. 7). The entire herd ran straight off a cliff and drowned. Plus, these additions by John connect back to other passages in interesting ways. (, Still, Jesus was not in Gadarenes for judging; he was there, Not contrary, but consistent with Christs Character, Here is a prophesy that Christians love to quote: , The LORD has sworn it and He will not change his mind: You are a priest forever, after the nature of Melchizedek. The LORD is upon your right hand. Its a weird story, but its in the Gospels a couple of times, so we have to accept it as truth. 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. It isnt a long list. Israels real enemy is Satan. But there is a message in this for all of us and it is simply this we may not be possessed by demons, but if we are possessed by what we want or by what we have and if what we want or what we have is not God in the Gospel of His dear Son, Jesus Christ, then we are no less in the thrall of sin that this man. They could, at least, admit to the possibility of what has been discussed here and about the other facts. WebThe name Gergesa has led to the supposition that the Girgashites, one of the seven Canaanitish nations, originally occupied this territory. It may well be a picture of the reverse of what happened in the Garden of Eden. Lets use his recording to the event as our jumping off point: Every Bible passage is either a historical narrative piece (such as the one we just read), a legal and/or procedural document (the majority of the Five Books of Moses), or it is a poetic passage (like Psalms, Proverbs and much of the Prophets). See more comments below.). And he is sent out to negotiate with Aragorn and Gandalf, and the others. There's nothing that they can do to restrain His mighty arm. Such alternative readings include arguments that the swine were meant to represent the Roman army or "unclean and unfaithful" people; that pigs were considered "unclean", so destroying them might be consistent with care for other animals; and that Jesus did not actually "send" the devils into the pigs. 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. This, by the way, is the miracle story that happens in Gentile land. Who owned the pigs? In actual fact, when you stop to think about it, If our faithful, unchanging Heavenly Father God made a straightforward decisive yet divisive decision and repeated it, Fourth Fact: Gods Enduring, Unchangeable Word, As was just so elegantly discussed, the destruction of the herd, Your word, O LORD, is everlasting; it is firmly fixed in the heavens. And while its not true God pairs animals with people every where in Scripture, He does in this statement. = 8). Seen in this light, Jesuss actions against the herd were more than appropriate and neither Matthew, Mark nor Luke bothered to explain or rationalize the Masters actions. Did you know that one of the 7 ingredients in underwater concrete was animal blood? 2 The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras. absolutely anne..there are a few scenarios..nothing more exciting than digging into the Word of God!! Flower blossoms wither. And this identical detail was written down in three different texts to remind us of the Son of Mans normally tender nature. Ill take Mark at his word; hes thinking of an army of demons, not an army of human soldiers. After all, racism wasnt invented in the 21st century. He says that the demon expulsions are just unenlightened men of the first century trying to explain illnesses being healed. WebWho were the gerasenes in the bible? In other words, to paraphrase what Gertrude told Hamlet, Methinks the good pastor doth protest too much. The apostle had been busy preaching in Demetriuss hometown of Ephesus and Pauls message about the one true God was catching on. Additionally, it would have been foolish for the Apostles to claim hundreds and thousands of witnesses (1 Cor 15:1-6). 8:513) and the Syrophoenician woman whose daughter was possessed (Mark 7:2430), the Jews received the bulk of His attention, and He spent most of His time in the predominantly Jewish regions of Galilee and Judea. But what are its implications? I love irritating those charlatans who pretend the Law of God is somehow different than the Law of Moses. Is John really referring to just the plagues of the book of Revelation, or could his words also include other books and plagues? Actually, killing the pigs was also out of his mercy because instead of judging the farmers directly, the Messiah threw his anger against the pigs. The demons inhabit the bodies of this herd of pigs and the pigs cast them into the Lake of Galilee. At the end of the gospel, however, Jesus tactic changes. This city was better known than Gadara or Gergesa; indeed in the Roman age no city of Palestine was better known. 