Exorcism At the Gadarenes

One day, Jesus got into a fishing boat and said to His disciples, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake", referring to the Sea of Galilee. And so they did (Luke 8: 22). It was on this excursion that Jesus bewildered His disciples when, with a verbal command, He pacified the raging sea that threatened to kill them all.

After this incident, they came to the Gadarenes (also known as the Gergesenes) which was the region across from Galilee. And when they had come ashore, they were met by a demoniac. Matthew informs us that there were two demoniacs (Matthew 8:28). But Mark and Luke both prefer to focus in on just one of them. Perhaps this is because their focus is specifically on the one, out of the two, which answered Jesus' question, "What is your name?" with the now-famous retort, "My name is Legion; for we are many" (Mark 5:9).

This man, who was from the city, had been living under demonic possession for a long time. And he had been driven, by the possessing spirits, out of his urban home. When Jesus came to him, the man was naked; and he had been living in the tombs that were in that rural area. He was living in the tombs! And his behavior was violent. All attempts by the local people to restrain him had failed.

And even though the demonic force recognized the Son God upon His arrival; (Mark 5:6 uses the word "worshiped") nevertheless, the words directed toward Jesus were antagonistic. By all accounts, the man shouted at Him, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?".

When Jesus had commanded the evil spirits to leave the man, they begged Him not to make them go into the abyss of Hell; using as their defense the fact that the day of final judgment has not yet arrived. The Lord Jesus displayed His magnanimous character by allowing the devils permission to go into the nearby herd of swine instead, as they had desperately requested. And they, of course, displayed their wicked and unrepentant character by driving the said herd of swine off a steep slope, into the Sea of Galilee.

But what I appreciate most about the exorcism at the Gadarenes is how in it Christ demonstrated His love for the man who was a demoniac. We are informed that the keepers of that herd of swine ran into the city to report what had happened. And when a crowd of locals came to the scene, they "came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind" (Luke 8:35). 

Jesus' whole purpose was to undo Satan's work, by setting at liberty him who had been a slave of demons. Satan had made this man a slave of devils; driven out of his home and out of his mind, naked and living in tombs. Now he was calmly "sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind". And as if that were not enough, Jesus proved His love when the man asked to become one of His traveling companions. Jesus told the man, "Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you" (Luke 8:38-39). 

The healing - the restoration of the man's life had to be complete. Satan had forced him out of his home, to live naked in the tombs of the dead. Now he was wearing clothes, which probably were given to him by Jesus and/or His disciples; and he was in his right mind. And now he needed, needed to go home. 

So that's what he did. He went home. And he told all over the city what wonderful things Jesus had done for him.

Interestingly, after Jesus had restored the man to a life of freedom, He got back into the boat with His disciples, and went back to Galilee. True, the local people had asked Him to do so, because they were afraid of Him. But I suspect that this was His plan all along. 

The whole trip across the water was just for the sake of setting a captive free. And the calming of the Sea of Galilee was a fitting prelude to the calm that would be given to the man who was troubled by demons.

And Jesus has the same love for every one of us, whoever and wherever we are. The Son of God gave His life on the cross to set us free from sin; since "every one who commits sin is a slave of sin" (John 8:34). And so from God's perspective, humans are evil spirits too (Luke 11:11-13, John 7:7, Romans 3:23).

So we don't necessarily need fallen angels to mess us up in our minds and spirits. As fallen humans, we can do that to ourselves by simply living our lives in discord with God who is love. But He loves humanity, whom He originally created in His own image for the purpose of love (1 John 4:8, Genesis 1:26-27, Matthew 22:37-40). 

We are fallen humans. But Jesus also said that "if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them - to give His life a ransom for many." (John 8:36, John 10:10, Luke 9:56, Matthew 20:28). 

We don't necessarily need fallen angels destroy our lives. But we do need the risen Son of God to save us from our own fallen, sinful nature. All we have to do is trust Him with our lives. 

"Fairest Lord Jesus, Ruler of all nature

Oh Thou of God and Man the Son

Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor

Thou, my soul's glory, joy, and crown

Fair is the sunlight, fairer still the moonlight

And all the twinkling, starry hosts

Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer

Than all the angels heaven can boast

Beautiful Savior! Lord of all nations!

Son of God and Son of Man!

Glory and honor, praise, adoration

Now and forevermore be Thine"

"And though this world, with devils filled

Should threaten to undo us

We will not fear, for God hath willed

His truth to triumph through us

The prince of darkness grim

we tremble not for him

His rage we can endure

For lo, his doom is sure

One little word shall fell him"