were the gerasenes gentiles were the gerasenes gentiles

If ever there was a small and weak proof-text, this is the one. Demetrius wasnt afraid to stand up for his rights. Don't they know their Bibles? I beg You, do not torment me. Then, if you look in verse 38, he begs Jesus that he might be with him. They are out to steal, kill, and destroy, so we dare not trifle with evil spirits. The district of the Gerasenes probably included that of the Gadarenes; so that the demoniac of Gergesa belonged to the country of the Gadarenes and also to that of the Gerasenes, as the same person may, with equal truth, be said to live in the city or the state, or in the United States. The most plausible reason Jesus chose the pigs was because he regarded people as precious and priceless, but not swine. What pigs?? Gerasa, Gerasenes - Encyclopedia of The Bible - Bible Instead, his conscious act of casting the demons into the swine resulted in the entire herds destruction. IV. 7). WebGerasene: [noun] an inhabitant of the ancient Palestinian town Gerasa. 141-144). He's liberated. And did the Gospels writers believe the explanation was so obvious they didn't need to write one? As soon as he saw Jesus, he shrieked and fell down in front of Him. If you're carrying a sheep, is it still a "piggy" back ride? At least Im man enough to admit possible weaknesses in my arguments and to talk about the elephants in the room. The Gerasenes were the people of the district of which Gerasa was the capital. Yet they tried to throw one of their own off a cliff (Luke 4:29). }. By Your Holy Spirit, show us our need of grace. We do not say that to cast the first stone. He's converted. All you need to know right now, if youre interested in that I'm happy to talk about it until the cows come home, but all you need to know is each of those places the regions of the Gergesenes, the Gadarenes, and the Gerasenes it's all on the other side of the Lake of Galilee. Yet the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke actually report that the towns people many would have been the owners or friends of the pig owners or people who were connected to the trade in the swine were frightened of the Jewish rabbi. And Christ went sadly.He had wrought for them a signOf Love, and Hope, and Tenderness divine;They wantedswine.Christ stands without _your_ door and gently knocks;But if your gold, or swine, the entrance blocks,He forces no man's holdhe will depart,And leave you to the treasures of your heart. For one, Remember that the Law reveals to us the mind and personality of God. This is a noteworthy fact because not every event in Jesuss ministry was thrice written down. Just remember the wonderful folks in Jesuss hometown? In Luke 4 and 5, great multitudes are following Jesus Christ when He does His miracles. The most likely answer is to the country of the Gerasenes: i.e., Gerasa, a Greek town thought to be the same as the similarly-named Kersa on the east shore of Lake Tiberias. If our faithful, unchanging Heavenly Father God made a straightforward decisive yet divisive decision and repeated it over and over and over, then why cant the good pastors connect the dots and figure out Jesuss real relationship to the pigs? Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with: Gerasene. Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Gerasene. Ellicotts Commentary, for one, believes the four Greek words were a latter addition. So many beautiful verses and motivating passages are in Scripture. Let's pray. JESUS DIDNT SEND THE DEMONS INTO THE DEEP; Working with the Law, and not against it, Jesus is shown to be completely in character and not out of his mind. 8). But pay attention to the body count. 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. When they ask Jesus to leave, he does so without any objection; Jesus ministry will not be imposed on those unwilling to receive it. viii. 9 ) They were wild Ferrel hogs feeding near the cliffs. Gentiles War I. iv. (, Worse yet, dont trust one who says Scripture. He was possessed of extraordinary strength but he was aware that there was a man of God in his presence. Jesus was a Jew. And it is a shame that the good pastors dont take these relevant Scripture passage into consideration. When He speaks, they obey. And not only that, he's about to be a witnessing disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. Further, the conclusion seems warranted that there was confusion in some MSS of Gerasa with the more likely site for the miracle near Gergesa. WebApparently Gerasa was rebuilt by the Romans before the revolt began, prob. Gentiles Those people were Jews in Nazareth. And those who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed. city in Pal. We know that two thousand pigs go over the cliff. They do not bother mentioning Scriptures emphasis on being holy before God. Mark 5 is truly very simple: being a righteous Jew, the Law commands Jesus to abhor pigs as food. In the 2nd cent. Scripture exhorts us to care for animals and not to be cruel to them. They sort of seek Him out. Gerasenes | Biblical Training The man could break his earthly chains; he could not break his spiritual ones. He was constrained to act just like the other prophets before him. Why does the herd of swine go over the cliff? Therefore, if Paul had taken a single silver goddess Diana doll and tossed it into the Aegean Sea, what kind of a hornets nest of trouble would the apostle have stirred up for himself? THE PIGS DID IT FOR HIM!! The good pastor actually believes that a Jewish man can rationally decide the best sleeping quarters Tomb or no tomb? This, by the way, is the miracle story that happens in Gentile land. 