The last now appears. They even allowed themselves to go ballistic on the Sabbath, which shows how angry they really were. WebThe Gerasenes were the people of the district of which Gerasa was the capital. What's going on here? And so the demons call out His name Jesus, the Son of the Most High God and it has no effect on Him. I dont see anything of that sort in the story. The power and the person of Jesus Christ. Will the demons come back? A discussion occurred between Professor Huxley and Mr. Gladstone in "The Nineteenth Century" for 1892 as to the morality of the act, the critical questions being whether (1) Gerasenes were Jews; and (2) if so, was it lawful for them to keep swine? The next allusion to Gerasa concerns its capture during Vespasians campaign. It's almost like the demons are inexorably drawn to Jesus. Not by will, but because they have no choice other than to do as the Administrator of all creation commands them. (, Worse yet, dont trust one who says Scripture. Let's pray. Cant we be candid in our search to know God? So I figure we could speculate a little and see where this goes. The most plausible reason Jesus chose the pigs was because he regarded people as precious and priceless, but not swine. Therefore they should be taken as such. Am I forgiven by saying, I just, The Land of Israel is/was no place for two thousand pigs. The first two are in the Authorized Version. (Please dont hold up Mark 7:19b, Jesus made all food clean. Relying on that isolated, half-verse with textual problems makes God look flippant, and therefore, unpredictable and untrustworthy. Show us the sins of our hearts that we are captive to. Last Update: Jan 03, 2023 (eds.). Interestingly, if you obey the latter, and take just the babies or the eggs but release the dame, God promises you a long and successful life. Most translations interpret the Hebrew to say. The Bible doesnt say. The main reason God limits righteous people to a select group of clean/pure animals is for the purpose of holiness. 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. The majority admits they are clueless and throw their hands up, stating the herd was just a , The pastors attempts to laugh off the haunting question about the meek and lowly Son of Man killing all the pigs is, Besides the jokes being in poor taste, they make his sermon seem less than professional. In his description of the boundaries of Perea, Josephus mentions Gerasa as one of the cities on the eastern boundary between Perea and Arabia, the other border cities being Philadelphia and Sebonitus (Jos. Should we accept Mark 5 as literal history? Pastor MacArthur would do well to learn from his Jewish counterparts. And did the Gospels writers believe the explanation was so obvious they didn't need to write one? But MacArthurs logical is funny for another reason. Doesn't Jesus Treat Animals as Property? In York, T.; Alexis-Baker, A.; Bekoff, M.; McLaren, B. Logically we understand that no person on Earth could say something in strong terms over and over, and then just one day say, Oops, can I retract that? So could or would God Almighty flip flop? This man, when Jesus says, What is your name? effectively says, I do not know my name. They had the exact same reaction to Jesus that Bertrand Russell would manifest two thousand years later. May God grant us the liberation through Jesus Christ to become what that nameless man became. He loves our souls. 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.). For those near by the local name would be used; but in writing to a distant people, as the Greeks and Romans, the more comprehensive and general name would be given. Gods Word has to agree with Gods Word. That is the exact opposite of other godly men (compare with, Lastly, even if Mr. Pipers explanation were true, look what its, 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, Are not two sparrows sold for the smallest coin, and yet one of them cannot fall to the earth apart from your Father? WebThe terrified Gerasenes beseeching Jesus to leave them. Every place the Master went on his travels it was to minister to a Jew, just as Paul said, To the Jew first (Romans 1:16 and Romans 2:9-10; ever notice that the New Testament never mentions Christians, just Jews and Gentiles?! We usually think of Jesus as the loving, forgiving guy from Galilee, right? He's set free. Lets use his recording to the event as our jumping off point: Every Bible passage is either a historical narrative piece (such as the one we just read), a legal and/or procedural document (the majority of the Five Books of Moses), or it is a poetic passage (like Psalms, Proverbs and much of the Prophets). He should know that centuries before the prophet Isaiah spoke against Jews eating pork and hanging around in tombs. We ask this in Jesus' name. Unsurprisingly in such a place, Jesus finds a man possessed by unclean spirits. See more comments below.). (, Therefore you should understand that the LORD your God, Because God is so steady, and doesnt reverse or repeal, He can be trusted to do what He promises; good or, If the Eternal One, blessed be He, had said just, But the Almighty said it so many times. No one cares where he sleeps when hes busy trying to keep himself from killing himself. Jesus was wise to use what God gives us, for a teachable moment. Then again, who needs to imagine anything? Plus, these additions by John connect back to other passages in interesting ways. This page from an Orthodox website partially shows how Judaism views their responsibility. 