were But Jesus still ministered to them: crowds from Tyre and Sidon came to see and listen to Him ( Mark 3:78 ). Seven Biblical facts await you that prove Jesus was obliged to love all creatures, except that a higher command forced him to partially judge the Jews who owned the two thousand poor pigs. (, Although the Almightys statement is only one sentence in, For I myself witness truthfully to everyone hearing the words of the prophecy of this book, , Besides Johns cute play on words dont, Also, Orthodox Jews see a clear connection between, This curse should deter makers of dispensational charts from chopping up Scripture because having my share taken from the Book of Life, or my name , Also, Johns emphasis do not take away from , 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. Some will respond to my rhetorical question, Why on earth would Jesus come to earth, by giving me the usual pat answer, None can keep the nasty old Law, so Jesus came to fulfill it perfectly, and now I dont have to do anything, at all, whatsoever, just believe, hallelujah! I am but a man possessed by an innumerable host of demons. Scripture exhorts us to care for animals and not to be cruel to them. They are out to steal, kill, and destroy, so we dare not trifle with evil spirits. The Law of God states that the Sabbath is a day of rest for all livestock (Deuteronomy 5:14). And if he missed one, he didnt do it perfectly. Amen. Many year later, Messiah went to Israel as a prophet to get the people of Israel back to, The two Johns see more than a hint of what I am talking about in the destruction of the swine and it frightens them so they avoid a serious discussion. Well Ill explain that too, later on. Part of the reason for such a short list is due to the fact that Gods People are special (Exodus 19:5-6) and separate (Deuteronomy 7:6) and unique from others on the earth (1 Peter 2:9). Youll notice at the beginning of the passage that they go across the lake to the east side and that puts them outside the bounds of Galilee and outside the bounds of Israel and over into Gentile territory on the other side. 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. were the gerasenes 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. One can only imagine the insanity the demoniac suffered at the hands of these evil forces. Their dead bodies you must not touch. In the three Synoptic Gospels and John 2:15, Jesus forces all the sellers out of the Temple courts. Webwere the gerasenes gentiles. Palmer Robertson was telling me not long after he had arrived in Africa to begin his ministry there he was taken to a nighttime fireside meeting with a witch doctor a man who was possessed of familiar spirits, who had extraordinary powers of strength, prediction, he was hired by people to put curses on other people and to put spells on other people. 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, Both Gerasa and Gadara were cities to the east of the Sea of Galilee and the River Jordan. WebApparently Gerasa was rebuilt by the Romans before the revolt began, prob. Theres another interesting question in the sidelines: if Jews detested pigs, why were there pigs in the area? Therefore, were those cool-headed pig-farmers really Gentiles? 11:78). Legion probably comes from the fact that Roman legions had four to six thousand men in them and this name, Legion, indicates that he is possessed by a host of demons. Jesus was teaching the way to live life so demons would not have a place in us to possess. We use cookies to provide you with a great user experience. Being made in God's image, we are more important to the Lord than any animal. 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? Jun 21, 2021. The Gadarenes Rejection | Reformed Bible Studies & Devotionals With such a track record, what difference would Legions size or strength make? 8 ) Their pork was kosher, kept out of the camp for 7 days, and circumcised. in which he transferred the demons afflicting a man to a number of swine, that thereupon How and why did this happen in the first place? I beg You, do not torment me. Then, if you look in verse 38, he begs Jesus that he might be with him. And he is sent out to negotiate with Aragorn and Gandalf, and the others. He's set free. It seems Jesus allowed the demons to destroy the pigs so that the people could see just what demons are up to when they assault people. 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 it fits their bias. So much for sola scriptura. Don't be surprised if none of them want the spotl One goose, two geese. Only this interpretation explains the farmers restrained reaction over the slaughter of the swine, and their tremendous terror of the Messiah. 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. to biblical Galilee, regarded, in opposition to Judaea, as a country of Gentiles (as in Matthew 4:15) What was Jairus occupation? And what can we take away from the second part of the commandment not to take away from Gods Word? Demetrius wasnt afraid to stand up for his rights. Accessed 4 Mar. Additionally, the encounter takes place among the tombs, an earthly realm of the dead, so to speak. Ba-dum-tsss.). That is, they appear contrary, except for one thing: Gods Law forbids righteous people from eating pork. If they did, they would not see the chapter attacking the research in this blog post, theyd see a defense for it! The exorcism and the slaughter: Did they happen? Such a contradiction in character! So instead of working or hammering away at the embarrassing elephant in the room, the good pastors spoon out interpretations to us that are not biblical, or dish up corny one-liners, all in the hope that well swallow them or be too busy laughing to connect the dots ourselves. Note that Jesus never touched the demon-inhabited individual: He merely spoke to him, commanding the evil to depart. (, Worse yet, dont trust one who says Scripture. 