3 He lived among the tombs; and no one could restrain him any more, even with a chain; 4 for he had often been restrained with shackles and chains, but the chains he wrenched apart, and The mountainside has caves and hewn tombs where, according to Mark and Luke, the demoniac had taken shelter. 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). 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. So I figure we could speculate a little and see where this goes. Not that I believe my case has holes. If you watch the short clip (above) and compare it to the one hour source video Dominating Powers, Part 2 (Mark 5:1-20) you will notice how MacArthurs speaking style changes as soon as he addresses the matter of the pigs. Very interesting. I beg You, do not torment me. Then, if you look in verse 38, he begs Jesus that he might be with him. Perhaps a tenth, or a quarter, or a half of the 613 commandments were fulfilled by Jesus, but not all. One can only imagine the insanity the demoniac suffered at the hands of these evil forces. In other words, they believe the one who killed the pigs with the demons is equal to the Father. 8 ) Their pork was kosher, kept out of the camp for 7 days, and circumcised. The normally merciful Messiah destroyed the pigs in accordance with Gods Law about clean and unclean meat. Gerasa is identified from various sources as a city in Arabia, Decapolis, Gilead, or Perea. He's been set free by Jesus. In fact, the next thing the name did was to take a steel bar, place it in his teeth, and proceed to bend it with his hands and with his teeth. 5 ) They werent real Jews They were JINOs! There are echoes of exodus in Marks story, and echoes of Davids battle with Goliath. For our Creator, one lost person saved is worth the death of many animals. Do you see how Jesuss Gentiles dont act like Gentiles! 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? After a dramatic journey across the lake (Luke 8:22-25), Jesus steps for the first and last time into Gentile territory. 1). Thats right, Whatever matter I am commanding you right now, it's what you must be careful to observe to do. For the moment, Jesus was just being ironic. why do you think there were pigs there?]. 1. In a similar way, we see that Scripture is the same; it doesnt change. 15:24), but He was concerned for all peoples. The real irritation is people saying the Law was impossible to obey, when Scripture says the opposite it true. The passage appears to be straightforward historical-narrative writing, like the rest of Marks gospel. Also, Orthodox Jews see a clear connection between Deuteronomy 12:32, do not add, and what happened in the Garden of Eden. Take the first chapter of Genesis for example; ones interpretation of it depends on whether one thinks its a historical retelling of creation, or just a poem. So did the demons surprise him? 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. Doesnt Pastor MacArthur know his Bible? He's a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ now. Cant we be candid in our search to know God? The list in the first chapter of Leviticus contains only bovine, sheep, goats and pigeons; all typified later, in Leviticus 11, as clean/pure animals. Learn how your comment data is processed. about a.d. 65. As was just so elegantly discussed, the destruction of the herd only makes sense if we remember that God never liked unclean food to begin with. This is the Just-believe-and-receive Hypothesis and the advocates thereof like to stretch Jesuss words, I came to fulfill the Law, and make it say that Jesus needed to destroy or replace the nasty Law, but hope to heaven it still sounds Biblical heres an example of stretchy talking from GotQuestions. But should you also doubt, my friendly blog reader, read on. Yet a number of objections immediately spring to mind. The land of the Gerasenes was on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee. Therefore, when it came to sacrifices on it, the menu was even shorter. These demons of the Gadarene Demoniac wanted to stay in this territory where worship of Baal was predominant. I dont know of any illness that can do that. Anyway, it was the demons that would have decided where, and if, he slept. We know that two thousand pigs go over the cliff. Such a conclusion will annoy a lot of people, even funny, leaky dispensationalists like John MacArthur. You may simultaneously update Amibroker, Metastock, Ninja Trader & MetaTrader 4 with MoneyMaker Software. Dedicated Online Support through Live Chat & Customer Care contact nos. Is there actually a real reason why the Gospel accounts shouldnt be taken as factual history? And from what I have heard, preferrably pig blood. Demonic forces seem to be territorial; i.e., they have assigned areas of domain. I wouldn't care to speculate how many demons possessed this man, but the man can only identify himself as a person who is possessed by an almost innumerable host of evil spirits and he doesn't even remember his own name. He should know that centuries before the prophet Isaiah spoke