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. He is the freest man in the world. But today, if you said to anybody, Tiger Woods is a slave to his desires, they would recognize it. Gadarenes - The 1901 Jewish Encyclopedia - StudyLight.org Search the web and you will find many opinions about why the pigs died. But the Almighty said it so many times. You can follow him on Twitter. In the end, the good pastors assumptions keep us rolling in the aisles. This curse should deter makers of dispensational charts from chopping up Scripture because having my share taken from the Book of Life, or my name wiped out of the Book of Life (Revelation 3:5) doesnt sound very cool. (wait for it) turning the swine to the water! Jesus to leave What does it say? Inhabitants of Gadara, known from an alleged miracle of Jesus ( Matthew 8; Mark 5; Luke 8) in which he transferred the demons Even so, the Bible never puts the worth of animals on the same level as the worth of humanity. 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. Or are we with those who love what we want and what we have more than we love the Word of life from the only One who can give life? His wisecracks are a distraction. evidence), Ye know that when ye were Gentiles ye were, &c. In this and the following verse the Apostle reminds his readers that so far from regarding the marvellous manifestations of the Spirit, such as speaking with tongues and prophesying, as the most wonderful miracles, the I would have wanted a herd of swine had I been an Israelite in the desert. WebThe Gerasenes were the people of the district of which Gerasa was the capital. Incredible. While animal-abuse cases arent normally rampant among church-goers, its no thanks to this bishops official policy. [Israels] real enemy isnt Rome, which barely figures into the gospel story. Well this is a taste of the profound arguments that you will find in that book. Many year later, Messiah went to Israel as a prophet to get the people of Israel back to his Law. Neither common sense, nor the text, let Jesus off the hook. These ruins date from the 2nd to the 7th centuries and show that the city flourished during this period as a center for religion, culture, and commerce. The opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not necessarily represent the opinions or policies of any other person, religious organization or governmental entity. The story is about the power of Jesus and, even his name, to rid humans of demons and also to show that his power was for Gentiles as well. As out-of-place as the pig-assisted exorcism by the Lake of Galilee was, the awful event is actually recorded in three Gospels; in Matthew 8:2834, Mark 5:120 and Luke 8:2639. If Jesus had done anything less, he could not have been the Messiah. Remember that the Law reveals to us the mind and personality of God. Matt 8:28). But this view is shocking because it places Gods Son on an equal footing with the unclean spirits and thus flies in the face of the normal presentation of Jesus in the Gospels. 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. The power and the person of Jesus Christ. All four gospel writers repeatedly testify to Jesuss power over storm, waves and gravity (Matthew 8:22-27, Mark 4:3541 and Luke 8:2225, passages immediately before the pig-demon accounts! This leads the third observation: just as the disciples had been terrified by both the storm and Jesus calming of it on the way over to the Gerasenes, the local people here respond with fear. One day the prophet Samuel angrily told his king that God would not go back on His decision. He was getting everyone on board with what was started at Sinai. the obscure phrase, (declaring all food clean), is magically transformed by the New International Version into, In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean, or into even lovelier prose like, By saying this, he declared that every kind of food is acceptable in Gods eyes, by the New Living Translation (talk about making silk purse out of a sows ear). 7 ) The pigs werent for eating. Theories of men that attack statements made by God evolution for example are sadly creeping into the minds of Christian leaders. I dont know of any illness that can do that. were the gerasenes And from what I have heard, preferrably pig blood. But these differences are typical of eye-witness reports and only irritate skeptics. were the gerasenes Those people were Jews in Nazareth. The apostles arent having a pig roast anywhere. 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. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea.". He used another pseudonym, Julian Ross. 