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. So why pigs? Them there pigs were trying to hog Jesus limelight! Despite all the dangers to himself, David wouldnt allow any to be hurt. Take the first chapter of Genesis for example; ones interpretation of it depends on whether one thinks its a historical retelling of creation, or just a poem. The good pastor basically believes that in Jesuss mind, one mans peace, preservation and freedom from unclean spirits is worth the sacrifice of a couple thousand pigs. But they dont prove his point. A Faith Embracing All Creatures: Addressing Commonly Asked Questions about Christian Care for Animals. They sailed to the country of the Gerasenes which is opposite Galilee. Similarly, as God incarnate, Jesus knows the future. The power of the Lord Jesus Christ over Satan. Before a shattering, a mans heart is proud (Proverbs 18:12). Well the first thing I want you to see is this picture of a person in the thrall of sin. Jun 21, 2021. Why should this surprise us? Lets bring in a certain Greek silversmith and see how calmly he handles himself. They were to teach the Gentiles about Him (Acts 13:4647). Being teachable is a great avenue for learning! A main street with columns on both sides leads out of the forum. Peter, the thick-headed captain of the Tedious Twelve, needed a hammer of a vision to get it across to him that Gentiles not ham and back bacon are clean and Jews could fellowship with them. Therefore, as we have seen from the Deuteronomy and Revelation, and Jesuss own words, he was not allowed to adjust the Law of God and he had no intention of doing so. 'Hiemal,' 'brumation,' & other rare wintry words. 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. Gerasa is identified from various sources as a city in Arabia, Decapolis, Gilead, or Perea. No Jewish farmer would keep swine, and no Jewish region would tolerate the presence of pigs, let alone two thousand of them (Mark 5:13). It's this man who is in bondage to these demons. 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). So its a fair comparison to place Pauls actions in Ephesians side-by-side with Jesuss actions by the Lake of Galilee. He is the strong man who binds Satan and plunders his house. Now you understand what sitting at the Savior's feet means? Obviously the man with the demon was Jewish or Jesus would not have gone there. If I still had some misgivings, Id be man enough to share them here. 2 And when he had stepped out of the boat, immediately a man out of the tombs with an unclean spirit met him. He's been set free by Jesus. The action is no different than Revelation 14:14-15 where we see the Son of Man brandishing a sharp sickle. He was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert.) He always followed Gods Law. Twice he is described this way look at verse 35, the man from whom the demons had gone out and then again the man from whom the demons had gone and then in verse 38, the man from whom the demons had gone. When Jesus had asked him, What's your name? The first time he had answered, I'm the man possessed by a countless host of demons. Now, he's the man from whom those demons have gone out. This kind of inter-ethnic scenario normally spells d.i.s.a.s.t.e.r. (Sidebar: During the whole Rob Bell Love Wins craze, I had a friend who claimed to believe the Bible, but denied that demons exist. The Gerasenes, however, was located in the territory of the Decapolis, a group of ten cities with a majority population of Gentiles. Money Maker Software enables you to conduct more efficient analysis in Stock, Commodity, Forex & Comex Markets. Without a doubt, both men know God never came up with the line, Put pork on your fork. Of course this kosher interpretation is just as obvious painfully obvious to John MacArthur and Piper, yet I've never seen either refute the issue or deal honestly with their doubts. Why? Sproul also agrees with this preference of people over pigs when he writes, a man is worth more than 2,000 pigs.. So he gave them permission. This story is a technicolor picture of Luke 8:18, and my friends, there don't have to be demons around for us to be facing the same challenge. This, Also, this study shows that Jesuss actions in Mark 5 were on the surface contrary to the deep-rooted Jewish respect for domestic and/or wild animals. Lastly, even if Mr. Pipers explanation were true, look what its application could mean. get to know the Bible better! Jesus' action also shows the importance of human beings relative to animals. 3). 