The Demoniac, Part 1—The Man | Mark 5:1–5
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.
Many problems in this world bring us low, and many (if not most) are of our own, sinful making. Sometimes, others are responsible for our
current trials (although, not as often or to the degree that we claim). In relatively few instances, though, the
blame lies in the demonic realm.
This account follows the storm at sea, which itself came at the
end of the Lord’s busy day of teaching in chapter four. They’re just arriving at the eastern shore in
Gentile territory. As Jesus gets out of
the boat in what should be a quiet area, one of two demonized men (see Mt 8:28),
perhaps the more prominent or vocal, came right up to Jesus and kneeled before
Him (Mk 5:6).
He didn’t suffer from some psychosis. He performs supernatural feats of strength (v.
4) and demonstrates supernatural knowledge in knowing Jesus’s name (v. 7). Mark doesn’t tell us how he came to be so
demonized, but what he says is heartbreaking.
The demonic activity made
him an outcast. Though people cared
for him (v. 19), he could no longer live in civilized society. On previous occasions, someone tried to bind
him even with ankle shackles and chains, to no avail. Though it’s not good for a man to be alone
(Gn 2:18), he (and his co-suffering demoniac) lived isolated and naked, completely
dehumanized.
The demonic activity made
him injure himself. Satan seeks to
steal, kill, and destroy (Jn 10:10), on the prowl to devour (1 Pt 5:8–9). His demons likewise seek to slowly or quickly
destroy (cf. Mk 9:22). So, in addition
to inducing the man to break his fetters, causing whatever resultant injuries,
the unclean spirits would force him to pick up rock shards and mutilate his
flesh.
The demonic activity made him come to the presence of the compassionate Lord. Jesus, exhausted as He is, speaks to the man
and delivers him. No matter how far gone
you are, even if Satan has a strong hold on you, the Lord Jesus Christ saves. Seek Him in believing prayer and find true
deliverance today.
