Mark 5

And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.

And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,

Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:

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.

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

But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,

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.

For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.

And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.

And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.

Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.

And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.

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.

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.

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.

And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine.

And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.

And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.

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.

And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.

And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea.

And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet,

And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.

And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.

And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,

And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,

When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.

For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.

And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.

And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?

And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?

And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.

But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.

And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.

While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?

As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.

And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.

And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.

And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.

And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying.

And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.

And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.

And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.

What does Mark 5:11 mean?

Explanation

Mark 5:11 refers to the presence of a large herd of swine (pigs) feeding on a hillside near where Jesus was at the time.

In the broader context of Mark 5:1-20, this verse is part of the story of Jesus healing a man possessed by a legion of demons in the region of the Gerasenes, which is located on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee.

The demons, having recognized Jesus’ authority, plead with Him not to send them out of the area.

They instead request to be sent into the nearby herd of swine.

This verse sets the stage for the subsequent event in which Jesus grants permission for the demons to enter the pigs, resulting in the entire herd rushing down a steep bank into the sea and drowning.

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Historical Context

Mark 5:11 needs to be understood within the context of First Century Jewish culture.

Swine were considered unclean animals according to Jewish dietary laws (Leviticus 11:7).

The presence of such a large herd implies that this event occurred in a predominately non-Jewish (Gentile) region, which aligns with the geographic context of the Gerasenes territory.

Jewish people would not typically be involved in the herding or raising of pigs due to the Mosaic Law's prohibitions.

Theological Insights

The presence of swine in this narrative has a dual significance. Firstly, the pigs themselves represent impurity from a Jewish perspective. Secondly, the request by the demons and Jesus' permission for them to enter the swine is rich in theological implications.

Some theologians suggest that by sending the demons into the swine, Jesus is demonstrating His sovereignty over evil spirits and the impurity they represent. The destruction of the pigs can be seen as a metaphor for the ultimate destruction of evil.

From a different theological viewpoint, this passage could be seen as a message about Jesus' mission to the Gentiles, as the event takes place in a Gentile region and impacts a Gentile-owned economic resource (the swine herd).

Practical Applications

A practical application of Mark 5:11 can revolve around the theme of Jesus' authority over evil and the transformative power of His presence.

People may find comfort in knowing that no matter how powerful evil seems, it is submissive to the power of Christ.

It's also a call for discerning the influences we allow into our lives, as the swine become hosts for the destructive demons only after they receive them.

Cross-References

Matthew 8:30-32: "And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding."
Luke 8:32-33: "And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them.

And he suffered them."

Leviticus 11:7: "And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you."

Language Study

In the original Greek text, the word used for "swine" is χοίρων (choirōn), which is simply the plural form for pigs or hogs.

The word used for "feeding" is βόσκομαι (boskomai), implying that the pigs were grazing or pasturing. There’s nothing particularly unique about the language in Mark 5:11, but the words are used literally to describe what the pigs were doing at the time, their routine activity of feeding.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In the ancient Near East and Greco-Roman world, pigs were commonly associated with uncleanliness in Jewish culture but were widely consumed and herded by others, including Romans and various Gentile peoples.

The differing views on pigs highlight the cultural and religious divides of the time, which is reflected in the disdain by Jews for pig herding contrasted with the economic value it held for Gentiles.

Scientific Perspectives

In a modern scientific context, there is no empirical evidence to support the idea of demons entering animals and causing them to rush en masse into the sea.

The behaviors of swine are well-studied in animal science, and their actions are generally attributed to natural instincts and responses to stimuli.

The mass destruction of a herd as described in this passage would be an exceptional and atypical animal behavior, not explicable by contemporary scientific understanding.

Commentaries

Commentaries on this verse generally focus on its role within the larger narrative of Jesus' exorcism of the demon-possessed man.

According to the Pulpit Commentary, the healing demonstrates the vast power Jesus had over the forces of evil.

Matthew Henry's commentary highlights the merciful deliverance for the afflicted man, while pointing to the severe economic loss for the owners of the pigs, which can be seen as a lesson in the potential costs of Christ's transformative work.

Some scholars also discuss the implications for Gentile inclusion in Jesus' ministry, as seen in the Gerasene man's subsequent commission to return to his home and declare what God had done for him.

Mark 5

Mark 5

What does Mark 5:11 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Mark 5:11 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?