Mark 5:13 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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Mark 5:13

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Christ answers them with a single word – ‘Go’ – he gave them permission. What happened next was dramatic, sudden, frightening. The whole herd of about 2000 animals rushed as one down the steep slope into the sea and drowned. Those who looked on, and especially those responsible for caring for these animals, had a disturbing insight into the workings of the spirit world which filled them with terror. This was not just an individual animal behaving irrationally; there was no doubt in their minds about the connection between the casting out of the demons and the suicide of the pigs. They rushed down the slope to end their own lives and drowned in the sea. Obviously no one had ever seen an animal behave like this before, let alone two thousand all doing so at the same time. Why did he send the demons into the swine? To the cynical this has the ring of myth, fairy story. But there was a good reason why he did it this way. The people would be sceptical. Was it all in the mind? Was it a matter of hypnosis? No. The effects were made visible. The onlookers and the disciples would realise how hard a case this was. Can you see demons? No, but when they saw 2000 swine hurtle into the sea, their existence was made clear by this hideous scene. Furthermore, it showed the authority of Christ over the forces of darkness. The name Legion was not an exaggeration, for the many demons were able to occupy this large herd of animals. It was a picture also of how destructive the demons were. What a good thing they were driven out. Did the demons anticipate the death of the entire herd? It may be that the animals panicked and destroyed themselves in an attempt to get away from the demons within them, but it is more likely that the demons drove the animals into the water in a synchronized act of self-destruction. There are so many aspects of this event that we do not understand. Evidently a demon can occupy an animal, but here we are on the verge of what we are capable of understanding. Does a pig have a mind? How can a pig be occupied by an intelligent, albeit malign, spirit? How does that spirit influence the behaviour of the animal? If the demons deliberately destroyed the herd, this would be consistent with the self-harming behaviour of the possessed man in cutting himself. It would of course result in them losing their home and having to walk ‘through dry places, seeking rest, and [finding] none’ (Matthew 12:43), but that as Christ teaches, was not an impossible situation for them.

Application

If Christ would do this so easily, when it drove him to frenzy, this same power can drive evil out of us. Many miracles are not recorded, but this one is recorded because it has so many lessons to teach us about conversion to Christ. The same Lord who can deal with demons, can deal with our darkness. Scripture teaches every one of us is in bondage to the powers that drive us. We see here how Christ can draw us to himself and deliver us.

The man who had been possessed was aware of the vast change within him, but others looking on from the outside could not know how much God had done for him if not for the destruction of the herd. His mind had been emancipated and set free from the tyranny of Satan. He had control of his own thoughts and actions. The torment of self-destructive thoughts and the compulsion to get away from habitation was gone. So too the believer has a new nature and a new character formed within him. What we are and how great is the deliverance we have received will not be fully seen until the return of Christ. We are the sons of God but the world does not know us because it did not know him. Even the believer himself does not immediately grasp how much has been done for him. The severity of our condition is measured by what the Son of God had to suffer on our behalf. Our sins could not go nowhere. He had to take our eternal punishment in hell, and he bore it away on the cross of Calvary.

Who is in charge of us and our lives? Is it the enemy of souls? We live as we are tempted, and follow Satan’s prompting constantly. We are so prejudiced against God, because Satan poisons the mind. There is a great struggle in us. Some who eventually find the Lord will admit that when they first heard preaching they said would never come back. What life did this man have: cold at night, miserable, naked? And yet a part of him said, ‘Torment me not.’ How did the devil ever convince him of this? How can Satan persuade us when his message is so unpleasant, so tormenting? Perhaps it will be suggested to us that the gospel means the end of all our pleasures. What makes us think that to lose sinful pleasures are better than the joys, experiences and happiness that come from Christ? Satan says, ‘This is the end of all freedom, run a mile.’ The truth is that without God we are not free; we are in bondage to our lusts, our appetites, and they will hold us more and more. When we ask Christ to convert us, we will no longer be defeated by every sin, and temptation. We can, with God’s help, defeat them. Are we afraid of being saved, having a Saviour, new life, being guided by him? While Satan prejudices the mind, we are afraid of the one who would be our heavenly Friend. We are sinful. How can God deal with us? God must forgive us and wash us. We must come to him for pardon. Christ must cleanse us and wrap his cloak of righteousness around us, so that God looks at us clothed in the righteousness of another.

Questions

Christ’s interaction with the demons is kept to the bare minimum. Matthew records one word only. Here we see that Satan may not do anything without obtaining permission from God, and the Book of Job teaches the same thing. The Lord knew that, in granting this request, the demons would remain demons and would be intent on doing evil, but his permission does not in any way sanction the evil that they are going to do next. Their nature cannot change, and until they are finally judged at the last day, and while they are still given access to mankind, they will do harm. They operate according to their own wicked nature, a nature which came into existence through their initial rebellion against God. For his own purposes God continues to give evil agents a licence to operate in the world, but they and they alone are responsible for their evil acts.

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Mark 5:13 Commentary and Bible Study