Notice how Gods, Plus, when Jesus chased the sellers out of the Temple courts (. It's just 8 or 9 verses before this passage. I dont know of any illness that can do that. Therefore, were those cool-headed pig-farmers really Gentiles? 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. If they did, they would not see the chapter attacking the research in this blog post, theyd see a defense for it! Sinai. It is true that we discover new thoughts or extra meaning over time, but Gods Word is permanent and cannot change. being the eternal Son of God. Those famous four are sufficient to back up the Church's bias and with them one could pretend they say, Christ is the [dead] end of the Law [of Moses] (Luther and Calvin taught this), or maybe it means something very vague like, an end of a law is Christ. For a more advanced discussion of the vague quality of the text have a look at George Howards scholarly article. WebAll three Synoptic Gospels ( Mark 5:120; Luke 8:2639; Matthew 8:2834) mention the swine miracle, although with variations. 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. 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, The good pastor John MacArthur assumes in his video, [I stretch my hand out to the Jews] who sit by the graves and lodge over night in the tombs, who eat the flesh of pigs and the broth of corrupted meat from their pots. Do you remember at the end of the book, in the sixth book, when the King of Gondor and his captains and the host of Gondor have arrived at the black gates of Sauron Sauron is the evil figure in the book and if you know Tolkien's cosmology, he was actually an apprentice to the Satan figure of Tolkien's writings. II. 5 ) They werent real Jews They were JINOs! The Tabernacle of Ancient Israel - Brief Overview of the Tabernacle of Moses in the Wilderness and the Ark of the Covenant. Wipf & Stock Publishers. The list in the first chapter of Leviticus contains only bovine, sheep, goats and pigeons; all typified later, in Leviticus 11, as clean/pure animals. Most scholars today would agree with Origen that near Gergesa was the precise site for the healing of Legion. It was a small village about midway along the E shore of the Sea of Galilee. Food cant affect our salvation, nor disqualify us from being saved.Pork might not be very healthy,but as long as its USDA approved and deemed good by health inspectors from feeder hogs tat eat corn to clean the mess out of them of the last few bowel movements, then you should be good to go. That's why Jesus's motivation to kill the herd was more than obvious to the Tedious Twelve and the gospel writers. The apostles arent having a pig roast anywhere. Besides, each of the synoptic gospels quotes the demons saying out loud that Jesus had the power to torture them all at will (Matthew 8:29, Mark 5:7 and Luke 8:28). ESV - 1 They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. It was exactly due to his righteousness and his love for God that he killed two thousand pigs. Accessed 4 Mar. Demonic forces seem to be territorial; i.e., they have assigned areas of domain. We ask this in Jesus' name. If you watch the short clip (above) and compare it to the one hour source video Dominating Powers, Part 2 (Mark 5:1-20) you will notice how MacArthurs speaking style changes as soon as he addresses the matter of the pigs. In fact, they are, Yet the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke actually report that the towns people many would have been the owners or friends of the pig owners or people who were connected to the trade in the swine were, Also, wouldnt that be a type of sin and another example of how he may not have, All in all, after Jesus had trashed the livelihood of so many, we have to agree that they were, Every place the Master went on his travels it was to minister to a Jew, just as Paul said, To the Jew first (, Answering, he said, I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. (, As well, every place the Master went on his travels was inside of the, Scripture makes it clear that Ashers tribal land-boundary ended around the coastal city of Tyre (, Besides this Biblical evidence that Jesus and the woman were within Israels inheritance, there is also a prophesy that God will settle His People in the future in Gilead (a sizeable part of todays Kingdom of Jordan) and in, The real-estate on the east side of the lake of Galilee where Jesus met the demons and the swine was also part of Israel-proper. The pastors precious-people useless-swine principle was previously dreamed up by the 3rd century church father, St. Augustine of Hippo (quoted by Spalde and Strindlund), and he ran with it. WebThe terrified Gerasenes beseeching Jesus to leave them. If the interpretation from, If a bunch of little children want a ball to play with and I toss them a grenade, am I off the hook if a kid pulls out the pin? Well let's pray before we read God's Word together. All of us may be so concerned with our own livelihoods that we fail to serve other people and help those in desperat Yet this is exactly what Christians believe; Jesus came to fulfill (but think annul) the Law and then start a whole new religion. [] Top ten reasons why there were pigs in Gerasenes, (Linear Concepts, 17 October 2012), http://www.linearconcepts.com/archives/2011 []. But here's the second thing. Fourthly, Jesus specifically went to the land of the Gentile Gadarenes or Gerasenes, east of the Sea of Galilee, to minister to them. By Your Holy Spirit, show us our need of grace. I agree the counter-arguments look flawless on the surface and that will be partially exposed now. The Bible doesnt say. Playing with the plain truths of Gods eternal Scriptures means one is playing with fire and such actions will bring unfortunate consequences. We pray in Jesus' name. Ha, ha.. yeah lemme ummm.. tell ya about those pigs.., 2 ) Like any rational redneck, they smelled their Gentile neighbors having a pork BBQ and said DAAAANG, Hoss! viii. It was situated some 30 miles southeast of Gadara, on the borders of Peraea and a little north of the river Jabbok. Am I forgiven by saying, I just allowed the kids to have the grenade? Well the first thing I want you to see is this picture of a person in the thrall of sin. Archeologists identify it with the modern Jarash. 9 ) They were wild Ferrel hogs feeding near the cliffs. in which he transferred the demons afflicting a man to a number of swine, that thereupon rushed down a steep hill and perished. The book ends on that very point. This now then is our fifth fact in a nutshell. WebMany New Testament manuscripts refer to the "Country of the Gadarenes" or "Gerasenes" rather than. 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. 8 ) Their pork was kosher, kept out of the camp for 7 days, and circumcised. Luke is telling you here that Jesus is sovereign over everything. This kind of inter-ethnic scenario normally spells d.i.s.a.s.t.e.r. Christians never finish reading the chapter. "Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged [Jesus], saying, 'Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.' 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? Remember that the Law reveals to us the mind and personality of God.

. The account occurs in all three Synoptic gospels; in Mark (the shortest gospel) the story is in the longest and most detailed version; Matthew 8.2834 is the shortest, As a result, our biggest take-away lesson is to never take away from the Word of the Almighty.But dispensational-flavoured pastors ignore this and teach us that Moses and David and even Jesus lived by different rules. In retaliation for the massacre of the Jews at Caesarea, the Jews sent several raiding parties into the Gentile cities of the Decapolis. If the pig farmers were Gentile, why would non-Jewish farmers be so gentle with a Jew (who was also an outsider) who was messing around with their farm animals? Despite all the dangers to himself, David wouldnt allow any to be hurt. Many year later, Messiah went to Israel as a prophet to get the people of Israel back to his Law. For centuries, land wars are a type of a national sport among Middle Eastern nations. Herod had massive building projects all over Israel. Ive heard that the apostles and Christ may have traveled to Spain. No one cares where he sleeps when hes busy trying to keep himself from killing himself. As regards the first question, it would appear that that section of the country was chiefly inhabited by pagans in the first century, and Gerasa is at any rate included by Schrer among the Hellenistic cities ("Geschichte," ii. And in Malachi 4:4, why did God say remember the Law of Moses if God had His own law? He is more open with Gentiles because it fits His purpose about revelation to the Gentiles and the new inclusion in the kingdom. Doesnt Pastor MacArthur know his Bible? Well this is a taste of the profound arguments that you will find in that book. Perhaps that is his point. But the Jews were promised and re-promised their land by God throughout the Law: Genesis 15:7, Leviticus 20:24, Numbers 33:52-53, Deuteronomy 1:8 are just a few examples. Or are we with those who love what we want and what we have more than we love the Word of life from the only One who can give life? When Jesus healed the possessed man, He allowed Legion to possess the nearby herd of swine. Dr. Ligon Duncan | December 13, 2009. What's going on here? I definitely dont want to be near that doctor on Judgement Day.). And did the Gospels writers believe the explanation was so obvious they didn't need to write one? Instead of recklessly freeing the doves into the air (as erroneously shown in The Jesus Film and other Bible movies), Scripture records with precise detail that Jesus only knocked over the chairs of the pigeon owners, and/or told them to take their feathered property and leave (Matthew 21:12; Mark 11:15; John 2:16) he didnt use his whip on the birds or fling them into the air to be attacked by falcons or eagles. It is now called Jerash and is a deserted ruin. Where He goes, they show up and they say things to Him. To suggest God retracts or repeals laws tarnishes His Dignity. The Greeks were believers in the spirit And because they did not hear Him, they lost even what they had. That's what disciples do, they sit at their master's feet. David ran after the lion that had grabbed his sheep and with just his staff, and his wits, he forced the lion to drop it. Instead of Jesus turning water into wine. While animal-abuse cases arent normally rampant among church-goers, its no thanks to this bishops official policy. These four miracle stories, also we said, in contrast to the miracles in Luke 4 and 5, are focused on settings where a small group of the disciples witness the miracles. