For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.
Scriptural study: Mark 5:1-18
- This man's life is totally out of control
- He's highly self-destructive. What self-destructive behaviors characterized us before we were Christians? Are there any such behaviors, still in our lives, that need to be brought into subjection to Christ?
- Easy to spiritualize the story, and probably that's appropriate in this instance.
- He seems both attracted to and repelled by Jesus. Love / hate. Contradictory attitude.
- He also has supernatural knowledge (at least the demons do).
- When Jesus inquires about his name, the name is a handle. It allows Jesus to confront and cleanse him.
- Legio (Latin) / Legion (Greek) is a Roman military unit (several thousand soldiers).
- Political implications: The Romans have "possessed" Israel, but they will not be "drive out" by military might or political strategy. Rather, true freedom is freedom from sin (John 8:34), and it's change at the personal level that the Lord offers.
- Pigs – it's a Gentile area, not Jewish. Pigs might be offered in sacrifice, or eaten for supper.
- Jesus permits the demons to enter the pigs. This isn't the same as directly willing the death of the pigs. God permits dictators to ravage their countries—yet without incurring guilt.
- The man is utterly transformed. Once wild, unable to settle, naked, confused... now he's stable, focused, self-controlled, clothed, thinking straight and spiritually in tune with the Lord.
- Yet the people aren’t too happy. Their livelihood was threatened (drowned pigs). Maybe they were nervous about the sheer power of the God of Israel, who could change someone so much. The pagan religions did not demand transformation, just rituals. (We help the gods out, and they will help us.)
- "Legion" preaches! It’s natural to tell friends & family (Acts 10:24).
- Decapolis = a region of 10 cities, capital Scythopolis (OT Beth Shean).
- He becomes an evangelist… So does everyone freed from bondage to Satan—including you and me. If we're not preaching, what happened? Have we forgotten we have been cleansed (2 Pet 1:9)?