Mark 5:15 - Sermon Bible Commentary

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Bible Comments

Mark 5:1-17

This story may be viewed in four aspects.

I. The human. (a) The human aspect as seen in shadow: (1) Man impure unclean spirit; (2) Man dis-socialised his dwelling was among the tombs; (3) Man unrestrained no man could tame him; (4) Man self-tormented. (b) As seen in light: (1) Man tranquillized sitting; (2) Man civilised clothed; (3) Man intellectualised in his right mind.

II. The Divine. (1) Christ identified by His holiness; (2) Christ feared for His power; (3) Christ recognised in the realm of spirit.

III. The Diabolic. (1) As showing great resources, "we are many"; (2) as displaying subordination they besought Christ; (3) as revealing destructiveness whatever they touch, man or beast, they destroy.

IV. (1) Society trembling under manifestations of spiritual power "they were afraid." (2) Society caring more for beasts than for men they prayed Him to depart out of their coasts.

Parker, City Temple,1871, p. 83.

References: Mark 5:1-20. W. Hanna, Our Lord's Life on Earth,p. 190. Mark 5:11-20. H. M. Luckock, Footprints of the Son of Man,p. 104.

Related Commentaries of Mark 5:1

Mark 5:1-17

1 And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.

2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,

3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:

4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.

5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.

6 But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,

7 And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.

8 For he said unto him,Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.

9 And he asked him,What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.

10 And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.

11 Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.

12 And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.

13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.

14 And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done.

15 And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.

16 And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine.

17 And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.