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 5:15 mean?

Explanation

Mark 5:15 describes a scene immediately after Jesus has performed a miraculous healing.

The verse captures the reaction of the people who come to see the man who was previously possessed by a multitude of demons, referred to as "Legion." They find him sitting calmly next to Jesus, fully clothed, and in a stable state of mind.

This stark transformation from his former wild and tormented state evokes fear and amazement among the onlookers.

The verse echoes themes of restoration, the authority of Jesus over demonic forces, and the profound reactions that miracles can inspire in witnesses.

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

During the time of Jesus' ministry, beliefs in unclean spirits and demon possession were common in Jewish society.

Such individuals were often marginalized and feared.

The area of the Gerasenes, where this event takes place, was a predominantly Gentile region on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee.

It is notable that Jesus was ministering in a non-Jewish territory, which aligns with the universal nature of his mission.

The historical setting of this event is marked by a clash between different worldviews: the Hellenistic culture, which had a different set of beliefs about spirits, and the Jewish understanding of unclean spirits.

Theological Insights

From a Christian theological perspective, Mark 5:15 demonstrates Jesus' divinity and His power over the spiritual realm.

It also touches upon the theme of Jesus’ compassion for the marginalized.

Different traditions within Christianity may emphasize various aspects such as the transformative power of Jesus, the value of each individual (even those oppressed by demonic forces), and the kind of response (fear and awe) that divine intervention may elicit.

Practical Applications

Mark 5:15 offers practical applications for contemporary believers.

It encourages Christians to seek transformation in Christ, recognizing His power to heal and restore individuals to a sound state.

It also calls for a compassionate response to those who are marginalized or seen as 'outcasts' in society, and it challenges believers to not respond with fear to the workings of God, but with faith and openness.

Cross-References

Mark 5:9 - "And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many."
Luke 8:35 - "Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid."
Mark 5:2-5 - Describes the man with the unclean spirit before his healing.
Luke 8:27-29 - Gives another account of the man's condition before Jesus heals him.
Matthew 8:28-34 - Matthew’s account of the healing of two demon-possessed men in the region of the Gergesenes.

Language Study

Key words in the original Greek language of this verse:

"Possessed with the devil" (daimonizomenon): Referring to being under the control of a demon or demons.
"Legion" (legiōn): A Roman military term referring to a group of several thousand soldiers, indicating the vast number of demons.
"Sitting" (kathēmenon): Indicates a posture of calmness and stability, contrasting with the man's previous agitation.
"Clothed" (himatismenon): He was previously naked (Mark 5:15), indicating a return to social norms and dignity.
"Right mind" (sōphronein): Referring to a sound state of mind, self-control, or rational behavior.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In the ancient Near East, various cultures had their own concepts of demon possession and exorcism.

In the Hebrew Bible, evil spirits are occasionally mentioned, and exorcism practices were known in Jewish antiquity.

Similar to other ancient cultures, such as the Mesopotamians or Egyptians, the Jews believed in the power of spells, prayers, and rituals to combat demonic forces.

The story in Mark stands out in its assertion that Jesus’ command alone was sufficient to exorcise demons, without resorting to any rituals or incantations.

Scientific Perspectives

Modern science typically does not support the idea of demonic possession, attributing symptoms similar to those described in ancient texts to mental health conditions or neurological disorders.

The man's behavior before his encounter with Jesus, such as self-harming and living among the tombs, may be interpreted through the lens of contemporary medical understanding as indicative of severe mental illness.

Today's treatments would involve psychiatric intervention rather than exorcism.

Commentaries

Commentaries offer various interpretations of Mark 5:15.

Some emphasize the dramatic contrast between the man's condition before and after the miracle, suggesting that the change is so profound as to be initially frightening to the witnesses.

Others focus on the community's response, which can be seen as a mix of fear and rejection, potentially leading to the subsequent request for Jesus to depart their region (Mark 5:17).

Commentators also discuss the theme of witnessing, the local people come to see for themselves what has happened, highlighting the importance of testimony in spreading the news of Jesus' power and authority.

Mark 5

Mark 5

What does Mark 5:15 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 5:15 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?