were the gerasenes gentiles

End of story. Mark as quoted by Spalde, Annika; Strindlund, Pelle (2012). Why? (, Its not clear exactly who is doing more killings, the LORD or Melchizedek, but the picture overall fits the image of Son of God cleaning the land of swine. The power of the Lord Jesus Christ over Satan. Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way. Oops! about a.d. 65. Search the web and you will find many opinions about why the pigs died. The Messiah has the same nature and character was the Father, as discussed in the Fourth Fact above. The mountainside has caves and hewn tombs where, according to Mark and Luke, the demoniac had taken shelter. Instead of recklessly freeing the doves into the air (as erroneously shown in The Jesus Film and other Bible movies), Scripture records with precise detail that Jesus only knocked over the chairs of the pigeon owners, and/or told them to take their feathered property and leave (Matthew 21:12; Mark 11:15; John 2:16) he didnt use his whip on the birds or fling them into the air to be attacked by falcons or eagles. In this immediate area, steep hills come down to the shoreline and fit the story of the swine rushing headlong into the sea. Any other conclusion, in light of the seven facts just presented, is breathtakingly irresponsible, and we should just laugh it off. 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? In a recent online essay on the Gospel of Mark, Peter Leithart wrote. Since all of these areas overlap, one may take the references as meaning the same place. When Jesus said that he had not came to destroy the Law but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17), he was not talking to the Jews who already knew the Law was permanent, he was looking into future centuries and talking to those Christians who would try to destroy it. Its one thing to understand that He personally never changes. His soul, what care we for his soul? Wed also have to confess that the farmers were not Gentile. With or without graves? He's set free. It's just 8 or 9 verses before this passage. Jewish rabbis, when interpreting the Word of God, follow an important principle: no word in Gods Word is superfluous or pointless. Demetrius wasnt afraid to stand up for his rights. The church fathers treated them as literal history. And the good pastor doesnt give any rationale for a slaughter that huge. No other place on the E side of the sea fits this requirement of the story. 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 ? And holiness means salvation, as Paul wrote in two different letter, without holiness no man [or woman] shall see God (Hebrews 12:14 and Romans 6:22). Sproul writes in his commentary Mark that the compassion of Jesus "drove Him to destroy the pigs for the sake of one human life. Mr. Hippo read Mark 5 and convinced himself that Jesus did not care about swine, or any other animals, and therefore, spread a church doctrine that Christians have no genuine duty to animals. The prophet Jonah is held up as the merciless messenger of God; not a great title. ix. 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. 2 Just as Jesus was getting out of the boat, a man with an unclean spirit came Indeed, some believe that Jesuss single option was to let Legion loose on the animals. 1), and apparently occupied these cities with Jewish patriots. * And if one doesnt believe demons exist ..same question: why invent a false story to make the point that Jesus has power over demonic creatures that dont exist? Admittedly the whole event with the demon-crazed pigs is odd you dont see it every day but the writer wanted us to believe it genuinely happened. The site is identified today with the town of Kersa, or Gersa, just below Wadi es-Samak. Pig meat, according to Scripture, is as unclean as the demons that Jesus sent into the swine. Who owned the pigs? All we know now is that the demoniac could have been either: Jew or Gentile. Im not saying I totally believed the stories, but I cannot believe that a single other place could not be found to send the legion. Am I forgiven by saying, I just allowed the kids to have the grenade? Jesus does not go looking for this demon-possess man, the man comes to Him. Add to that that recent studies claim 25% of the world today is antisemitic and ask yourself if racism was better or worse in the past? There's nothing that they can do to restrain His mighty arm. Cant we be candid in our search to know God? They know that Jesus can cast them into the abyss, into the lake of fire, into the bowels of hell, and theyre frightened. Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged Him to let them enter these. One unambiguous (but hotly debated) verse that supports this doctrine is, If we agree Messiah wrote the Law of God, we should then wonder, (Please dont hide behind that sensational dispensational chart. How could they say Christians not need be concerned about the welfare of animals or that they have little value, or even laugh about the death of thousands, when such beliefs are set side-by-side with Gods Word? Isnt this what hes paid for? Therefore, by associating the two commandments together, and you catch some of the character of our Heavenly Father. This location agrees with the description given by the ancient writers. However, the silversmith was a smart cookie and knew that the more people bought into Pauls line of thinking, the less theyd be buying his souvenir Diana statues. I remember my boyhood pastor, Gordon Reed, preaching through a sermon series on the gospel on Mark coming to a passage about demon possession saying, I don't know much about demon possession, but I've read a lot of books about people on demon possession and they don't know much about demon possession either. Well, before you give counsel to Jesus about what He has done in this passage you may want to take stock about how much you know about demon possession. The next allusion to Gerasa concerns its capture during Vespasians campaign. His wisecracks are a distraction. }. Rabbi, begone! Well pretend with him that the folks in Gerasenes were placid Gentile farmers happily raising their gentle Gentile pigs. So many beautiful verses and motivating passages are in Scripture. 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. (, Field hay dries. Inhabitants of Gadara, known from an alleged miracle of Jesus ( Matthew 8; Mark 5; Luke 8) in which he transferred the demons Wnsche, Neue Beitrge zur Erluterung der Evangelien aus Talmud und Midrasch, p. 119. Its kinda like the difference between a Disney movie, a TV documentary and/or an infomercial; normally each is dissimilar from the other. Secondly, the text is written to show Jesus dunnit. Its totally contrary to what we would expect. As well, every place the Master went on his travels was inside of the Land of Israel; he never went to Gentile territory. Oh get you hence, Omnipotence, and take this foul of Thine. One day the prophet Samuel angrily told his king that God would not go back on His decision. As for Matthew, he quoted Jesus as commanding the demons, and used the plural form of the verb, go. Since I believe the word of God is our playbook for life, what is Jesus telling us? 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 8.2639). 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? If ever there was a small and weak proof-text, this is the one. ; Mark v.; Luke viii.) I listen to a pyschiatrist that said he never believed in demon possession until a exorcist ask him to work with him. And then they beg to go into the herd of pigs. So many beautiful verses and motivating passages are in Scripture. Therefore, were those cool-headed pig-farmers really Gentiles? But John is more precise, saying none should add or remove words. Ill take Mark at his word; hes thinking of an army of demons, not an army of human soldiers. This has been a long blog thanks for sticking with it but because Im going to ruffle feathers, Ive gone the extra mile to explain myself clearly and to plug any holes in my argument. When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met Him a man from the city who had demons. The Gemara on the passage gives a historical foundation for the practise in the times of Aristobulus. when hes rolling around with a thousand killer-demons inside. You know that because the people tell Him to leave. Im not saying I totally believed the stories, but I cannot believe that a single other place could not be found to send the legion. WebThe Gerasenes were the people of the district of which Gerasa was the capital. The thinking behind each chart is contrary to the unity and oneness of God. The other, Deuteronomy 22:6-7, protects wild mother birds in a similar way, forbidding us from killing them along with their young at the same time. But just a theory. And while its not true God pairs animals with people every where in Scripture, He does in this statement. The Son of God mercifully cast thousands of. (Sidebar: During the whole Rob Bell Love Wins craze, I had a friend who claimed to believe the Bible, but denied that demons exist. ), 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). That will give us the perfect answer. My research shows swine kill poisonous snakes. The demons, who in this man have terrified the whole countryside to the point that they had tried to retrain this man with chains they were so frightened of Him, those demons are now afraid of Jesus because they know who Jesus is and they know where Jesus can cast them. Pretty quickly the whole city was in an uproar. Jesus was a Jew. This verse alone puts an interesting twist on the oft-quoted man was not made for the Sabbath but the Sabbath was made for man because originally Scripture makes the point that the Sabbath is for man and mans animals. What do you want? A city in Transjordania, situated about thirty-five m. SE of the S end of the [[Sea of Galilee]], one of the cities of the Decapolis; the 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. Gerasa was rebuilt in splendor and remained prosperous for several centuries. 