The Gadarene Enigma
Miracles in Mark • Sermon • Submitted
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· 7 viewsWhy did Jesus travel to the pagan area of Gadara
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
This week we are taking a look at one of the more spectacular ministry accounts of Jesus. Once again, the backdrop for this story in Mark is the Lake or Sea of Galilee. The area of the Eastern shore of Galilee right down to the Southern tip and extending well into the inland areas adjacent to the shore, is a region known as the Decapolis or Ten towns/cities. This was a Greek speaking Roman area. It was settled originally by the armies of Alexander the Great. Following the breakdown of the Hellenistic empire the region was subsumed by the Romans and settled by retired Roman Soldiers at the completion of their military service. Despite the Roman occupation the area retained its glorious Hellenistic culture which the Romans respected. The underlying thinking behind this was that the Roman authorities would have a large number of well trained and experienced soldiers, effectively a military reserve force, to call upon in the event of an unexpected security problem or invasion by enemy forces. This explains why there were 2,000 pigs grazing on the hillside above Galilee. The Greeks and Romans loved their Pork. No Jew would have gone anywhere near this territory which is what makes Jesus’ visit here so noteworthy. We don’t know his reasons but we assume that He was acting on the guidance of the Father. It’s one of those enigmatic passages about Jesus. It is also one of His three visits to a totally pagan area.
I actually visited the site of this story as well as one of the ten towns. Today it is call Beth Shean but in the time of Jesus it was Scythopolis. These towns were extremely sophisticated with everything about them being high end. Fit for the elite of the Roman army to retire in great comfort with every first-class facility laid on including country clubs, baths, gyms, high end shopping arcades and theaters.
Sermon
This story has two sides to it. On the one side there is the story of Jesus healing and delivering the demoniac from the legion of demons oppressing him. The flip side of the story is that either Jesus, or Mark himself was also making a profound anti Roman political statement. Remember Mark was based in Rome with the apostle Peter and this may have shaped the way that he told this story. Certainly, everyone reading it would have got the message loud and clear and had a good chuckle.
The presence of Roman tenth legion in Judea at the time is well known. Their fortress inside Jerusalem was adjacent to the temple. There was also the presence of policing units throughout the area enforcing tax collection and border control regulations in border towns such as Capernaum and possibly the town on the other side of the border Bethsaida. The border is the river Jordan and it marks the boundary between the tetrarchy of Herod Antipas in Galilee and Herod Phillipus in Syria.
So Jesus and the disciples have sailed to the area of Galilee where there are few if any Jews. Originally Greek it now has a strong Roman flavour to it. The tenth legion is garrisoned in Judea not that far away. He was immediately approached by an unfortunate man who was said to be possessed by unclean spirits. Mark describes Him: -
Mark 5:3–5 (NKJV)
3 who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains, 4 because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him. 5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones.
So, whether or not he was a Jew, he was seriously unclean and no amount of social distancing was going to work on that day.
Then it gets strange, in verses 6&7 we read,
6 When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him. 7 And he cried out with a loud voice and said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me.”
Jesus starts to deal with the man.
Mark 5:8–9 (NKJV)
8 For He said to him, “Come out of the man, unclean spirit!” 9 Then He asked him, “What is your name?”
And he answered, saying, “My name is Legion; for we are many.”
My name is Legion for we are many. This is a clever play on words here Legion could either mean there are a lot of us in here and probably did. It can also refer to the Roman military unit, the Legion, consisting of about 5,000 soldiers and support staff. Mark’s readers would have already begun to wonder what was going on here.
Mark 5:10 (NKJV)
10 Also he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country.
Then this
Mark 5:11–13 (NKJV)
11 Now a large herd of swine was feeding there near the mountains. 12 So all the demons begged Him, saying, “Send us to the swine, that we may enter them.” 13 And at once Jesus gave them permission. Then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there were about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea and drowned in the sea.
This is the part in the story that would have got their attention. Can you have a guess what the regimental mascot of the Tenth Legion was? You guessed it. It was a pig. So the back story to this little episode is about How Jesus, delivered a man from oppression by the legion, as the entire country was oppressed by the tenth legion. So Jesus not only delivers the man from the Roman oppression, He also destroys the legion by sending it to possess 2,000 of its own mascots and violently self-destruct into Galilee. This was Jesus at His subversive best. The message is clear. I am not only the Jewish messiah sent to save the Jews. I am Lord over even the mighty Roman empire. I can set you free from their oppression and when I so choose, destroy them all.
