About the Text
(28) Why does Matthew say that this story happened
in the region or the Gadarenes, while Luke (8:26) and Mark (5:1) say Gerasenes?
These are two different cities, not two alternate spellings of one city. Gadara is only a
few miles from the Sea of Galilee, while Gerasa is ahout 20 miles from the Sea.
Scholars give three possible explanations for the difference in city names. First, Gadara
(from which the Gadarenes came) was a principal city, which the smaller Gerasa could have
been identified with. For example, I customarily say that I am travelling to San
Francisco, when I am actually visiting the nearby town of Foster City.
A second explanation is that an ancient scribe (one who
copies manuscripts by hand) may have accidentally written Gerasa (and some may have
written a third city name, Gergesa) because the spellings were very similar. If this is
the case, then Gadara would probably have been the original city named in Matthew, Mark,
and Luke, since it is close to the Sea Galilee, where the pigs most likely fell into.
(28) Could demon-possession have been merely an ignorant explanation for what we
call mental illness, by an ancient and backward people? No. Demon-possession is
real. Both Mark (5:4) and Luke (8:29) say that the man was capable of super-human
strength, breaking heavy chains. Also, the demons themselves spoke, and supernaturally
entered pigs.
Furtherrnore, the Bible clearly distinguishes between
mental illness and demon-possession. In 1 Cor. 14:23, Paul mentions that Christians who
speak in "tongues" will appear to unbelievers as being "out of
their minds." See also Mark 3:21, Daniel 4:34, Deut. 28:34.
(28) Why are the accounts of Matthew, Mark, and Luke slightly different? They
each give a different perspective of the same incident, just like a camera can take three
different angles of the same person. Just as each angle reveals a different feature of the
same person, the three gospels each reveal a unique feature
of Jesus Christ.
For example, Matthew mentions two demon-possessed men,
while Mark and Luke mention only one. Gne explanation for this is that Matthew emphasizes
Jesus' authority as being legally testified by "two or three witnesses" (see
Matt. 18:16). Mark and Luke emphasize Jesus' power over demons, and therefore mention only
the more outspoken demoniac out of the two.
(28) How "violent" were the demoniacs? Mark and Luke mention
that they ran naked, live in tombs, screamed and shouted, and tore iron chains.
(29) What did the demons mean by "the appointed time"? The last
judgement at Jesus Christ's second coming. See Rev. 20:1-10.
(30) How many pigs were there? Mark 5:13 says there were 2,000.
(30) Why were there pigs, when Jews never eat pork? Because Jesus was in
a land of Gentiles (non-Jews). Notice the text says that Jesus, being a Jew, kept
"some distance" from the pigs, for the Old Testament considers pigs as
"unclean animals."
(32) Were the demons destroyed? Probably not. Instead, Jesus most likely
sent them back into the Abyss, or Hell (cf. Luke 8:31). Demons fear being sent to
Hell.
(34) Why did the people plead with Jesus to leave them? Fear. See Mark
5:15. Pcople fear what they do not understand. Although they understood that Jesus had
authority over demons, they did not yet understand the awesome extent of that authority.
Likewise, Deut 18:16 records that people feared the voice and fire of God.
Insights
The demonic world is real and horrible.
Jesus need oflly be present to make demons tremble, and speak one word to cast them out.
Jesus is awesome, that the weak in faith will avoid manifestations of His power.
The Bottom Line
Do not fear demons. If Jesus died on the cross to free you from the penalty of sin, He will certainly command the demons to free you from their grip. If you believe in the death, resurrection, and Lordship of Jesus Christ, you can be assured that you are one of God's own children, and will always be protected from all of Satan's harms.
Key Memory Verse
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither
angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor
depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God
that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom. 8:38-39)