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before Him and said with a loud voice, What have You to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? 2 And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, Isaiah 44:9; Isaiah 44:19 Pigs were the required sacrifice on the altar in the temples of Zeus Olympus (Greek) or Jupiter Capitolinus (Roman), the same supreme god of all Hellenic theology known as the "king of Why should this surprise us? He prefers we stay laughing so no one can reflect on this coincidence. They dont care about about the demon possessed men, they want their pigs back, (My opinion) Jesus was raised with sacrifice so animals were thought of for food, not so much as pets like today. One moose, two moose. For being kind to birds!? It was a region of 10 Greco-Roman cities, a Gentile region. But it struck me as interesting that Bertrand Russell had the exact same reaction to this miracle that the people of the Gerasenes had. WebInhabitants of Gadara, known from an alleged miracle of Jesus (Matt. Both Gerasa and Gadara were cities to the east of the Sea of Galilee and the River Jordan. The Garasenes were not Jewish but the country was close to Galilee and Jesus had been to that side of the sea before. WebThe Gerasenes were the people of the district of which Gerasa was the capital. Matthew tells us there were two demoniacs, while Mark and Luke only Obviously the man with the demon was Jewish or Jesus would not have gone there. Because in all of Holy Writ, the phrase first appears in Leviticus 11 (Leviticus 11:44) right after God talks about clean/pure meats. (photo by Jean Pierre, Pexels), Reading the Word of God is wonderful. If the interpretation from one vague verse contradicts several unambiguous verses, which is wrong? 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. We do not say that to cast the first stone. Why did these people respond to Jesus this way? So many beautiful verses and motivating passages are in Scripture. III. But it was what they loved and they preferred it to everlasting blessing in Jesus Christ. Paul talked about going to Spain in Rom 15:24-28, so part of this is certainly within the realm of possibilities. Read it for yourself. Did you know that one of the 7 ingredients in underwater concrete was animal blood? Without a doubt, both men know God never came up with the line, Third Fact: Not a fickle faithless Father. (Sidebar: During the whole Rob Bell Love Wins craze, I had a friend who claimed to believe the Bible, but denied that demons exist. Either way, dispensational charts ultimately commit both acts against the Word of God. Pig meat, according to Scripture, is as, Suddenly, Mark 5 is clear. And so this man comes to Jesus, he seeks Him out, and Jesus says to him, What is your name? And the man doesn't know his name. Once more, we have half of an unclear verse, that people use to make up a grand doctrine, all with the hopes it will magically annihilate one hundred clear, unambiguous verses which say the Law is permanent. Before a shattering, a mans heart is proud (Proverbs 18:12). 3 One was, His Name Was Legion, Not Ligon. I have been confused with Legion all my life and it worries me that it's not just the sound of the name, but I want to make it clear that Legion is not in any way related to Ligon. All Rights Reserved. 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. 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. And then God Himself repeated it five more times in the same book: Leviticus 11:45, Leviticus 19:2, Leviticus 20:2, Leviticus 20:7-8 and Leviticus 20:26! There he meets a man seized with an unclean spirit (Mark) or with demons (Luke). This city was better known than Gadara or Gergesa; indeed in the Roman age no city of Palestine was (eds.). He wouldnt have lived long enough to get to a cross to die. These demons of the Gadarene Demoniac wanted to stay in this territory where worship of Baal was predominant. The thinking behind each chart is contrary to the unity and oneness of God. These pastors have, Look at the prophets; they also prove Scripture doesnt change. Take the first chapter of Genesis for example; ones interpretation of it depends on whether one thinks its a historical retelling of creation, or just a poem. The apostle had been busy preaching in Demetriuss hometown of Ephesus and Pauls message about the one true God was catching on. And he sends out his representative, a man who is known only as the Lieutenant of the Tower of Barad-dr, the black gate. There was a logic in this. He showed mercy to the men who were possessed and brought judgement on the pig farmers. For you Tolkien fans it reminds me of a character in the trilogy of the Lord of the Rings. You understand that Legion is not his name. So its a fair comparison to place Pauls actions in Ephesians side-by-side with Jesuss actions by the Lake of Galilee. We see the power of Christ over Satan, don't we? Lastly, based on culture, human-nature and most importantly, on specific Scripture passages, we know the demoniac could not have been a Gentile but was