Mark 5:17

And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts. AND THEY BEGAN TO PRAY HIM TO DEPART OUT OF THEIR COASTS. Was it the owners only of the valuable property now lost to them that did this? Alas, no! For Luke (Luke 8:37) says, "Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought Him to depart from them; because they were taken [or 'seized' - suneichonto (G4912)] with great fear" The evil spirits had thus, alas! their object. Irritated, the people could not suffer His presence; yet awestruck, they dared not order Him off: so they entreat Him to withdraw, and-He takes them at their word....

1-20 Some openly wilful sinners are like this madman. The commands of the law are as chains and fetters, to restrain sinners from their wicked courses; but they break those bands in sunder; and it is an evidence of the power of the devil in them. A legion of soldiers consisted of six thousand men, or more. What multitudes of fallen spirits there must be, and all enemies to God and man, when here was a legion in one poor wretched creature! Many there are that rise up against us. We are not a match for our spiritual enemies, in our own strength; but in the Lord, and in the power of his might, we shall be able to stand against them, though there are legions of them. When the vilest transgressor is delivered by the power of Jesus from the bondage of Satan, he will gladly sit at the feet of his Deliverer, and hear his word, who delivers the wretched slaves of Satan, and numbers them among hi...

See this account of the demoniacs fully explained in the notes at Matthew 8:28. Mark 5:4 HE HAD BEEN OFTEN BOUND WITH FETTERS AND CHAINS - Efforts had been made to confine him, but his great strength - his strength increased by his malady - had prevented it. There often appears to be a great increase of strength produced by insanity, and what is here stated in regard to this maniac often occurs in Palestine and elsewhere now. Dr. Thomson (“The Land and the Book,” vol. i. p. 213) says respecting this case: “There are some very similar at the present day - furious and dangerous maniacs, who wander about the mountains, and sleep in tombs and caves. In their worst paroxysms they are quite unmanageable and prodigiously strong.”...

EXPOSITION MARK 5:1 AND THEY CAME TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SEA. The other side of the sea would be the south-east side of the sea. INTO THE COUNTRY OF THE GADARENES, or rather, _Gerasenes_,_ _which is now generally admitted to be the true reading, from Gerasa, Gersa, or Kersa. There was another Gerasa, situated at some distance from the sea, on the borders of Arabia Petraea. The ruins of the Gerasa, here referred to, have been recently discovered by Dr. Thomson, ('The Land and the Book'). Immediately over this spot is a lofty mountain, in which are ancient tombs; and from this mountain there is an almost perpendicular declivity, literally (κρημνός) corresponding accurately to what is required by the description in the narrative of the miracle. Dr. Farrar ('Life of Christ') says that in the days of Eusebius and Jer

AND THEY BEGAN TO PRAY HIM,.... That is, the inhabitants of the city of Gadara, and of the villages round about, very earnestly importuned him TO DEPART OUT OF THEIR COASTS; fearing, lest for their sins, some sorer judgment should fall upon them, than the loss of their swine; since they perceived he was a person of great power and authority; which shows great ignorance and worldly mindedness: they knew not how great a person they had among them; that he was the Son of God, and Saviour of the world: they might have known from the miracles wrought, that he was a very wonderful and extraordinary person; but then they considered him as one endued with great power, rather, to do them hurt than good; as one sent to scourge them for their sins, than to save them from them: such very contrary notions have carnal men of Christ; they are afraid of being sufferers, or losers by him: they do not ca...

Mark 5:1. _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._ Our Lord crossed the Sea of Galilee on purpose to rescue this poor man from the power of the unclean spirit that possessed him. He knew that there were many who needed him on the Galilean side of the lake, and he could foresee the storm that would threaten to sink the little ship; yet he calmly said to his disciples (see chapter 4:Verse 35), «Let us pass over unto the other side.» As soon as the great Physician landed, a dreadful apparition appeared. «Out of the tombs», an uncanny place, rushed a man, howling and yelling like some wild beast; or worse still, under the influence of Satan, who had taken possession of him....

CHAPTER 5 _ 1. The Servant's Power over Satan's work. (Mark 5:1. Matthew 8:28; Luke 8:26 .)_ 2. The Servant's Power over disease and death. (Mark 5:21 .Matthew 9:18; Luke 8:40 .) 1. THE SERVANT'S POWER OVER SATAN'S WORK. Mark 5:1 The Storm on the Lake was the work of Satan, but here the power of the enemy is more prominent. The description of the demoniac differs from Mat

MARK 4:35 TO MARK 5:43. FOUR WONDER-STORIES. The stilling of the tempest, the healing of the demoniac and of the woman, and the raising of Jairus-' daughter form one of the most graphic sections of Mk.'s narrative. These stories have clearly been often told, and the evangelist delights to tell them. They seem to rest on unmistakable history. Thus the reference to the other little boats (Mark 4:36) reproduces an insignificant detail that naturally remained in the memory of an eye-witness (_cf._ Wellhausen). Other details, such as asleep _on the cushion_ (Mark 4:38), or the command to give the little girl something to eat ...

THE BANISHING OF THE DEMONS (Mark 5:1-13)...

PRAY. See note on "besought", Mark 5:10, and compare Mark 5:18. OUT OF. away from. Greek. _apo._ App-104. COASTS. borders....