Mark 5

Mark 5:1-20

In this chapter we have, 1. Christ’s calling the legion of devils out of the man possified, and suffering them to enter into the spines, ver. 1—20. Christ’s healing the woman with the bloody ssion in the way as he was going to reose ‘Spiral’s daughter to life, ver. 21—43. They three miracles we had the stery of before, Mat. viii. 28, &c. and Mat. ix. 18, &c. but more fully related here.

1. AND they came over unto the other fide of the fea, into the country of the Gadarenes. 2. 18. Ibid. And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs, a man with an unclean spirit, 3. Who had his dwelling among the tombs, and no man could bind him, no nut with chains: 4. Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. 5. And always night and day he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying and cutting himself with stones. 6. But when he saw Jefus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, 7. And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jefus, thou Son of the moft high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. 8. (For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit). 9. And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. 10. And he besought him much, that he would not send them away out of the country. 11. Now there was there nigh unto the mountains, a great herd of swine feeding. 12. And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. 13. And forthwith Jefus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine, and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the fea, (they were about two thousand) and were choked in the fea. 14. And they that fed

fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done. 15. And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind, and they were afraid. 16. And they that saw it, told them how it befel to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine. 17. And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts. 18. And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil, prayed him that he might be with him. 19. Howbeit, Jesus suffered him not, but faith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compa- sion on thee. 20. And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis, how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.

What a miserable creature is man, when left to the power of the devil? What a mercy that Jesus is come to destroy the works of the devil, and to take the prey from the mighty. An eminent instance of this here appears. We have,

1. The wretched cale of a poor demoniaick, driven by an unclean spirit, to dwell among the tombs; a terror to himself, and to all who approached him; so raging, that none could soothe him; so strong, no fetters could bind him. Though it had been often attempted, he broke the hands in funder, and fled; living in the mountains, and in the tombs; uttering bored yelling, and cutting himself with the sharp floors, till the blood gaffed out. Nite, (1.) We have here a lively emblem of the natural man; his mind and confidence are defiled; his passions drive him furiously on, and will be refrained by no return of God’s law; under the power of Satan he is hurried to the excess of riot, madly wounding his own soul by sin, and dangerous to all around him; indebable to every fearful consequence, and wilful in disobedience. (2.) Solitude gives peculiar advantage to the temptations of an anchor spirit.

2. No sooner was Jesus disembarked, than the man in whom the devil was, ran and worshipped him: the wicked spirit being saved by his pretence, or his power was now fudgended. Matthew says they were two; perhaps Mark mentions one only, as being the more fierce, and to him the Lord directed his discourse.

3. On beholding so pitiable an object, Jesus bid the unclean spirit depart, nor could his expostulation or intramy prevail; though in the greatest dread and horror the devil addressed him, acknowledging his divine power and glory; importunately begging, since he could have no interest in him, he might have nothing to do with him; and that he would not send him into the place of torment, and compel him to retire from the world to the prison of hell before the day of final judgment. Nite, (1.) The confession of the devil was orthodox, but it is not a form of sound words, but the work of the Holy Ghost upon the heart, that can avail to our salvation. (2.) When Christ comes to visit our souls, he calls out the unclean spirit, gives a new heart, and puts a right spirit within us.

4. To these his own power over the sends of darkness, Christ demanded the name of this evil spirit, and was answered, My name is legion, for we are many. A legion of Roman soldiers some reckon at six thousand, whilst others increase it to more than twelve; and this intimates the immense numbers of these fallen spirits which war against the souls of men; their vast power, regular order, and unanimity: what need then have we, who wrestle with these principalities and powers, to put on the whole armour of God, and to be continuously looking up for the strength of our God, that we may be able to stand in the evil day.

5. Since they must quit their present hold, the devils earnestly be bought him not to expel them from that heathen country, if he dispossessed them from Judea. And there being a herd of swine feeding near the place, they desired permission to enter those unclean animals; hoping by destroying them, to prejudice the people against Jesus, and to gratify their own delight in mischief; and for wise and just reasons Christ permitted their request; when instantly the devils seized the whole herd, about two thousand; and filling them with madness, hurried them down a precipice into the lake, where they perished in the waters.

6. The keepers, who fled affrighted, spread through all the country the amazing story of the cure of the demoniaick, and the destruction of the swine. On which a vast concourse of people assembled to see this strange fight; and, to their great surprise, found the man who had been possessed, and a terror to the country, now peaceably sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in the perfect exercise of his reason: and they who had been eye-witnesses of the cure, reported all the circumstances concerning the recovery of the man, and the destruction of the swine. Hereupon afraid, left Jesus should punish them yet more condignly if he tattered them, and more concerned for their

temporal than eternal interests, they intreated him to depart out of the country. And since they thus sinned against their own mercies, Jesus abandons them to the delusions they had chosen.

7. Though his countrymen rejected Christ, the poor man who was cured, would fain have followed him; but Jesus bid him rather return, and bear testimony to the miracle of grace he had experienced, and awaken thereby the concern of his friends to seek after the Lord, who had done so great things for him. Accordingly the man obeyed his command; and transported with gratitude, published every where in that country what Jesus had done for him, to the great astonishment of all who heard the story. Nite, (1.) They who know the blessing of Christ’s pretence, long to be ever near him, and cannot but lament if their lot be cast among the unto of Kedar, where his gospel hath on place. (2.) They who are referred by Jesus to their right mind, from that moment begin to live to his glory, and to speak his praise. (3.) What the Lord doth for the so-fed soul are great things indeed, for which we can never enough adore and thank him.

