Reflective Bible Study

After Jesus calms the storm, we discover that He and the disciples then land on the other side of the lake, and they land their boats at a relatively deserted part of the shoreline. While some parts of Lake Galilee were well-populated, other parts, such as the place we discover Jesus and the disciples reaching, have a lot less people living there. However, while this place is deserted by human standards, we discover that it is well populated in a slightly different way.

Let’s read the passage and discover what we can learn about who inhabited the place where Jesus and His disciples traveled to. While our event is found in three of the four gospels, as you can imagine, for our year in Mark, we will be looking at it from Mark’s gospel. This event is found in Mark, chapter 5, and let’s read it from the New International Version of the Bible. Starting in verse 1, Mark tells us that:

¹ They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. ² When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. ³ This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. ⁴ 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. ⁵ Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.

⁶ When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. ⁷ 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!” ⁸ For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!”

⁹ Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”

“My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” ¹⁰ And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.

¹¹ A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. ¹² The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” ¹³ He gave them permission, and the impure 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.

Let’s pause reading this event for a moment. While reading from Mark’s gospel, I find it interesting that when we are first introduced to this man, Mark describes him as someone who lives among the dead and who has an impure spirit. The thing that stands out in my mind is the singular nature of this description.

In contrast, when Jesus confronts the evil spirit and asks its name, we discover that the evil spirit’s name is a plural: The evil spirit’s reply in verse 9 is, “My name is Legion, for we are many.”

What first appears to be a region inhabited by only a handful of people, specifically one demon possessed man and a group of pig-herders, is now defined as a key location that was home to thousands of evil spirits. Looking at the size of the herd of pigs, there would have been at least 2000 evil spirits in this man using a ratio of one spirit to one pig.

However, when we look up the definition of a Roman “legion”, we discover this term was used to describe a group of three to six thousand Roman soldiers. This means there could have been anywhere from two to six thousand evil spirits living in that region, specifically within that social outcast.

It may have been likely that two or even three spirits got to share each pig in that large herd.

However, why would Jesus have agreed to the evil spirits’ request to be sent into the herd of pigs?

In many ways, this doesn’t seem all that nice, especially to grant the request of a group of evil spirits at the expense of a herd of thousands of pigs who just happened to be nearby.

Let’s continue reading and discover what might be the answer. Picking back up in verse 14, Mark tells us that:

¹⁴ Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. ¹⁵ 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. ¹⁶ Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. ¹⁷ Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.

Pausing our reading one additional time, I see in what happened here one possible answer to why Jesus let the evil spirits stampede the pigs to their death. For this miracle to be significant, it cannot truly stay hidden. Too many people knew about the man living in this region and about his demon possession. If this had been a secret miracle, then the healed man’s testimony would have very little credibility because people could just discount him saying that he was not that guy. Also, people visiting the region would welcome the absence of that man and would likely not assume that he had been healed. It would be more logical that he died somehow or that he moved to a different area. With attention being given to this miracle, we discover that this shines the spotlight on God and on God’s power over the evil spirits.

In our last episode, we discovered how one word from Jesus can calm the most significant storm Satan can muster, and this episode draws our attention onto the truth that one command from Jesus sends an army of evil spirits out of a comfortable home in a man and into a herd of pigs. One command from Jesus will always send Satan away. Any confrontation Jesus has with Satan results in Jesus gaining the victory.

However, what comes next is also amazing. Continuing in verse 18, Mark tells us:

¹⁸ As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. ¹⁹ 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.” ²⁰ 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.

At the close of this passage, Jesus sends the man home and this man goes to a region that was clearly known in that area, but one where Jesus rarely visited. Actually, there is only one other mention of this region in the gospels that references Jesus’ presence. It is likely that this man’s testimony about what Jesus did for him opened what was otherwise a shut door for His ministry. Those present in this event wanted Jesus to leave, but they couldn’t say no to this man whose home was there.

This man becomes a powerful ambassador for Jesus. In an instant, Jesus takes this man whose condition would place him firmly against God, frees him from the spiritual chains that held him, and then commissions him to be a missionary to his home territory.

In many ways, this mirrors how God calls us. While God calls some people to be missionaries for God in distant places, many of us are called to be ambassadors and missionaries for God right where we already live.

Wherever God has placed you and I, I believe He has called us to be His witnesses. While this man wanted to travel with Jesus and be a disciple, His commission to spread the news about Jesus was even more significant. While we might not readily think of it this way, this man becomes the first apostle, because like the disciples who were commissioned by Jesus after His resurrection, this man spreads the great news about Jesus with everyone who would listen! This man, like Saul turned Paul who we read about in the book of Acts, needed only an instant with Jesus in order to have His life turned around and focused on being an apostle for Jesus!

As we come to the end of another episode, here are the challenges I will leave you with:

As I always challenge you to do, intentionally seek God first in your life and choose to serve Him in wherever He has you placed. Choose to be God’s best representative regardless of the situation you are in and regardless of what other people might think of you.

Also, continue praying and studying the Bible for yourself to grow and strengthen your relationship with God. A strong personal relationship with God will help you be the representative God has called you to be in a world that is growing more hostile to God the closer to Jesus’ return that we get!

And as I end every set of challenges by saying in one way or another, never stop short of, back away from, chicken out of, or leave where God wants to lead you to in your life with Him!

Continuing through the gospels and the miracles that Jesus performed, we come to a miracle that Jesus did, not for a Jew, but for a Roman officer. While this detail in itself is significant for us to pay attention to, there are plenty of details in this event that should prompt us to pay attention. Most Jews were hostile towards the thought of Rome being present in their territory, and the thought of Jesus actually helping a Roman would upset many of the most devout Jews. However, it is also worth noting that a Roman asking a Jew for help is also just as shocking.

