They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him. This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones. When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!” For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you evil spirit!” Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area. A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” He gave them permission, and the evil spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned. Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region. As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.
Mark 5:1-20 (TNIV)
Have you ever considered the curious reaction of the bystanders to Jesus’ healing of the demoniac? Unlike the demoniac whom Jesus healed, and who went about proclaiming all that Jesus had done for him, they were afraid! Why is that? One reason might be that this is a typical reaction we see in the biblical story when the profane (namely us) meets the Holy (namely God). Abraham was terrified of God’s presence in a dream (Genesis 15). Moses hid his face in the Presence of God (Exodus 3). Isaiah’s reaction to his vision of the Lord and his call to be a prophet was, “Woe is me! I am ruined for I am a man of unclean lips” (Isaiah 6). Ezekiel fell face down to the ground when God called him to be a prophet (Ezekiel 1). Peter’s reacted to the miraculous catch of fish that Jesus caused by asking Jesus to go away from him because Peter recognized his own sinfulness (Luke 5).
I think God put these stories in the biblical narrative to remind us how different God is from us, how vast is the separation and alienation between God and us that our sin has caused. As you ponder these stories during this Lenten season, ponder too the wondrous love of God, a love that manifested itself in the cross of Jesus Christ. Give thanks to the One who loves you and gave himself for you so that you might have a hope and chance to live with him by faith in this life and one day live directly in his Presence forever without being afraid.
