Jesus is saying that Jesuss commandments are the same as the Fathers. By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from Bible Gateway, a division of The Zondervan Corporation, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA, including commercial communications and messages from partners of Bible Gateway. Do not add upon it and do not reduce it. The Gemara on the passage gives a historical foundation for the practise in the times of Aristobulus. Now the big-mouth irking this Greek artisan was our good friend, the Apostle Paul. Rabbi, begone! Those outside of the nation of Israel were considered gentiles. But should you also doubt, my friendly blog reader, read on. No cumbered chamber will the Master share,But one swept bare By cleansing fires, then plenished fresh and fairWith meekness, and humility, and prayer.There will He come, yet, coming, even thereHe stands and waits, and will no entrance winUntil the latch be lifted from within. The entire herd ran straight off a cliff and drowned. The miracles that are recorded here, just like the one that we saw last week, are seen by that small circle of disciples that is following Jesus around. Don't be surprised if none of them want the spotl One goose, two geese. 7 ) The pigs werent for eating. Remember that the Law reveals to us the mind and personality of God. We gotta git us some!, 1 ) [your turn. Gergesa (). WebGerasene: [noun] an inhabitant of the ancient Palestinian town Gerasa. 4 And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. War I. iv. WebGentiles [N] [T] [B] [S] (Heb., usually in plural, goyim), meaning in general all nations except the Jews. This city was better known than Gadara or Gergesa; indeed in the Roman age no city of Palestine was It isnt a long list. And then finally, and very, very sadly, I want you to see in contrast to him, the reaction of the majority of the people in his city and country to what Jesus has done. WebApparently Gerasa was rebuilt by the Romans before the revolt began, prob. 2 And when he had stepped out of the boat, immediately a man out of the tombs with an unclean spirit met him. 3 If you're carrying a sheep, is it still a "piggy" back ride? Therefore, hiding behind a few vague statements like the pat answer verses listed here is not sound. Amen. That amazing phrase, all of you be holy for I am holy did not start with Peter (1 Peter 1:16), because the apostle is quoting Leviticus. Bibliography W. A. Thomson, The Land and the Book (1882), 333-338, 353, 359; C. H. Kraeling, Gerasa, City of the Decapolis (1938); The Westminster Historical Atlas to the Bible (1946), 64, 117; M. F. Unger, Archaeology and the NT (1962), 139-141; E. Lohmeyer, Das Evangelium des Markus (1963), 93f; C. F. Pfeiffer, The Biblical World (1966), 252-254. That is, they appear contrary, except for one thing: Gods Law forbids righteous people from eating pork. to biblical Galilee, regarded, in opposition to Judaea, as a country of Gentiles (as in Matthew 4:15) What was Jairus occupation? Its not clear exactly who is doing more killings, the LORD or Melchizedek, but the picture overall fits the image of Son of God cleaning the land of swine. To suggest God retracts or repeals laws tarnishes His Dignity. (, David, the son of Jesse, was another selfless, compassionate shepherd. Emily Langer, Washington Post, 16 June 2022 Three of the Comedian Harmonists were Jewish, three were gentile. Throughout Scripture itself, its a perpetual theme: Never believe anyone who says the Word of God which liveth and abideth forever (1 Peter 1:23; KJV) changeth! If the pig farmers were Gentile, why would non-Jewish farmers be so gentle with a Jew (who was also an outsider) who was messing around with their farm animals? Youll notice at the beginning of the passage that they go across the lake to the east side and that puts them outside the bounds of Galilee and outside the bounds of Israel and over into Gentile territory on the other side. But wait, realize how deep Gods affection for animals goes. These authors were Biblical (Peter, James, Paul, Hebrews, etc) and to a lesser extent, non-biblical (Josephus, Pliny, etc). Read it for yourself. 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 wild animals, as discussed below. Another title that didn't make it was Demons, Pigs, and a Request to Leave. Now I think actually that beautifully outlines what happens in this passage, but for a specific reason I've wanted to zero your attention in on this man, this nameless man, who is afflicted by demons and who is liberated by Jesus Christ because there is a Gospel message for all of us. And holiness means salvation, as Paul wrote in two different letter, without holiness no man [or woman] shall see God (Hebrews 12:14 and Romans 6:22). WebGERASA, GERASENES (, ). The shortest distance between two thoughts. Do you remember when a serpent, an animal, came and exercised authority over God's man and woman, Adam and Eve, who had been made in His image so that instead of them ruling over the animals, the animals ruled over them? (Cf. I would think that it shows that demons would enter anything that could be unclean including a human being. 