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.) Such alternative readings include arguments that the swine were meant to represent the Roman army or "unclean and unfaithful" people; that pigs were considered "unclean", so destroying them might be consistent with care for other animals; and that Jesus did not actually "send" the devils into the pigs. 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. Those people were Jews in Nazareth. GADARENES - JewishEncyclopedia.com There is no captivity that you can be captive to that is not captive to Jesus Christ for He has ascended on high and led captivity captive and He makes a sport and a spoil of the forces of darkness which are arrayed against God and against heaven. 5 ) They werent real Jews They were JINOs! Amen. They dont care about about the demon possessed men, they want their pigs back, (My opinion) Jesus was raised with sacrifice so animals were thought of for food, not so much as pets like today. By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from Bible Gateway, a division of The Zondervan Corporation, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA, including commercial communications and messages from partners of Bible Gateway. [Israels] real enemy isnt Rome, which barely figures into the gospel story. Jesus was also a prophet. biblegateway.com I beg you, do not torment me. And then the demons beg not to be cast into the abyss. Interested in joining the Ligonier team? Now do you see how silly the Jesus-kept-the-Law-perfectly statement is? This now then is our fifth fact in a nutshell. Lord God, even as we sing this hymn, cause those who do not know Him to love Him and cause those who love Him to love Him more than anything else in this world. His sermon should have given us some point, some excuse, or some logical explanation for it all. Youll notice at the beginning of the passage that they go across the lake to the east side and that puts them outside the bounds of Galilee and outside the bounds of Israel and over into Gentile territory on the other side. Two thousand pigs dead for one person to live is not an even tradeand that is the point. Admittedly the whole event with the demon-crazed pigs is odd you dont see it every day but the writer wanted us to believe it genuinely happened. And he sends out his representative, a man who is known only as the Lieutenant of the Tower of Barad-dr, the black gate. And wild animals are not forget because farmers in the Land of Israel are commanded in Exodus 23:11 to leave parts of their fields for food for wildlife. Kursi - The Gerasene Site of Jesus' Miracle on the East Side of Lake Scripture also makes it abundantly clear that God Almighty cannot change, and no one, not even the Lord's Anointed Messiah can change the Law which they both wrote. My question is: Late Latin Gerasenus, Gergesenus, from Greek Gerasnos, Gergesnos, from Gerasa, Gergesa ancient town in Palestine. were the gerasenes Third, I want you to see the change that results in this man after he is not only liberated from these demons, but after he clearly, because of a change of heart, becomes a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. Gadarene or Gergesene Demoniacs - Bible Hub Both of our good pastors assume that the people in Gerasene (Gadarene or Gergesene) were Gentiles in Gentile territory, partially because of the pigs, partially because of the demoniacs and partially because, The good pastor John MacArthur assumes in his video, [I stretch my hand out to the Jews] who sit by the graves and lodge over night in the tombs, who eat the flesh of pigs and the broth of corrupted meat from their pots. There he meets a man seized with an unclean spirit (Mark) or with demons (Luke). The city was large and well planned. three
gerasenes It was situated some 30 miles southeast of Gadara, on the borders of Peraea and a little north of the river Jabbok. Connect the dots. Israel was to be a nation of priests, prophets, and missionaries to the world (Exodus 19:46). He also makes excursions into Gentile territory, such as when he exorcizes the Gerasene/Gadarene demoniac (Mark 5:1-20). Problem was, not even the pigs could withstand the madness these demonic forces manifested. Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, [Let me just pause right there. We have seen that God Almighty loves animals as much as humans, so Jesus randomly killing two thousand swine seems senseless, unless we remember God has commanded righteous people to avoid defiling food, such as pork. It was exactly due to his righteousness and his love for God that he killed two thousand pigs. Wed obey Him. Coincidentally, three Gentiles showed up for lunch, and the following day, he met a Roman convert when finally Peter figured it out and declared the Lords view of Gentile believers, But God has shown me that I should not call ritually impure or defiling any man (Acts 10:28). v. 37) describe Jesus healing of the demoniac Legion and the drowning of the swine in the Sea of Galilee (cf. None of the verses below refute any of the Seven Forgotten Facts above. WebMany New Testament manuscripts refer to the "Country of the Gadarenes" or "Gerasenes" rather than. View our current career opportunities. There he meets a man seized with an unclean spirit (Mark) or with demons (Luke). The heart set free from sin by Jesus. 