against Jews eating pork and hanging around in tombs. Notice how Gods care is cleverly contrasted with mans callousness: men buy birds for next to nothing because they do not value them, yet The Almighty as large and in charge as He is still takes careful notice of frail creatures. Regrettably, what were about to study the, And he answers him, saying, My name is Legion because there are many of us. Also he begs Jesus many times that he'd not send them away, out of the. But now this is an extraordinary case. --ED.). They have therefore made important decisions about the proper treatment of animals. Why? Last week, we were crossing over with Jesus to the other side, weathering a fierce storm until he woke up and calmed the sea. And the good pastor doesnt give any rationale for a slaughter that huge. The vision had nothing to do with shrimp rings or BLTS. Learn a new word every day. Was it correct to destroy so many for just one (or two men). 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. The miracles that are recorded here, just like the one that we saw last week, are seen by that small circle of disciples that is following Jesus around. From the start, the evil spirits wanted to bring death and destruction, and they finally got their chance. Did Jesus really sacrifice the swine for the man? Issues are listed below: we are using four Greek words to eliminate entire chapters of Scripture. He specifically banned pig in. Pig meat, according to Scripture, is as, Suddenly, Mark 5 is clear. 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. He wrote under his own name, and also as John Oxenham for his poetry, hymn-writing, and novels. Herod had massive building projects all over Israel. What happened to the demons when the pigs died? Go be a witness to Me as My disciple.. 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. WebHe calls the inhabitants Syrians, when, at the beginning of the Jewish revolt, the district round Gerasa was laid waste. (. We see the power of Christ over Satan, don't we? Jesus was teaching the way to live life so demons would not have a place in us to possess. He does. 3. WebBlog Uncategorized were the gerasenes gentiles Uncategorized were the gerasenes gentiles On the other hand, it is unfortunate that the rabbis today dont see the even stronger connection between Genesis 3:3 and Revelation 22:18, because Jews dont read the New Testament all that much. Oops! When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. But wait, realize how deep Gods affection for animals goes. And sadly, neither of the two Johns considered Gods extreme love for His Creation when giving their interpretations. Many of you have seen, maybe fewer of you have read, a book by the famous British philosopher and skeptic, Bertrand Russell. Sadly, Luther and other Reformed theologians repeat the same theological rubbish, despite Jesus saying he did not come to destroy the Law. But are these good pastors on the right track? After this long, careful study, it should be crystal clear that the heartless Bishop of Hippo was mistaken, as were our two good pastors. 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. A wonderful verse that reveals Him to us and probably the most heartwarming is the commandment in the Torah that mother animals are allowed to stay with their newborns for at least seven days before the offspring can be taken for food or for sacrifice (, All of these commandments and more are still taken literally by many Jews today. The Garasenes were not Jewish but the country was close to Galilee and Jesus had been to that side of the sea before. The first two are in the Authorized Version. Jesus then asked him, What is your name? And he said, Legion, for many demons had entered him. IV. He has stabbed the heads of many lands. The story is about the power of Jesus and, even his name, to rid humans of demons and also to show that his power was for Gentiles as well. Another command applies to women who have given birth to a child (Leviticus 12:6), so that would be easy for Jesus to obey, not to mention the monthly ritual baptisms Jewish women do for certain reasons!!! Over the years, Ive had to prove all this to myself first, and it took soul-searching and tons of Scripture research. 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. The hard hearts of those who reject Jesus. This town is not to be confused with either Gerasa or Gadara. The pastors attempts to laugh off the haunting question about the meek and lowly Son of Man killing all the pigs is pathetic. It's this man who is in bondage to these demons. They do not bother mentioning Scriptures emphasis on being holy before God. Both Gerasa and Gadara were cities to the east of the Sea of Galilee and the River Jordan. They cannot cast a spell on Him. in which he transferred the demons afflicting a man to a number of swine, that thereupon rushed down a steep hill and perished.