Most Christians believe Messiah is the Second Person of the Trinity. Archeologists identify it with the modern Jarash. He was getting everyone on board with what was started at Sinai. Therefore, when it came to sacrifices on it, the menu was even shorter. Jesus then asked him, What is your name? And he said, Legion, for many demons had entered him. We ask this in Jesus' name. That is why 7 ) The pigs werent for eating. Therefore, by associating the two commandments together, and you catch some of the character of our Heavenly Father. Peter, the thick-headed captain of the Tedious Twelve, needed a hammer of a vision to get it across to him that Gentiles not ham and back bacon are clean and Jews could fellowship with them. IV. Good Pastor John MacArthur's funny option, The real Author(s) of the Law and the Commandments. take a dump and be cleaned.lol. These demons of the Gadarene Demoniac wanted to stay in this territory where worship of Baal was predominant. Dr. R.C. WATER DESTROYED HER!!!! 10 ) It was the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee, the area of the Decapolis. Israel was to be a nation of priests, prophets, and missionaries to the world (Exodus 19:46). And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea.". I dont see anything of that sort in the story. And so they begin crying out, Don't cast us into the abyss.. 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. And then God Himself repeated it five more times in the same book: Leviticus 11:45, Leviticus 19:2, Leviticus 20:2, Leviticus 20:7-8 and Leviticus 20:26! Now the big-mouth irking this Greek artisan was our good friend, the Apostle Paul. Yet they tried to throw one of their own off a cliff (, Now, if a Jew can be treated so badly by fellow Jews, lets put on our thinking caps and imagine what happens to a Jew walking straight into a big group of Gentiles. 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.. Gerasa was a city situated near the Jabbok River about eighteen m. E of the Jordan, about twenty m. SE of Pella, and twenty m. N of Philadelphia. get to know the Bible better! The most likely answer is to the country of the Gerasenes: i.e., Gerasa, a Greek town thought to be the same as the similarly-named Kersa on the east shore of Lake Tiberias. If we agree Messiah wrote the Law of God, we should then wonder why on earth he would come to Earth to take what he authored out of circulation or to annul it? They were wise enough to figure out if Jesus in His authority over them would allow them to exit of their choosing, they would select the black pigs often used in sacrifice to Baal. This location agrees with the description given by the ancient writers. This was a Gentile town so they had pigs. WebMany New Testament manuscripts refer to the "Country of the Gadarenes" or "Gerasenes" rather than.
. Wed also have to confess that the farmers were not Gentile. city in Pal. Studying these Scripture passages show us that Jesus only ever walked in the land that God had promised to Abraham, Isaac and Israel and Moses. (eds.). End of story. Are you seeing this? These forces plundered Gerasa, Philadelphia, Pella, and others (Jos. WebThey land in the country of the Gadarenes which is on the North-east shore of the Sea of Galilee about 6 miles southeast across the sea from Capernaum. All four gospel writers repeatedly testify to Jesuss power over storm, waves and. Therefore we know that when Jesus helped the Syrophoenician woman (not a Jewess, but she came to him), he and the woman were both in Israeli territory. No Jewish farmer would keep swine, and no Jewish region would tolerate the presence of pigs, let alone two thousand of them (Mark 5:13). 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. 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. Dr. Ligon Duncan | December 13, 2009. The site is identified today with the town of Kersa, or Gersa, just below Wadi es-Samak. Of course not. Why doesn't the good pastor entertain that avenue of possibility or is he too busy making one-liners to connect any dots? If the Eternal One, blessed be He, had said just once that pork was unclean and forbidden, that should be enough. viii. 141-144). WebAll three Synoptic Gospels ( Mark 5:120; Luke 8:2639; Matthew 8:2834) mention the swine miracle, although with variations. Legion probably comes from the fact that Roman legions had four to six thousand men in them and this name, Legion, indicates that he is possessed by a host of demons. No products in the cart. 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? What are you doing here, man of God? And then he attempted to intimidate him. Therefore, even though folks from the Bishop of Hippo down to our two good California pastors have tried to persuade us that the Creator has shifted His views on pork, God did not, can not, and will not vary or alter or adjust any word spoken about any decision let alone His views on ham sandwiches. He loves our souls. Besides, it was Christmas! In fact, they are, Yet the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke actually report that the towns people many would have been the owners or friends of the pig owners or people who were connected to the trade in the swine were, Also, wouldnt that be a type of sin and another example of how he may not have, All in all, after Jesus had trashed the livelihood of so many, we have to agree that they were, Every place the Master went on his travels it was to minister to a Jew, just as Paul said, To the Jew first (, Answering, he said, I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. (, As well, every place the Master went on his travels was inside of the, Scripture makes it clear that Ashers tribal land-boundary ended around the coastal city of Tyre (, Besides this Biblical evidence that Jesus and the woman were within Israels inheritance, there is also a prophesy that God will settle His People in the future in Gilead (a sizeable part of todays Kingdom of Jordan) and in, The real-estate on the east side of the lake of Galilee where Jesus met the demons and the swine was also part of Israel-proper. The victorious Lord made life good again for one embattled soul. And he sends out his representative, a man who is known only as the Lieutenant of the Tower of Barad-dr, the black gate. 