Mark Chapter 5

5:1 Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes.2 And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, 3 who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains, 4 because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him. 5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones.

Jesus had little time to relax from his triumphant calming of the storm (v. 2). Immediately upon reaching the shore Jesus was accosted by a violent man (or men Matt. 8:28) who had terrorized this area of tombs and caves (Matt. 8:28). To us this may have seemed like an additional trial but we’ll see that this man’s healing is the only act recorded during this visit to the eastern side of the sea. This violent accosting was Jesus’ reason for coming.

“No one had strength to subdue him.” (v. 4) No human has strength to subdue the powers of Satan or the flesh in his own strength (Luke 8:30-39). Living among the tombs this man was as good as dead and bent on his own destruction. Likewise if we try to live this life in the world without Christ our own lives, thought they may appear full, are as good as dead. Though living we are only destroy what God desire to created when we live out our lives without him.

Though friends had tried to subdue this man torment no amount of intervention could free him of his possession what this man needed was not help from man but a cleansed spirit through the power of Christ.

Like the storm that was encountered crossing the Sea of Galilee, Jesus had control over things which were outside the control of man. It is only through Jesus that peace can be brought to such out of control situations.

Have you ever gone through an out of control situation? How successful were your efforts to control this situation? What finally brought peace to this situation?

6 When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him.

Even though the demons had such control of this man that he could not control his own desires of self mutilation he was still driven to run and worship Jesus. Even a legion of demons could not keep this man from coming forward to worship Christ. Perhaps it was even the demons that were compelled to come and worship Christ. Either way the truth is that even though we may be oppressed and the powers of Satan may be all around us there is no power in this world that can keep us from coming to worship Christ.

Though the man was afar off he came running to worship Jesus and found his deliverance. Likewise when we are tormented and far off from God if we will simply come to Christ to worship it is there we will find our deliverance.

7 And he cried out with a loud voice and said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me.”8 For He said to him, “Come out of the man, unclean spirit!” 9 Then He asked him, “What is your name?” And he answered, saying, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” 10 Also he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country. 11 Now a large herd of swine was feeding there near the mountains. 12 So all the demons begged Him, saying, “Send us to the swine, that we may enter them.” 13 And at once Jesus gave them permission. Then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there were about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea.

Even the demons recognized the power of Christ and shudder in fear (James 2:19). We would do well to likewise recognize the raw power that is available in Christ.

The demons were attached to the country they had been terrorizing and desirous not to leave it. It may be assumed that the Jews in this area of the country where fairly heathenized and therefore easy targets. Once given a foothold in a territory evil spirits will not easily move on. This desire to remain should provide a strong warning against letting even the smallest evil an opportunity to enter into our lives and hearts. (Eph. 4:27)

Even when the demons had left the man they still had to ask Jesus for permission to move on into the pigs. Jesus was completely in control of their destiny.

But why cast the demons into a heard of pigs? Why was there a pig farm in Israel anyway? Where the pig farmers even Jewish? What we do know is:

• Pigs were clearly an unclean animal (Lev. 11:7, Duet. 14:8) so it is at least a kind of poetic justice that the demons moved in to an unclean animal
• Jesus’ ministry was focused on the Jews so it’s likely that the pig farmers were Jewish but we can’t tell for certain one way or the other
• The man’s healing could not be doubted - The possessed man was convinced he was inhabited by a legion of demons. A Roman legion was about 6,000 soldiers which is a considerable number of demons to be inhabited by. There needed to be a convincing display of this mans deliverance. Cleary Jesus could have delivered this man without such a display but the human mind is week and would have ultimately questioned this healing. The visible possessing of the herd of pigs was proof not only to this man but to the community around him that the demon possessed man was in fact healed and would remain free and in his right mind
• There was a lesson for those watching – Jesus’ miracles always accomplished two purposes. First of course was the miracle itself. Secondly was drawing witnesses to the miracles into a closer relationship with God. The death of the pigs was a reminder of the secular nature of the people living in that area and the purity to which God calls all his followers. The lesson wasn’t that Jesus wanted to destroy the herd of pigs but that the soul of a man is of considerably more importance than pigs or material gain. The lesson was to focus on God and not material possessions.

