KNU English Church
Yoni Moorgan
April 20, 2008
The Power and Authority of Jesus
We have here the story of Christ’s casting the devils out of two men that were possessed. This chapter shows the divine power of Christ, by the instances of his dominion over bodily diseases, which to us are irresistible; over winds and waves, which to us are yet more uncontrollable; and lastly, over devils, which to us are most formidable of all more remarkable than the rest. This miracle happened in the country of the Gergesenes.
The authority of Christ for those with no faith
The scene moves from timid, weak-in-faith disciples to the story of two demoniacs that had no faith at all. No one brought the demoniacs to Christ. It seems that instead Christ went to them. There was no more ministry in that region except that of the two demoniacs. Christ pursued these two men to deliver them even though they had no faith to help them along the way.
Divine compassion
As the story unfolds, we witness Christ crossing the Sea of Galilee to avoid the crowd until He arrived in a region that was dominated by Gentiles. The fact that pigs were raised indicates this to be a Gentile region rather than Jewish. Jesus was met by "two men who were demon-possessed," i.e., they were under the control, domination, and authority of demons. Their minds, wills, and emotions belonged to the demons and not to themselves. To be "possessed" is to be under complete domination. The Greek is probably better translated as "demonized." They were described as men who had great strength and they could not be bound with chains. They struck fear in all that attempted to walk near them. "They were so extremely violent that no one could pass by that way." But the One possessing all authority did not balk at the sight of these demoniacs.
Characteristics of the demon-possessed:
1. First of all, demon possessed people seem to prefer to live by themselves, away from other people.
2. They tend to be impossible to control, even when chained. They have a supernatural power through which they are able to break free.
3. Often they hurt themselves and love to cry out
4. When someone is demon possessed, he/she is never in his/her right mind.
The description of the possessed men
- Under the direct control of evil spirits
- All unconverted men are under the control of Satan
- Under the influence of violent frenzy
- Regulated by a disordered nature
- Dangerous to others
- True of all who give themselves over to iniquity
- Lived among the dead
- Every sinner is dead even while he lives
Jesus’ power over demonic spirits.
1. (28-29) Jesus meets two demon possessed men.
When He had come to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way. And suddenly they cried out, saying, "What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?"
"What business do we have with each other, Son of God?" The disciples had just asked themselves a question when the stormy sea was immediately stilled at the rebuke of Christ, "What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?" Now two demonized men answer their question, "Son of God." This was no ordinary man but the only man with an unmixed, unmingled divine nature. The demons recognized the Son of God so much so that they could not flee His power, but were constrained to bow before Him (Mark 5:6). The demoniacs' question is more literally, "What to us and to you?" Jesus and the demons have nothing in common! We would say that they are not even on the same page. They are interested in torturing the men they possess and destroying all that comes their way. Christ brings peace to troubled, sinful lives, and wholeness out of destruction. The demons leave their victims in mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual shambles. The poor men lived among the tombs, had no friends, and cried day and night in their misery. But Jesus Christ transforms so that the whole man is affected by the power of the gospel. The demons were right - they had nothing in common with Christ.
That sets the stage for us to consider the compassion of Christ in the display of His authority. Here were two men that could do nothing for themselves. They had no interest in Christ because their minds were filled with hatred, bitterness, anger, lust, greed, and every vile thing imaginable. They had no will that would desire Christ or turn to Christ because their will was under demonic governance. No one could talk these men into turning over a new leaf or even to consider the gospel. They would not listen. They could not listen. But the authority of Christ stopped them dead in their tracks. Though inwardly clawing in the other direction, Jesus Christ subdued the two men by His power. With irresistible might, He conquered the mind, will, and heart of these men. His omnipotence claimed them for His own!
Though our hearts may not have been filled with demons as with these men, we were nonetheless under the dominion of the prince of the power of the air, as Paul explains (Eph 2:1-3). Our minds were darkened as was our understanding, and with great callousness we gave ourselves over to every kind of sin in rebellion against the law of God (Eph 4:17-19). But then the omnipotent Christ subdued us! It was not that our wills first turned to Him and gave Him an invitation to work in our lives. But like the demoniacs, we got a glimpse of the "Son of God" and felt the blow of His judgment upon us. Fear of His righteous wrath crushed us. But then in great compassion He made us His own.
Here is the compassion of Christ displayed by His authority to subdue the unwilling and make them His disciples. The human will lacks the strength to overcome the power of sin and darkness apart from God's compassion and grace. And so we rejoice that we have an omnipotent Lord that subdued our own hearts so that we might believe in Him.