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. This has been a long blog thanks for sticking with it but because Im going to ruffle feathers, Ive gone the extra mile to explain myself clearly and to plug any holes in my argument. Its true! He was clear that His mission was not to the Gentiles and Samaritans, but rather, to the lost tribe of Israel. So why did the meek n merciful Son of Man cast countless defiling demons into two thousand piglets, sows and boars? In a pigs eye. Josephus mentions it with Pella and Golan as being taken by storm during Alexander Jannaeus campaign E of the Jordan in about 83 b.c. Such a conclusion will annoy a lot of people, even funny, leaky dispensationalists like John MacArthur. Anyway, it was the demons that would have decided where, and if, he slept. about a.d. 65. They were people who knew him. They had the exact same reaction to Jesus that Bertrand Russell would manifest two thousand years later. Learn a new word every day. And was the Master doing the right thing sacrificing someone elses pigs. What have You to do with me, Jesus, the Son of the Most High God? They were ..ummm ..for producing manure to fertilize crops. This is a noteworthy fact because not every event in Jesuss ministry was thrice written down. Doesn't Jesus Treat Animals as Property? In York, T.; Alexis-Baker, A.; Bekoff, M.; McLaren, B. Pork is the most infamous of all-things-not-Jewish and the bad press that pigs receive in Scripture, and in contemporary Western society, is another reason why I accuse both pastors of being less than honest in their explanations about Mark 5. OS Supported: Windows 98SE, Windows Millenium, Windows XP (any edition), Windows Vista, Windows 7 & Windows 8 (32 & 64 Bit). The demons, who in this man have terrified the whole countryside to the point that they had tried to retrain this man with chains they were so frightened of Him, those demons are now afraid of Jesus because they know who Jesus is and they know where Jesus can cast them. To that end, may I present. Why are there two demon-possessed men in the Gerasene tombs in While foretelling death and doom was often part of a prophets job description, the real task of each true prophet was to be an example to the people and to get everyone on board, or back on board, with the Law of God. Herod had massive building projects all over Israel. All Rights Reserved. Well this is a taste of the profound arguments that you will find in that book. Be circumspect. 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 This agrees with the general description of the site (Mark 5:1; Luke 8:26). They are unclean for you. For these reasons, the writers of the gospels gave no explanation and the Twelve asked no question about why Jesus destroyed all the swine. Was He asking us the impossible because He had nothing better to do or is He sadistic? ___________________________________________________________________. 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 good pastor basically believes that in Jesuss mind, one mans peace, preservation and freedom from unclean spirits is worth the sacrifice of a couple thousand pigs. This, by the way, is the miracle story that happens in Gentile land. But are these good pastors on the right track? No, I've checked my facts, anticipated the arguments, remembered my own arguments from he past, and now Im ready to present my conclusions for Christians to consider. Pig meat, according to Scripture, is as unclean as the demons that Jesus sent into the swine. It's a picture of His great commission outreach, not just to Jews but to Gentiles also. What's going on here? Gerasa was a city situated near the Jabbok River about eighteen m. E of the Jordan, about twenty m. SE of Pella, and twenty m. N of Philadelphia. When Jesus and his disciples landed on the other side, it was in a region known as the Gerasenes, Gentile territory. Because the writer of the story wanted to make sure that everyone would know that the Garasenes were not Jewish. and therefore the good pastor declares the demoniac to be a Gentile since, as everyone also knows, Gentiles are better tomb-dwellers.. GADARENES - JewishEncyclopedia.com 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. 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. Remember the story of Jesus casting demons out of the crazy man in Luke 8? He's been set free by Jesus. Clearly, Luke is telling you this because he wants you to show the amazing power of Jesus Christ, even over demons. 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. It is repeated over and over. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Mark 5:1 Commentaries: They came to the other side of the sea, It's this man who is in bondage to these demons. Show us the only hope of deliverance from those sins and teach us these things from this passage. Regrettably, what were about to study the Big Pig Splash Down isn't one of them. But the sad thing I want you to see at the end is the reaction of the majority of his countrymen, because unlike him, they do not beg to be with Jesus. No other place on the E side of the sea fits this requirement of the story. What do you have that youre captive to, that youre enslaved to? he has the power and the authority to ameliorate both. In course of time, as the Jews began more and more to pride themselves on their peculiar privileges, it acquired unpleasant associations, and was used as a term of contempt. They were to teach the Gentiles about Him (Acts 13:4647). Were in the same story, my friends. 