This brings us to the other and more obvious read of the events in the region of the Gadarenes. Once again, we see Jesus minding His own business when He is approached by a man with very obvious problems. The man has an unclean spirit according to Mark and the spirits within him recognise Jesus immediately and start to worship Him. They knew who Jesus was, Mark 5:7 (NKJV)
“What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?
They know that this is not going to be a good day for them, and they plead with Jesus. “I implore You by God that You do not torment me.” They know He will cast them out of the man, so they look for an alternative to oblivion. Jesus then told the demons what was going to happen and then “Come out of the man, unclean spirit!” Then He asked him, “What is your name?” And he answered, saying, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” They pleaded to be sent into the herd of pigs, Jesus obliges, and they all run down the steep slope and into Galilee and drown.
So then that is the event but that is not the end of the story.
The people who were responsible for the pigs had just taken a huge financial hit. At today’s prices Jesus had seemingly just destroyed about a million dollars’ worth of livestock. The combination of seeing the demoniac healed and then their livelihood destroyed was too much, they pleaded with Jesus to leave quickly.
Jesus had got into the boat and was ready to leave but the man who was healed wanted to be with Jesus.
What was Jesus’ response? Did He say, “sure welcome aboard, we’ll find you some clothes when we get back home”.
Mark 5:19–20 (NKJV)
19 However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.” 20 And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled.
Just healing and delivering the man is not the end of the story. There is a response that Jesus calls for whenever we see wonderful healings or day to day blessings that clearly demonstrate the power and character of God. He tells the man to Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you. Jesus understands the importance and necessity for testimony. It is only right that we give God all the glory whenever something good happens. So He sends the man back to his own home to his family and friends. Just seeing him in his right mind and clearly free of the oppressive spirits that had almost destroyed him, was going to be the best testimony to the love and grace of God possible. So friends it’s a story about the power of testimony, because that’s exactly what the man did. 20 And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled.
The power of testimony. It encourages others who may be having a hard time. It can also act as a word of knowledge for anyone else who may be suffering in the same way as you were. There could well be deliverance right then and there for that person. If you don’t share your testimony that person may never get their healing. In evening church we have a time of testimony every week and it is so encouraging to hear all the wonderful things that God has done in the lives of our friends each week.
Holy Communion
This week our message talked about two things. Firstly we heard about Jesus’ absolute authority over anything or anyone who may be oppressing us. The scriptures tell us in 1 John 3:8 (NKJV) that
... For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
Secondly, we saw the effectiveness of testimony. The power of telling your story of God’s grace and favour in your life. Testimony has the power to change the lives of those who head it.
When we come together to share around the Lord’s table we are sharing in the power of the testimony of Jesus himself. He asked us to remember the massage of salvation represented by the elements of bread for His body and juice or wine for His blood. The church has been doing this in an unbroken tradition now for almost two thousand years. The Communion service is a major part of our heritage in the church and connects us with all those who have gone before us as well as those who will follow in our footsteps should the Lord tarry. Sure it looks different in different churches but it is essentially the same thing in any church in any part of the world.
We all share similar words from the scriptures.
Let us remember that the Lord Jesus Christ on the same night that He was betrayed took the bread and when He had given thanks He broke it and gave it to his disciples saying "Take, eat, this is my Body, which is given
for you. Do this in remembrance of me."
Likewise, after supper, he took the cup; and when he had
given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, "Drink ye all of this;
for this is my Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for
you, and for many, for the remission of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."
Would you now take the bread
Let us eat together: -
The Body of Christ, the bread of heaven. [Amen.]
Let us now take the cup
Let us drink together: -
The Blood of Christ, the cup of salvation. [Amen.]
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Heavenly Father, you have opened to us the Scriptures,
and you have made yourself known to us
in the breaking of the bread and in the sharing of the cup.
Abide with us and in us, we pray,
that, blessed by your holy presence,
we may walk with you, that we may be empowered by your Spirit to witness and to serve you as disciples all the days of our life,
and at its end behold you in your glory,
one God for ever and ever.
Amen.
The Blessing
The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep
your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God,
and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of
God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be
amongst you, and remain with you always. Amen.