141-144). Dedicated Online Support through Live Chat & Customer Care contact nos. They have therefore made important decisions about the proper treatment of animals. IV. That is the exact opposite of other godly men (compare with 1 Samuel 24:24 and 1 Chronicles 21:24). But Christianity early became important in the city; several churches were built during these centuries, so that by the 5th cent., Gerasa could send a bishop to the Council of Chalcedon. 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). And it is reveals a great deal comparing the reactions of the Gentiles in the two towns. Note: Demetrius was angry only because of speculation of what Pauls preaching might do to business Paul had not physically caused any damage. Be this as it may, the district was get to know the Bible better! 1). Therefore, I repeat again that I believe the pastors are dishonest for not admitting this fact. Many year later, Messiah went to Israel as a prophet to get the people of Israel back to, 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. The excavations uncovered what is to date the best preserved Rom. 4. Jerash (aka Gerasa, Gerash or Gerasha) is the capital and the largest city of the Jerash Governorate in Jordan, but in ancient times it was one of the wealthiest and most cosmopolitan cities in the ancient Near East.Settled by humans as early as the Neolithic period (c. 7500-5500 BCE) and founded as a Hellenistic city in the 2nd century BCE, Jerash is Theres got to be a a good one about. Gerasa was rebuilt in splendor and remained prosperous for several centuries. But this I do know, when people say that because those pigs died it shows that Jesus was not a good and virtuous man theyre forgetting three things. Did Jesus really sacrifice the swine for the man? display: none !important;
Show us the sins of our hearts that we are captive to. The story of the Gerasene demoniac thereby foreshadows the mission to the Gentiles that would begin in full force with the conversion of the Apostle Paul and Peter's ministry to Cornelius (Acts 910). The Psalmist states that God owns the cattle on a thousand hills Because to me belong every beast of the wood, every herd on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10, and were assuming Jesus the Second Person of the triune God had equal rights to those hills and those cattle.). And it is a shame that the good pastors dont take these relevant Scripture passage into consideration. Ptolemy says Gerasa was a city in Coele-Syria, thirty-five travel m. from Pella. (For many a time it had seized him. WebIt was named after the 10 ( deka) cities ( polis) which were in that area. WebWhy were there pigs in gerasenes? Accessed 4 Mar. That is, they appear contrary, except for one thing: Gods Law forbids righteous people from eating pork. Remember the story of Jesus casting demons out of the crazy man in Luke 8? What about cattle? Power over Demons: The Gerasene Demoniac Matthew 7 ) The pigs werent for eating. 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! And that permanence of the Law matches well with the fact that the first time, and the second, He wrote the Ten Commandments in stone: Exodus 31:18 and again, Exodus 34:1. Dont demons like sheep? The Man Jesus Renamed | Reformed Theological Seminary That will give us the perfect answer. A wonderful verse that reveals Him to us and probably the most heartwarming is the commandment in the Torah that mother animals are allowed to stay with their newborns for at least seven days before the offspring can be taken for food or for sacrifice (, All of these commandments and more are still taken literally by many Jews today. Here, it may well be that a herd of unclean animals has been used to take thousands of demons to their doom in the lake in anticipation of the final judgment. 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! Therefore, if Paul had taken a single silver goddess Diana doll and tossed it into the Aegean Sea, what kind of a hornets nest of trouble would the apostle have stirred up for himself? Its inconceivable that the pigs were owned by Gentiles. If I still had some misgivings, Id be man enough to share them here. Executive Committee of the Editorial Board. And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. Flower blossoms wither. Not by will, but because they have no choice other than to do as the Administrator of all creation commands them. and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea. when hes rolling around with a thousand killer-demons inside. Were in the same story, my friends. And thirdly, they are forgetting the fate of this man with an immortal soul who was in danger not only of a continuous life of torment, but an eternal separation from God. It goes like this: These are the people of Gerasene speaking to Jesus Rabbi be gone. He is the dividing line here. End of story. What happened to the demons when the pigs died? It seems Jesus allowed the demons to destroy the pigs so that the people could see just what demons are up to when they assault people. 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. 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. Those outside of the nation of Israel were considered gentiles. You can bet your bottom drachma there is. It's almost like the demons are inexorably drawn to Jesus. Worse yet, dont trust one who says Scripture evolves. From the start, the evil spirits wanted to bring death and destruction, and they finally got their chance. Scripture presents us with all we need to know. You must there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one thats only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary. Here, then, Jesus faced two of Gods enemies: hostile spiritual powers and death itself. WATER DESTROYED HER!!!! Yet there was no fury. 