Anchor My Faith

The Reaction of the People

Scripture: Matthew 8:33-34; Mark 5:14, 16, 18-20; Luke 8:35, 37

In our previous lesson, we witnessed a great herd of pigs being spoked by the entrance of demons into them, causing them to rush down the steep hillside and into the sea to drown. What a picture this was of the coming fate of demons, when God defeats Satan and throws him into the lake of fire. We see this is Revelation 20:10 (ESV): “and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” Jesus granted the demon’s request and allowed them to enter the pigs, but then sacrificed the pigs to send them off to coming judgment.

The loss of income from the destruction of such a large herd of pigs caused a reaction from the herdsmen. ^{Mk 5:14} “The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. ^{Mt 8:33} They told everything, especially what had happened to the demon-possessed men.” I can only imagine what was said and the reaction their testimony had on everyone who heard, either directly or by word of mouth.

Curiosity got the best of the people who heard the story of what happened. ^{Lk 8:35} “Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid.” The man was now sitting with Jesus instead of being among the tombs as a wild man; he was clothed and no longer naked; and he was no longer controlled by demons but was in his right mind.

Why do you suppose the people were afraid? Because of the change in the man, the transfer of the demons from the man to the pigs, and then the destruction of the pigs, the people suddenly realized that God was working among them. He had judged the demons and sent them away and maybe the people were afraid of judgment against them. They felt the presence and power of God and for sinful people, like you and me, this produces fear.

We are now given more detail and the reaction of the people: ^{Mk 5:16} “And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. ^{Lk 8:37} Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes ^{Mt 8:34} came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him, [they] ^{Lk 8:37} asked him to depart from them; ^{Mt 8:34} they begged him to leave their region. ^{Lk 8:37} for they were seized with great fear. So, he got into the boat and returned.”

The people were not grateful that the once demon possessed man had been restored but were instead upset that Jesus had negatively affected the economy of their region by destroying so many pigs. They came to Jesus and asked him to depart from them. In fact, they beg him to leave their region. Standing before them is the Son of God, the Messiah, and they beg him to leave. How often do we desire less involvement from God when we want to do something that is not best for us? As Jesus granted the demon’s request, he now grants the people’s request and gets into the boat with his disciples and crosses back across the sea.

^{Mk 5:18} “As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. ¹⁹ And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” ²⁰ And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.”

Here is the third request. The man, who had been demon possessed, wanted to go with Jesus but he was not permitted to do so but instead Jesus gives him direction to go home and share with his family and friends what the Lord had done for him.

Prayer

Father, I think about whether I have peace or fear when in your presence. The man had peace in the presence of Jesus because of what Jesus had done for him, but the people were afraid because they stood before Jesus as sinners in need of his grace. We need to think about this and maybe do something about it.