Oh get you hence, Omnipotence, and take this foul of Thine. And it is reveals a great deal comparing the reactions of the Gentiles in the two towns. Perhaps that is his point. No, I've checked my facts, anticipated the arguments, remembered my own arguments from he past, and now Im ready to present my conclusions for Christians to consider. 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. It's not every day that you meet someone inhabited by a host of demons, but every time you meet a Christ-less soul, you meet someone who is utterly captive to sin. (, For I tell you truly, until the passing away of Heaven and the Earth, not the smallest letter nor the smallest comma will pass away from the Law until everything has happened. Because in all of Holy Writ, the phrase first appears in Leviticus 11 (Leviticus 11:44) right after God talks about clean/pure meats. 8 ) Their pork was kosher, kept out of the camp for 7 days, and circumcised. So now they don't even bother to read it.]. absolutely anne..there are a few scenarios..nothing more exciting than digging into the Word of God!! After this long, careful study, it should be crystal clear that the heartless Bishop of Hippo was mistaken, as were our two good pastors. Why does the herd of swine go over the cliff? Notice how Gods care is cleverly contrasted with mans callousness: men buy birds for next to nothing because they do not value them, yet The Almighty as large and in charge as He is still takes careful notice of frail creatures. He has authored, co-authored, edited, or contributed to numerous books. (photo by Jean Pierre, Pexels), Reading the Word of God is wonderful. I dont see anything of that sort in the story. 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. War I. iv. But there is a message in this for all of us and it is simply this we may not be possessed by demons, but if we are possessed by what we want or by what we have and if what we want or what we have is not God in the Gospel of His dear Son, Jesus Christ, then we are no less in the thrall of sin that this man. But as Gergesa was a small village, and little known, the evangelists, who wrote for more distant readers, spoke of the event as taking place in the country of the Gadarenes, so named from its largest city, Gadara; and this country included the country of the Gergesenes as a state includes a county. Why explain something that is as plain as the nose on your face? Now do you see how silly the Jesus-kept-the-Law-perfectly statement is? Sproul writes in his commentary Mark that the compassion of Jesus "drove Him to destroy the pigs for the sake of one human life. Sadly, the rest of the verse is not quoted in GotQuestions best article and preachers rarely preach it, though it reveals more about the true character of the Messiah. They forget that all scripture is inspired of God and all of it is established in the heavens and none of it can change. (, Field hay dries. (, Its not clear exactly who is doing more killings, the LORD or Melchizedek, but the picture overall fits the image of Son of God cleaning the land of swine. In Jesus first trip to that Gentile area: They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes (in Gadara). WebThey came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. He's not only a person extraordinarily under bondage to demonic activity, but he's actually a picture of everyone who is in the thrall of sin. And was the Master doing the right thing sacrificing someone elses pigs. 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. and therefore the good pastor declares the demoniac to be a Gentile since, as everyone also knows, Gentiles are better tomb-dwellers.. The last point to tidy up Jesus allowed the demons to kill the pigs or Jesus did it? 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. That amazing phrase, all of you be holy for I am holy did not start with Peter (1 Peter 1:16), because the apostle is quoting Leviticus. Now we see the missing puzzle piece: God had plainly prohibited pork as food, making it clear that holy people should not eat it , Overall, when it comes to any animal being selected for food or for sacrifice, God sees only two types. Jesus does not go looking for this demon-possess man, the man comes to Him. Thats really why they were sent. Therefore he had every right to judge the Jews and how they used land. * And if one doesnt believe demons exist ..same question: why invent a false story to make the point that Jesus has power over demonic creatures that dont exist? ; Mark v.; Luke viii.) Ive heard that the apostles and Christ may have traveled to Spain. And repeatedly, these miracles will focus us in on Who is Jesus? and What do His deeds tell us about what He has come to do and the power that He has? And so this passage helps us in