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 (Joshua 13:11-13). Its odd that dispensationalist preachers dont preach this obvious, permanent truth. Also oral tradition in this area talks of Christ coming and preaching the gospel there but being asked to leave shortly afterwards. Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, [Let me just pause right there. (, David, the son of Jesse, was another selfless, compassionate shepherd. Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced searchad free! The apostles arent having a pig roast anywhere. Yet a number of objections immediately spring to mind. Gods altar was also separate and distinct and holy. ix. Since these events were supposedly witnessed by hundreds (and even thousands of people), it would have been very easy for 1st century critics to debunk it as non-historical. As the Philistine dead were strewn from Gaza to Ekron, so thousands of Satans dead fell in their own territory. 2 The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras. iii. I beg You, do not torment me. Then, if you look in verse 38, he begs Jesus that he might be with him. In a, If Paul got himself into hot water because of a Gentile, To top it off, Jesuss farmers see Jesus and see their property floating belly up in the surf, but they dont throw him after them! But it was what they loved and they preferred it to everlasting blessing in Jesus Christ. Gergesa is located, with relative certainty, midway along the E bank of the Sea of Galilee; Gadara is six m. SE from the S end of the Sea of Galilee; and Gerasa is some thirty-five m. SE. Gods Word has to agree with Gods Word. Only this interpretation explains the farmers restrained reaction over the slaughter of the swine, and their tremendous terror of the Messiah. Out of the three, Marks gospel presents the most information about the herd. This mother-baby law actually takes priority over another command which requires all first-born calves and lambs to be offered up to God on His altar (Numbers 18:17; Deuteronomy 15:19.) --ED.). But once the door is open, well, we see in this story what can happen when you give in, what can happen when the demonic takes over. Doesn't Jesus Treat Animals as Property? In York, T.; Alexis-Baker, A.; Bekoff, M.; McLaren, B. .hide-if-no-js {
R.C. He does. Matthew 12:43 and Luke 11:24 mention demons going to a dry place. And what about just sending the killers into the air (Ephesians 2:2)? [] Top ten reasons why there were pigs in Gerasenes, (Linear Concepts, 17 October 2012), http://www.linearconcepts.com/archives/2011 []. Now what happens in this passage? Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. We gotta git us some!, 1 ) [your turn. I would, however, be a little skeptical of stories about Jesus Himself visiting Spain. Well let's pray before we read God's Word together. They belonged to God. (Pastor Piper was right after all, almost!) The bottom line is, I don't know why Jesus did that and neither do you and neither does anyone else. Now not only did the Jewish people not eat bacon, and not only were they forbidden by Moses to eat bacon, but they were not allowed to raise bacon even to sell it to the Gentiles. Or, what if Paul had knocked two thousand dolls into the drink would he have written as many epistles as he did, while having to dogpaddle? 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. The stories in the gospels may or may not have happened but, regardless, they are told in a way that makes a theological point and were never intended to be understood as factual history. 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. Answer: the impurity of the swine. The demons are aware that He is there and they are frightened. And you know what the most frightening thing of all is? (, 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. 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. The church fathers treated them as literal history. 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. Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged Him to let them enter these. (, 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. For less than $5/mo. It was part of the Greco-Roman region known as the Decapolis, or ten towns. or ten (, But MacArthurs logical is funny for another reason. I trust the Lord Jesus to know what to do with demons and what ought to be done. But are these good pastors on the right track? So why pigs? Basically, a vision told Peter three times to eat defiling animal meat (at least that was how it seemed to him) so Peter logically replied that he had never eaten anything , Once more, we have half of an unclear verse, that people use to make up a, Gods Word has to agree with Gods Word. The most plausible reason Jesus chose the pigs was because he regarded people as precious and priceless, But are these good pastors on the right track? That is how valuable human life is." So He got into the boat and returned. The three passages that describe the incident with the demoniacs in the country of the Gerasenes, also called Gadarenes, are Matthew 8:28-34, Mark 5:1-20, and Luke 8:26-39. Did Jesus really sacrifice the swine for the man? You