most assuredly, Yet a complete interpretation of Mark 5 needs to clear up one last point: the pigs were forbidden but did they, Christ kept kosher and cleaned up the town, I can of Myself do nothing. And Jews are forbidden by God and His eternal commands to own pigs. (But that may sadly describe a good number of Christians.) take a dump and be cleaned.lol. Owning those defiling animals was illegal and having two thousand head, the farmers were more than flouting the Law that Jesus had not came to destroy but to fulfill (Matthew 5:17). The mountainside has caves and hewn tombs where, according to Mark and Luke, the demoniac had taken shelter. That will give us the perfect answer. In the three Synoptic Gospels and, None of the verses below refute any of the. He's set free. But what are its implications? Gerasa. In the story of the Gerasene demoniac, Jesus invades enemy territory and defeats a powerful army to deliver people from bondage. I trust the Lord Jesus to know what to do with demons and what ought to be done. I beg You, do not torment me. Then, if you look in verse 38, he begs Jesus that he might be with him. Of course not. 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. Cute little silver goddess dolls would have sold for the same price as a full-grown boar or sow in those days. Jesus victory over the devils army results in the man being dressed and in his right mind, a different kind of setting things right with the world and a foretaste of the age to come. Thats really why they were sent. Without a question, if Jesuss pig-farmers had been Gentiles, there would have been bloodshed. Them there pigs were going to try to hog the limelightthat Jesus was famous for but ended up being lost in more ways than one! (Later, in Genesis 8:20, Noah sacrificed some of the clean animals to God as thank you offerings because their ship had come in! Add to that that recent. Their line of reasoning supposes that Jesus wanted to save the man (men) but too many unclean spirits meant Jesus had to negotiate to get them to move out. (, David, the son of Jesse, was another selfless, compassionate shepherd. why do you think there were pigs there?]. Therefore we know that when Jesus helped the Syrophoenician woman (not a Jewess, but she came to him), he and the woman were both in Israeli territory. Is there actually a real reason why the Gospel accounts shouldnt be taken as factual history? The Psalmist states that God owns the cattle on a thousand hills Because to me belong every beast of the wood, every herd on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10, and were assuming Jesus the Second Person of the triune God had equal rights to those hills and those cattle.). As I hear, I judge and My judgment is righteous because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me. and therefore the good pastor declares the demoniac to be a Gentile since, as everyone also knows, Gentiles are better tomb-dwellers.. It deeply disturbed Bertrand Russell that Jesus allowed a herd of two thousand pigs to be destroyed. Perhaps a tenth, or a quarter, or a half of the 613 commandments were fulfilled by Jesus, but not all. Luke 1:6 says, [Zachariah and Elisabeth] were both righteous before God, walking in all of the commandments and judgements of the LORD, guiltless. Sound like perfect obedience to me. The next allusion to Gerasa concerns its capture during Vespasians campaign. Regrettably, what were about to study the, And he answers him, saying, My name is Legion because there are many of us. Also he begs Jesus many times that he'd not send them away, out of the. Lots of non-Jews lived there. I'm the man who Jesus saved by casting out the demons from me.. What have You to do with me, Jesus, the Son of the Most High God? Bibliography W. A. Thomson, The Land and the Book (1882), 333-338, 353, 359; C. H. Kraeling, Gerasa, City of the Decapolis (1938); The Westminster Historical Atlas to the Bible (1946), 64, 117; M. F. Unger, Archaeology and the NT (1962), 139-141; E. Lohmeyer, Das Evangelium des Markus (1963), 93f; C. F. Pfeiffer, The Biblical World (1966), 252-254. But should you also doubt, my friendly blog reader, read on. That is why 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)? So whats the point because Pastor John Piper feels the pigs were less important and John LOL MacArthur just jokes about the slaughter neither reaction seems sensible. For those near by the local name would be used; but in writing to a distant people, as the Greeks and Romans, the more comprehensive and general name would be given. The real irritation is people saying the Law was impossible to obey, when Scripture says the opposite it true. (Matthew 8:28; Mark 5:1; Luke 8:26) In Gerasenes in place of Gadarenes. And this identical detail was written down in three different texts to remind us of the Son of Mans normally tender nature. 