this way. All we know now is that the demoniac could have been either: Jew or Gentile. Jerash (aka Gerasa, Gerash or Gerasha) is the capital and the largest city of the Jerash Governorate in Jordan, but in ancient times it was one of the wealthiest and most cosmopolitan cities in the ancient Near East.Settled by humans as early as the Neolithic period (c. 7500-5500 BCE) and founded as a Hellenistic city in the 2nd century BCE, Jerash is (Matthew 8:28; Mark 5:1; Luke 8:26) In Gerasenes in place of Gadarenes. I beg You, do not torment me. Then, if you look in verse 38, he begs Jesus that he might be with him. And Tolkien puts it this way The Lieutenant of the Tower of Barad-dr he was, and his name is remembered in no tale for he himself had forgotten it and said only, I am the mouth of Sauron.. At this distance from the Sea of Galilee, Gerasa could not have been the site of the healing of Legion. It is doubtful that Jesus ever visited it. Show us the sins of our hearts that we are captive to. II. These authors were Biblical (Peter, James, Paul, Hebrews, etc) and to a lesser extent, non-biblical (Josephus, Pliny, etc). Both of our good pastors assume that the people in Gerasene (Gadarene or Gergesene) were Gentiles in Gentile territory, partially because of the pigs, partially because of the demoniacs and partially because it fits their bias. And low and behold, two gospels specify that Jesus didnt go into Tyre (part of modern Lebanon), but that he was only in the vicinity of the city (Matthew 15:21; Mark 7:24 and Mark 7:31). The fact anyone dreamed up dispensationalism in the first place shows how some attentive folk saw contradictions within traditional interpretations of Scripture, but were unwilling to admit to them directly, but instead they desperately concocted those nonsense charts. Or, what if Paul had knocked two thousand dolls into the drink would he have written as many epistles as he did, while having to dogpaddle? (Later, in Genesis 8:20, Noah sacrificed some of the clean animals to God as thank you offerings because their ship had come in! We see the power of Christ over Satan, don't we? Anyway, it was the demons that would have decided where, and if, he slept. Last Update: Jan 03, 2023 No one cares where he sleeps when hes busy trying to keep himself from killing himself. Perhaps even ask who might that future group of individuals be to whom Jesus will say, Depart, I never knew you (Matthew 7:22) because even though they called him, Lord, Lord [and had gone to seminary and made dispensational charts] they somehow were on the wrong path. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. * If one believes demons exists, why invent a false story to make the point that Jesus has power over demons? And then finally, and very, very sadly, I want you to see in contrast to him, the reaction of the majority of the people in his city and country to what Jesus has done. Instead of a sling and a stone, Jesus needs only his voice; Jesus commands and the enemy falls. Pig meat, according to Scripture, is as unclean as the demons that Jesus sent into the swine. ), 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). Doesnt Pastor MacArthur know his Bible? And not only that, he's about to be a witnessing disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. .hide-if-no-js { That will give us the perfect answer. (, But MacArthurs logical is funny for another reason. His actions now make sense in this new light. 1), and apparently occupied these cities with Jewish patriots. Marks Jesus is a warrior who conquers Gods enemies. And was the Master doing the right thing sacrificing someone elses pigs. WebApparently Gerasa was rebuilt by the Romans before the revolt began, prob. The heart set free from sin by Jesus. He will judge the Gentiles, filling places with bodies. For less than $5/mo. Jesus helped a Syrophoenician woman and commended her faith ( Matthew 15:2128 ). Yes, you read that right. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs. Unsurprisingly in such a place, Jesus finds a man possessed by unclean spirits. Instead they joke around and give pat answers. Don't they know their Bibles? borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Medieval Latin galilea, probably after Galilea, Galilaea galilee, from a monastic and clerical comparison of the church porch, where the laity gathered, to biblical Galilee, regarded, in opposition to Judaea, as a country of Gentiles (as in Matthew 4:15) And as Palmer approached him at the fireside, the man identified Palmer before he got there. Gods Law even has two commands that equate domestic livestock with wild animals. Lets re-examine the event in the light of seven important Scriptural facts. Years earlier, when the ancient Israelis came to the border of the Promised Land, part