Bible Commentaries
Mark 5

Introduction

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

1 Christ delivering the possessed of the legion of devils,

13 they enter into the swine. He healeth the woman of the bloody issue,

35 and raiseth from death Jarius’s daughter.

Verses 1-20

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

The country of the Gadarenes. — See the notes on Matthew 8:28-34.

As to this miracle St. Mark furnishes some additional and interesting particulars. The name of the demon who possessed the man, mentioned by St. Mark, (and he speaks of but one, probably because he only made himself remarkable by his conversation with our Lord,) is said to be Legion. The Roman legion consisted of six thousand men; but the term appears to have got into popular use, as importing many indefinitely. The name imports that this spirit was one of authority and command among the orders and princedoms of hell, and that the other spirits then present were subordinate to him. This appears from his acting in the name of the rest: he worships Jesus; he acknowledges him to be the Son of the most high God; and he adjures, that is, earnestly entreats, (for the strict meaning, to lay under an oath, cannot be admitted,) he prays with fearful anxiety not to be tormented, nor that he and his fellow fiends should be sent away out of that country; and in this prayer, and that they might be sent into the swine, all the devils joined and besought him. These are awful indications of a spiritual world, and of the number, power, and malignity of these fiends of darkness. They do not dispel the mystery of that world; they rather suggest new inquiries than answer old ones; but at least we see the power of our Redeemer exalted above all the numbers and all the malice of devils: and if modern times are not familiar with these spectacles of demoniacal possession, — the greatest calamity which could befall mortals, — let us not forget that it is our great privilege to live under the mediatorial reign of Him who was manifested to destroy the works of the devil, and to give to our Saviour the praise due unto his name, for that restraint which he places upon the power and subtlety of Satan, even before the time of his casting out, so that he may no longer deceive the nations.

The picture, too, drawn of the principal demoniac by this evangelist, is equally natural and affecting, and carries with it its own evidence of truth: He had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder, and the fetters broken in pieces, neither could any man tame him; but this fierce demoniac now is seen sitting near our Lord, and clothed, and in his right mind, calm, self-possessed, rational. And his gratitude appears to have been equal to his deliverance; for when our Lord was departing, he prayed him that he might be with him. This was not permitted to him; but he was directed to go home, and declare the mercies and compassions of the Lord: and he was not unmindful of the injunction; for he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him; and all men did marvel. All this seems to indicate something more than the flow of gratitude for deliverance from mere bodily affliction; the healing power appears to have restored the soul also to health by its touch, and to have filled the heart and mouth of this poor sufferer with truly religious joy. So glorious were the triumphs of our Saviour’s mercy. As these countries were crowded with a Gentile population, this man became a witness for Christ among the mixed races of that district, which might be one reason why he was not permitted to follow Christ in the number of his disciples. The correspondence between the desire of the devils to remain in the country of the Gadarenes, and the eagerness of the people to press the departure of Christ, may also be noted. No wonder the devils affected a country which was so disaffected to the Saviour; but the circumstance is admonitory. We cannot reject Christ without exposing ourselves to the more special influence and more confirmed power of our great adversary, the destroyer of souls. Let all who make light of Christ be warned by this history.

Verse 22

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

One of the rulers of the synagogue, &c. — See the notes on Matthew 9:1-38.

Verses 25-34

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

A certain woman. — In addition to the notes on Matthew 9:20-22, it may be added,

1. That St. Mark’s account, which is more particular, presents an affecting picture of hopeless disease, and the miseries resulting from its long continuance. She had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing better, but rather grew worse. She brought therefore to Christ, pain, poverty, disappointment, a troubled spirit, and a disorder dragging her rapidly to the grave. — This extreme spectacle of wretchedness is brought before us, as on purpose to teach us never to despair when we come to Christ. A learned foreign physician has written a treatise to prove that all the diseases cured by Christ were of a kind incurable by human skill and medicine. It is certain that the greater number of them were of that description, and are equally so now, as then, notwithstanding the improved state of the science. In the case before us, it was enough to prove it a miracle, that the disease was removed at once, which, for twelve years, many physicians had attempted to cure.