141-144). Last week, we were crossing over with Jesus to the other side, weathering a fierce storm until he woke up and calmed the sea. But as for God, what reason did He give Mr. Merciless for not destroying Nineveh? War III. Pretty quickly the whole city was in an uproar. All we know now is that the demoniac could have been either: Jew or Gentile. They cannot cast a spell on Him. Also in a side note theres a rock with what looks like a human footprint in it, it is said this is Christs footprint. This was the authentic Messiah that the Jews were waiting for. Am I forgiven by saying, I just, The Land of Israel is/was no place for two thousand pigs. One day the prophet Samuel angrily told his king that God would not go back on His decision. about a.d. 65. }. And repeatedly, these miracles will focus us in on Who is Jesus? and What do His deeds tell us about what He has come to do and the power that He has? And so this passage helps us in this way. You may simultaneously update Amibroker, Metastock, Ninja Trader & MetaTrader 4 with MoneyMaker Software. We see the power of Christ over Satan, don't we? Without a doubt, both men know God never came up with the line, Put pork on your fork. He said, If you love me, keep my commandments (John 14:15). Gerasa was a city situated near the Jabbok River about eighteen m. E of the Jordan, about twenty m. SE of Pella, and twenty m. N of Philadelphia. This location agrees with the description given by the ancient writers. And there's a lesson in each of these things for all of us. The demons freak out that Jesus is there because its not time for them to be tormented by Him yet. Because in all of Holy Writ, the phrase first appears in Leviticus 11 (Leviticus 11:44) right after God talks about clean/pure meats. I love irritating those charlatans who pretend the Law of God is somehow different than the Law of Moses. Gods Law has a law that you cannot change Gods Law. Israels real enemy is Satan. And John nicely parallels Jesus who said, not the smallest letter nor the smallest comma will pass away from the Law (Matthew 5:18). New International Version (NIV), Encyclopedia of The Bible Gerasa, Gerasenes. Gods Law even has two commands that equate domestic livestock with wild animals. Also, any every person who wants to please God is forbidden the heartless act of boiling a calf in its mothers milk (Exodus 23:19; Exodus 34:26; Deuteronomy 14:21), as well as the abominable practice of cutting and eating the leg of a live animal, only to leave the poor creature hobbling around with its three remaining legs (Deuteronomy 12:23; explanation). And lastly, because the herd was within the Land of Israel and owned by Jews (the joke about Gentiles owning them is cleared up below), the unclean swine had to go and the unclean demons did the work. Should we accept Mark 5 as literal history? The pagan religions continued among the Gentile population as is evidenced by the ruins of the temple of Artemis. The vision had nothing to do with shrimp rings or BLTS. I would have wanted a herd of swine had I been an Israelite in the desert. Before the war it was a Gentile settlement. The final battle requires a different strategy, one that involves a cross. Thats right, Whatever matter I am commanding you right now, it's what you must be careful to observe to do. 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. May He write its eternal truth upon all our hearts. It's amazing Jesus comes to shore and it's obvious that He has immediately commanded the spirits to leave the man because they remonstrate with Him. Gerasa. When Jesus said, A new commandment I give unto you (John 13:34), he instantly had the undivided attention of the Tedious Twelve disciples because they knew changing the Law was forbidden. We know that two thousand pigs go over the cliff. This solution is as old as Origen (Commentary on John, VI, 24) who, faced with the textual problem, suggested that the precise site of the healing of Legion was Gergesa, the small town in the territory of Gadara, but hardly in the more remote territory of Gerasa. He was incapable of changing his circumstances. In other words, they believe the one who killed the pigs with the demons is equal to the Father. Many will rush for cover behind the last four Greek words of this verse, despite all of its textual, translation and interpretation problems. Its the exodus that Jesus has come to lead, an exodus from slavery to the prince of this world. The good pastor actually believes that a Jewish man can rationally decide the best sleeping quarters , In the end, the good pastors assumptions keep us, Just remember the wonderful folks in Jesuss hometown? For one, Remember that the Law reveals to us the mind and personality of God. Jesus made him whole. Every creature on land, or in the water, or in the air is classified by either the Hebrew term, (, The main reason God limits righteous people to a select group of clean/pure animals is for, Gods altar was also separate and distinct and holy. Jesus is equating his commandments which can only be the ones in the Law of Moses, because he gave no