The Gospel of Mark
Chapter 5: The individual blessing of souls
And they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes. And immediately on his going out of the ship there met him out of the tombs a man possessed by an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling in the tombs; and no one was able to bind him, not even with chains; because he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been torn asunder by him, and the fetters were shattered; and no one was able to subdue him. And continually night and day, in the tombs and in the mountains, he was crying and cutting himself with stones. But seeing Jesus from afar off, he ran and did him homage, and crying with a loud voice he says, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure thee by God, torment me not. For he said to him, Come forth, unclean spirit, out of the man. And he asked him, What is thy name? And he says to him, Legion is my name, because we are many. And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. Now there was there just at the mountain a great herd of swine feeding; and they besought him, saying, Send us into the swine that we may enter into them. And Jesus [immediately] allowed them. And the unclean spirits going out entered into the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep slope, into the sea (about two thousand), and were choked in the sea. And those that were feeding them fled and reported it in the city and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that had taken place. And they come to Jesus, and they see the possessed of demons sitting [and] clothed and sensible, [him] that had had the legion: and they were afraid. And they that had seen [it] related to them how it had happened to the [man] possessed by demons, and concerning the swine. And they began to beg him to depart from their coasts. And as he went on board ship, the man that had been possessed by demons besought him that he might be with him. And he suffered him not, but says to him, Go to thine home to thine own people, and tell them how great things the Lord has done for thee, and has had mercy on thee. And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him; and all wondered. And Jesus having passed over in the ship again to the other side, a great crowd gathered to him; and he was by the sea. And [behold] there comes one of the rulers of the synagogue, by name Jairus, and seeing him, falls down at his feet; and he besought him much, saying, My little daughter is at extremity; [I pray] that thou shouldest come and lay thy hands upon her so that she may be healed, and may live. And he went with him, and a large crowd followed him and pressed on him. And a certain woman who had had a flux of blood twelve years, and had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent everything she had and had found no advantage from it, but had rather got worse, having heard concerning Jesus, came in the crowd behind and touched his clothes; for she said, If I shall touch but his clothes I shall be healed. And immediately her fountain of blood was dried up, and she knew in her body that she was cured from the scourge. And immediately Jesus, knowing in himself the power that had gone out of him, turning round in the crowd said, Who has touched my clothes? And his disciples said to him, Thou seest the crowd pressing on thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? And he looked round about to see her who had done this. But the woman, frightened and trembling, knowing what had taken place in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. And he said to her, Daughter, thy faith has healed thee; go in peace, and be well of thy scourge. While he was yet speaking, they come from the ruler of the synagogue's [house], saying, Thy daughter has died, why troublest thou the teacher any further? But Jesus [immediately], having heard the word spoken, says to the ruler of the synagogue, Fear not; only believe. And he suffered no one to accompany him save Peter and James, and John the brother of James. And he comes to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and sees the tumult, and people weeping and wailing greatly. And entering in he says to them, Why do ye make a tumult and weep? the child has not died, but sleeps. And they derided him. But he, having put [them] all out, takes with [him] the father of the child, and the mother, and those that were with him, and enters in where the child was lying. And having laid hold of the hand of the child, he says to her, Talitha koumi, which is, interpreted, Damsel, I say to thee, Arise. And immediately the damsel arose and walked, for she was twelve years old. And they were astonished with great astonishment. And he charged them much that no one should know this; and he desired that [something] should be given her to eat.
We have seen the perfect Servant sowing the good seed. Now we are invited to observe another form of His service: the engagement with individual souls. In this gracious act, we witness not only the spiritual blessings bestowed upon souls but also the divine power that triumphs over the devil, disease, and death. It becomes clear that in the Person of the Lord, God is present with graceTo the one who earns something through performance, the reward is not according to grace but according to debt (Rom. 4:4). Grace is a favor that is not given by... More and power to redeem humanity from the effects of sinThe Bible carefully differentiates between sin and sins. • Sin: the evil power at work in man that causes him to engage in sinful activities (Rom 7:17, 18). God pronounced... More; yet, even so, mankind often finds the presence of God intolerable.
(Verses 1-5) In the story of the demoniac, we vividly encounter the utter misery of a man under the influence of Satan. This man "had his dwelling among the tombs," signifying that where people dwell, they eventually die, and nearby, there will always be a burial place, reminding us that this world is overshadowed by death. All of Satan's efforts aim to drive humanity towards death. As stated in John 10:10, "The thief comes only to steal, and to kill, and to destroy." He seeks to rob us of every spiritual blessingA blessing is something good, in the Old Testament, usually associated with possessions, prosperity, and health, and is usually pronounced over someone. In principle, the lesser is blessed by the... More, kill the body, and destroy the soul.
Secondly, this story illustrates mankind's utter helplessness to free themselves or others from Satan's power. All efforts to restrain the violence of this unfortunate man or to tame him were entirely in vain. Today, likewise, every attempt to restrain evil or reform the fleshThe term "flesh" is used in different meanings in the Bible: a) as an expression of physicality or humanity, which is inextricably linked to our life on earth. Examples: “the... More ultimately fails to liberate the worldThe word is used with different meanings. It can mean the whole of humanity (Gen 41:57) or the created world (Rom 1:20), but also a moral system that is opposed... More from its violence and corruption, the power of SatanThe Bible introduces us to the great adversary of God in Rev 20:2 under four terms: • Dragon • Old Serpent • Devil • Satan Under the term 'Satan,' the... More, or to change human nature.