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. But with all this talk about tenderness, what on Earth could have changed Jesuss tune and made him treat the swine the way he did? Is John really referring to just the plagues of the book of Revelation, or could his words also include other books and plagues? 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. Its totally contrary to what we would expect. Jesus' action also shows the importance of human beings relative to animals. GERASA, GERASENES (, ). Gods Law has a law that you cannot change Gods Law. What have You to do with me, Jesus, the Son of the Most High God? Acting as Israels Messiah, Jesus was carrying out actions that were predicted by the prophets, like when Zechariah said that no merchants in the house of the LORD (Zechariah 14:21).. (So much for those latter revelations or new religions arriving centuries later.). 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. I beg You, do not torment me. Then, if you look in verse 38, he begs Jesus that he might be with him. But wait, realize how deep Gods affection for animals goes. Nevertheless, the interconnections within Scripture, from the beginning, to the middle, and to the very end, are wonderful to see, just like a beautiful flower. You don't have to look very far. This now then is our fifth fact in a nutshell. Later, Leviticus 11 explains to His Chosen People that He had chosen only ritually clean/pure animals for them to eat. Last week we said the focus was on the power and the person of Jesus Christ. Plus, these additions by John connect back to other passages in interesting ways. Both of our good pastors assume that the people in Gerasene (Gadarene or Gergesene) were Gentiles in Gentile territory, partially because of the pigs, partially because of the demoniacs and partially because, The good pastor John MacArthur assumes in his video, [I stretch my hand out to the Jews] who sit by the graves and lodge over night in the tombs, who eat the flesh of pigs and the broth of corrupted meat from their pots. Paul himself said the doers of the Law will be made righteous (Romans 2:13), and that the Law is holy (Romans 7:12) and that the Law is spiritual (Romans 7:14). Interestingly, if you obey the latter, and take just the babies or the eggs but release the dame, God promises you a long and successful life. Those outside of the nation of Israel were considered gentiles. Jesus came to teach a better way of life that you could have abundantly! Oh, you mean THOSE pigs!! Be circumspect. In the three Synoptic Gospels and John 2:15, Jesus forces all the sellers out of the Temple courts. After all, racism wasnt invented in the 21st century. It's all Gentile territory, so just bear that in mind. I could have come up with better arguments against Christianity than Bertrand Russell, but in the course of this book in one of the chapters, he says it is this story that led him to the conclusion that Jesus was neither the best nor the most virtuous of men. 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. The hard-hearted views of the Bishop of Hippo are not biblical because righteous people are obliged by God to be considerate to all animals, even wild animals, as discussed below. And he sends out his representative, a man who is known only as the Lieutenant of the Tower of Barad-dr, the black gate. Are you seeing this? But isnt it a funny coincidence that pork happens to be on Gods list of forbidden food. there was never a prophecy that the kosher laws would be removed, so the verse is coming completely from left field. Their dead bodies you must not touch. Some will respond to my rhetorical question, Why on earth would Jesus come to earth, by giving me the usual pat answer, None can keep the nasty old Law, so Jesus came to fulfill it perfectly, and now I dont have to do anything, at all, whatsoever, just believe, hallelujah! Dont demons like sheep? She suffers a more oppressive slavery than ever before not to human rulers but to demons, who are bold enough to enter synagogues on the Sabbat. 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. Jesus ministered to and did miracles for the Gentiles there. Jesus helped a Syrophoenician woman and commended her faith ( Matthew 15:2128 ). The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with Him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you. And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.. in which he transferred the demons afflicting a man to a number of swine, that thereupon rushed down a steep hill and perished. Maybe it was because they were unclean animals. In Jesus first trip to that Gentile area: They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes (in Gadara). neither the four Greek words, nor any idea similar to them, are ever repeated in Scripture, whereas the destruction of the swine herd is thrice-repeated and uses a few more than four words. 