Mark 5:1 So they arrived at the other side of the lake, in the region of the Gerasenes. 2 When Jesus climbed out of the boat, a man possessed by an evilt spirit came out from a cemetery to meet him. 3 This man lived among the burial caves and could no longer be restrained, even with a chain. 4 Whenever he was put into chains and shackles—as he often was—he snapped the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Day and night he wandered among the burial caves and in the hills, howling and cutting himself with sharp stones.
6 When Jesus was still some distance away, the man saw him, ran to meet him, and bowed low before him. 7 With a shriek, he screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In the name of God, I beg you, don’t torture me!” 8 For Jesus had already said to the spirit, “Come out of the man, you evil spirit.”
9 Then Jesus demanded, “What is your name?”
And he replied, “My name is Legion, because there are many of us inside this man.” 10 Then the evil spirits begged him again and again not to send them to some distant place.
11 There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby. 12 “Send us into those pigs,” the spirits begged. “Let us enter them.”
13 So Jesus gave them permission. The evil spirits came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd of about 2,000 pigs plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water.
14 The herdsmen fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran. People rushed out to see what had happened. 15 A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons. He was sitting there fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid. 16 Then those who had seen what happened told the others about the demon-possessed man and the pigs. 17 And the crowd began pleading with Jesus to go away and leave them alone.
18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to go with him. 19 But Jesus said, “No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been.” 20 So the man started off to visit the Ten Townst of that region and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them.
A literary term called the 'chiastic structure' describes the stories in Mark. Three stories are connected to point to one - the one with a deeper meaning; the first story in Mark 4:35-41 and the last story of Mark 5:21-43 point to the story in the middle of Mark 5:1-20.
The first story is Jesus in the boat crossing the lake with the disciples - a violent storm begins to rage while Jesus naps on a cushion in the back; the disciples fear for their lives and wake Jesus: "Hey, we are going to die here, do something!" (my paraphrasing). Jesus calms the storm ( the Hebrew words mean 'scolds the storm' - and that makes more sense since Jesus is God). Jesus then turns to the disciples and questions their faith. “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”The disciples are amazed. (4:41)
Let's skip to the last story, where Jesus travels by boat again back to the other side of the lake shore and Jarius, a local synagogue leader, begs Jesus to hurry and come to his house because his daughter is dying. As Jarius is trying to hurry Jesus through the crowd, a woman with a blood disorder touches Him and is healed. Jesus perceives the healing and has another amazing interaction with a person of faith. While Jesus is speaking with her, messengers arrive to let Jarius know it is too late - his daughter has died. Jesus hears and says to Jarius, "Don't be afraid. Just have faith," (vs 36). Jesus tells the crowd at the house, she is only sleeping and the laugh at Him. He made them all leave (vs 40) and raises the girl from the dead. Jarius and his wife and three of disciples are totally amazed. Jesus gives strict orders not to tell anyone (vs 43).
The story in the middle (Mark 5:1-20) goes beyond amazement. Jesus is still back on the other side of the lakeshore (just after the storm). There in the hills of a cementary lived a demonic man. Everyone was fearful of this man. Often (when he could be caught) he was put in shackles and chains that he easily broke. He was the original wolf-man - he wandered naked among the burial caves and hills, howling and cutting himself. As soon as he sees Jesus, he runs towards Him. I can imaging the disciple's faces as they see this crazy, naked man looming towards Jesus - probably thinking: 'lets get back in the boat and out of here'. The man bows down to Jesus; Jesus casts out of the man the legion of demons and puts them into a herd of pigs (the demons idea). The now demonic pigs plunge down the hill into the lake. The people and disciples are so captivated by the spectacle of the squealing herd of pigs drowning, by the time they turn around to check on the man - they now see him sitting, fully clothed, and having a sane 'so glad to know you' conversation with Jesus. And now they are really afraid. They want Jesus to leave.
As Jesus starts to get into the boat, the man, who he has saved and is truly in awe of Him, begs to go with Him. But Jesus commissions him to go and tell his family everything the Lord has done for him (vs 19) and he does more - he becomes a missionary in the Ten Towns region (vs 20).
In the first two stories Jesus keeps his miracles quiet - there is amazement and fear on the part of the onlookers. But the man who was freed from his demons, is awestruck by Jesus; he longs to be near Jesus and follow Him.
There is a difference between a feeling of amazement and a feeling of awe. For our Lord Jesus Christ is one not to be feared or astonished by but rather to live in awe of - to be followed. I can only imagine the reaction of this man's family and region's towns people. I doubt he had any friends prior to the day he returned; he had existed alone with his demons. And then Jesus came that day and changed his life forever. All He longed for was to be near to Jesus and follow Him - so Jesus said go and tell everyone about Me - so they can see a life that was touched by Me - "and everyone was amazed at what he told them".(Mark 5:20)
Dear Lord Jesus, may I live in awe of You, be near to You and follow You all the days I live - telling everyone what you have done in my life. Amen
