They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. 2 And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. 3 He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, 4 for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. 6 And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. 7 And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” 8 For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9 And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” 10 And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. 11 Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, 12 and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” 13 So he gave them permission. 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.
14 The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened. 15 And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. 16 And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. 17 And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region. 18 As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. 19 And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.
Jesus Heals a Woman and Jairus's Daughter
21 And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea. 22 Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet 23 and implored him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.” 24 And he went with him.
And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. 25 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, 26 and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. 27 She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. 28 For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” 29 And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 30 And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” 31 And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” 32 And he looked around to see who had done it. 33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. 34 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”
35 While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler's house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” 36 But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” 37 And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. 38 They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 And when he had entered, he said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.” 40 And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. 41 Taking her by the hand he said to her, “Talitha cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” 42 And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement. 43 And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat. Mark 5 ESV
Mark 5
A man with an unclean spirit - This was what was obvious at a glance, whether you believe in demons, possession or not, it was clear that this man was crazy. In another gospel it says two men, but only one of the two returns in the end, and one is the dominant leader here, the spokesman with the head demon.
But he wrenched the chains apart - People had tried to subdue him before, but they failed miserably, for the man had super human strength, an ability to ignore and push through pain. This is the relationship of the devil to mankind, the thief comes to kill and to destroy. His promises are sweet in the evening but putrid the next morning. He wants to keep men from the knowledge of the truth, to have men build towers and from them scream out their hatred of the living God.
…9I am the gate. If anyone enters through Me, he will be saved. He will come in and go out and find pasture. 10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness. 11I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.… John 10: 9-11
Crying out and cutting himself with stones - His was a tortured existence, imagine finding relief this way, or trying to. You see vestiges of this today, even the popularization of this among teenagers, whole online communities of those that cut and mutilate themselves. You see a great delusion amongst those that are said to possess wisdom, understanding, a cult like following of the politically correct, those that oppose logic, reason, sanity, God. They go so far as to encourage the mutilation of children as a cure for mental illness, calling boys girls and visa versa. In their minds and mouths the cure for such anomalies, for such gross departures from reason and sound mind, is for the whole world to embrace the insanity, to pretend with the confused, to play make believe and call things the opposite of what they clearly are, and anyone who disagrees, call them a bigot. It is widely known that when some cut themselves there has been sexual abuse in their past, and the answer should be to get them justice, to get them sound medical help, to love them, not lie to them, not ignore the real issues brought about by sin.
He ran and fell down before Him - He is submissive to Christ's Lordship, and it is a wonder to us considering that these are rebels, that they have been cast down. The demon, which turns out to be the head of many, recognizes the Creator, knows that He is over all things, and he trembles, grovels before Him. The demon is a created being, a spiritual being, and so must answer to the One that made him. Men don't do this yet, not until the Spirit makes them willing, teaching them the truth, opening their eyes to the reality of being the clay and not the Potter. It is frightening that men beat their chest where demons tremble, and it is humbling to see that, diminishing, what a wonder that I am still alive.
15The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.… Colossians 1: 15-17
So He gave them permission - Learn from this, don't fear ghosts and ghouls, fear God, the most fearsome and scariest of all creatures fear only God. And learn from this the value of a man as well, the value of a soul. Jesus sends the demons, called Legion, for they were many, into the herd of pigs which numbered 2,000, and this set one, maybe two men free. Only one seems to return desiring to follow Him, and Christ bids him to stay and testify to what happened here. He could say, "I was a slave to a harsh master, a prisoner, and Jesus set me free. I was a mad man as all who saw me remember, and now I am a new creature. I was worth more than 2,000 swine, Jesus saved me. He purchased me, I am now a slave of Christ."
…5But stretch out Your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse You to Your face.” 6“Very well,” said the LORD to Satan. “He is in your hands, but you must spare his life.” 7So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and infected Job with terrible boils from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.… Job 2: 5-7
My little daughter is at the point of death - If you notice, there is a growing degree of difficulty with the miracles, but only from a human perspective. That she is at death's door is no deterrent for Jesus; it only has to be within the will of the Father, for they are One with each other, and Christ has taken on humanity in order to do the will of God. Part of fulfilling humanity's obligation to God is perfect obedience, man being made in His image, the image now marred by sin. It is a curiously marvelous thing, and no wonder that angels long to look upon such matters, God the Son, fulfilling a role of obedience, that which we soiled, and submitting Himself to our place. He does not resent this, only being surrounded by sin, only the thought of what lies ahead, being forsaken of the Father. You will find no greater defense of human dignity than in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
14The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15John testified concerning Him. He cried out, saying, “This is He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’” 16From His fullness we have all received grace upon grace.… John 1: 14-16
…6For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from that time and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this. Isaiah 9: 6-7
Who touched My garments - He is in the form of a man, and submitting to the limitations of a man, but He knows that power has gone out of Him. The disciples think it a silly question, but it was not the tug upon the garment, but the power of the Holy Spirit within Him.
Your daughter is dead - The degree of difficulty increases, but these miracles are essential to showing Who He is. Who has power over death? Who has power over nature? Who has power over the spirit world?
Why trouble the Teacher any further - Oh the agony and the grief, but everyone there is dying physically, from the moment you enter this world, and the real kicker, the thing that they are oblivious to, they are all already dead spiritually.
1And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2in which you used to walk when you conformed to the ways of this world and of the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit who is now at work in the sons of disobedience. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, fulfilling the cravings of our flesh and indulging its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature children of wrath.… Ephesians 2: 1-3
Do not fear, only believe - You know what He means, but wow, my head would start doubting what I heard Him say, "believe what, what do you not want me to fear? What do you plan on doing?" As one individual replied, "Lord, I believe, help me with my unbelief."
They laughed at Him - His power, His authority to heal doesn't come because He exudes confidence, not because He practices the healing arts, stomps on a stage, get's everyone into a frenzy, no, it is the power of God wielded by the authority of God. They don't have to believe in Him, their belief doesn't make Him Who He is, and this miracle will show His authority over death, it will testify to the resurrection of the dead.
Talitha Cumi - Little girl, arise. She does and not to the sickness preceding her death. She is fully capable once again, fully awake and hungry. Give her something to eat because she's hungry and also to show that she is not an apparition as the superstitious would probably surmise. Not very dramatic, no stage, no lights, no music except the mourning from outside, and so few were invited to this inner chamber.
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