They dwelt among the tombs; this is where they met Christ. The devil has the power of death, as executioner, and at Golgotha, the place of a skull, Christ conquered and subdued him. Living among the graves increased the frenzy of the poor possessed creatures, and it strengthened the hold evil had over them, and also made them more formidable to other people, who generally startle at any thing that stirs among the tombs.
They were exceeding fierce; mischievous to others, frightening many, having hurt some; so that no man dared pass that way. The devil bears malice to mankind, and shows it by making men spiteful and malicious one to another.
Demons paid homage to Christ
- Recognized Jesus as the Son of God
- Resented his interference
- Dreaded his displeasure
- Ask to be allowed to go into the herd of pigs
- Realized that they would not be permitted to remain where they were
- Did they not know of their future, or did they seek to cause problems for Jesus
The demons knew who Jesus was (Jesus, You Son of God), even if the disciples didn’t (Who can this be? in Matthew 8:27).
They were defiant to Jesus Christ, and disclaimed all interest in him, v. 29. It is an instance of the power of God over the devils, it was his overpowering hand that dragged these unclean spirits into his presence, which they dreaded more than any thing else: His chains could hold them, when the chains that men made for them could not.
The demon addressed himself to Christ as Jesus the Son of God; a good word, and at this time, it was a great word too, what flesh and blood did not reveal to Peter, ch. 16:17. Even the devils know, and believe, and confess Christ to be the Son of God.It is not knowledge, but love, that distinguishes saints from devils. We may remember that not long ago the devil had doubt whether Christ were the Son of God or not, and would have persuaded him to question it (ch. 4:3), but now he readily owns it. Though God’s children may be fearful in an hour of temptation, by Satan’s questioning their relation to God as a Father, yet the Spirit of adoption shall at length clear it up to them so much to their satisfaction, as to set it even above the devil’s contradiction.
c. Have You come here to torment us before the time? These demons also knew of both their immediate destiny (to be cast out) and their ultimate destiny (to suffer everlasting torment).
Their second question concerns their understanding that Jesus Christ is the Judge. "Have You come here to torment us before the time?" In this case, "the time" has nothing to do with chronological time but rather with the concept of an event - presumably the time of judgment at the consummation of the ages.
A word of defiance; What have we to do with You? First, It is true that the devils have nothing to do with Christ as a Savior, for he took not on him the nature of the angels that fell, nor did he lay hold on them (Heb. 2:16); they are in no relation to him, they neither have, nor hope for, any benefit by him to be forced to own the excellency that is in Christ, and yet that he has no interest in him. It is possible for me to call Jesus the Son of God, and yet have nothing to do with him. It is true, that the devils desire not to have any thing to do with Christ as a Ruler; they hate him, they are filled with enmity against him, they stand in opposition to him, and are in open rebellion against his crown and dignity. The devils have nothing to do with Christ as a Judge, for they have, and they know it. These devils could not say, What have you to do with us? They could not deny that the Son of God is the Judge of devils; to his judgment they are bound over in chains of darkness,
A word of dread; "Are you here to torment us—to cast us out from these men, and to restrain us from doing the hurt we would do?’’ To be turned out, and tied up, from doing mischief, is a torment to the devil.
(30-32) Jesus casts the demons into a herd of swine.
Now a good way off from them there was a herd of many swine feeding. So the demons begged Him, saying, "If You cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of swine." And He said to them, "Go." So when they had come out, they went into the herd of swine. And suddenly the whole herd of swine ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and perished in the water.
There was a herd of many swine: The region of Galilee was populated by both Jews and Gentiles, so this may have been a herd of pigs owned by Gentiles. Pigs were unclean for Jews, they should not have been there, even if they were owned by a Gentile man.
These Gergesenes, though living on the other side Jordan, were Jews. What had they to do with swine, which by the law were unclean, and not to be eaten nor touched? Probably, lying in the outskirts of the land, there were many Gentiles among them, to whom this herd of swine belonged: or they kept them to be sold, or bartered, to the Romans, with whom they had now great dealings.
“Go!" Jesus demanded of the demons, and they rushed into the herd of swine while the demonized men were set free. The city people saw the demon-possessed "sitting down, clothed and in his right mind" (Mark 5:15). Transformed from the inside out, the man sat before Christ as a new disciple, ready and willing to follow Christ wherever He went. In obedience to Christ, this new believer returned to his home region proclaiming the great things that Jesus had done for him (Mark 5:20).
But there's another reason that the demons were given permission to enter the pigs. Some would declare that the demoniacs were really not demon-possessed but only had poor mental health, and only needed a little human kindness therapy to render them harmless. A pig might wallow in mud but he will not run into clear, deep water.
Upon the command of Christ, "Go," the demons "came out and went into the swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the waters." Pigs would not be spooked into water. They fled by the power of the demons that subdued their wills just as they had the two men. In contrast, the two men now stood whole as new creatures in Christ.