of the eastern shore was controlled by the Geshurites (and the Maakathites) but Joshua told Israel to possess their land (Joshua 13:11-13). Herod had massive building projects all over Israel. It's this man who is in bondage to these demons. Ruins of the temple of Artemis, some columns still standing, are on another hillside above the ruins. The man howled day and night and cut himself with stones. Look at what he first says when Jesus meets him in verse 28 What do you have to do with me, Jesus? The Messiah gave every Jew there that day a glimpse of the judgement to come. They were to teach the Gentiles about Him (Acts 13:4647). He made a covenant with them and revealed His commandments to them, which they were to live according to. A main street with columns on both sides leads out of the forum. I could have come up with better arguments against Christianity than Bertrand Russell, but in the course of this book in one of the chapters, he says it is this story that led him to the conclusion that Jesus was neither the best nor the most virtuous of men. The next allusion to Gerasa concerns its capture during Vespasians campaign. They know that Jesus can cast them into the abyss, into the lake of fire, into the bowels of hell, and theyre frightened. Top Ten Reasons Why There Were Pigs in Gerasenes (Lk 8 ) 10 ) It was the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee, the area of the Decapolis. In fact, they beg Jesus to leave. 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). No cumbered chamber will the Master share,But one swept bare By cleansing fires, then plenished fresh and fairWith meekness, and humility, and prayer.There will He come, yet, coming, even thereHe stands and waits, and will no entrance winUntil the latch be lifted from within. 7 ) The pigs werent for eating. And he was the one who said that the Father doesnt miss the falling of a sparrow. Oops. 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)? Matthew tells us there were two demoniacs, while Mark and Luke only Well let's pray before we read God's Word together. 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! Here is a prophesy that Christians love to quote: You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek (Psalm 110.4) because it connects to Messiah Jesus. My research shows swine kill poisonous snakes. 7). (, Therefore you should understand that the LORD your God, Because God is so steady, and doesnt reverse or repeal, He can be trusted to do what He promises; good or, If the Eternal One, blessed be He, had said just, But the Almighty said it so many times. Dr. R.C. The best text in Matthew reads Gadarenes, in Mark and Luke it reads Gerasenes, whereas some MSS preserve Gergesenes and Gergustenes (cf. Any other conclusion, in light of the seven facts just presented, is breathtakingly irresponsible, and we should just laugh it off. Surely He could have demonstrated real power over real demons, right? WebThe name Gergesa has led to the supposition that the Girgashites, one of the seven Canaanitish nations, originally occupied this territory. There are echoes of exodus in Marks story, and echoes of Davids battle with Goliath. Plus, when Jesus chased the sellers out of the Temple courts (Matthew 21:12-13; Mark 11:12-19; Luke 19:45-48; John 12:13-16), there is a small, but wonderful, detail that is in complete harmony with Matthew 10:29. The jokes are a smoke screen. Coincidentally, three Gentiles showed up for lunch, and the following day, he met a Roman convert when finally Peter figured it out and declared the Lords view of Gentile believers, But God has shown me that I should not call ritually impure or defiling any man (Acts 10:28). 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. This food is unclean and defiling for you. Despite all the dangers to himself, David wouldnt allow any to be hurt. Paul talked about going to Spain in Rom 15:24-28, so part of this is certainly within the realm of possibilities. However, the pastors assumptions are perplexing. And His promise to make a new promise (covenant) with Israel and with Judah in Jeremiah 31:31-32 does not repeal the first promise (the covenant that Israel broke), it strengthens it. He's no longer under the domination of demons or his own sin. Last week, we were crossing over with Jesus to the other side, weathering a fierce storm until he woke up and calmed the sea. God told Jonah that it was not just all the people, but also so much livestock (Jonah 4:11). It goes like this: These are the people of Gerasene speaking to Jesus Rabbi be gone. ), No matter how you slice it, the Almightys negative view of ham and bacon cant suddenly switch from one day to the next. Remember that the Law reveals to us the mind and personality of God. It was a leading city of Syria in commerce, culture, and religion. Read it for yourself. 