MARK LESSON 10

     We will begin this lesson in Mark 5:1.

     Mark 5:1 "And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into
the country of the Gadarenes."

     This place of the "Gadarenes" is on the side of the Sea of Galilee
across from Capernaum.

     Mark 5:2 "And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there
met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit," Mark 5:3 "Who
had [his] dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not
with chains:"

     This country of the Gadarenes had a place of caves where they put
those who were mentally deranged. This insane man was living in the
caves used as entombment for the dead. This man was obviously
possessed of an evil spirit so ferocious that it was impossible to
chain him. It appears that like most insane people, this man was not
only harmful to others, but to himself as well. This man's malady, as
many insane people of our day, was a spiritual problem. Some time
during his life unclean spirits had entered into him, and now, they
were in total control of him. This man really had no life. Being
possessed of these evil spirits caused him to be totally alienated
from society.

     Mark 5:4 "Because that he had been often bound with fetters and
chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the
fetters broken in pieces: neither could any [man] tame him."

     This so many times is true of the insane. Society tries to lock
them up away from every one else to keep them from harming others and
themselves. There are no answers by man for curing this.

     Mark 5:5 "And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and
in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones."

     There really is no hope available for these people, aside from
Jesus Christ. Usually, they wind up as suicide victims, because they
can't live with others or themselves. These evil spirits that are
called insanity actually torment the victim. Not all, but most
insanity is actually being possessed by demons or evil spirits.

     Mark 5:6 "But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped
him," Mark 5:7 "And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to
do with thee, Jesus, [thou] Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by
God, that thou torment me not."

     Probably, this demoniac man had been watching the boat as it came
across the water. The man ran to Jesus and fell down and worshipped
Him. Even the demons bow at Jesus' feet. All are subject to Him. This
voice that came from the man, was the voice of these unclean spirits.
They were demons (fallen angels). They were fully aware that Jesus has
power over them. You see, again, that they know who Jesus is. They do
not want to be put in the lake of fire, which they know is their final
home.

     Mark 5:8 "For he said unto him, Come out of the man, [thou]
unclean spirit." Mark 5:9 "And he asked him, What [is] thy name? And
he answered, saying, My name [is] Legion: for we are many."

     Jesus just spoke, not to the man, but to the unclean spirit in
the man; and tells him to come out of the man. I personally believe
that the reason Jesus asked him what his name was is for our benefit.
When we command an unclean spirit to come out of a man in the name of
Jesus, it will sometimes help if we know the name of the demon. We can
call the demon by name when we tell him to release the victim and come
out. Another reason that I believe He asked his name was so the
magnitude of this miracle can be told. Many times a person that is
demon possessed will have many demons.

     Mark 5:10 "And he besought him much that he would not send them
away out of the country."

     This is a strange thing about demons. They do not like to leave
the family or the area where they are cast out. I suppose they feel
that other members of the family might have a similar weakness and
will allow them into them. These unclean spirits do not have bodies,
they try to find a body that will be willing for them to enter, so that
they may use the body as a dwelling place.

     Mark 5:11 "Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great
herd of swine feeding." Mark 5:12 "And all the devils besought him,
saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them."

     Notice, here, a few things about these devils or unclean spirits.
1. They were not in control, even though there were many of them. 2. They had
to ask Jesus' permission to go into the swine.  3. They preferred people to
indwell, but their second choice was animals.

     Mark 5:13 "And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean
spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran
violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two
thousand;) and were choked in the sea."

     We know right off that these unclean spirits contained the spirit
of suicide, because that was exactly what these hogs did. You can easily
see why the man was so violent with 2,000 of these terrible spirits in
him.

     Mark 5:14 "And they that fed the swine fled, and told [it] in the
city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that
was done."

     You can imagine how the story would spread. These men had lost a
great herd of swine.

     Mark 5:15 "And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed
with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his
right mind: and they were afraid."

     This fear that came upon these men was because the power of God
had come among them, and they did not know what to do. Here, they saw
the man who just hours earlier was insane, and he was totally restored
to his sanity and was worshipping Jesus. They had never seen anything
like this before. People fear what they do not understand.

     Mark 5:16 "And they that saw [it] told them how it befell to him
that was possessed with the devil, and [also] concerning the swine."
Mark 5:17 "And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts."

     We see, here, not men who were humbly seeking to repent before the
Lord. These men wanted Jesus to leave their area fearing that Jesus would
cause them more loss of their worldly goods. They had to be aware
that this great power is of God, but perhaps, their fear, was worsened
by their knowledge that they were not godly men.

     Mark 5:18 "And when he was come into the ship, he that had been
possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him."  Mark
5:19 "Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to
thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for
thee, and hath had compassion on thee."  Mark 5:20 "And he departed,
and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for
him: and all [men] did marvel."

     The folks at home knew just how badly possessed of demons this
man had been. They were his neighbors and friends. There ha been a
miracle, and these people could not deny it. It was only up to the man to
tell them who did it and how He did it. They knew it was done. Here, we
see, in effect, a person giving his testimony to those who know just how
bad it had been. Now, they would be more receptive of Jesus. There would
be no question who He is, and that the power of Almighty God brought
this miracle about.


















                           Mark 10 Questions

1.  What country did Jesus go to on the other side of the sea?
2.  Who met Jesus immediately after He got out of the ship?
3.  Where was the man's dwelling place?
4.  This man's problem was so great they could not restrain him even
    with __________________.
5.  What really had happened to the man?
6.  Who would a person like this harm?
7.  How did the man try to destroy himself?
8.  What is insanity, usually?
9.  What did the man do when he saw Jesus?
10. The unclean spirit in the man called Jesus what?
11. What did he ask Jesus not to do?
12. What did Jesus say to the unclean spirits?
13. What was the name of the demons?
14. Why did these demons not want to leave the country?
15. The devils asked to be cast into what animals?
16. Jesus gave these evil spirits what permission?
17. How many animals were there?
18. What did the keepers of the swine do?
19. What condition was the freed man in when the men of the city saw
    him with Jesus?
20. What request did the man make to Jesus?
21. What did Jesus answer him?
22. What did the men of the city ask Jesus to do?
23. What witnessed to the home folks more than what the man said?
24. What two things could the man tell the people that they could not
    readily see?