8. And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him, and he was right unto the sea. 22. And behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the Synagogue, Jairus, by name, and when he saw him, he fell at his feet, 23. And be bought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death, I pray thee come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed, and the shall live. 24. And Jesus went with him, and much people followed him, and thronged him. 25. And a certain woman which had an issue of blood twelve years, 26. And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, 27. When she had heard of Jesus, came in the preth behind, and touched his garment. 28. For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. 29. And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up: and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. 30. And Jesus immediately knowing in himself, that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the preth, and said, Who touched my clothes? 31. And his disciples said unto him, Thou seeft the multitude thronging thee, and sayeft thou, Who touched me? 32. And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. 33. But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. 34. And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole: go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.

Mark 5:21-34

Since the Gadarnes rejected him, Christ crosses the lake to Capernaum, where he expected a more welcome reception. Hereupon,

1. A ruler of the Synagogue, with deepest respect, made his application to him, in behalf of his little daughter, who lay a dying when he came out from his house, and was even then dead; yet such was his faith in the power of Jesus, that he was persuaded, desperate as the case appeared, he could still restore her to life and health. Nite, The first of the former dead in trespasses and sins, is to human view irrecoverably desperate, but nothing is impossible with God.

2. As Jesus went with the ruler, a poor diseased woman stole a cure. Her malady discouraged her from making an open application to Jesus, and her faith persuaded her it was needless; the very touch of his garments being, in her apprehension, sufficient for her cure; even though her disorder had baffled the physician’s still, and under their hands her pockets had not only been emptied, but her complaints aggravated. Nor was she mistaken; for no sooner had she through the crowd got near enough to touch his garment, than immediately on so doing, her disease was removed, she felt her health perfectly restored, and was retiring with wonder and thankfulness. But Jesus, who perceived the virtue which had gone out of him, for the manifestation of his own glory, and the confirmation of the poor patient’s faith, turning himself, demanded who touched him? which the disciples answered with a kind of surprise and rudeness, as if, considering the crowd, such a question was very strange. But Jesus overlooked their crows, and calling his eyes round to discover the person he meant, the poor woman, conscious of what had passed, and trembling least the Lord should be disbanded at the manner in which she had forreptitiously obtained her cure, came and fell at his feet, declaring all that had passed. Whereupon, far from being angry, Jesus encouraged and comforted her, making honourable mention of her faith; and dismissed her not only with a cure, but with his peace and benediction, which was infinitely better.

Note, (1.) We are generally driven to Christ by mere necessity, having in vain tried all other methods, and convinced at half that he must save us freely, or we must perish. (2.) All our spiritual diseases can only be removed by the touch of faith; till virtue come out of Christ, we can have no health in ourselves. (3.) Where he works, a universal blessed change appears in all the tempers of the mind, and in the whole outward conduct and conversation. (4.) When we are discouraged with fear, at the feet of Jesus we should lay our burdens, and he will speak peace to our troubled souls.

35. While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, certain which said, Thy daughter is dead, why troubled thou the Master any further? 36. As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, he not afraid, only believe. 37. And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. 38. And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeeth the tumult, and them that wept and walked greatly. 39. And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this safe, and weep? The damsel is not dead, but sheepeth. 40. And they laughed him to scorn: but when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entreth in where the damsel was lying. 41. And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha corm, which is being interpreted, Damsel (I say unto thee) arise. 42. And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years: and they were astonished with a great astonishment. 43. And he charged them greatly, that no man should know it: and commanded that something should be given her to eat.

Mark 5:35-43

A discouraging message met the afflicted Jairus as Jesus was now on the way with him. Tidings were brought that his daughter was dead, and his friends conclude it was in vain to trouble Christ any further; supposing that though he cured the sick, to raise the dead was beyond his power. But,

1. Our Lord encourages the afflicted parents, both him not to give way to despondence, but only believe, and he should still see that death, as well as disease, was under his controul. Note, Faith is the great preservative from all our fears: when those who are nearest and dearest to us are removed, we have a ground of abiding consolation, that we shall meet them at the resurrection of the just.

2. When he came to the house, he suffered none to enter with him but Peter, James, and John, enough to be witnesses of the miracle, with the father and mother of the child: and rebuking the excessive lamentations of those who were within, he assured them there was no real cause for them, as the damsel was not irrecoverable, as they apprehended; but though sleeping in the arms of death, he would awake her. But they, fully assured of her death, treated with derision this suggestion. Unworthy, therefore, to be witnesses of his wondrous power and grace, he put them all out, and permitting only his three disciples, and the parents of the damsel, to be with him, he went to where the child lay, took her by the hand, and hid her wife; when instantly her spirit returned, she arose, being about twelve years old, and, to the exceeding amazement of her parents, walked about in perfect health; and to shew she still retained her former animal life, and that her appetite was restored with her health, he hid them give her something to eat. Note, (1.) We are dead in trespasses and sins, as this child, till by the perfect word awakened Jesus imparts the effectual power, and enables us to arise at his command to newness of life. (2.) When Christ gives spiritual life, it must be daily fed in the use of those means of grace, whereby he continues to minister strength and nourishment to the soul.

3. He gave them all a strict charge not to divulge this miracle. He knew how his growing fame would exasperate his enemies, and as his hour was not yet come, he used every prudent means to preserve his life, till he had finished the work which was given him to do.