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. Should we accept Mark 5 as literal history? During the time of Christ, the ten cities of Decapolis and the surrounding region were inhabited mostly by Gentiles, not Jews, and the area had a strong Greek influence. Neither common sense, nor the text, let Jesus off the hook. You know, a month ago, a month ago, if you had said to anyone, You know, Tiger Woods is in slavery. They would have looked at you and said, You've got to be out of your mind. They were people who knew him. While foretelling death and doom was often part of a prophets job description, the real task of each true prophet was to be an example to the people and to get everyone on board, or back on board, with the Law of God. This is a noteworthy fact because not every event in Jesuss ministry was thrice written down. I would think that it shows that demons would enter anything that could be unclean including a human being. Without a doubt, both men know God never came up with the line, Put pork on your fork. Many of you have seen, maybe fewer of you have read, a book by the famous British philosopher and skeptic, Bertrand Russell. Three witnesses! I say that Christians have turned Jews off because church-goers claim Jesus destroyed the Law and that Jews are blind for following the Law of Moses still. That is the exact opposite of other godly men (compare with, Lastly, even if Mr. Pipers explanation were true, look what its, The hard-hearted views of the Bishop of Hippo are not biblical because righteous people are obliged by God to be considerate to all animals, even, Are not two sparrows sold for the smallest coin, and yet one of them cannot fall to the earth apart from your Father? Interestingly, if you obey the latter, and take just the babies or the eggs but release the dame, God promises you a long and successful life. Studying these Scripture passages show us that Jesus only ever walked in the land that God had promised to Abraham, Isaac and Israel and Moses. The Son of God mercifully cast thousands of. Such a conclusion will annoy a lot of people, even funny, leaky dispensationalists like John MacArthur. He is the strong man who binds Satan and plunders his house. You received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it! (Acts 7:53). When this passage begins, we have a man who is possessed by demons who had gone about naked, who had lived in the tombs, who was out of his mind, and who did not even know his name. The thinking behind each chart is contrary to the unity and oneness of God. Therefore, even though folks from the Bishop of Hippo down to our two good California pastors have tried to persuade us that the Creator has shifted His views on pork, God did not, can not, and will not vary or alter or adjust any word spoken about any decision let alone His views on ham sandwiches. California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. James Gibson. WebWhy were there pigs in gerasenes? It pains them to admit that Jesus was/is a, Sixth Fact: True identity of the pig farmers. You must there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one thats only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary. So he's drawing our attention to an extraordinary event, but the reason he's drawing our attention to that extraordinary event is because there are actually truths which transfer across the last 2,000 years, right to where we are today, that we are to learn out of this passage. Our ways are not as Thine. Furthermore, the play-by-play presents no reason to be judged as a parable or an allegory. So why did the meek n merciful Son of Man cast countless defiling demons into two thousand piglets, sows and boars? If Paul got himself into hot water because of a Gentile speculating about declining silver sales, how could Jesus have avoided a ton of hot water for killing hundreds of Gentile-owned swine? Mark 5 is truly very simple: being a righteous Jew, the Law commands Jesus to abhor pigs as food. He wouldnt have lived long enough to get to a cross to die. It was exactly due to his righteousness and his love for God that he killed two thousand pigs. 1. 