4 ) As R. Sol Urbin Ohel Moed teaches us, Technically, the greek word for swine is choiros, which many people think means swine, but in the Akkadian, and so with the Syriac, it really refers to an indigenous type of little lamb owned by sea-faring peasants, suitable for pets, grazing, shishkabob and MLT (Mutton, Lettuce and Tomato) sandwiches., 3 ) Pigs?? The stories in the gospels may or may not have happened but, regardless, they are told in a way that makes a theological point and were never intended to be understood as factual history. As was just so elegantly discussed, the destruction of the herd only makes sense if we remember that God never liked unclean food to begin with. GERASA, GERASENES (, ). The borders are fairly clearly drawn up. Mr. Hippo read Mark 5 and convinced himself that Jesus did not care about swine, or any other animals, and therefore, spread a church doctrine that Christians have no genuine duty to animals. What about sheep? Now we see the missing puzzle piece: God had plainly prohibited pork as food, making it clear that holy people should not eat it , Overall, when it comes to any animal being selected for food or for sacrifice, God sees only two types. Doesn't Jesus Treat Animals as Property? In York, T.; Alexis-Baker, A.; Bekoff, M.; McLaren, B. You received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it! (Acts 7:53). 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! about a.d. 65. WebAll three Synoptic Gospels ( Mark 5:120; Luke 8:2639; Matthew 8:2834) mention the swine miracle, although with variations. Also, He is sometimes more open with outsiders/Gentiles than Jews because the negative reaction by the Jewish leaders would hinder his ministry more than rejection by Gentiles. WebGERASA, GERASENES (, ). 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! Playing with the plain truths of Gods eternal Scriptures means one is playing with fire and such actions will bring unfortunate consequences. Scripture exhorts us to care for animals and not to be cruel to them. Yes, you read that right. As well, every place the Master went on his travels was inside of the Land of Israel; he never went to Gentile territory. Isnt this what hes paid for? We are all responsible for our sins and so no demonic force can take control of a human life and make you sin unless you allow it. 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. Its one thing to understand that He personally never changes. The conversation showed that the illness had a will, a coherent sense of past, present and future, knowledge of the supremacy and authority of Jesus Christ, and a compulsion to worship Jesus. Throughout the book, the author uses direct quotes, various and mostly verifiable place names and clear descriptions of mostly plausible actions. WebGadarenes. Paul himself said the doers of the Law will be made righteous (Romans 2:13), and that the Law is holy (Romans 7:12) and that the Law is spiritual (Romans 7:14). John Oxenham1 wrote a poem about this passage. His soul, what care we for his soul? Gods Law even has two commands that equate domestic livestock with wild animals. Jesus was a Jew. Paul talked about going to Spain in Rom 15:24-28, so part of this is certainly within the realm of possibilities. Therefore we know that when Jesus helped the Syrophoenician woman (not a Jewess, but she came to him), he and the woman were both in Israeli territory. To feed the spectators who came there purposely to see those crazy chain braking tomb dwelling lunatics! Where He goes, they show up and they say things to Him. Actually, killing the pigs was also out of his mercy because instead of judging the farmers directly, the Messiah threw his anger against the pigs. If you eat a swine/hog that has killed eaten a poisonous snake and you eat that hog, you will be poisoned and die. 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. And he is sent out to negotiate with Aragorn and Gandalf, and the others. But just a theory. were badly damaged in major 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. Gerasa is mentioned next by Josephus in connection with the Jewish rebellion against the Romans in a.d. 70. Lastly, based on culture, human-nature and most importantly, on specific Scripture passages, we know the demoniac could not have been a Gentile but was most assuredly, Yet a complete interpretation of Mark 5 needs to clear up one last point: the pigs were forbidden but did they, Christ kept kosher and cleaned up the town, I can of Myself do nothing. And so this man comes to Jesus, he seeks Him out, and Jesus says to him, What is your name? And the man doesn't know his name. Once more, we have half of an unclear verse, that people use to make up a grand doctrine, all with the hopes it will magically annihilate one hundred clear, unambiguous verses which say the Law is permanent. So He gave them permission. So he's drawing our attention to an extraordinary event, but the reason he's drawing our attention to that extraordinary event is because there are actually truths which transfer across the last 2,000 years, right to where we are today, that we are to learn out of this passage. Because the writer of the story wanted to make sure that everyone would know that the Garasenes were not Jewish. Pork is the most infamous of all-things-not-Jewish and the bad press that pigs receive in Scripture, and in contemporary Western society, is another reason why I accuse both pastors of being less than honest in their explanations about Mark 5. Our ways are not as Thine. So why do Christians say no one can when these two did? Lastly, based on culture, human-nature and most importantly, on specific Scripture passages, we know the demoniac could not have been a Gentile but was most assuredly Jewish, living in a Jewish town surrounded by Jewish-owned pigs. Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, [Let me just pause right there. These three verse from John really are earth-shattering. 