It is interesting to note that the demons caused the pigs to prefer suicide to life. The power of Satan will always be a destructive force in our lives. He will always try to separate us from the relationship with Christ that we were created to have. Always! Contrary to the wisdom of this world there is no true good that will come from works that are not of Christ.

5:14-17 So those who fed the swine fled, and they told it in the city and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that had happened. 15 Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. 16 And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine. 17 Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their region.

Why did the people get angry at and the death of an unclean herd of animals? To echo the words of Bill Clinton, “It’s the economy stupid!” The herd of pigs was a source of income for its owner. They were upset at this monetary lose for these pigs could no longer be a source of income. The people who took care of the sheep were now out of a job. Their way of life had been threatened and possibly changed. In their minds they must have feared what additional calamity Jesus would bring to their way of life next.

Let’s bring it closer to home. What would your feelings be if one morning you went to work only to find your office, or worksite, burned to the ground and yourself unemployed? Later you discover that the fire was caused by a lunatic from a mental hospital down the street that was miraculously healed from his psychosis during the events that lead to and caused the fire. Would you praise God for the healing of this one man or join the protests against he mental hospital that let this man go and left you without a job?

(If we’re honest I believe most of us would show more anger at our personal loss than praise for this one man’s healing. But in God’s Kingdom one man’s soul is worth more than the earthly possessions of many men. This is a hard lesson to learn.)

The people were afraid when they saw the man healed sitting at Jesus’ feet. They had come to expect a certain behavior from this man and a clothed man sitting at the feet of Jesus in his right mind did not meet their expectations. They were afraid of change and possibly afraid that this state might only be temporary.

We are only in our right mind when our mind is in line with Jesus Christ. While Christians can not become demon possessed we are not always in our right mind. We are not in our right mind when we are anxious (Phil. 4:6) or are using our mind to strive after things that are not of God. It’s been said a mind is a terrible thing to waste which is true, but what’s a wasted mind? A wasted mind is a mind that is committed to knowing the things of this world and not the things of God.

“Worldly interests move men more than acts of mercy.” The people of this country feared Jesus because if Jesus could subdue this man and allow this herd of pigs to be destroyed then Jesus was stronger and possibly more dangerous to their way of life than the posses man was. The possessed man had haunted places outside the city, the tombs and the mountains, and the people had learned to avoid the places where this man roamed. Jesus had affected their very lively hood to its core. If Jesus stayed they knew there could be no escaping change so instead of accepting the change they asked Jesus to leave.

Why fear and not joy? Why do changes in the way things have ‘always been’ cause us to be afraid? As we draw closer to God he will constantly bring changes to our lives. What changes is God currently brining in your life? Are there any changes you are trying to avoid?

There is often no deeper trap than the love of money and financial gain (1 Tim. 6:10). Regarding this passage commentator Matthew Henry remarked, “For by no handle do these evil spirits more effectually manage sinful souls than by that of the love of the world.” In the end it might appear that the demons accomplished their goals. The death of the swine convinced the people to ask Jesus to leave. The people went from being terrorized to being afraid of the one person who could actually save them. By chasing Jesus out of the country they allowed themselves to be lulled back into a false sense of security.

But to God’s glory he would not let this false sense of security go without offering this people yet another witness.

18 And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him. 19 However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.” 20 And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled.

It’s clear that Jesus had a compassion even for the people that asked him to leave. While he would respect their desire he would not leave the souls of these people unaddressed. In the healed man Jesus saw the perfect answer to the needs of this country.

The healed man wanted to follow Jesus but Jesus sends him back to his family. The true test for this mans belief was to live out his faith in the ‘real world’. Like the leper in Mar. 1 the rubber hit the road for this man not in how he acted before the healing but how he acted after.

