There is a saying that, “Talk is cheap.” What we mean by it is that it is very easy to say something but it is another matter entirely to actually do what we claim. People make empty boasts all the time. Unfortunately, this is true even in regard to spiritual things. People claim to be from, or to speak on behalf of, God. The question is whether their actions demonstrate this is true. For example, the Apostle Paul wrote, “My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power,” (1 Corinthians 2:4 NIV)
Jesus claimed that He came from God. He said that the words He spoke were given to Him by God. How do we know this is true? Jesus performed miracles to substantiate His message. He healed many sick people. He stilled a storm with a word. Even more significantly, we know Jesus came from God because He had power over evil spiritual forces.
In the first 20 verses of chapter 5, in the Gospel which bears his name Mark writes, “They came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. When he had come out of the boat, immediately a man with an unclean spirit met him out of the tombs. He lived in the tombs. Nobody could bind him any more, not even with chains, because he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him, and the fetters broken in pieces. Nobody had the strength to tame him. Always, night and day, in the tombs and in the mountains, he was crying out, and cutting himself with stones. When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and bowed down to him, and crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have I to do with you, Jesus, you Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, don’t torment me.” For he said to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” He asked him, “What is your name?” He said to him, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” He begged him much that he would not send them away out of the country. Now on the mountainside there was a great herd of pigs feeding. All the demons begged him, saying, “Send us into the pigs, that we may enter into them.” At once Jesus gave them permission. The unclean spirits came out and entered into the pigs. The herd of about two thousand rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and they were drowned in the sea. Those who fed the pigs fled, and told it in the city and in the country. The people came to see what it was that had happened. They came to Jesus, and saw him who had been possessed by demons sitting, clothed, and in his right mind, even him who had the legion; and they were afraid. Those who saw it declared to them what happened to him who was possessed by demons, and about the pigs. They began to beg him to depart from their region. As he was entering into the boat, he who had been possessed by demons begged him that he might be with him. He didn’t allow him, but said to him, “Go to your house, to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how he had mercy on you.” He went his way, and began to proclaim in Decapolis how Jesus had done great things for him, and everyone marveled.”
The region of the Gadarenes (or Gerasenes), on the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee, at one time belonged to the ancient kingdom of Israel. At the time Jesus lived, most of the inhabitants were non-Jewish. The area is also called the Decapolis (the ten cities) because of the ten Greek cities which had been founded there. We know that Greek influence was very strong because of the large herds of pigs which were nearby. According to the Law of Moses, pigs were unclean animals, and the Jews shunned them. By Jesus’ going to this region we get a hint that He did not come to serve only the Jewish people. Eventually, He would give His life for all people, Jew and Gentile alike.
As soon as Jesus landed a demon-possessed man accosted Him. This man had super-human strength and was uncontrollable. He was also an outcast. The only place left for him to live was among the cave-like tombs carved into the hillsides. Not only had society rejected him, he had rejected the standards of society – he roamed about naked, crying out and cutting himself.
Though no one could control or subdue him, in Jesus he recognized One who had the authority to command. It is interesting to note that the demons often had a better understanding of who Jesus was than God’s chosen people, the Jews. This man, or the demons inside him, called Jesus the “Son of the Most High God.” Many people are deeply offended by the title “Son of God.” Most of those who take offense do not understand what the title means. They are thinking in physical terms while the title expresses a spiritual reality. The Bible uses the word “Son” to indicate relationship. In speaking of Jesus it says, “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being…” (Hebrews 1:3 NIV) To put it another way, Jesus is the manifestation of God in human form. An earthly son resembles his father. Since Jesus shares God’s nature and is the image of God it is appropriate to call Him the Son of God.
The demons within this man begged Jesus not to torture them or send them out of the area. From this we learn the inconsistency of evil. The spiritual beings who torture others do not, themselves, wish to be tortured. More importantly, these beings recognized Jesus’ power over them. They had no choice but to obey. Scripture tells us that, ultimately, Jesus will use His authority to judge everyone. The devil and the unrighteous will be thrown into the fires of hell.
It is worth remembering that when Jesus gave the demons permission to enter the pigs, the demons sent the pigs to their destruction. Not only did they destroy the pigs, this was a huge loss to their owners. The devil lures people by promising them pleasure, wealth or power. However, the end result of listening to satanic powers is always destruction. As the Scripture says, “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8 NIV)
When the people of the area came to investigate what happened, they found the demon-possessed man clothed and in his right mind. Jesus did for him what no one else could do. It is the same today – no one can heal us from our spiritual diseases except Jesus. He said, “…I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10 NIV)
Instead of rejoicing that Jesus had given the man new life, the people feared and begged Jesus to leave. What is our response to Jesus? Are we like the people of the Decapolis who asked Jesus to leave, or are we like the healed man who, at Jesus’ request, went about telling everyone what Jesus had done for him?