received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it! (Acts 7:53). In this immediate area, steep hills come down to the shoreline and fit the story of the swine rushing headlong into the sea. WebThe Gerasenes were the people of the district of which Gerasa was the capital. We know that two thousand pigs go over the cliff. Was it correct to destroy so many for just one (or two men). The two Johns see more than a hint of what I am talking about in the destruction of the swine and it frightens them so they avoid a serious discussion. Compared to the accounts of the same event in Matthew and Luke also written in simple narrative prose some details vary. Jesus was a Jew. In Jesus first trip to that Gentile area: They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes (in Gadara). Because of his righteousness and his love for God, Peter and Andrew and John and thousands more loved Jesus and followed him. Deuteronomy 4 and 12 only state that none should add or remove what Moses was commanding, which sounds a little nebulous. War III. But what does Leviticus says about, And also the pig; although it has a hoof splitting in half and it has a hoof clearly tearing in two, the pig doesn't bring back up its cud to chew. Jesus was upholding all the kosher laws within the Land of Israel it was part of his job description. 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! Pliny described it as a city of the Decapolis founded after the Rom. When Jesus said, A new commandment I give unto you (John 13:34), he instantly had the undivided attention of the Tedious Twelve disciples because they knew changing the Law was forbidden. Marks Jesus is a warrior who conquers Gods enemies. Gods Law has a law that you cannot change Gods Law. 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. And the thing that I love the most is the utter contrast in his attitude toward the Lord Jesus Christ. He dispatched Lucius Annius with a force of cavalry and an army of foot soldiers, who took the city on the first attack, slaughtering a thousand young men, taking their families captive, plundering and burning the city and the surrounding towns (Jos. It's in Luke chapter 8, verse 18. Such a statement is irresponsible because the Law was not written for a single person. But if one cared to examine all of Gods Word, the only possible reason for Jesus to destroy the pigs in the exorcism seems to be connected to Gods opinion about ham. The demons sent the pigs off the banks of the sea and into the water, where they drowned (Mark 5:1213). And what does the Law say about pigs? Obviously, they were Jewish pig farmers seeing judgement for flagrant disobey Gods Word and keeping and eating pig meat. All these inescapable facts are so important to getting the right interpretation of Mark 5 and the other gospel records of the same event. To feed the spectators who came there purposely to see those crazy chain braking tomb dwelling lunatics! If the pig farmers were Gentile, why would non-Jewish farmers be so gentle with a Jew (who was also an outsider) who was messing around with their farm animals? Gods Law has a law that you cannot change Gods Law. All in all, after Jesus had trashed the livelihood of so many, we have to agree that they were more than gentle to let him off the hook and just asking him to leave town asap. He always followed Gods Law. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. The conversation showed that the illness had a will, a coherent sense of past, present and future, knowledge of the supremacy and authority of Jesus Christ, and a compulsion to worship Jesus. WebThe meaning of GENTILE is a person of a non-Jewish nation or of non-Jewish faith; especially : a Christian as distinguished from a Jew. 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? It was like, Read my lips, Saul! WebBlog Uncategorized were the gerasenes gentiles Uncategorized were the gerasenes gentiles Its kinda like the difference between a Disney movie, a TV documentary and/or an infomercial; normally each is dissimilar from the other. A Faith Embracing All Creatures: Addressing Commonly Asked Questions about Christian Care for Animals. Every creature on land, or in the water, or in the air is classified by either the Hebrew term, (, The main reason God limits righteous people to a select group of clean/pure animals is for, Gods altar was also separate and distinct and holy. why do you think there were pigs there?]. Ellicotts Commentary, for one, believes the four Greek words were a latter addition. 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. Pork is the most infamous of all-things-not-Jewish and the bad press that pigs receive in Scripture, and in contemporary Western society, is another reason why I accuse both pastors of being less than honest in their explanations about Mark 5. One possible reason the Son of David chose the pigs was that he had no choice. 2 And when he had stepped out of the boat, immediately a man out of the tombs with an unclean spirit met him. The Law of God. 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. A main street with columns on both sides leads out of the forum. I cannot offer you a proof-text for this observation. He doesnt want to connect the dots and he doesn't want us to either. Jesus helped a Syrophoenician woman and commended her faith ( Matthew 15:2128 ). Luckily, they didnt find Paul anywhere, but they did haul a number of Pauls colleagues down to city hall. It is true that we discover new thoughts or extra meaning over time, but Gods Word is permanent and cannot change. Lets bring in a certain Greek silversmith and see how calmly he handles himself. This made them fit for consumption. It was a leading city of Syria in commerce, culture, and religion.