At first this command of Jesus may seem harsh. Why would Jesus not allow a willing disciple to follow him? To understand this command of Jesus we must understand that all of Jesus’ callings are designed to bring glory to God and directed toward each individual directly. There is no single way of life or occupation that all Christians are called to follow. In this case God would receive the most glory by this man leaving Jesus and living among his own family as a well and healed man. Peter and the other disciples were called to leave their family but this man was called to go back to his family.

We might have a similar calling and instead of being called into a full time ministry we may be called to live out our lives I the midst of the world. It’s one thing to leave our jobs and careers to be a missionary or pastor. These are usually considered the highest callings we can aspire to in Christian service but this not a higher calling it is just another calling. The perception of these higher callings can lead to people asking to be called instead of waiting to be called. It may well be that for most of us the greatest glory God can receive from our lives is to send us daily into the very teeth of the world and yet live by God’s values and not the values of the world.

This man was most likely from the Decapolis, a group of Greek cities in Palestine. By returning to his home this man was able to become an early witness of Christ not only to his family but also to the Greek culture around him. Likewise, we are called to be witness of God to those around us. Not attorneys who argue the case (truth of the bible) or judges who attempt to decide the spiritual welfare of those around us but witnesses whose lives make God undeniably clear simply by the way we live our lives and communicate what God has done for us.

Jesus did not leave this country forever and returned to the area of Decapolis later in his ministry (Mar. 7:31).

21 Now when Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a great multitude gathered to Him; and He was by the sea. 22 And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name. And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet 23 and begged Him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live.” 24 So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him.

Jairus was a successful leader in the community and likely appeared to have everything going for him. The ruler of a synagogue was the head administrator of a synagogue, not taking part in the religious ceremonies personally but ensuring they were well orchestrated. This was a prestigious and honorable position in the community. But all this came crashing down and worthless when his daughter became deathly sick. Having tried traditional means and physicians Jairus chose to risk it all and seek out Jesus for help.

Seeking Jesus was likely a great risk for Jairus because Jesus was not accepted by the Jewish religious culture of that day. To come to Jesus Jairus was risking losing his job but to Jairus his daughter was more important than his position.

25 Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, 26 and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. 28 For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”29 Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. 30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?” 31 But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’” 32 And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. 33 But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. 34 And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”

This woman had been ill for 12 years and for 12 years this illness would have shut her out of the worship of God and the fellowship of her friends (Lev. 15:25-27). Where as Jairus had experience the joy of his daughter for 12 years this woman had experienced the pain and rejection of this illness for 12 years.

Like Jairus this women displayed faith in the face of great risk. It is clear from the disciples’ statement that there was such a crowd around Jesus that the woman would have had to physically push her way through the crowd. Because her illness made her unclean anybody she touched as she pushed through the crowd would have become unclean as well. Her faith that Jesus would heal her compelled her to risk the admonishment and ire of the crowd she pushed through.

Amid all the pressing Jesus recognized true belief in the touch of this woman (v. 30). Even though the woman was instantly healed Jesus chose to recognize her faith in front of the crowd. Jesus called the women out to let her know that the healing she had received was not stealthily stolen as she pushed through the crowd but an approved, welcomed and loving gift from Jesus that was given and could be celebrated.

Are you willing to push through the throng to simply touch Jesus? In our selfish mindsets is simply touching Jesus enough for us? What are you willing or struggling to push through to touch Jesus?

It is interesting that the act of healing took something out of Jesus. Likewise we should not be surprised when we are drained by doing that which is truly worth doing. ‘If we are ever to help men, we must be willing to spend ourselves.” (Wm. Barclay)

There was a crowd of people pressing in and touching Jesus but there was only one woman who reached through the crowd and touched him with true faith. The crowd appeared to be close to Jesus but in reality they never touched him. Augustine commentating on this story said that, “multitudes still come similarly close to Christ in the means of grace, but all to no purpose, being only sucked into the crowd.” In life there is a difference between being around Jesus and actually touching him.

