Authority over Demons

May 23, 2025 | Read and Think About Mark 5:1-20

This passage tells the story of Jesus healing an unfortunate man possessed by many demons, and the aftermath of this healing.

In the previous post, we read from Matthew's Gospel about the calming of the severe storm on the lake. Today's reading takes place as soon as they landed on the other side of lake. Between the storm and this occurrence, the apostles had to have been saying, what a crazy night!

The story from the man's perspective can be sectioned into his past, his present (at the time of the occurrence), and his future.

The man's past (verses 3-5): whatever the evil spirt was, the verbs here paint a terrible picture: bind, chained, tore, broke, subdue (none could subdue him, though they tried), crying out, cutting himself with stones. He lived in the cemetery among the tombs, up in the hills over the lake. When Jesus asked for a name, it was the demons who spoke up, saying "Legion" (many). They had taken over.

The man's present (verses 6-13): Jesus was going to heal the man. He knew it. The demons knew it. The note in my Bible for verse 7 says the shriek coming out of the man was utter rebellion against God. But the passage makes it clear Jesus was in control, and He cast out the demons.

The man's future (verses 18-20): after the healing, the man begged to follow Jesus. Counting the passage before ("Nature Obeys"), this is now 3 different men in less than 12 hours asking to follow Jesus and being told, essentially, "not yet." But following Jesus' instruction to him, the man went into the region and began to tell others "how much Jesus had done for him."

What a powerful testimony, and those who heard his testimony were amazed. And Jesus gives the same instruction to all who have received his mercy and forgiveness.