When they had come out, they went into the herd of swine: There is nothing really comparable to this in the Bible, the casting of a demon from a human to an animal. So why did Jesus do this?
The fact that the demons immediately drove the swine to destruction helps explain why Jesus allowed the demons to enter the pigs - because He wanted everyone to know what the real intention of these demons was. They wanted to destroy the man just as they destroyed the pigs. Because men are made in the image of God, they could not have their way as easily with the man, but their intention was just the same: to completely destroy him.
Jesus allowed the demons to enter the swine to indicate beyond question that their real purpose was the total destruction of their host. They asked permission to enter into the swine. They discover their own inclination to do mischief, and what a pleasure it is to them; let us go into the herd of swine, any where rather than into the place of torment, any where to do mischief.’’ If they might not be allowed to hurt men in their bodies, they would hurt them in their goods, and in that too they intend hurt to their souls, by making Christ a burden to them!
They recognize Christ’s power over them; that, without his permission, they could not so much as hurt a swine. This is great comfort to us, though the devil’s power be very great, yet it is limited, and not equal to his malice (what would become of us, if it were?) especially that it is under the control of our Lord Jesus, our most faithful, powerful friend and Savior; that Satan and his instruments can go no further than he is allowed.
They were commanded to leave. Christ said unto them, Go (v. 32), as God did to Satan, when he wanted to afflict Job. God does often, for wise and holy ends, permit the efforts of Satan’s rage, and allow him to do some things. They are not only Christ’s captives, but his vassals; his dominion over them appears in the harm they do, as well as in the hindrance of them from doing more. Thus even their wrath is made to praise Christ, and the remainder of it he does and will restrain.
They were not commanded to save their lives, and, therefore, they were made to run violently down a steep place into the sea, where they all perished, to the number of about two thousand, Mk. 5:13. The possession which the devil gets is for destruction. The devil hurries people to sin, hurries them to that which they have resolved against, and which they know will be shame and grief to them. This is Satan’s will, to swallow up and to devour.
The conduct of the Gadarenes
- Rather than rejoicing over the deliverance of the men who had been demon-possessed, they mourn the loss of their pigs
- Rather than being in the presence of the Lord, they were concerned about the loss of the pigs
(33-34) The people ask Jesus to leave the region.
Then those who kept them fled; and they went away into the city and told everything, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they begged Him to depart from their region.
They begged Him to depart from their region: We would think that the people of the region would be happy that these two demon-possessed men had been delivered. Perhaps they were more interested in their pigs than in people.
Wasn’t this unfair to the owner of the pigs? "‘But the owners of the swine lost their property.’ Yes, and learn from this how small value temporal riches are in the estimation of God. He allows them to be lost, sometimes to disengage us from them through mercy; sometimes out of justice, to punish us for having acquired or preserved them either by covetousness or injustice."
What effect did this have upon the owner? The report of it was soon brought to them by the swine-herds, who seemed to be more concerned about the loss of the swine than any thing else. Christ did not go into the city, but the people knew He was there.
Their curiosity brought them out to see Jesus. The whole city came out to meet him, that they might be able to say, they had seen a man who did such wonderful works. Many go out, in profession, to meet Christ and have no real affection for him, nor desire to know him.
Their covetousness made them willing to get rid of him. Instead of inviting him into their city, or bringing their sick to him to be healed, they asked Him to depart out of their coasts, as if they had borrowed the words of the devils, What have we to do with thee, Jesus thou Son of God? And now the devils had what they aimed at in drowning the swine; they did it, and then made the people believe that Christ had done it, and so prejudiced them against him.
The devil kept the Gadarenes from Christ, by suggesting that he came into their country to destroy their cattle, and that he would do more hurt than good; for though he had cured two men, yet he had drowned two thousand swine. Thus the devil does mischief in the Christian church, and then lays the blame upon Christianity, and makes people angry.
There are a great many who prefer their swine before their Savior, and so come short of Christ, and salvation by him. They desire Christ to depart out of their hearts, and will not allow his word to have a place in them, because He and His word will be the destruction of their brutish lusts—those swine which they give up themselves to feed.
Here is the simple point of this story. If Jesus Christ delivered these men that were so subdued and dominated by the power of demons, He has the authority to subdue your will and mind that you might be set free from your sin. Are there sins in your life that you think Christ cannot conquer? Are there desires that you think are beyond His control? Hear Him that said, "Go," and two men were freed, and who now says, "Come," and drink the water of life freely through Him.
Application of the miracle
- Sin’s ability to possess, to infatuate, and to destroy
- The power of Jesus over sin, to rescue and to save
The good news is:
* Mark 9:23 "Everything is possible for him who believes." NIV