6 ) There were lots of laws they didnt keep. Owning those defiling animals was illegal and having two thousand head, the farmers were more than flouting the Law that Jesus had not came to destroy but to fulfill (Matthew 5:17). Nothing we have belongs to us. So why were these pig owners on the east side of the lake afraid? WebIt was named after the 10 ( deka) cities ( polis) which were in that area. xviii. 4 ) As R. Sol Urbin Ohel Moed teaches us, Technically, the greek word for swine is choiros, which many people think means swine, but in the Akkadian, and so with the Syriac, it really refers to an indigenous type of little lamb owned by sea-faring peasants, suitable for pets, grazing, shishkabob and MLT (Mutton, Lettuce and Tomato) sandwiches., 3 ) Pigs?? The hard hearts of those who reject Jesus. What about sheep? Fourthly, Jesus specifically went to the land of the Gentile Gadarenes or Gerasenes, east of the Sea of Galilee, to minister to them. This leads the third observation: just as the disciples had been terrified by both the storm and Jesus calming of it on the way over to the Gerasenes, the local people here respond with fear. First of all theyre forgetting that Jesus Himself has already said that His Heavenly Father cares even about the sparrows that fall from their nests. Since demons are by most accounts fallen angels to begin with, they already know to Whom they are ultimately accountable. 3. He is more open with Gentiles because it fits His purpose about revelation to the Gentiles and the new inclusion in the kingdom. But this view is shocking because it places Gods Son on an equal footing with the unclean spirits and thus flies in the face of the normal presentation of Jesus in the Gospels. Just like in the Garden, when God judged Adam, he didn't strike him directly, but the ground soil instead. Ligon Duncan (MDiv, Covenant Theological Seminary; PhD, University of Edinburgh) is the Chancellor & CEO of Reformed Theological Seminary, the John E. Richards Professor of Systematic and Historical Theology, and the President of RTS Jackson. And in Malachi 4:4, why did God say remember the Law of Moses if God had His own law? And those who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed. Additionally, it would have been foolish for the Apostles to claim hundreds and thousands of witnesses (1 Cor 15:1-6). The other part of the eastern shoreline was controlled by Og, king of Bashan, but it and sixty walled cities were taken from them by Moses and given to the tribes of Israel (Deuteronomy 3:1-7, 16; compare with 1 Kings 4:13). Now the big-mouth irking this Greek artisan was our good friend, the Apostle Paul. Did you know that one of the 7 ingredients in underwater concrete was animal blood? Its true! Tyre and Sidon were Gentile cities north of Israel, and Jesus had been sent to the Jews ( Matthew 15:24 ). In fact, they beg Jesus to leave. Jun 21, 2021. The apostles arent having a pig roast anywhere. Excavations at the modern Jarash (by the British and American Schools of Oriental Research and Yale University) clearly show that Gerasa was a large and important city already in Jesus time. They were not. Did Jesus really sacrifice the swine for the man? 2 And when he had stepped out of the boat, immediately a man out of the tombs with an unclean spirit met him. Although He encountered and ministered to Gentiles such as the centurion who had a paralyzed servant (Matt. A city in Transjordania, situated about thirty-five m. SE of the S end of the Sea of Galilee, one of the cities of the Decapolis; the inhabitants of the city. They are unclean for you. All of these commandments and more are still taken literally by many Jews today. Were in the same story, my friends. Last week, we were crossing over with Jesus to the other side, weathering a fierce storm until he woke up and calmed the sea. He's liberated. Can we imagine our Jew receiving a mostly positive reaction or a negative one? This means that these miracles are especially meant to teach believers something. In Marks thinking, the mans extraordinary strength is evidence of supernatural bondage. Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with: Gerasene. Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Gerasene. The good pastor John MacArthur assumes in his video Dominating Powers, Part 2 (Mark 5:1-20), that Jesus must have been in Gentile territory because, as everyone knows, Jewish men and women dont hang around tombs even if they are demon possessed! I will say that I struggled with the title to this sermon. Explained by Sharing Culture Expert Answers: Gergesenes means "those who come from pilgrimage or fight." And he is sent out to negotiate with Aragorn and Gandalf, and the others. Over the years, Ive had to prove all this to myself first, and it took soul-searching and tons of Scripture research.