commandments in the Gospels with his Fathers commandments in the Five Books of Moses. To all of you who have been liberated from the captivity of your sin by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, receive God's blessing. Tyre and Sidon were Gentile cities north of Israel, and Jesus had been sent to the Jews ( Matthew 15:24 ). Most translations interpret the Hebrew to say, Canaanite, but both are more than possible and perhaps the double meaning was intended by the prophet. It pains them to admit that Jesus was/is a, Sixth Fact: True identity of the pig farmers. One day the prophet Samuel angrily told his king that God would not go back on His decision. Where He goes, they show up and they say things to Him. And then you see in this passage the change of a heart set free. Scripture also makes it abundantly clear that God Almighty cannot change, and no one, not even the Lord's Anointed Messiah can change the Law which they both wrote. Two thousand pigs together is quiet unimaginable. He specifically banned pig in. Plus, these additions by John connect back to other passages in interesting ways. The text of Mark 5 says pigs were nearby, but it doesnt say they were the only things nearby. Jesus helped a Syrophoenician woman and commended her faith ( Matthew 15:2128 ). The gospels. In any event, the apparent differences in the texts prob. Its totally contrary to what we would expect. I beg you, do not torment me. And then the demons beg not to be cast into the abyss. If we agree Messiah wrote the Law of God, we should then wonder why on earth he would come to Earth to take what he authored out of circulation or to annul it? David did the same to a bear that took a sheep. At least Im man enough to admit possible weaknesses in my arguments and to talk about the elephants in the room. I wonder why?). Yet a number of objections immediately spring to mind. But thrice is no dice if we dont understand the reason or the message behind the event. Gods Law has a law that you cannot change Gods Law. When they ask Jesus to leave, he does so without any objection; Jesus ministry will not be imposed on those unwilling to receive it. 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. Mark as quoted by Spalde, Annika; Strindlund, Pelle (2012). They dont care about about the demon possessed men, they want their pigs back, (My opinion) Jesus was raised with sacrifice so animals were thought of for food, not so much as pets like today. He prefers we stay laughing so no one can reflect on this coincidence. They sailed to the country of the Gerasenes which is opposite Galilee. The Greek clause literally says, End of law is Christ but why bother finishing the sentence? Don't they know their Bibles? WebAll three Synoptic Gospels ( Mark 5:120; Luke 8:2639; Matthew 8:2834) mention the swine miracle, although with variations. Why explain something that is as plain as the nose on your face? He was no longer naked and he was no longer babbling and he was no longer living amongst the tombs, but when they came, he was clothed and in his right mind and sitting at the Savior's feet. And it's very clear that theyre in Gentile territory because they find themselves in a country where there is a huge, huge herd of pigs. But once the door is open, well, we see in this story what can happen when you give in, what can happen when the demonic takes over. Marks Jesus is a warrior who conquers Gods enemies. What about cattle? One unambiguous (but hotly debated) verse that supports this doctrine is, 1 John 5:7: For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. So if we agree Messiah is part of the Godhead, then logically we agree Messiah also co-authored, with the Father, the Law of God. Do you remember at the end of the book, in the sixth book, when the King of Gondor and his captains and the host of Gondor have arrived at the black gates of Sauron Sauron is the evil figure in the book and if you know Tolkien's cosmology, he was actually an apprentice to the Satan figure of Tolkien's writings. That is, they appear contrary, except for one thing: Gods Law forbids righteous people from eating pork. Yes, you read that right. I agree the counter-arguments look flawless on the surface and that will be partially exposed now. But it was what they loved and they preferred it to everlasting blessing in Jesus Christ. No, at the very best, Scripture is a dazzling lily that started out as a small flower bud, grew and expanded overtime, until finally it opened to show us all its beauty, a beauty that there inside the bud since the beginning, but not fully shown. But this I do know, when people say that because those pigs died it shows that Jesus was not a good and virtuous man theyre forgetting three things. Something else to ponder about the Son of God is his other title, I am the good shepherd. Perhaps that is his point. And what about commands for married people (Exodus 21:10), or the command that a man gives his wife a bill of divorce (Deuteronomy 24:1)? After this long, careful study, it should be crystal clear that the heartless Bishop of Hippo was mistaken, as were our two good pastors.