BEN F. VICK, JR.
“And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee. And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not. (For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.) And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him. And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep. And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them. Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked. When they that fed them saw what was done, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. They also which saw it told them by what means he that was possessed of the devils was healed. Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them; for they were taken with great fear: and he went up into the ship, and returned back again. Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying, Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.” (Luke 8:26–39.)
The country of the Gadarenes touched upon the southeast section of the Sea of Galilee. This event is the only time Jesus came into the area, according to the record. Gadara was one of the cities in the region of Decapolis. The name Decapolis meant ten cities.
Out of this city came a man possessed of demons a long time. Matthew’s account mentions two men of the Gergesenes country who came out to see Jesus (Matt. 8:28). Mark and Luke focus on the more prominent or vocal one. The marginal note on “Gergesenes” reads, Gadarenes. The more prominent one was so possessed by the demons that he wore no clothes, nor did he abide in any house, but lived in the cemetery. The man was often bound with chains and fetters, but having been demon-possessed, he could break the bands. Then he was driven into the wilderness. Mark tells us, “And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.” (Mark 5:5.)
When the man saw Jesus, the demons in him cried with a loud voice, “What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not.” Jesus asked the man, “What is thy name?” The man said, “Legion: because many devils [demons] were entered into him.” A Roman legion was made up of 6000 soldiers. If we are to take it literally, the man was possessed by six thousand demons. No wonder he had no control over himself!
The demons requested to go into the herd of swine feeding nearby, rather than be cast into the deep. Mark tells us that there were about two thousand swine. Jesus commanded the demons to leave the man, and they entered into the swine, which ran violently down a steep place into the sea and drowned. Those who cared for the swine saw what was done went into the city and told others. They, in turn, came out and begged Jesus to leave their coasts. Swine were considered unclean by the law of Moses. These people had lost money due to the Lord’s actions. They went out to see Jesus and saw that the man out of whom he cast the demons was “sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.” They wanted Jesus to leave.
Jesus did not stay where he was not wanted. So, as he was getting into the boat, the man formerly known as “Legion” wanted to go with Jesus. Mark tells us: “Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.” (Mark 5:19.)
There are many lessons to be gleaned from this event in the life of Jesus.
First, there were men who needed Jesus. They needed the demons removed from their lives.
Second, they recognized their need for Jesus. Many need Jesus but do not recognize their great need for a Savior. The demons tormented these men. Men, though not miraculously tormented today, are tormented in sin because of the devil’s influence.
Third, the efforts of men to control Legion by binding him were fruitless. Only Jesus could release the man from the grip of the demons. Only Jesus can save one today, not in some miraculous way but by the gospel (Acts 4:12; Rom. 1:16).
Fourth, Jesus demonstrated his power over the demoniac world by casting out the demons. Another proof of his deity (John 20:30-31).
Fifth, before Legion met Jesus, he was naked and out of his mind, but after the demons were cast out, he sat at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. The demons did not want anything to do with Jesus. Most men today, though not demon-possessed as then, do not want anything to do with Jesus. But once they come to Jesus in obedience to his word, they long for the truth, they dress modestly, and they are in their right minds.
Sixth, the people of Gadara were more concerned about the pigs they lost than the man who had been healed of demon possession. They cared more about the pigs than they did Jesus. Some things never change.
Seventh, Jesus' words to the man healed are practical for us today: “Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.” (Mark 5:19.)
Has the Lord done great things for you? Has he shown compassion to you? Go tell your friends.