Mark 5
MCGARMark 5:1-21
(Gergesa, now called Khersa.) M 28-34; 1; M 1-21; L 26-40. [They left in the “even,” an elastic expression. If they left in the middle of the afternoon and were driven forward by the storm, they would have reached the far shore several hours before dark] [Midway between the north and south ends of the lake, and directly east across the lake from Magdala, was the little city of Gergesa. In front and somewhat to the south of this city Jesus landed. Some sixteen miles away and to the southeast, and seven miles back from the lake, was the well-known city of Gadara. Further on to the southeast, on the borders of Arabia, and at least fifty miles from Gergesa, was the city of Gerasa. The name Gerasenes is, therefore, probably an error of the transcribers for Gergesenes, as Origen suggested.
The region is properly called “country of the Gadarenes,” for Gadara was an important city, and the stamp of a ship on its coins suggests that its territory extended to the Lake of Galilee] [Gergesa] [The sides of the mountain near the ruins of Gergesa are studded with natural and artificial caves which were used as tombs.] [344] [The natural spirit of the man seeking to throw off the dominion of the demons would cry out in agony, and the demons themselves, in their own misery, would use him as a vehicle to express their own grief. It would be hard to imagine a more horrible state] [on this phrase, see , , , , , , , .
How these demons escaped from the abyss is one of the unsolved mysteries of the spirit world; but we have a parallel in the releasing of Satan– .] [Matthew tells of two, while Mark and Luke describe only one. They tell of the principal one–the one who was the fiercer. In order to tell of two, Matthew had to omit the name “legion,” which belonged to one; and conversely, Mark and Luke, to give the conversation with one, did not confuse us by telling of two.] [The judgment-day, the time of punishment and torment– , , .] [About a mile south of Khersa a spur of the mountain thrusts itself out toward the lake so that its foot is within forty feet of the water line. This is the only spot on that side of the lake where the mountains come near the water. The slope is so steep and the ledge at its foot so narrow that a herd rushing down could not check itself before tumbling into the water. [346] Skeptics have censured Jesus for permitting this loss of property. God may recognize our property rights as against each other, but he nowhere recognizes them in the realm of nature.
What was done to the swine was done by the demons, and the owners had no more right to complain than they would have had if the herd had been carried off by murrain, by flood, or by any other natural cause. All animals have a right to die, either singly or in numbers.
The demons evidently did not intend to destroy the swine. Their desire to have live bodies to dwell in shows that they did not. But the presence of the demons in their bodies made the hogs crazy, as it had the demoniac, and they ran the way their noses were pointed at the moment. For discussion of demoniacal possession, see .] [Gergesa] [for the cities which constituted Decapolis, see ] [They could see the sail of his boat as he started back.] [Capernaum.] [348] [FFG 344-348]
Mark 5:23-43
(Capernaum, same day as last.) M 18-26; M 22-43; L 41-56. [while he talked about fasting at Matthew’s table] [He was one of the board of elders which governed the synagogue at Capernaum. These elders were not necessarily old men– , ] [It was a very lowly act for the ruler of a synagogue thus to bow before the Man of Nazareth. But the ruler was in trouble, and his needs were stronger than his pride] [he left her dying, [352] and so stated his fears in the very strongest way] [From Matthew’s table. Jesus did not fast for form’s sake, but he was ever ready to leave a feast that he might confer a favor] [The ruler, of highest social rank in the city, found Jesus among the lowliest, and they were naturally curious to see what Jesus would do for this grandee] [Medicine was not a science in that day. Diseases were not cured by medicine, but were exorcised by charms. The physician of Galilee in that age did not differ very widely from the medicine-man of the North American Indians.
One in easy circumstances could readily spend all during twelve years of doctoring with such leeches.] [her faith rested on hearing rather than on sight] [The nature of her disease made her unclean . Her consciousness of this made her, therefore, timidly approach Jesus from behind.] [The feeble pulse of sickness gave way to the glow and thrill of health.] [353] [because being unclean, any rabbi would have rebuked her severely for touching him] [To have permitted the woman to depart without this exposure would have confirmed her in the mistaken notion that Jesus healed rather by his than by his Hence he questions her, not that he may obtain information, but rather as a means of imparting it.
By his questions he reveals to her that no work of his is wrought without his consciousness, and that it was himself and not his garment which had blessed her.] [Faith gets a sweet welcome] [Be permanently whole: an assurance that relief was not temporal, but final.] [Faith healed her by causing her to so act as to obtain healing. Faith thus saves; not of itself, but by that which it causes us to do. It causes us to so run that we obtain.] [The delay caused by healing this woman must have sorely tried the ruler’s patience, and the sad [354] news which followed it must have severely tested his faith; but we hear no word of murmuring or bitterness from him.] [not succumbing to the situation] [Thus, with words of confidence and cheer, Jesus revived the ruler’s failing faith.] [into the house with him] [These three were honored above their fellows by special privileges on several occasions, because their natures better fitted them to understand the work of Christ.] [Mourning began at the moment of death, and continued without intermission until the burial, which usually took place on the day of the death. Even to this day Oriental funerals are characterized by noisy uproar and frantic demonstrations of sorrow, made by real and hired mourners. Flute-players, then as now, mingle the plaintive strains of their instruments with the piercing cries of those females who made mourning a profession] [Jesus used this figurative language with regard to Lazarus, and explained by this he meant death– .] [His words formed a criticism as to their judgment and experience as to death, and threatened to interrupt them in earning their funeral [355] dues.] [because their tumult was unsuited to the solemnity and sublimity of a resurrection. They were in the outer room–not in the room where the dead child lay] [the three] [Jesus took with him five witnesses, because in the small space of the room few could see distinctly what happened, and those not seeing distinctly might circulate inaccurate reports and confused statements as to what occurred.
Besides, Jesus worked his miracles as privately as possible in order to suppress undue excitement.] [Mark gives the Aramaic words which Jesus used. They were the simple words with which anyone would awaken a child in the morning.] [her restoration was complete] [Her frame, emaciated by sickness, was to be invigorated by natural means.] [Faith in God’s great promise is seldom so strong that fulfillment fails to waken astonishment.] [A command given to keep down popular excitement.
Moreover, Jesus did not wish to be importuned to raise the dead. He never was so importuned] [FFG 352-356]