Have you pushed through the things that crowd out your life and truly touched Jesus? How can you protect yourself from simply getting carried away at work, church or even bible study and break through to touch Jesus personally?

35 While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” 36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid; only believe.” 37 And He permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James. 38 Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly. 39 When He came in, He said to them, “Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping.” 40 And they ridiculed Him. But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying. 41 Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, “Talitha, cumi,” which is translated, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” 42 Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were overcome with great amazement. 43 But He commanded them strictly that no one should know it, and said that something should be given her to eat.

The declaration of his daughter’s death must have struck Jairus like a brick to the side of his head. Only a moment before there was such a hope. This man, Jesus, who was coming to his house, really did have power to heal the sick. There was clearly hope for his daughter now. But in an instance the previous miracle was forgotten. Jairus’ daughter was dead; it was too late. The spontaneous healing of this woman should have increased Jairus’ faith but at this point Jairus’ faith seems to have left him as he was starkly confronted with the realities of his worst fear.

In this instant Jesus quickly spoke to his fear and encouraged his belief just when he needed it most. There would be no worry or fear when Jesus was by his side. If Jesus would heal the woman who reached out to touch him would Jesus begin to walk with Jairus only to let Jairus’ daughter die while they were on the road, certainty not. Jesus could have healed Jairus’ daughter without physically going to his house like he did for the centurion in Mat. 8:13 this prolonged walk was necessary for Jairus to understand the depth of his faith and to begin to learn to trust in Jesus. Letting the world declare Jairus’ daughter dead clearly condemned the efforts of the world to heal this girl and further validated Jesus’ power to heal. If we are not tested we will never know the depths of our faith.

As a man of means the weepers where likely hired to publicly mourn the death of Jairus’ daughter. The girl had to be dead for them to get paid so of course they would ridicule Jesus when he showed up saying that the girl was simply sleeping. They were not interested in the little girl they were simply interested in their own financial gain. Like with the account of the swine earlier in this chapter this miracle would deprive people of material gain.

It’s interesting that ‘Talitha, cumi’ is an Arabic expression in what in its original language is a Greek Gospel of Mark. But Jesus at this event was speaking Arabic and so the phrase stuck in the mind of the people there, likely Peter, and the event could not be separated from the power of this phrase, ‘Talitha, cumi’ …Maid get up.

Is there an event like this in your life when God spoke so clearly to your heart that the whole event is wrapped up in a single phrase? For me it was a silent word spoken to my heart beside a campfire in the wilderness that even to this day brings knots to my stomach and courage to my heart. How can these experiences of having our faith tested and the phrases spoken to us during these times encourage us as we serve God in our daily lives?

How could no one know of the healing as Jesus commanded (v.43)? There had been mourners outside one day and the next day the girl would be playing in the front yard, going to school, etc. What was the purpose behind this command?

By commanding silence Jesus demanded that Jairus not do anything rash in the emotional rush that must have come with seeing his daughter up and walking around. Remember Jairus was a man of high position in the local synagogue. If he had taken this occasion to start running through the streets screaming about what Jesus had done he likely would have been laughed at and lost a great deal of his credibility. By strictly staying in his right mind and by being quite about this event Jairus actually added credibility to the event. Also Jairus now would have to take a serious look at Jesus, a man who could heal but desired who did not desire glory for himself. A humble man who does great deeds is not easily taken lightly.

Conclusion

Whatever you may be going through Jesus has an answer for your struggles. With his words Jesus can send thousands of demons to flight, confirm the faith of your outstretched hands, send home the mourners and restore a life that’s been all but given up on.

Though like Jairus we may have to walk in the face of doubt and fear Jesus sends the Holy Spirit to be with us and promised that the Holy Spirit will teach us and remind us of the words of Jesus (John 14:26).

“Do not be afraid, only believe”