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. But Gods Spoken Word will endure for all time. This is clearly an extraordinary event. Unsurprisingly in such a place, Jesus finds a man possessed by unclean spirits. 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. JESUS DIDNT SEND THE DEMONS INTO THE DEEP; War IV. "Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged [Jesus], saying, 'Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.' Perhaps a tenth, or a quarter, or a half of the 613 commandments were fulfilled by Jesus, but not all. I agree the counter-arguments look flawless on the surface and that will be partially exposed now. Web(2) Ye know that ye were Gentiles.--Better (according to the weight of MSS. The modern village Jarash is situated on the hillside above the ruins, built with stones from the ruins. Don Crowe and Nicholas Gentile direct the Oswego Players Scenes of Crime; Section X: Canton downs Heuvelton for repeat Overall Section 10 title; Section X: Lady Wildcats edge Hammond for Section Overall title; PROPERTY SALES; Local pro hockey: Former Wolves player Liarakos paces Mississippi past visiting Watertown Luke 1:6 says, [Zachariah and Elisabeth] were both righteous before God, walking in all of the commandments and judgements of the LORD, guiltless. Sound like perfect obedience to me. 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. So these four miracles show Jesus reaching out to Gentiles, either in Galilee or even in even more Gentile territory across the river. He was possessed of extraordinary strength but he was aware that there was a man of God in his presence. We "are of more value than many sparrows" (Matt. The best text in Matthew reads Gadarenes, in Mark and Luke it reads Gerasenes, whereas some MSS preserve Gergesenes and Gergustenes (cf. Why does the herd of swine go over the cliff? Its true! The action is no different than Revelation 14:14-15 where we see the Son of Man brandishing a sharp sickle. To run Money Maker Software properly, Microsoft .Net Framework 3.5 SP1 or higher version is required. Surely He could have demonstrated real power over real demons, right? Secondly, the text is written to show Jesus dunnit. And from what I have heard, preferrably pig blood. With these, Not by will, but because they have no choice other than to do as the Administrator of all creation commands them. Cant we be candid in our search to know God? WebThe terrified Gerasenes beseeching Jesus to leave them. He has authored, co-authored, edited, or contributed to numerous books. To save this word, you'll need to log in. Jesus is saying that Jesuss commandments are the same as the Fathers. So lets not laugh these verses off. Was it correct to destroy so many for just one (or two men). And he was the one who said that the Father doesnt miss the falling of a sparrow. Oops. 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. The majority admits they are clueless and throw their hands up, stating the herd was just a casualty of war. Another who admits he has no idea why the gentle Jesus jettisoned all those unclean demons unto the swine is John MacArthur. I love irritating those charlatans who pretend the Law of God is somehow different than the Law of Moses. Last week we said the focus was on the power and the person of Jesus Christ. No one cares where he sleeps when hes busy trying to keep himself from killing himself. For the sake of the argument, lets start by assuming that the pastors assumption is right and he is a Gentile (though we know he could have been Jewish). Mark as quoted by Spalde, Annika; Strindlund, Pelle (2012). Go be a witness to Me. That's even more unexpected than not being angry because in Paul's case, it was the other way around. This passage is fundamentally about Jesus. The exorcism and the slaughter: Did they happen? Being teachable is a great avenue for learning! The demons freak out that Jesus is there because its not time for them to be tormented by Him yet. Secondly, I want you to look at the Lord Jesus Christ Himself because His power over Satan is on display full force in this passage. WebThey came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. 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. As I hear, I judge and My judgment is righteous because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me. Because the writer of the story wanted to make sure that everyone would know that the Garasenes were not Jewish. 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.). 8). He was completely in the thrall of sin. All Rights Reserved. And if I remember correctly, I think there is some tradition about other Apostles going to Spain. The excavations uncovered what is to date the best preserved Rom. 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. And he was the one who said that the Father doesnt miss the , Everyone's wondering why the pigs got the raw end of the deal. As soon as he saw Jesus, he shrieked and fell down in front of Him. Look again at John 15:10. The miracle referred to took place, without doubt, near the town of Gergesa, the modern Kersa , close by the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, and hence in the country of Gergesenes. Its a weird story, but its in the Gospels a couple of times, so we have to accept it as truth. Download Microsoft .NET 3.5 SP1 Framework. Maybe it was because they were unclean animals. Jesus is going to tell him, You can't come with Me, but I do want you to go back and tell them what great things God has done for you. In the three Synoptic Gospels and John 2:15, Jesus forces all the sellers out of the Temple courts. And Jews are forbidden by God and His eternal commands to own pigs. 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).
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