Bible Commentaries
Mark 5

Verses 1-17

35-41 Compare Mat_8:18-27 ; Luk_2:22-25 .

37 The lake of Galilee is subject to sudden squalls when the wind sweeps down from the mountains on the east. In a short time it changes from a placid mirror-like surface to a leaping, boiling cauldron, in which a small ship could hardly live. There must have been a marvelous calm in His own heart or He would have been roused by the pitching of the ship, or at least He would have been disturbed by the terror of His disciples. No mere man could have preserved his calmness in such danger. And how foolish for a mortal to take the wind to task and talk to the sea! But the wind and the waters were obedient to His will! Again we have a picture of the career of the kingdom, now that its proclamation has not been received. The sea speaks of the nations ( Rev_17:15 ), the storm of the time of the great affliction, the wind of the spiritual powers which will stir up the nations at the time of the end to persecute and destroy the people of the kingdom. When He comes to rescue His saints then He will say again, "Be still! " And there will be the millennial calm.

1-17 Compare Mat_8:28-34 ; Luk_8:26:37 .

This thrice-told story shows the fiercest display of the enemy's power entirely subject to the Lord. Mark dwells more fully than Matthew on the desperate condition of the man, in accord with the scope of this account in which service rendered to man is portrayed.

1 The name of this place is so variously given in the MSS. that we have appealed to the topography of the country to settle it, and come to the same conclusion as the editor of Sinaiticus ( S2 ), Alexandrinus has it Gadarenes, Vaticanus has Gerasenes, as also Sinaiticus,

before being edited. This is probably a variant of Gergesenes. Gadara was a well-known Greek city, celebrated for its temples, its theater, and its warm baths, but it was several hours distant from the southern shore of lake Galilee. The little town of Gergesa, the ruins of which the Arabs call Chersa, is "on the other side" from Galilee, and is the only part of the shore line which combines all the features necessary to the narrative. A steep mountain dips almost immediately into the lake, with hardly any beach, Tombs are cut in the rock above the city. Every natural feature accords with the inspired account. Hence we have chosen Gergesenes as the true reading.

8 It is the unusual which should strike us in each of our Lord's signs and miracles, for therein lies the special lesson each of His recorded acts is intended to teach. Here we find a man obsessed with many demons, who do not come out at His first command, and they are sent into the sea. On another occasion the Lord speaks of Israel at the end time as possessing seven times as many demons as formerly ( Mat_12:43-45 ). Their last state will be much worse than their first. This is suggested here by the legion of demons who infested the unfortunate demoniac. A Roman legion was about six thousand strong. Israel has kept herself from idolatry for many a century, but when the great image is set up, many will worship the wild beast ( Rev_13:8 ). The first proclamation of the kingdom is unheeded even as His first charge to the legion who were in the demoniac. But subsequently they find their way into the sea, just as

Satan will be sent into the abyss.

15 The previous condition of the demoniac, restless, insubordinate, self-torturing, corresponds to their history under the law. The chains and fetters of the law never were strong enough to hold them. They were often engaged in insane internecine wars among themselves. Judah was fighting against Israel, one party was pitted against another, and to this very day they are inclined to torture themselves. What a change when they, like the demoniac, find rest and righteousness and reason at His feet in the day of the Lord!

16 It is quite probable that there were other herds of hogs being kept contrary to the law, and that their owners feared that they, also, would be destroyed if the Lord remained in that country. It will be noted that the Lord's purpose was to send the demons into the abyss, but they begged to go into the hogs. He only gave His permission, for it was not apart of His mission at this time to enforce the law of Moses. Yet, by that inscrutable law of God which always conspires to carry out His will, both the keepers of the hogs and the demons were judged in accord with His purpose.

Verses 18-34

18-20 Compare Luk_8:38-39 .

18 Though they did not desire the Lord's presence in that region, He did not leave them without a witness, but sends the demoniac back among them to bear testimony to His mercy. Decapolis was a considerable district in the allotment of Manasseh, reaching as far as Syria,

embracing ten cities of some size, the largest, according to Josephus, being Scythopolis (Wars of the Jews, 3, 9, 7). Gadara, Hippo, and Pella were also of the number.

21-24 Compare Mat_9:1 ; Mat_9:18-19 ; Luk_8:41-42 .

22 Again we are treated to a delightful presentation of the course of the kingdom proclamation in an aspect hitherto untouched. The redemption of Israel in Egypt was by blood and by power. They were shielded from God's judgments by the blood on the door posts ( Exo_12:7 ). They were delivered from Pharaoh by the waters of the Red Sea. It is possible to have one without the other. The lack of response has made it evident that there will be some delay in the setting up of the kingdom. This is pictured by the time it took Him to reach the home of Jairus. But during the interval He gives us a type of blood redemption. While Israel as a nation lies dead, awaiting His coming, a remnant from among them, who, by faith, come into vital contact with His righteousness, receive the salvation of their souls long before His return in power to raise the nation from death.

25-34 Compare Mat_9:20-22 ; Luk_8:43-48 Lev_15:19-27 .