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. Lets return again to when Jesus cleaned up the Temple courtyard of merchants and merchandise. God never said dont touch. She added that bit. being the eternal Son of God. For these reasons, the writers of the gospels gave no explanation and the Twelve asked no question about why Jesus destroyed all the swine. Also, wouldnt that be a type of sin and another example of how he may not have perfectly kept the Law? Being teachable is a great avenue for learning! He has authored, co-authored, edited, or contributed to numerous books. And because these repeated commands are at the end of the Christian Bible, but the original commands are at the beginning of the Hebrew Bible, we get the impression that no new commands are allowed in the whole of Scripture, and no more books either. A Faith Embracing All Creatures: Addressing Commonly Asked Questions about Christian Care for Animals. Basically, a vision told Peter three times to eat defiling animal meat (at least that was how it seemed to him) so Peter logically replied that he had never eaten anything , Once more, we have half of an unclear verse, that people use to make up a, Gods Word has to agree with Gods Word. Almost there. Gentiles Oh, you mean THOSE pigs!! Notice how Gods, Plus, when Jesus chased the sellers out of the Temple courts (. Flower blossoms wither. I remember my boyhood pastor, Gordon Reed, preaching through a sermon series on the gospel on Mark coming to a passage about demon possession saying, I don't know much about demon possession, but I've read a lot of books about people on demon possession and they don't know much about demon possession either. Well, before you give counsel to Jesus about what He has done in this passage you may want to take stock about how much you know about demon possession. The Gemara on the passage gives a historical foundation for the practise in the times of Aristobulus. Jesus helped a Syrophoenician woman and commended her faith ( Matthew 15:2128 ). 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! And as Palmer approached him at the fireside, the man identified Palmer before he got there. Yet they tried to throw one of their own off a cliff (, 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. Gadarenes, Girgesenes, Gerasenes - Smiths Bible Dictionary One moose, two moose. He made a covenant with them and revealed His commandments to them, which they were to live according to. But it was what they loved and they preferred it to everlasting blessing in Jesus Christ. In a, If Paul got himself into hot water because of a Gentile, To top it off, Jesuss farmers see Jesus and see their property floating belly up in the surf, but they dont throw him after them! So He gave them permission. destroyed) and every perplexing dispensational chart is legit. But isnt it a funny coincidence that pork happens to be on Gods list of forbidden food. GERASA, GERASENES (, ). May God grant us the liberation through Jesus Christ to become what that nameless man became. When Eve said that she and hubby were not allowed to touch the [Good and Evil Knowledge Tree] or they would die, she was lying (Genesis 3:3 and Jewish explanation). [Israels] real enemy isnt Rome, which barely figures into the gospel story. Not by will, but because they have no choice other than to do as the Administrator of all creation commands them. 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. This kind of inter-ethnic scenario normally spells d.i.s.a.s.t.e.r. Do you see how Jesuss Gentiles dont act like Gentiles! You know, a month ago, a month ago, if you had said to anyone, You know, Tiger Woods is in slavery. They would have looked at you and said, You've got to be out of your mind. Oops! Thou lovest men, we love swine. So many beautiful verses and motivating passages are in Scripture. Such a pat answer to such a serious question is as irritating as it is ridiculous. A wonderful verse that reveals Him to us and probably the most heartwarming is the commandment in the Torah that mother animals are allowed to stay with their newborns for at least seven days before the offspring can be taken for food or for sacrifice (, All of these commandments and more are still taken literally by many Jews today. Is there a connection? Its totally contrary to what we would expect. 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. 3). The demons are aware that He is there and they are frightened. The shortest distance between two thoughts. Also, Johns emphasis do not take away from the words is stronger than Mosess original statement. It isnt a long list. Its totally contrary to what we would expect. This one verse alone, without all the extra proof from Jesuss joke, should convince us that his commandments are the 613 commandments of the Law of Moses. Gergesenes means "those who come from pilgrimage or fight." I dont know of any illness that can do that. Yet they tried to throw one of their own off a cliff (Luke 4:29). "It became one of the proudest cities of Syria." There was a logic in this. You don't have to look very far. }. Jesus made him whole. The following Scripture wont disprove Gods love for all animals, deny the Almightys unalterable character, declare the commandments null and void, nor claim all meats clean (kosher). And it is a shame that the good pastors dont take these relevant Scripture passage into consideration. Not that I believe my case has holes. Ive not heard that theory before. WATER DESTROYED HER!!!! Therefore, even though folks from the Bishop of Hippo down to our two good California pastors have tried to persuade us that the Creator has shifted His views on pork, God did not, can not, and will not vary or alter or adjust any word spoken about any decision let alone His views on ham sandwiches. And the good pastor doesnt give any rationale for a slaughter that huge. So I figure we could speculate a little and see where this goes. In turn, they would have a vehicle wherewith to stay in their territory. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. Without a question, if Jesuss pig-farmers had been Gentiles, there would have been bloodshed. But we should never get too smug, thinking that we have corned the market on truth. But with all this talk about tenderness, what on Earth could have changed Jesuss tune and made him treat the swine the way he did? Its a weird story, but its in the Gospels a couple of times, so we have to accept it as truth. Because God is so steady, and doesnt reverse or repeal, He can be trusted to do what He promises; good or evil. The Feeding of the Four Thousand | Catholic Answers Why did Jesus mention Tyre and Sidon (. In some of your Bibles, it may say Gergesenes or Gadarenes in the parallel passages in the gospels. If we agree Messiah wrote the Law of God, we should then wonder why on earth he would come to Earth to take what he authored out of circulation or to annul it? So he had to live according to the truth that had already revealed and to get everyone else in line with the program. They were wise enough to figure out if Jesus in His authority over them would allow them to exit of their choosing, they would select the black pigs often used in sacrifice to Baal. Gadarene or Gergesene Demoniacs - Bible Hub 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). I cannot offer you a proof-text for this observation. (Pastor Piper was right after all, almost!) Wed also have to confess that the farmers were not Gentile. And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. He wouldnt have lived long enough to get to a cross to die. Heavenly Father this is Your Word. But pay attention to the body count. Map of the Decapolis and its Cities - Bible History 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? Racism: Not a modern invention . Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, [Let me just pause right there. Peaceable Kingdom Series. For centuries, land wars are a type of a national sport among Middle Eastern nations. Cant we be candid in our search to know God? He is the dividing line here. (, Its not clear exactly who is doing more killings, the LORD or Melchizedek, but the picture overall fits the image of Son of God cleaning the land of swine. Well the first thing I want you to see is this picture of a person in the thrall of sin. 3. Further, the conclusion seems warranted that there was confusion in some MSS of Gerasa with the more likely site for the miracle near Gergesa. He had a new name and he had a new nature to go along with it. It's entitled, Why I Am Not A Christian. This picking and choosing is completely unbiblical. .hide-if-no-js { This, by the way, is War II. And that permanence of the Law matches well with the fact that the first time, and the second, He wrote the Ten Commandments in stone: Exodus 31:18 and again, Exodus 34:1. For the sake of the argument, lets start by assuming that the pastors assumption is right and he is a Gentile (though we know he could have been Jewish). Scripture presents us with all we need to know. The real irritation is people saying the Law was impossible to obey, when Scripture says the opposite it true. WebGadarenes. Johns Entertaining LOL Interpretation shows me that he sees cracks in his theology, but is unwilling to own up to them. And low and behold, two gospels specify that Jesus didnt go into Tyre (part of modern Lebanon), but that he was only in the vicinity of the city (Matthew 15:21; Mark 7:24 and Mark 7:31). War IV. Remember that the Law reveals to us the mind and personality of God. There he meets a man seized with an unclean spirit (Mark) or with demons (Luke). The heart set free from sin by Jesus. Nothing we have belongs to us. 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. Johns words seem to apply to all of Scripture. SO Jesu said later in the NT, that meats going in the mouth does not defile because we excrete it out in the draught, solid and liquids, so physically our body cleans itself if there were toxins, and It is whatever comes out of the mind, is what taints a person, whatever he or she thinks. She suffers a more oppressive slavery than ever before not to human rulers but to demons, who are bold enough to enter synagogues on the Sabbat. This man, when Jesus says, What is your name? effectively says, I do not know my name. Jesus was wise to use what God gives us, for a teachable moment. Another command applies to women who have given birth to a child (Leviticus 12:6), so that would be easy for Jesus to obey, not to mention the monthly ritual baptisms Jewish women do for certain reasons!!! Please note how John repeats the commands, adding a zinger curse to both. WebWho were the gerasenes in the bible? Looking back over the entirety of Gods Word, we do indeed notice many plagues rained down on the wicked in other books. For one, Remember that the Law reveals to us the mind and personality of God.
Drexel Medical School Class Profile,
Grand Canyon University Graduation Dates 2020,
Does James Harden Have A Championship Ring,
Who Sells Contadina Sweet And Sour Sauce,
Articles W