(Verses 6-13) Thirdly, we learn that although we are ruined and helpless, in the Person of ChristA title of the Lord Jesus, which is also used as an epithet; Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) mean "anointed one". The title refers to the fact that Jesus is... More, there is One with the power and graceTo the one who earns something through performance, the reward is not according to grace but according to debt (Rom. 4:4). Grace is a favor that is not given by... More to free us from all the influences of SatanThe Bible introduces us to the great adversary of God in Rev 20:2 under four terms: • Dragon • Old Serpent • Devil • Satan Under the term 'Satan,' the... More. The poor man is so completely possessedA possessed person has a demon inside of them, which means that this evil, satanic spirit (demons are servants of Satan) controls the body and wreaks havoc and destruction. Sometimes,... More by the unclean spirit that his body serves as the dwelling place and instrument for the demonIn the Bible, demons are described as "unclean spirits" that are controlled by Satan (cf. Rev 16:13-14). On several occasions during His life on earth, the Lord Jesus cast out... More, who acts and speaks through him. However, demons must bow before the One they recognize as the Son of GodThe term "Son of God" in the singular always refers to the Lord Jesus. On the one hand, He is the only begotten (unique) and eternal Son of God, who... More, who possesses the authority to consign them to their deserved doom. While men may be ignorant of Christ's glory and authority, demons are not. Aware they must depart at Christ's command, they request to be sent into swine. It seems that evil spirits require a physical body through which to operate. Once granted permission, they enter the swine, which immediately rush to destruction, showcasing the full extent of the demons' destructive malice.
(Verses 14-17) Fourthly, we learn from this solemn account that if the power of Satan is dreadful for man, the presence of God can feel intolerable, even when it is manifesting grace and power meant to deliver humanity. One observer noted that mankind may be "more afraid of Jesus and His grace than of the devil and his works." When the townspeople come out "to see what had happened," they are confronted with the undeniable evidence of Jesus' grace and power. The man who had troubled the region is found "sitting, clothed, and in his right mind." This is a beautiful picture of a truly converted soul, released from the harrowing power of SatanThe Bible introduces us to the great adversary of God in Rev 20:2 under four terms: • Dragon • Old Serpent • Devil • Satan Under the term 'Satan,' the... More and resting peacefully at the feet of Jesus—no longer naked and exposed to judgment but clothed and justified before God, with ChristA title of the Lord Jesus, which is also used as an epithet; Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) mean "anointed one". The title refers to the fact that Jesus is... More serving as his righteousness, reconciled and freed from enmity against God.
Yet, we read, "They were afraid." What a revealing comment on humanity! Despite witnessing the evidence that God had drawn near, they were afraid. Guilty individuals have always been terrified of God; Adam was afraid after the fall, Israel trembled at Sinai, and the people of Gadara were also fearful. It does not matter how God arrives—whether as a visitor in Eden, in majestic glory at Sinai, or in graceTo the one who earns something through performance, the reward is not according to grace but according to debt (Rom. 4:4). Grace is a favor that is not given by... More at Gadara—guilty man finds the presence of God unbearable. They prefer the demons, the demoniac, and the swine over the Son of GodThe term "Son of God" in the singular always refers to the Lord Jesus. On the one hand, He is the only begotten (unique) and eternal Son of God, who... More, even when He comes with power and graceTo the one who earns something through performance, the reward is not according to grace but according to debt (Rom. 4:4). Grace is a favor that is not given by... More to offer salvationSalvation is part of God's plan of saving people. Those who are in danger and cannot help themselves need salvation. We owe our salvation to our Savior, who went to... More. Consequently, they implore Him to leave their region, and their request is granted; He departs.
(Verses 18-20) Finally, we see a striking contrast to the men of this world in the man who has been blessed so richly that he desires to be with Jesus. In time, his wish will be gloriously fulfilled, for we know Christ died for believers, so "we should live together with Him," and soon we will be forever with the Lord. In the meantime, we have the privilege of serving Him in a world that has rejected Him. Thus, the Lord tells the man, "Go home to your friends and tell them how great things the Lord has done for you and how He has had compassion on you." What was the result? "All men marveled." The more we recognize our utter ruin under Satan's power and what ChristA title of the Lord Jesus, which is also used as an epithet; Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) mean "anointed one". The title refers to the fact that Jesus is... More has done for us, along with the compassion He has shown, the more we will marvel.