26 Israel had many physicians that promised to cure her. The various sects, such as the Pharisees, Sadducees and Essenes, all claimed to have a sovereign remedy for her ills. Time after time a saviour arose to deliver her from her enemies, but it always led to more bloodshed and severer tyranny. The difference between this woman and the crowd which jostled Him and crowded Him on all sides was a conscious knowledge of her uncleanness according to the law and her faith. They could come into violent collision with Him and receive no benefit. She barely came into contact with His cloak and instantly received the boon which she craved. So today, His grace abounds to those who know their need. The time and method and character of her salvation are most significant at this juncture in our Lord's ministry. It is, perhaps, the clearest intimation yet given that, while the nation will linger and die, and cannot be raised until His return, a remnant among them will have faith for the salvation which comes by blood, and know the blessedness and power of a personal contact with the Christ Who has not yet arrived at His intended goal-the resurrection of Israel. Meanwhile, as in Lazarus' case, the delay is fatal. All hope of saving the life of the little girl is gone. He told His disciples that Lazarus was reposing. So here He tells them she is drowsing. He views it from the divine side, but they from the human. To the God of resurrection death is no more than sleep. His voice can as easily rouse the dead as we can awaken those who are slumbering. There is a sharp contrast between these two miracles in all their details, all of which are suggestive of the differences between the salvation which comes to the faithful before His future advent and that which He will bring with Him when He comes. In one case there was diffident yet insistent faith, and the salvation is definitely founded on it. In the other, the little girl was beyond believing, and her father's faith was feeble, while the attendants were plainly dubious. In the former the woman pressed through the throng to reach Him. She comes to Christ. In the latter He goes to the little girl. Christ comes to her. In the former the healing is instantaneous. Such was the salvation by faith through His blood which His disciples enjoyed even though the kingdom did not come. In the latter the blessing was delayed until His arrival. Such will be the case when Christ comes again to restore all that the prophets have foretold. We do not in the least lose our appreciation of His power and mercy as displayed in these signs when we see in them an intimation of much greater and more glorious achievements. To "apply" them to His present work of grace can only lead to confusion. Much of the action can have no proper parallel in His dealings with sinners today. He does not expect the sinner to come to Him. He actually prays the sinner to be conciliated ( 2Co_5:20 ). He does not delay conferring salvation until His coming. All these things are significant only when we associate them with the future course of the kingdom proclamation which He was then preaching.

Verses 35-43

35-37 Compare Luk_8:49-50 .

38-43 Compare Mat_9:23-36 ; Luk_8:51-56 .

1-4 Compare Mat_13:53-57 ; Luk_4:16-30 .

1 On a former occasion ( Luk_4:16 ) He had gone to Nazareth to speak, and found His old neighbors and friends actually hostile to Him, so that they sought to push Him over the precipice near which the city was built. At that time He simply walked away through the midst of them. Now He returns. They have doubtless heard of His fame and marvel at His wisdom. Yet such is the perversity of human nature that they could not bring themselves to believe that their townsman and relatlve could possibly be the Elect of God. It is even so with others who seek to speak the word of God. Spiritual values are at an enormous discount among familiars.

3 See Joh_6:42 ; Gal_1:19 .

3 There is a delightful contrast between our Lord, the Servant of the Circumcision ( Rom_15:8 )

and Paul, His minister for the nations ( Rom_15:16 ). Christ was a carpenter, Who built permanent habitations on earth, since the Circumcision, to whom He ministered, will have their eonian dwellings on the earth. Paul was a tent maker, for those to whom he was sent have no allotment down here, but are merely camping, waiting for their eonian dwelling in the heavens. In fullest harmony with this is the fact that we do not know Christ according to the flesh. We are not related to Him by physical ties (as the Circumcision were) nor do we enter any but a purely spiritual association, not on earth, but in the heavens. How fitting, then, that we should make His acquaintance, not on earth, in humiliation, but in the heavens, whither we shall go to meet Him. God has wisely planned that all of these physical details shall be counterparts of spiritual truths. Even Paul's own career changed from an itinerant ministry, to an epistolary, spiritual one.

4 See Joh_4:44 .

5-6 Compare Mat_13:58 .

7-13 Compare Mat_10:5-15 ; Luk_9:1-6 .

8 See Luk_22:35 .

8 The wisdom of these instructions is not apparent to us of the West. They were going to their fellow countrymen in the neighboring villages, and it would be much the best way to get to their hearts and gain their confidence to throw themselves wholly on their hospitality. It was a point of honor to entertain wayfarers. The villagers would gladly provide them all with bread, they were not to collect anything by begging, and even small sums of money would be refused for such hospitality as they would receive. An extra pair of sandals would only be a burden, and, as they slept in the same tunic which they wore during the day, one would suffice. Their main equipment was the lack of encumbrances which we regard as necessities.

10 Indeed so hospitable were the villagers, that each one wanted the privilege of entertaining a guest, and so much time would be wasted in useless entertainment, as each new host would insist on some special token of hospitality. So the Lord limited them to a single home in each village. Later, our Lord asked them if they had wanted anything, and they answered, "Nothing" ( Luk_22:35 ).

11 See Act_13:51 ; Act_18:6 .

13 See Jam_5:14 .

14 Compare Mat_14:1-2 ; Luk_9:7-9 .

14 John the baptist did not perform miracles or wonders. He came in the spirit and power of Elijah. Now, if he was empowered to perform mighty deeds such as Elijah did, Herod might well be afraid. In that case fifty men might be sent to behead him and lose their lives in the attempt. It was well for Herod that John did no mighty deeds, since the baptist had not been slow to denounce him for his sins, and would not have hesitated to judge him accordingly. It seems that John himself was disappointed in the outcome of his work, especially that he should be imprisoned by the man whom he had denounced. He was an intermediate between the sternness of the prophet and the grace of Christ.

15 Compare Mat_16:14 .

15 Even the disciples did not distinguish His gracious spirit from Elijah's stern and destructive ministry. No wonder some thought Him the greatest prophet of their history.

17 Compare Mat_14:3-5 ; Luk_3:19-20 .