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) Jesus helped a Syrophoenician woman and commended her faith ( Matthew 15:2128 ). Living in rural Central Africa villages for ten years, I heard many stories from locals about demon spirits living in streams and trees and boulders. In Jesus first trip to that Gentile area: They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes (in Gadara). why do you think there were pigs there?]. First of all, I believe Mark was attempting to warn his Gentile readers of the great danger of demonic influence and activity. With or without graves? The real-estate on the east side of the lake of Galilee where Jesus met the demons and the swine was also part of Israel-proper. The other part of the eastern shoreline was controlled by Og, king of Bashan, but it and sixty walled cities were taken from them by Moses and given to the tribes of Israel (Deuteronomy 3:1-7, 16; compare with 1 Kings 4:13). While animal-abuse cases arent normally rampant among church-goers, its no thanks to this bishops official policy. 2. The action is no different than, Lets return again to when Jesus cleaned up the Temple courtyard of merchants and merchandise. Jesus victory over the devils army results in the man being dressed and in his right mind, a different kind of setting things right with the world and a foretaste of the age to come. The fact anyone dreamed up dispensationalism, They say, None, but Jesus, kept the Law perfectly. Surely He could have demonstrated real power over real demons, right? And opposite to normal flowers, our lovely Scripture-flower will never dry out or wither away (Isaiah 40:8). Their line of reasoning supposes that Jesus wanted to save the man (men) but too many unclean spirits meant Jesus had to negotiate to get them to move out. To suggest God retracts or repeals laws tarnishes His Dignity. This was a Gentile town so they had pigs. Download Microsoft .NET 3.5 SP1 Framework. Can we imagine our Jew receiving a mostly positive reaction or a negative one? It isnt a long list. Their dead bodies you must not touch. WebScripture exhorts us to care for animals and not to be cruel to them. Did Jesus really sacrifice the swine for the man? The city was large and well planned. Gergesenes means "those who come from pilgrimage or fight." It is now called Jerash and is a deserted ruin. The Matthew account mentions two demon-possessed men, while Mark and Luke only mention one. The heart set free from sin by Jesus. Now we see the missing puzzle piece: God had plainly prohibited pork as food, making it clear that holy people should not eat it all of you be holy for I am holy (Leviticus 11:44-45) and therefore, Gods normally merciful Messiah destroyed an entire herd in total agreement with the commandment. 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). viii. You can follow him on Twitter. (wait for it) turning the swine to the water! Furthermore, how upset must God get seeing a doctor reach into the womb of a mother and murder her unborn child? So did the demons surprise him? The hard hearts of those who reject Jesus. This city was better known than Gadara or Gergesa; indeed in the Roman age no city of Palestine was The majority admits they are clueless and throw their hands up, stating the herd was just a casualty of war. Another who admits he has no idea why the gentle Jesus jettisoned all those unclean demons unto the swine is John MacArthur. And Jews are forbidden by God and His eternal commands to own pigs. He wrote under his own name, and also as John Oxenham for his poetry, hymn-writing, and novels. . The demons freak out that Jesus is there because its not time for them to be tormented by Him yet. David was a good example of what Jesus meant by the shepherd gives his life for the sheep. Compared to this, Jesuss behaviour toward the pigs appears extremely callous: giving vile demons permission to slaughter swine is not exactly compassionate. And His promise to make a new promise (covenant) with Israel and with Judah in Jeremiah 31:31-32 does not repeal the first promise (the covenant that Israel broke), it strengthens it. It deeply disturbed Bertrand Russell that Jesus allowed a herd of two thousand pigs to be destroyed. What do you have that youre captive to, that youre enslaved to? 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. To any Jew, Jesuss actions were crystal clear. Josephus mentions it with Pella and Golan as being taken by storm during Alexander Jannaeus campaign E of the Jordan in about 83 b.c. The man howled day and night and cut himself with stones. Such a conclusion will annoy a lot of people, even funny, leaky dispensationalists like John MacArthur. In turn, they would have a vehicle wherewith to stay in their territory. This is the Just-believe-and-receive Hypothesis and the advocates thereof like to stretch Jesuss words, I came to fulfill the Law, and make it say that Jesus needed to destroy or replace the nasty Law, but hope to heaven it still sounds Biblical heres an example of stretchy talking from GotQuestions. Every creature on land, or in the water, or in the air is classified by either the Hebrew term, (tahor), meaning ritually clean/pure, or by the term, (tameh), unclean/defiling. When Jesus healed the possessed man, He allowed Legion to possess the nearby herd of swine. He was Jewish and tragically lost.