Finding Life in Dead Places
Read Mark 5:1-20
Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains, he would cry out and cut himself with stones. –Mark 5:5
After Jesus calmed the wind and the waves, he journeyed with his disciples into Gentile territory (an area known as the Decapolis). There, Jesus encountered a man who personified the chaos of the storm—he was literally at war with himself. Of all the “exorcisms” in the Gospels, this story is both the longest and most memorable. There are many layers of symbolism and meaning, so let’s take them one at a time.
First, let’s note the condition of the man himself. He was completely out of control. Neighbors tried to restrain him with shackles and chains, but he broke them. No one had the strength to subdue him. So he was exiled to live among the tombstones and wander among the hills. Lacking the power of coherent speech, he howled both night and day. He bruised and cut himself with stones. He was trapped and tormented by his demons—they stripped from him every ounce of humanity he had.
Pay attention to the setting of the story—the tombstones and the nearby pigs. Mark seems to be echoing a passage from Isaiah 64, which reads:
“I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me. To a nation that did not call on my name, I said, ‘Here am I, here am I.’”
(Remember that Mark’s Gospel was written primarily to a Gentile audience.)
“All day long I have held out my hands to an obstinate people, who walk in ways not good, pursuing their own imaginations…, who sit among the graves and spend their nights keeping secret vigil; who eat the flesh of pigs, and whose pots hold broth of impure meat; who say, ‘Keep away; don’t come near me, for I am too sacred for you!’” (64:1-5)
You can hardly miss the many connections between this passage and the Gerasene demoniac (I underlined them just in case)!
Note also the name of the demon (Legion) as well as the number of pigs in the nearby herd (2,000). A “legion” was a unit of the Roman army, consisting of 2,048 soldiers. In fact, the Tenth Legion (which used the boar as a symbol on its standards) was stationed in that very area. Rome understood itself to be a force for peace and civilization—they claimed to “bring order” to the chaos of the world. But the local populace held a different perspective. Roman “peace” was not something they chose; it was forced upon them by violence and oppression.
Finally, note what happened when Jesus cast the demons out of the man. They entered the swine, who promptly charged into the sea and drowned themselves. Remember what we talked about yesterday, that the sea represented the forces of chaos. So once they were cast out of the man, the demons went right back where they belonged. By taking the “unclean” pigs with them, Mark lets us know that the man was both freed and “cleansed.”
The swineherds (who just lost their jobs, by the way!) ran into town to inform the people of this miracle. The townspeople came out to discover this man—formerly so wild—sitting with Jesus, fully clothed and conversational. The townspeople did not rejoice, though, but instead made the same request of Jesus as the demons had done: “Please leave us alone.” Jesus obeyed their wishes—his work was already complete, the man he had come to save was fully restored. Interestingly, Jesus denied the man’s request to follow him: “Go home,” he said, “and tell your friends and family what the Lord has done for you.” And so this man became Jesus’ first missionary to the Gentiles.
Just as there are many layers of meaning within this story, there are many ways to apply it to our lives.
We should be conscious of the political dimensions of the story—that when “peace” is imposed from the outside, it often results in resistance and chaos. But Jesus’ actions stood in stark contrast to the “peace” of Rome. Jesus did not impose or restrain—instead, he liberates and restores.
We should also be aware of the social dimension of the story—that Jesus sought out and restored one who was “abandoned” by society. There are many in our world who also fall through the cracks, who struggle against the systems created to support them. We are called to treat others with compassion, no matter how scary they look or how wildly they behave.
And lastly, there’s the personal aspect—the good news that Jesus came to set us free. We may not know the crushing suffering of the man of Gerasene, but we can know Jesus’ healing and restoration. And Jesus sends us, just as he sent the Gerasene man, to be a witness to the work that God’s mercy has done in our lives.
Today I might cross paths with someone who frightens me—whether because they are acting out of control, or maybe because they are trying to control me. Give me both compassion and courage, O Lord. Help me to point them towards the love and mercy that I have found in You. Amen.