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. In either case, the theological point is not helped by a fictitious story. Instead of dead Egyptians washing up on the shore, we see dead pigs, an intentional insult to the minions of Satan. Luke is telling you here that Jesus is sovereign over everything. I've ended up, and Ill explain it later, giving the title The Man Jesus Renamed. Now that may peak your interest because in the passage no name is ever given for the man, either before or after his conversion, so you may be wondering why I've named it that. But what does Leviticus says about ham? He has stabbed the heads of many lands. Unfortunately, Pastor John is not alone, joking at the expense of this tragedy. When Eve said that she and hubby were not allowed to touch the [Good and Evil Knowledge Tree] or they would die, she was lying (Genesis 3:3 and Jewish explanation). He also said after much work with people that was possess that most of them dealt in occult practices. Gadarenes, Girgesenes, Gerasenes: (These three names are used indiscriminately to designate the place where Jesus healed two demoniacs. He made a covenant with them and revealed His commandments to them, which they were to live according to. He also makes excursions into Gentile territory, such as when he exorcizes the Gerasene/Gadarene demoniac (Mark 5:1-20). The hard hearts of those who reject Jesus. Even city officials who were Pauls friends were scared for Pauls life (Acts 19:31). The apostle had been busy preaching in Demetriuss hometown of Ephesus and Pauls message about the one true God was catching on. Show us the only hope of deliverance from those sins and teach us these things from this passage. He was Jewish and tragically lost. We "are of more value than many sparrows" (Matt. 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. (, David, the son of Jesse, was another selfless, compassionate shepherd. 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. (photo by Jean Pierre, Pexels), Reading the Word of God is wonderful. He is utterly sovereign. 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. Pingback: The Prophet in the Hometown A Pilgrim in Augsburg. Are we with a man, liberated, who trusted Jesus, who begged to be with Jesus and sought to be a disciple at His feet? This city was better known than Gadara or Gergesa; indeed in the Roman age no city of Palestine was The Gemara on the passage gives a historical foundation for the practise in the times of Aristobulus. Jesus was Jewish and He said He came for the lost sheep of Israelthe 10 cities of Decapolis were Roman cities but also contained some Jews who were most likely not keeping the Torah or mixing paganism with Judaism..Romans had many pagan gods and sacrifice pigs especially a certain black pig..I believe the man with the unclean spirits was a Jew.a Jew would never hang out in a tomb because that would make him unclean according to Jewish law..satan probably got a kick out of a Jew being forced by his demons to live in one.interesting that unclean spirits went into a unclean animal according to Judaismwhat a sight to see and then told by to go and tell what happened to you and to those pigs to your fellow Jewish friends and family who may not be keeping the Torah..just my opinion. WebInhabitants of Gadara, known from an alleged miracle of Jesus (Matt. Christ's primary focus was on "the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matt. He wouldnt have lived long enough to get to a cross to die. He's the friend of sinners. Marks Jesus is a warrior who conquers Gods enemies. Im not saying I totally believed the stories, but I cannot believe that a single other place could not be found to send the legion. They were wise enough to figure out if Jesus in His authority over them would allow them to exit of their choosing, they would select the black pigs often used in sacrifice to Baal. Now the big-mouth irking this Greek artisan was our good friend, the Apostle Paul. When Jesus said that he had not came to destroy the Law but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17), he was not talking to the Jews who already knew the Law was permanent, he was looking into future centuries and talking to those Christians who would try to destroy it. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before Him and said with a loud voice, What have You to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Asked by: Isidro Boehm V. Score: 4.9/5 to biblical Galilee, regarded, in opposition to Judaea, as a country of Gentiles (as in Matthew 4:15) What was Jairus occupation? Somewhere I read that that region actually raised pigs and worshipped them or considered them as idols so study about the region and style of worship for that region. Was He asking us the impossible because He had nothing better to do or is He sadistic? (Sidebar: During the whole Rob Bell Love Wins craze, I had a friend who claimed to believe the Bible, but denied that demons exist. View our current career opportunities. The Gospels tell us that Jesus did most of His work among the Jewish people. Why? They were people who knew him. Also oral tradition in this area talks of Christ coming and preaching the gospel there but being asked to leave shortly afterwards. Jesus helped a Syrophoenician woman and commended her faith ( Matthew 15:2128 ). At the end of the gospel, however, Jesus tactic changes. They have therefore made important decisions about the proper treatment of animals. Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. Besides this Biblical evidence that Jesus and the woman were within Israels inheritance, there is also a prophesy that God will settle His People in the future in Gilead (a sizeable part of todays Kingdom of Jordan) and in Lebanon too (Zechariah 10:9-10). He is more open with Gentiles because it fits His purpose about revelation to the Gentiles and the new inclusion in the kingdom. 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! (Only an amateur Hebraist would claim the latter, frankly.). 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. This food is unclean and defiling for you. These four miracle stories, also we said, in contrast to the miracles in Luke 4 and 5, are focused on settings where a small group of the disciples witness the miracles. Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced searchad free! For heavens sake, why cant the good pastor try to explain the incompatibility of our loving Jesus wiping out hundreds of innocent creatures without a punch line? Dont demons like sheep? When Jesus asked the mans name always a good way to start a conversation the demons replied, We are Legion, for we are many. A legion is a Roman military unit consisting of four to six thousand soldiers. Luke means it to be an extraordinary event. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! Dr. R.C. By using our website, you accept our use of cookies. ), his power over blindness (John 9:32) and even over death, as in the case of a three-days dead Lazarus (John 11:1-44). One was, His Name Was Legion, Not Ligon. I have been confused with Legion all my life and it worries me that it's not just the sound of the name, but I want to make it clear that Legion is not in any way related to Ligon. But look at how many times God let it be known in the Law and in very certain terms eating pork was offensive. After all, racism wasnt invented in the 21st century. Out of the three, Marks gospel presents the most information about the herd. The action is no different than, Lets return again to when Jesus cleaned up the Temple courtyard of merchants and merchandise. He dispatched Lucius Annius with a force of cavalry and an army of foot soldiers, who took the city on the first attack, slaughtering a thousand young men, taking their families captive, plundering and burning the city and the surrounding towns (Jos. He had a new name and he had a new nature to go along with it. Archeologists identify it with the modern Jarash. The Son of God mercifully cast thousands of. At best, Malachi 4:4 should read as, Remember the Law of Moses, but mine's better. Kursi - The Gerasene Site of Jesus' Miracle on the East Side of Lake Israels real enemy is Satan. First of all, I believe Mark was attempting to warn his Gentile readers of the great danger of demonic influence and activity. And was the Master doing the right thing sacrificing someone elses pigs. were Remember the story of Jesus casting demons out of the crazy man in Luke 8? Gentile But Gods Spoken Word will endure for all time. 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)? And then they beg to go into the herd of pigs. That was a very large farming operation, even by the modern European and North American standards of today which typically do not have such giant herds. At the beginning of the gospel, he wins these victories with acts of visible, recognizable power. How could they say Christians not need be concerned about the welfare of animals or that they have little value, or even laugh about the death of thousands, when such beliefs are set side-by-side with Gods Word? The demons, who in this man have terrified the whole countryside to the point that they had tried to retrain this man with chains they were so frightened of Him, those demons are now afraid of Jesus because they know who Jesus is and they know where Jesus can cast them. 3). Lord God, even as we sing this hymn, cause those who do not know Him to love Him and cause those who love Him to love Him more than anything else in this world. Gentile So how on earth could they dictate to the Son of God where they wished to go? 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. Israel was to be a nation of priests, prophets, and missionaries to the world (Exodus 19:46). Demons, Jesus, and the Pigs The Outlaw Bible Student, http://www.linearconcepts.com/archives/2011. Without a doubt, both men know God never came up with the line, Put pork on your fork. But isnt it a funny coincidence that pork happens to be on Gods list of forbidden food. Now the big-mouth irking this Greek artisan was our good friend, the Apostle Paul. Wnsche, Neue Beitrge zur Erluterung der Evangelien aus Talmud und Midrasch, p. 119. (, But MacArthurs logical is funny for another reason. Additionally, the encounter takes place among the tombs, an earthly realm of the dead, so to speak. 4 And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. Webwere the gerasenes gentiles. Not that I believe my case has holes. 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. he has the power and the authority to ameliorate both. And he was the one who said that the Father doesnt miss the , Everyone's wondering why the pigs got the raw end of the deal. Thats the exodus that Israel needs. He's set free. It's back just a few verses, the answer is back just a few verses. Yet this is exactly what Christians believe; Jesus came to fulfill (but think annul) the Law and then start a whole new religion.