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The Gospel of Mark
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BIBLE STUDY MARK 5:1-43 REVIEW: The majority of chapter 4 consists of Jesus’ various teachings presented in parables. With his parables, which are basically short stories based on common experiences (such as the mustard seed parable and the parable about the seed sower), it is clear in chapter four that the purpose of Jesus’ teaching was primarily to explain the kingdom of God: its growth; and its mysterious nature. Chapter 4 of Mark’s Gospel gives description to Jesus’ teaching ministry. One essential characteristic of his way of teaching was his openness. Nothing was to be kept secret (or put “under a bushel”), for His was and is still not a secret religion. Rather, Jesus’ teachings are to be brought out into the light (Mark 4:21). Even those closest to Jesus are to share what they learn as best they can. Finally in chapter 4 we read the passage about Jesus calming the storm at sea. This story illustrated for us the peace to be encountered in Jesus amidst adverse conditions, as well as his authority even over the forces of nature. Through his own words and actions on the boat in the midst of the storm, we begin to see that with Jesus present, disciples have no need to fear…only to believe. This, as we will see also in Chapter 5, will become a recurring theme in the Gospel of Mark. CHAPTER 5:1-13 “Legion” They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. And when he had stepped out of the boat, immediately a man out of the tombs with an unclean spirit met him. He lived among the tombs; and no one could restrain him any more, even with a chain; for he had often been restrained with shackles and chains, but the chains he wrenched apart, and the shackles he broke in pieces; and no one had the strength to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always howling and bruising himself with stones. When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and bowed down before him; and he shouted at the top of his voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” For he had said to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” He begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. Now there on the hillside a great herd of swine was feeding; and the unclean spirits begged him, “Send us into the swine; let us enter them.” So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and were drowned in the sea. Here we have another exorcism story which is an obvious parallel to the exorcism story of Mark 1where Jesus heals the man with an unclean spirit in the Synagogue at Capernaum. The phrase, “What have you to do with me,” virtually repeats the words of the demoniac in Mark 1:24. In doing this, Mark is clearly making a deliberate point about the expansive reach of Jesus’ authority and the extreme nature of his power to heal. Not only can he cast out demons among Jews, but now also among Gentiles. Jesus’ power even exceeds the strongest of demon possessions as we see him here encountering an uncontainable “legion” of demons numbering about 2,000. His authority is sovereign even in the most “unclean” of environments—even among the tombs and around swine! One interesting aspect of the story is that the demoniac himself invokes the name of God, “I adjure you by God…” Here, the words of the demoniac show an inner division and turmoil that he suffers. Usually it would be for the exorcist to call upon God, but ironically here the demoniac behaves as an exorcist would act. According to Donohue and Harrington, “He can rightly call Jesus the Son of the Most High God and can ask for salvation from the eschatological torture, but he is still occupied by powers hostile to God.” Here I, Pastor Joshua, see a practical implication for our own lives. It is important to recognize that we cannot cleanse ourselves from all powers hostile to the will of God. It is only by an act of God’s grace that we ever find ourselves free from all inner turmoil. We, though hopefully not as extreme of cases as the Geresene Demoniac, will suffer from inner divisions (sin) no matter how hard we try to avoid it. As we confess together in the congregation nearly every Sunday during the Brief Order of Confession and Forgiveness, “we are in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves.” This passage in Mark, while it does give character to the inner turmoil caused by a sinful and unclean power, does give us hope in that it shows Jesus’ ability and his willingness to heal even those considered most unclean. CHAPTER 5:14-20 “After Legion” The swineherds ran off and told it in the city and in the country. Then people came to see what it was that had happened. They came to Jesus and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the legion; and they were afraid. Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it. Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed by demons begged him that he might be with him. But Jesus refused, and said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and what mercy he has shown you.” And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed. Keeping pigs is forbidden among Jews to this day as pigs are regarded as extremely unclean. To a Jewish audience (and perhaps to a human and Jewish Jesus), this incident with Legion would seem quite satisfying. Not only does he deliver the man from Legion, his unclean oppressor(s), he also does his part in cleaning up the countryside a bit by getting rid of the filthy swine. This part of the story is difficult. In most of the Bible studies that I, Pastor Josh, have been a part of there seems to be much more empathy for the swineherds than for Jesus. “How could he do that to poor swineherds (or the pigs for that matter)?” Obviously, I have been leading Bible studies mostly among Gentile people. This cultural divide is not lost on the author of Mark. The swineherds, the Gentile keepers or caretakers of the pigs in this gentile territory, are obviously and understandably upset by the loss of their herd. Those who came to see all that Jesus had done with the demoniac and the swine herd were afraid. Those who saw it “began to beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood.” However, perhaps there is a difficult but important lesson to be learned from this story—that being the power of the Gospel in translated Word to cross boundaries. When the man who was possessed by demons begs to go along with Jesus, Jesus refuses him and sends him on his way, telling him to spread the news of God’s grace to his friends. The man goes to the Decapolis—a known Gentile territory—proclaiming what Jesus had done. So, perhaps the lesson for us is that the word about Jesus, the good news of God preserved and translated in the church to every new generation, is more accessible to people than Jesus the first-century Jew would ever be. That is to say that we are a necessary part of Jesus ministry to all people—the good news and teachings given by Jesus can not spread without people acting as interpreters to the cultures in which they live. CHAPTER 5:21-43 “The Daughter of Jairus and the Woman with the Hemorrhage” When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea. Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet and begged him repeatedly, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her so that she may be made well, and live.” So he went with him and a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. Now there was a woman who had been suffering form hemorrhages for twelve years. She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, for she said, “If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.” Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my clothes?” And his disciples said to him, “you see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, ‘Who touched me?’” He looked all around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader’s house to say, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?” But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. When he had entered, he said to them, “Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha cum,” which means, “Little girl, get up!” And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat. This healing story, which is actually two healing stories rolled into one, concludes a series of four “mighty works” found in this section of Mark (4:35-5:43). Beginning with the storm at sea, Jesus power and authority is revealed to rule over the chaotic forces of nature; then with the Legion incident, Jesus proves himself stronger than destructive demons; and now he will show himself to be able even to cure chronic illness, and finally death itself. The journey across the sea and back is finally at its end and Jesus is back in Jewish territory. Surprisingly a leader from the synagogue named Jairus approaches Jesus on behalf of his daughter who lies on her death bed. This is especially surprising since the last time Jesus entered a synagogue the narrative ended with the religious leaders planning to kill him (3:6). Jesus, undeterred, begins to follow Jairus anyway, when suddenly one healing story is interrupted with another…the woman who has suffered from hemorrhages for twelve years. In form, both of these healing narratives are fairly straight forward, though it is worth noting that both of these healings come by physical contact with Jesus (or his garment). This makes me, Pastor Josh, wonder if we realize the full significance of the relationship between health and human touch in our own lives? Comparing the two stories illuminates a subtle point; a theme that was first brought out by Jesus in the calming of the storm (chapter 4:40)—the inverse relationship between fear and belief. “Do not fear, only believe.” This he says to Jairus after the news comes to him that his daughter is dead. Jairus must have been in deep despair, yet with the contrast of the bold and determined faith of the hemorrhaging woman who approaches Jesus after twelve seemingly hopeless years of failed healing attempts, we begin to see that virtually nothing (not even death itself) is beyond the power and authority of Jesus. Jairus’ daughter is about to become proof positive of that fact. Throughout this narrative, Jesus seems to set himself against fear. He sends the woman away in peace, he tells the mourners to stop their fuss, and by healing Jairus’ daughter he eliminates Jairus’ need for fear. Perhaps this is an aspect of the Christian faith…faith casting out all fear. May it be so for us as well. -------------------- Joshua W. Magyar, Pella Lutheran Church 418 W. Main Street Sidney, MT 59270
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