15:24), but He was concerned for all peoples. John 13:34 was the one single, solitary time that the Master told his disciples, I give you a new commandment. However, the commandment wasnt a new commandment. In actual fact, when you stop to think about it, If our faithful, unchanging Heavenly Father God made a straightforward decisive yet divisive decision and repeated it, Fourth Fact: Gods Enduring, Unchangeable Word, As was just so elegantly discussed, the destruction of the herd, Your word, O LORD, is everlasting; it is firmly fixed in the heavens. I beg you, do not torment me. And then the demons beg not to be cast into the abyss. Look again at John 15:10. And wild animals are not forget because farmers in the Land of Israel are commanded in Exodus 23:11 to leave parts of their fields for food for wildlife. (, Still, Jesus was not in Gadarenes for judging; he was there, Not contrary, but consistent with Christs Character, Here is a prophesy that Christians love to quote: , The LORD has sworn it and He will not change his mind: You are a priest forever, after the nature of Melchizedek. The LORD is upon your right hand. Gods Law has a law that you cannot change Gods Law. The good pastor actually believes that a Jewish man can rationally decide the best sleeping quarters Tomb or no tomb? Christ's journey into "the country of the Gerasenes" (Mark 5:1) was somewhat unusual. 3). Learn a new word every day. Also in a side note theres a rock with what looks like a human footprint in it, it is said this is Christs footprint. Early in the video, he is very factual and seems sure of himself. The two Johns see more than a hint of what I am talking about in the destruction of the swine and it frightens them so they avoid a serious discussion. I definitely dont want to be near that doctor on Judgement Day.). The thinking behind each chart is contrary to the unity and oneness of God. An inscr. But there are many reasons why Im not keen on the idea of the Gospels as non-historical. The pagan religions continued among the Gentile population as is evidenced by the ruins of the temple of Artemis. Something else to ponder about the Son of God is his other title, The Good Shepherd: David, the son of Jesse, was another selfless, compassionate shepherd. I love irritating those charlatans who pretend the Law of God is somehow different than the Law of Moses. To feed the spectators who came there purposely to see those crazy chain braking tomb dwelling lunatics! So he gave them permission. The History of Rome - Brief Overview Of Roman History from Her Dawn to the First Punic War. HDB, II, p. 158, 159 for a detailed description.). Remember, Jesus took direct, extensive action against a significant group of Gentile pig farmers he didnt just say something bad against the pigs. Most translations interpret the Hebrew to say, Canaanite, but both are more than possible and perhaps the double meaning was intended by the prophet. 8:513) and the Syrophoenician woman whose daughter was possessed (Mark 7:2430), the Jews received the bulk of His attention, and He spent most of His time in the predominantly Jewish regions of Galilee and Judea. Jesus is saying that Jesuss commandments are the same as the Fathers. Do you see how Jesuss Gentiles dont act like Gentiles! Gods altar was also separate and distinct and holy. Diana (Artemis) of Ephesuslovely without a nose! And he said that a good and virtuous man could not have allowed something like that to happen and therefore, Jesus was not the best and most virtuous of men and therefore Christianity was disproven. When Jesus said, A new commandment I give unto you (John 13:34), he instantly had the undivided attention of the Tedious Twelve disciples because they knew changing the Law was forbidden. Johns words seem to apply to all of Scripture. But should you also doubt, my friendly blog reader, read on. They have therefore made important decisions about the proper treatment of animals. Its architecture was of the Corinthian order, quite lavish and imposing, with columns from three to four ft. in diameter and about thirty ft. high. One unambiguous (but hotly debated) verse that supports this doctrine is, 1 John 5:7: For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. So if we agree Messiah is part of the Godhead, then logically we agree Messiah also co-authored, with the Father, the Law of God. So you not only see the power of Christ over Satan in this passage in the miracle that He performs in casting these demons out of this man, but you also see Jesus compassion towards sinners. For one, Remember that the Law reveals to us the mind and personality of God. Jesus then asked him, What is your name? And he said, Legion, for many demons had entered him. Is there actually a real reason why the Gospel accounts shouldnt be taken as factual history? The other, Deuteronomy 22:6-7, protects wild mother birds in a similar way, forbidding us from killing them along with their young at the same time. The demons inhabit the bodies of this herd of pigs and the pigs cast them into the Lake of Galilee. He doesnt want to connect the dots and he doesn't want us to either. He changed the subject. As to the second question, there is no doubt of the illegality, from a ritual point of view, of Jews keeping swine (B. Yet there was no fury. Accessed 4 Mar. Amen. I would have wanted a herd of swine had I been an Israelite in the desert.