, Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes. As regards the first question, it would appear that that section of the country was chiefly inhabited by pagans in the first century, and Gerasa is at any rate included by Schrer among the Hellenistic cities ("Geschichte," ii. Gadarene Swine The site is identified today with the town of Kersa, or Gersa, just below Wadi es-Samak. For heavens sake, why cant the good pastor try to explain the incompatibility of our loving Jesus wiping out hundreds of innocent creatures without a punch line? Pork was a prevalent food staple and as you travel near the gates of Gibraltar the terrain matches the craggy cliffs as well as the placement of aboveground as well as natural cave tombs which show signs of living inhabitants at some point. and therefore the good pastor declares the demoniac to be a Gentile since, as everyone also knows, Gentiles are better tomb-dwellers.. Even city officials who were Pauls friends were scared for Pauls life (Acts 19:31). Jesus heals the Gerasene demoniac Instead of a sling and a stone, Jesus needs only his voice; Jesus commands and the enemy falls. Kursi - The Gerasene Site of Jesus' Miracle on the East Side of Lake And while its not true God pairs animals with people every where in Scripture, He does in this statement. Nothing we have belongs to us. How Many Places Did Jesus Visit The power of the Lord Jesus Christ over Satan. 9. The Gerasene Demoniac (Mark 5:1-20) | Bible.org (Later, in Genesis 8:20, Noah sacrificed some of the clean animals to God as thank you offerings because their ship had come in! We gotta git us some!, 1 ) [your turn. I agree the counter-arguments look flawless on the surface and that will be partially exposed now. No cumbered chamber will the Master share,But one swept bare By cleansing fires, then plenished fresh and fairWith meekness, and humility, and prayer.There will He come, yet, coming, even thereHe stands and waits, and will no entrance winUntil the latch be lifted from within. Gergasa (modern name Kersa) was a small village nearby, and Gadara was the larger region of which the village was a part, with Gerasa as the regional capital. But Christianity early became important in the city; several churches were built during these centuries, so that by the 5th cent., Gerasa could send a bishop to the Council of Chalcedon. Such a statement is irresponsible because the Law was not written for a single person. So I figure we could speculate a little and see where this goes. Palmer Robertson was telling me not long after he had arrived in Africa to begin his ministry there he was taken to a nighttime fireside meeting with a witch doctor a man who was possessed of familiar spirits, who had extraordinary powers of strength, prediction, he was hired by people to put curses on other people and to put spells on other people. At the beginning of the gospel, he wins these victories with acts of visible, recognizable power. This means that these miracles are especially meant to teach believers something. Yet they tried to throw one of their own off a cliff (Luke 4:29). Later, Leviticus 11 explains to His Chosen People that He had chosen only ritually clean/pure animals for them to eat. Both Gerasa and Gadara were cities to the east of the Sea of Galilee and the River Jordan. Again, Gods anointed one faces down an army, one man against thousands. Ruins of the temple of Artemis, some columns still standing, are on another hillside above the ruins. So he gave them permission. Gods Law even has two commands that equate domestic livestock with wild animals. Also in a side note theres a rock with what looks like a human footprint in it, it is said this is Christs footprint. If the interpretation from, If a bunch of little children want a ball to play with and I toss them a grenade, am I off the hook if a kid pulls out the pin? The heart set free from sin by Jesus. In either case, the theological point is not helped by a fictitious story. These authors were Biblical (Peter, James, Paul, Hebrews, etc) and to a lesser extent, non-biblical (Josephus, Pliny, etc). Racism: Not a modern invention . Then again, who needs to imagine anything? Jesus made him whole. It was a region of 10 Greco-Roman cities, a Gentile region. The apostle had been busy preaching in Demetriuss hometown of Ephesus and Pauls message about the one true God was catching on. Perhaps a tenth, or a quarter, or a half of the 613 commandments were fulfilled by Jesus, but not all. It's this man who is in bondage to these demons. I've ended up, and Ill explain it later, giving the title The Man Jesus Renamed. Now that may peak your interest because in the passage no name is ever given for the man, either before or after his conversion, so you may be wondering why I've named it that. After stilling the storm while crossing the Sea of Galilee, Jesus lands with his disciples on the eastern shore of the lake. But the sad thing I want you to see at the end is the reaction of the majority of his countrymen, because unlike him, they do not beg to be with Jesus. http://archive.ligonduncan.com/mp3/12.13.2009_Dr_J_Ligon_Duncan_The_Man_Jesus_Renamed_Luke_8_26-39.mp3. I wonder why?). He specifically banned pig in Leviticus 11:6 but to make sure we heard God repeats the command (Deuteronomy 14:8), adds that eating it makes a person unclean (Leviticus 11:43), adds that touching their carcasses defiles a person (Leviticus 11:28), adds that righteous people must not become defiled (Leviticus 20:25), and then sends His prophet a prophesy like, no one uncircumcised or anything unclean (/tameh) will anymore enter Zion or Jerusalem (Isaiah 52:1), and then openly judges pork-eaters as wicked (Isaiah 65:2-5), and then hotly repeats that identical point (Isaiah 66:15-17), and once more (Ezekiel 44:23-27) and once again, but now in the New Testament (Revelation 21:27), so where is that pastor who dares suppose the Almighty can change His mind about pigs? So these four miracles show Jesus reaching out to Gentiles, either in Galilee or even in even more Gentile territory across the river. Its kinda like the difference between a Disney movie, a TV documentary and/or an infomercial; normally each is dissimilar from the other. In turn, they would have a vehicle wherewith to stay in their territory. Gods Law has a law that you cannot change Gods Law. Amen. Theres got to be a a good one about. (This sad fact may have something to do with Christians telling Jews to junk the Law which they love and to just believe and receive.) Wed obey Him. So its a fair comparison to place Pauls actions in Ephesians side-by-side with Jesuss actions by the Lake of Galilee. That is why Many will rush for cover behind the last four Greek words of this verse, despite all of its textual, translation and interpretation problems. So now they don't even bother to read it.]. He had a new name and he had a new nature to go along with it. Look at what he first says when Jesus meets him in verse 28 What do you have to do with me, Jesus?