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. In Marks thinking, the mans extraordinary strength is evidence of supernatural bondage. Both Gerasa and Gadara were cities to the east of the Sea of Galilee and the River Jordan. In light of these facts, Jesus' ministry in the Gerasenes reveals the Lord's remarkable concern not only for the Jews but also for the Gentiles. He was completely in the thrall of sin. Be circumspect. So whats the point because Pastor John Piper feels the pigs were less important and John LOL MacArthur just jokes about the slaughter neither reaction seems sensible. Mark and Luke wrote that Jesus /gave the right to them to enter the pigs much stronger wording and more official than allow. The power of the Lord Jesus Christ over Satan. Archeologists identify it with the modern Jarash. 9. The Gerasene Demoniac (Mark 5:1-20) | Bible.org Yet a number of objections immediately spring to mind. So how on earth could they dictate to the Son of God where they wished to go? By using our website, you accept our use of cookies. 1. So why did the meek n merciful Son of Man cast countless defiling demons into two thousand piglets, sows and boars? And you can ask yourself a lot of questions Why did Jesus do that? And because he said it one single, solitary time, and he didnt actually present anything new, we have clear proof that he didnt add anything to the Law and his joke underscores the fact that he didnt add (or delete) from the Law! Hello, I dont know the real answer but I have heard from others that Jesus has authority over any demonic presence and there were many in this man (other Gospel says two men), so it clearly shows Jesus Power and Authority and that is probably the main point to show the people and the demon possessed at that time that it doesnt matter how many of you there are your not staying and your leaving now because I say so and you cant do anything and because I say so you can go into them pigs because you are unclean, so it was a demonstration for all, including his Disciples who were with him, I do believe that Jesus went there for that purpose because of his Love for us, Jesus knows why He did it, maybe one day He will tell us or not ? Its all a matter of being logical. Since demons are by most accounts fallen angels to begin with, they already know to Whom they are ultimately accountable. Jun 21, 2021. When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met Him a man from the city who had demons. Many New Testament manuscripts refer to the "Country of the Gadarenes" or "Gerasenes" rather than Who were the gerasenes in the bible? Origen says this is a good example of how Biblical writers simply were not concerned to precisely identify certain sites. 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. Three witnesses! Theyre written as factual history. GotQuestions has three articles alone on the subject: here is their best. Even city officials who were Pauls friends were scared for Pauls life (Acts 19:31). And then you see in this passage the change of a heart set free. The tricky bit is finding the correct reason why gentle Jesus dumped hundreds of murderous, unclean spirits on so many swine. Surely He could have demonstrated real power over real demons, right? What is the significance of Decapolis in the Bible? Originally published in Tabletalk, our daily Bible study magazine. 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. The list in the first chapter of Leviticus contains only bovine, sheep, goats and pigeons; all typified later, in Leviticus 11, as clean/pure animals. a Gentile and What Does the Bible Say about 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. Despite all the dangers to himself, David wouldnt allow any to be hurt. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. 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 wiped out of the Book of Life (Revelation 3:5) doesnt sound very cool. A great deal of the Law applies only to priests (Leviticus 6:3) and to Levites (Numbers 7:9), so how could Jesus, of the tribe of Judah, keep one of those commandments? 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. 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). And her addition to Gods commandment led to her disobedience and to Adams, and then God added some amazing plagues to mankind, just as John says (Revelation 22:18) will happen to those who add to His Word (and not just the book of Revelation). Overall, when it comes to any animal being selected for food or for sacrifice, God sees only two types. They tried to kill us. We Also, any every person who wants to please God is forbidden the heartless act of boiling a calf in its mothers milk (Exodus 23:19; Exodus 34:26; Deuteronomy 14:21), as well as the abominable practice of cutting and eating the leg of a live animal, only to leave the poor creature hobbling around with its three remaining legs (Deuteronomy 12:23; explanation). He made a covenant with them and revealed His commandments to them, which they were to live according to. One moose, two moose. When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. The last point to tidy up Jesus allowed the demons to kill the pigs or Jesus did it? Lastly, even if Mr. Pipers explanation were true, look what its application could mean. There are echoes of exodus in Marks story, and echoes of Davids battle with Goliath. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs. But when Jesus explained that the commandment was the old one from Leviticus, Love one another, they signed with relief, seeing how he was just underscoring the command that God already gave (Leviticus 19:18). In the Book of Acts, Chapter Nineteen, we read about Demetrius, a Greek silver-statue maker, who was connecting a few dots of his own and had reasoned that a certain big-mouthed Jew was bad for business. Matt 8:28). Ive heard that the apostles and Christ may have traveled to Spain. Amen, and thus ends this reading of God's holy, inspired, and inerrant Word. At the end of the gospel, however, Jesus tactic changes. This man, when Jesus says, What is your name? effectively says, I do not know my name. e. The land of the Gerasenes was on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee. 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. If you watch the short clip (above) and compare it to the one hour source video Dominating Powers, Part 2 (Mark 5:1-20) you will notice how MacArthurs speaking style changes as soon as he addresses the matter of the pigs. Amen. This is the only sensible interpretation which remains consistent with all Scripture. The man howled day and night and cut himself with stones. (Only an amateur Hebraist would claim the latter, frankly.). But here's the second thing. If Jesus had done anything less, he could not have been the Messiah. God never said dont touch. She added that bit. For centuries, land wars are a type of a national sport among Middle Eastern nations. Last week, we were crossing over with Jesus to the other side, weathering a fierce storm until he woke up and calmed the sea. If you're carrying a sheep, is it still a "piggy" back ride? He was totally dominated by these demonic forces. Lets re-examine the event in the light of seven important Scriptural facts. Pork was a prevalent food staple and as you travel near the gates of Gibraltar the terrain matches the craggy cliffs as well as the placement of aboveground as well as natural cave tombs which show signs of living inhabitants at some point. Jesus to leave They need to face the cracks in their theologies. 3 He lived among the tombs; and no one could restrain him any more, even with a chain; 4 for he had often been restrained with shackles and chains, but the chains he wrenched apart, and Besides Johns cute play on words dont add or God will add consider what plagues he might be talking about and what book he might be talking about. He wouldnt have lived long enough to get to a cross to die. Ligon Duncan (MDiv, Covenant Theological Seminary; PhD, University of Edinburgh) is the Chancellor & CEO of Reformed Theological Seminary, the John E. Richards Professor of Systematic and Historical Theology, and the President of RTS Jackson. Luke is telling you here that Jesus is sovereign over everything. If ever there was a small and weak proof-text, this is the one. borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Medieval Latin galilea, probably after Galilea, Galilaea galilee, from a monastic and clerical comparison of the church porch, where the laity gathered, to biblical Galilee, regarded, in opposition to Judaea, as a country of Gentiles (as in Matthew 4:15) WebGERASA, GERASENES (, ). Therefore, hiding behind a few vague statements like the pat answer verses listed here is not sound. It is repeated over and over. 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. They even allowed themselves to go ballistic on the Sabbath, which shows how angry they really were. And the thing that I love the most is the utter contrast in his attitude toward the Lord Jesus Christ. But now this is an extraordinary case. Well, this happens in the gospel with Jesus. 'Hiemal,' 'brumation,' & other rare wintry words. 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. Well Ill explain that too, later on. (we dont invent stories to let people know Jesus has power over the Tooth Fairy, do we?). It's in Luke chapter 8, verse 18. So now they don't even bother to read it.]. Similarly, as God incarnate, Jesus knows the future. We do not find demons under every pew and under every rock. To run Money Maker Software properly, Microsoft .Net Framework 3.5 SP1 or higher version is required. Owning those defiling animals was illegal and having two thousand head, the farmers were more than flouting the Law that Jesus had not came to destroy but to fulfill (Matthew 5:17). In a recent online essay on the Gospel of Mark, Peter Leithart wrote. And lastly, because the herd was within the Land of Israel and owned by Jews (the joke about Gentiles owning them is cleared up below), the unclean swine had to go and the unclean demons did the work. That is why It deeply disturbed Bertrand Russell that Jesus allowed a herd of two thousand pigs to be destroyed. He has stabbed the heads of many lands. No products in the cart. Notice how Gods, Plus, when Jesus chased the sellers out of the Temple courts (. But the Jews were promised and re-promised their land by God throughout the Law: Genesis 15:7, Leviticus 20:24, Numbers 33:52-53, Deuteronomy 1:8 are just a few examples. At this distance from the Sea of Galilee, Gerasa could not have been the site of the healing of Legion. It is doubtful that Jesus ever visited it. He's the friend of sinners. 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 ritually impure or defiling (Acts 10:14). At least Im man enough to admit possible weaknesses in my arguments and to talk about the elephants in the room.