2. The manner of the cure is as remarkable as the case. It was not effected by a word, a look, or a touch of our Lord’s hand; but through the woman touching the hem or fringe of his garment. In the notes on the account as given by St. Matthew, it was stated that we have no reason for concluding that this believing woman acted under the idea that the fringe of our Lord’s robe possessed some peculiar virtue. This has been generally assumed; but the woman was a more enlightened person. She had heard of Jesus, and from the accounts of him appears to have conceived the highest notion of his dignity and power, as well as compassion. Her knowledge of Christ was therefore the ground of her faith, and her faith corresponded to her knowledge. She had probably heard, too, that it pleased Christ, sometimes at least, to allow even multitudes to touch him, and by that means to derive healing virtue from him. So in Luke 6:19: “And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.” That this depended upon his will, all must know: it was a grand exhibition of himself as the source of health, a sublime representation of his glorious fulness as the fountain of life, and an emblem of its free and wide diffusiveness. In that way only could it be understood by these multitudes and this pious woman. Believing that he surrounded himself, so to speak, with this healing influence to all who should approach in faith, she came behind, and silently, because her case did not admit of being explained, and because, being by the law unclean, any declaration of her case would have led the bystanders to drive her out of the company: she simply touches the fringe of his garment, in token at once of her reverence and faith; and thus trusts to be healed, not indeed without the knowledge of Christ, (for we have no reason to conclude that,) but without the knowledge of the crowd.

That she expected to be healed by stealth, without the concurrence of the will of Christ, with her touching his garment, is contradicted by the commendation given to her faith; for that would have been, it is true, such faith as is exercised in charms and no higher, but not that FAITH IN CHRIST which the Gospel recognizes, and which Christ only could commend. Her coming behind our Lord was therefore an act of the highest faith. She could not otherwise approach him without being compelled to a declaration of her case, which her modesty forbade; but in coming behind she evaded the particular notice of others, yet put herself at once upon the superhuman knowledge and pity of our Saviour. And when she showed so much emotion when challenged by the eye of our Lord, which singled her out, as we gather from St. Luke’s account, this was not the result of surprise that she should have been detected by our Lord, as of the fear that she had been too presumptuous. She was challenged that she might confess the whole, and that so great a miracle might be declared for the conviction and benefit of others. The expression that Jesus knew in himself that virtue had gone out of him, will be rendered less equivocal by translating δυναμις power; and then the meaning is, that his POWER WAS CONSCIOUSLY EXERTED in rewarding the faith which had led her to touch the hem of his garment, and at once healing her malady. It was his will indeed sometimes to make the speaking of a word, sometimes a touch of his own hand, the means of transmitting the healing power to the sick, and sometimes the touching of his garments or person by others; but in neither case, whether he touched others or was touched by them, could any power be communicated but by a volition of his own; and it was restricted to them that approached him in a proper spirit. The expression of power or virtue going forth, is therefore a popular mode of speaking.

Verse 35

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

Thy daughter is dead. — See the notes on Matthew 9:18-26.

Verse 40

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

They laughed him to scorn. — This is too strong a translation of και κατεγελων αυτου , and they laughed at him. It is a laugh of incredulity.

Verse 41

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

Talitha cumi. — Two Syriac words, signifying, Maid, arise!

Verse 42

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

Astonished with a great astonishment. — That is, they were exceedingly astonished. The addition of a similar word is used by ancient writers to denote emphasis. This idiom is found in the LXX., and in both Greek and Latin authors.

Verse 43

Watson - Exposition of the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark

That no man should know it. — This must mean that they should not openly declare it immediately, in order that he might retire before the excitement had spread among the people. For it could not long be kept secret, since the father had requested our Lord publicly to go down to his house for the purpose of working the miracle; and the hired mourners, who had been put out of the room, and had derided our Lord when he declared she was not dead, would naturally wait to know the result. That the prohibition was quite temporary, appears also from the parents being exhorted to give food to their daughter; thereby occupying their attention till he should withdraw.