1). Don Crowe and Nicholas Gentile direct the Oswego Players Scenes of Crime; Section X: Canton downs Heuvelton for repeat Overall Section 10 title; Section X: Lady Wildcats edge Hammond for Section Overall title; PROPERTY SALES; Local pro hockey: Former Wolves player Liarakos paces Mississippi past visiting Watertown Now, if a Jew can be treated so badly by fellow Jews, lets put on our thinking caps and imagine what happens to a Jew walking straight into a big group of Gentiles. And he was the one who said that the Father doesnt miss the , Everyone's wondering why the pigs got the raw end of the deal. And because he said it one single, solitary time, and he didnt actually present anything new, we have clear proof that he didnt add anything to the Law and his joke underscores the fact that he didnt add (or delete) from the Law! WebHealing of a Demoniac. Gods Law even has two commands that equate domestic livestock with wild animals. The textual evidence shows that the MSS preserve three variant spellings of the name in each gospel. 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. It's amazing Jesus comes to shore and it's obvious that He has immediately commanded the spirits to leave the man because they remonstrate with Him. 11:78). I will say that I struggled with the title to this sermon. 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. One possible reason the Son of David chose the pigs was that he had no choice. It's this man who doesn't even remember his name who's possessed by a host of demons. This, by the way, is the miracle story that happens in Gentile land. Echoes of Exodus in the Land of theGerasenes, Wesleys Eschatological Optimism Explains itAll, The Prophet in the Hometown A Pilgrim in Augsburg, The Methodist Million Dollar Appeal in World WarII. But they dont prove his point. And the good pastor doesnt give any rationale for a slaughter that huge. No, the Gentiles are not simply non-Jews. Gentiles are loved by God and redeemed by Jesus. Knowing the correct genre of what you are studying is a major step toward getting a correct message or interpretation. Dedicated Online Support through Live Chat & Customer Care contact nos. Look at the prophets; they also prove Scripture doesnt change. However, it is anticipated that the following verses will be thrown up as excuses, as pat answers, and as proof that God has changed, the Law is fulfilled (a.k.a. He had a new name and he had a new nature to go along with it. Of course this kosher interpretation is just as obvious painfully obvious to John MacArthur and Piper, yet I've never seen either refute the issue or deal honestly with their doubts. Anyway, it was the demons that would have decided where, and if, he slept. Gods Law even has two commands that equate domestic livestock with wild animals. led to the substitute reading Gergesenes, a reading that was suggested by a study of the geography of the area. Maybe it was because they were unclean animals. But Christianity early became important in the city; several churches were built during these centuries, so that by the 5th cent., Gerasa could send a bishop to the Council of Chalcedon. Since demons are by most accounts fallen angels to begin with, they already know to Whom they are ultimately accountable. From the brook beside the road he will drink and for this reason, he will lift high his head. 2023 Christianity.com. This location agrees with the description given by the ancient writers. But what does Leviticus says about ham? In turn, they would have a vehicle wherewith to stay in their territory. Did Jesus really sacrifice the swine for the man? Its not possible for either of them to change, and therefore, inconceivable that Jesus would modify one iota of what he helped write. But Jesus still ministered to them: crowds from Tyre and Sidon came to see and listen to Him ( Mark 3:78 ). But this view is shocking because it places Gods Son on an equal footing with the unclean spirits and thus flies in the face of the normal presentation of Jesus in the Gospels. 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. 3 He lived among the tombs; and no one could restrain him any more, even with a chain; 4 for he had often been restrained with shackles and chains, but the chains he wrenched apart, and Marks Jesus is a warrior who conquers Gods enemies. Do you see how Jesuss Gentiles dont act like Gentiles! The demons inhabit the bodies of this herd of pigs and the pigs cast them into the Lake of Galilee. v. 37) describe Jesus healing of the demoniac Legion and the drowning of the swine in the Sea of Galilee (cf. So why were these pig owners on the east side of the lake afraid? He will judge the Gentiles, filling places with bodies. At least Im man enough to admit possible weaknesses in my arguments and to talk about the elephants in the room. 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. The nearby shepherds were sheep shepherds, not hog herders. Do you remember? Also, wouldnt that be a type of sin and another example of how he may not have perfectly kept the Law? Additionally, the encounter takes place among the tombs, an earthly realm of the dead, so to speak. One can only imagine the insanity the demoniac suffered at the hands of these evil forces. WebGentiles [N] [T] [B] [S] (Heb., usually in plural, goyim), meaning in general all nations except the Jews. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs. We have seen that God Almighty loves animals as much as humans, so Jesus randomly killing two thousand swine seems senseless, unless we remember God has commanded righteous people to avoid defiling food, such as pork.
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