And he departed, and began to announce in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.
All Commentaries on Mark 5:20 Go To Mark 5
Bede
AD 735
In Marc., 2, 21: Geraza is a noted town of Arabia, across the Jordan, near mount Galaad, which the tribe of Manasseh held, not far from the lake of Tiberias, into which the swine were precipitated.
And how great is the impiety of the Jews, to say that He cast out devils by the prince of the devils, when the very devils confess that they have nothing in common with Him.
For it is a great torment for adevil to cease to hurt a man, and the more severely he possesses him, the more reluctantly he lets him go. For it goes on, “For He said unto Him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.”.
And He gave them leave, that by the killing of the swine, the salvation of men might be furthered.Chyrs., Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc. He wished to show publicly the fury which devils entertain against men, and that they would inflict much worse things upon men, if they were not hindered by Divine power; because, again, His compassion would not allow this to beshewn on men, He permitted them to enter into the swine, that on them the fury and power of the devils might be made known. There follows: “And the unclean spirits went out. "Titus: But the herdsmen also took toflight, lest they should perish with the swine, and spread the same fear amongst the inhabitants of the town. Wherefore there follows: “And they that fedthem”Wherefore it goes on: “And they came to Jesus, and see him that was tormented by the devil” that is, at the feet of Him from whom he had obtained health; a man, whom before, not even chains could bind, clothed and in his right mind, though he used to be continually naked; and they were amazed. Wherefore it says, “And they were afraid. "This miracle then they find out partly by sight, partly by words. Wherefore there follows: “And they that sawit told them.”.
Or else, conscious of their own frailty, they judged themselves unworthy of the presence of the Lord. It goes on: “And when He was going to the ship, he that had been tormented”.
Mystically, however, Gerasa orGergese, as some read it, is interpreted casting out a dweller or a stranger approaching, because the people of the Gentiles both expelled the enemy from the heart, and he who was afar off is made near.
Who dwelt in the tombs, because they delighted in dead works, that is, in sins; who were ever raging night and day, because whether in prosperity or in adversity, they were never free from the service of malignant spirits: again, by the foulness of their works, they layas it were in the tombs, in their lofty pride, they wandered over the mountains, by words of most hardened infidelity, they as it were cut themselves with stones. But he said, “My name is Legion,” because the Gentile people were enslaved to divers idolatrous forms of worship. Again, that the unclean spirits going out from man enter into swine, which they cast headlong into the sea, implies that now that the people of the Gentiles are freed from the empire of demons, they who have not chosen to believe in Christ, work sacrilegious rites in hidden places.
But that the Lord did not admit him, though he wished to be with Him, signifies, that every one after the remission of his sins should remember that he must work to obtain a good conscience, and serve the Gospel for the salvation of others, that at last he may rest in Christ.