(Vv. 21-23). Underlying the incidents of this chapter is a clear dispensational teaching that illustrates God's dealings with Israel and the nations. The herd driven into the sea serves as a lesson about how, as a result of rejecting their MessiahMessiah is a Hebrew word (Maschíach) meaning “the Anointed One.” In the New Testament, the Greek form “the Christ” is used and applied to the Lord Jesus alone. The Jews,... More, the Jews were about to be scattered among the nations. In the incident following the dying child, we see a reflection of the nation's moral condition when the Lord was present. However, just as the Lord raised the child from the dead at the end of the story, He will revive the nationNation (not nations) refers to any kind of people on the whole earth. This term is used to describe both Jews (John 11:51; Acts 10:22) and all other tribes. The... More upon His return to earth. In the meantime, the story of the woman reminds us that wherever there are individuals with faith in ChristA title of the Lord Jesus, which is also used as an epithet; Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) mean "anointed one". The title refers to the fact that Jesus is... More, they will receive blessings.
(V. 24). In the case of the woman, the Lord clearly distinguishes between true faith and mere outward profession. Even though "much people followed Him and thronged Him," it may seem that He was surrounded by genuine believers. Today, religious buildings may be filled with professed worshippers of Christ, as people use His name in hymns and prayers and attach it to their works. Many may claim to be Christians, refer to their countries as Christian nations, and describe their governments as Christian. But does this mean that all are truly believers in the Lord Jesus? Do all possess personal faith in Him? Unfortunately, no! There remains a significant crowd of outward profession. The Lord distinguishes those who have personal faith in Himself, for we read, "The Lord knows those who are His." The crowd may have been sincere, as they observed the miracles and enjoyed the benefits from ChristA title of the Lord Jesus, which is also used as an epithet; Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) mean "anointed one". The title refers to the fact that Jesus is... More. However, without a sense of their need for Him, they lacked personal faith. Similarly, today, people may sincerely adhere to what they consider the Christian religion, but this outward profession—simply joining the throng to follow Jesus—will not save their souls or resolve the issues of sinThe Bible carefully differentiates between sin and sins. • Sin: the evil power at work in man that causes him to engage in sinful activities (Rom 7:17, 18). God pronounced... More, death, and judgment. It will not break the power of sinThe Bible carefully differentiates between sin and sins. • Sin: the evil power at work in man that causes him to engage in sinful activities (Rom 7:17, 18). God pronounced... More or deliver them from the corruptions of the fleshThe term "flesh" is used in different meanings in the Bible: a) as an expression of physicality or humanity, which is inextricably linked to our life on earth. Examples: “the... More, the worldThe word is used with different meanings. It can mean the whole of humanity (Gen 41:57) or the created world (Rom 1:20), but also a moral system that is opposed... More, or the fear of death.
(V. 25). Personal faith in the Lord Jesus is essential for true blessingA blessing is something good, in the Old Testament, usually associated with possessions, prosperity, and health, and is usually pronounced over someone. In principle, the lesser is blessed by the... More. The case of the woman beautifully illustrates this point of having personal faith. First, we see that where there is faith, there will always be some sense of the need for a personal Savior. The degree of that sense of need may vary greatly between individuals, but it will be present.
(V. 26). Secondly, not only was she conscious of her need, but she also realized the utter hopelessness of her situation concerning her efforts and the skills of physicians. She had endured many things from various doctors and spent all her resources in vain attempts to meet her needs.
(Vv. 27-29). Thirdly, faith is not only aware of need and our helplessness but also recognizes the excellence of the Person of Jesus. Faith sees that in Him, there is grace and power to meet our needs. Moreover, true faith makes a person humble. The needy soul is willing to take a lowly position, like the woman who said, "If I may but touch the hem of His garment, I shall be whole." We don't have to perform great deeds to secure blessings; that would only feed our pride. Instead, we become willing to be nothing and give ChristA title of the Lord Jesus, which is also used as an epithet; Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) mean "anointed one". The title refers to the fact that Jesus is... More all the glory. The virtue lies in ChristA title of the Lord Jesus, which is also used as an epithet; Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) mean "anointed one". The title refers to the fact that Jesus is... More, not in the faith itself; the touch of faith connects us with the One who has all the merit.
(Vv. 30-34). We also see that the Lord delights in encouraging faith. He does not want the one who has received a blessingA blessing is something good, in the Old Testament, usually associated with possessions, prosperity, and health, and is usually pronounced over someone. In principle, the lesser is blessed by the... More to slip away quietly. He brings the believer into His presence to fully reveal the truth. He desires that there should be no distance or reserve between Himself and His followers.
Finally, we see the outcome of being in the presence of the Lord and sharing everything with Him. Like the woman, we can then proceed on our way, not relying on our feelings or some experience—however authentic—but with the assurance of His word. The woman learns from His lips that she has been healed, for He affirms, "Thy faith has made thee whole."
While the Lord was attending to the case of the woman, someone from the ruler's house approached and said, "Your daughter is dead; why trouble the Master any further?" This person did not understand the power of His hand or the tender love of His heart. No matter how deep our sorrows or how great our trials, we need not hesitate to bring our burdens to the Lord. He came to share our grief and bear our trials. Understanding the pain of the father, the Lord offered a comforting word: "Do not be afraid; only believe." While the situation seemed hopeless—since the child was dead—it was not beyond Christ's reach. After addressing the unbelief around Him, He removed those who laughed at Him and raised the child, attending to her needs afterward.
