Anchor My Faith

A Demon Possessed Man Encountered

Scripture: Matthew 8:28-29; Mark 5:1-8; Luke 8:27, 29

After Jesus rebuked the wind and the sea, they obeyed and became calm allowing safe passage, ^{Mk 5:1} “They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes.” The footnotes of the ESV Study Bible indicate that the country of the Gerasenes refers to two towns with the name of Gerasa. The larger one is located 34 miles from the eastern shore of the sea of Galilee and the smaller one near the sea where the boat arrived.

^{MK 5:2} “And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit.” After being wakened by the disciples during a violent storm, Jesus rebukes them for their lack of faith and then rebukes the storm and the sea and they immediately calm down and then suddenly the boat arrives at the shore. As soon as they arrive on shore, Jesus faces a new demand. He is met by a man who lived among the tombs who had an unclean spirit.

“[He was] ^{Mt 8:28} so fierce that no one could pass that way. ^{Lk 8:27} For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs.” This man wore no clothes and lived outside among the tombs. This reminds me of the man that I saw walking naked on the street outside a hotel in China. He was not bothering anyone, but this man that approached Jesus was so fierce that no one could pass that way and had to travel another way.

^{Mk 5:3} “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. ^{Lk 8:29} He would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert. ^{Mk 5:5} Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains, he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones.”

More details are given concerning his strength and how he lived. He had the ability to stand against those trying to bind him and if somehow, he was bound, even with chains, he would break them and be driven about by the demon that possessed him. His strength reminds me of Samson, but here for evil not for good. Along with his great strength came a miserable life he suffered under the control of the demon who caused him to inflict damage to his body and to then cry out in pain and agony.

Pay careful attention when you read what happens next. Notice the transition between verses 6 and 7. Think about the “he” in “he saw” of verse 6 and the “he” in “he said” in verse 7. ^{Mk 5:6} “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.” ^{Mt 8:29} Have you come here to torment us before the time?” ^{Mk 5:8} For [Jesus] was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”

This appears to be a divine appointment with Jesus because this demon-controlled man saw and was able to identify Jesus from a distance and was able to go to him. Clearly the demon did not want to be confronted by Jesus, but that is where the man was able to go. In verse 6 the man saw Jesus and ran to him and fell down before him, but in verse 7 it is the demon who cries out to Jesus. We know it is the demon by what is said. He is concerned about what Jesus might do to him. The demon addresses Jesus as the Most High God and pleads for Jesus to not torment him. The demon knows there is pending judgment coming but does not want this to be that time. This demon does not want to leave his home in this man, which is the intention of Jesus.

We will end this lesson at this point and in our next lesson we will learn what Jesus does in response to the cry of the demon.

Prayer

Father, I wonder if my readers are cultivating an active relationship with Jesus is applying the word to their daily lives. I wonder if they see the Bible as simply a book to gain knowledge from when they have time or desire, or do they see it as a book to learn how to walk with Jesus in living a kingdom life. I wonder what the latest principle was they applied to their life or the last promise they claimed in overcoming some challenge in their life. How sad if the Bible is only used to hold up a thin film of dust as it lies unused someplace. I think of those who are willing to risk their lives just to own a Bible, so they can learn about Jesus and how to live.