Let’s read Matthew’s gospel and discover what happened. Our passage is found in chapter 8, and we will be reading from the Good News Translation of the Bible. Starting in verse 5, Matthew tells us that:

⁵ When Jesus entered Capernaum, a Roman officer met him and begged for help: ⁶ “Sir, my servant is sick in bed at home, unable to move and suffering terribly.”

⁷ “I will go and make him well,” Jesus said.

⁸ “Oh no, sir,” answered the officer. “I do not deserve to have you come into my house. Just give the order, and my servant will get well. ⁹ I, too, am a man under the authority of superior officers, and I have soldiers under me. I order this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes; and I order that one, ‘Come!’ and he comes; and I order my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”

Let’s pause reading for a moment to focus on what Matthew has just told us, because while reading this just now, a phrase jumped off the page at me, and it is something that reveals something this Roman understood about Jesus that most everyone else missed seeing.

While Jesus knows that the Roman officer is simply asking for help and healing, Jesus wants to go a step further and come personally to help. However, the Roman officer is surprised by this and he is content knowing that any promise Jesus makes will happen. The officer doesn’t need Jesus’ presence to confirm Jesus’ command.

This is the first amazing level of faith this Roman officer displays. But there’s another idea present in this passage, and it is this phrase that jumped out at me while reading this.

In verse 9, the Roman officer tells Jesus, “I, too, am a man under the authority of superior officers”. This Roman understood that Jesus was not present just for Himself. Instead, this Roman understood Jesus had been sent with a mission to this world and to the Jewish people. In this phrase, the Roman officer captured an aspect of Jesus’ ministry that we don’t often think about. In Jesus’ ministry, He both came willingly and He was sent with a mission. We often focus on Jesus’ willingness to come, which is true, but we should also realize that there is a very clear theme running through the gospels that Jesus was sent.

This Roman understood the hierarchy involved in a chain of command, and He recognized Jesus was fulfilling His mission in a similar, but also spiritual, structure.

Let’s continue reading to discover how Jesus responded to this man’s statement. Picking back up in verse 10, Matthew tells us that:

¹⁰ When Jesus heard this, he was surprised and said to the people following him, “I tell you, I have never found anyone in Israel with faith like this. ¹¹ I assure you that many will come from the east and the west and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of heaven. ¹² But those who should be in the Kingdom will be thrown out into the darkness, where they will cry and gnash their teeth.” ¹³ Then Jesus said to the officer, “Go home, and what you believe will be done for you.”

And the officer’s servant was healed that very moment.

In this passage and this event, we discover something amazing, both in the faith of this Roman officer, and in the promise within Jesus’ response. In verse 11, Jesus told everyone present a wonderful promise: “I assure you that many will come from the east and the west and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of heaven.”

But this promise is followed up with a sobering warning. Verse 12 continues by saying, “But those who should be in the Kingdom will be thrown out into the darkness”. While we might be tempted to think this warning refers exclusively to the Jewish nation living during this time period, the sad truth is that this represents many of God’s professed people living in many different generations.

This also means that Christians today are just as liable to be kicked out of God’s feast as the first century Jews were. Christian’s today should be present at the wedding feast in the kingdom of heaven, but if they assume they are saved while not letting Jesus transform their lives or hearts, then they ultimately will be thrown out. A transformed life is the evidence that Jesus has entered one’s heart and that an individual has placed their faith, hope, and trust in Jesus. An invisible faith is a worthless faith.

In this passage and in this miracle, we discover that as followers of Jesus, we should model this Roman officer’s belief in Jesus. This Roman understood that Jesus was part of a powerful, spiritual chain of command, and this chain of command could instantly heal his favorite servant. The Roman’s faith is solid enough that he does not need Jesus to physically come and help his servant because in the spiritual realm, things can happen quicker than if we need to see in order to believe.

Also, in this passage and miracle, we discover that we should take Jesus at His word and let Him change our hearts and lives. Let’s not be kicked out of this wedding feast because we didn’t let God’s Spirit transform our lives. Let’s choose to place our faith in God in visible, tangible, and relevant ways, and let God transform us into the people He created us to be.

As we come to the end of another podcast episode, here are the challenges I will leave you with:

Always seek God first and place your faith, hope, trust, and belief in Him and what He has done for you and me. Accept God’s promises as truth and live each day claiming His promises for our lives. Let’s be like the Roman officer who had stronger faith than the Jews present in that region and understand that Jesus is part of a much bigger picture. Jesus is the key Person in our story of redemption.

Also, as I always challenge you to do, keep praying and studying the Bible for yourself to learn, grow, and let God transform your heart and your life. The closer we grow towards God, the better we will be able to see through His eyes, and love others as He loves each of us. Use the Bible as a filter for your life and as a guide for your spiritual walk.

And as I end every set of challenges by saying in one way or another, never stop short of, back away from, or walk away from where God wants to lead you to in your life with Him!

One thing that amazes me as we move through Mark’s gospel is how Mark races through Jesus’ story, and how many of the events that we think of as being later on in Jesus’ life come early in Mark’s record of Jesus’ life. While this might be simply because Mark has fewer chapters than the other three gospels, it is also possible this just seems to be the case since Mark doesn’t devote several chapters at the beginning to Jesus’ birth story.

However, regardless of the reason, we come to an event Mark includes that completely shifts the disciples’ perspective at that point. This event comes after Jesus has finished preaching to the crowds all day.

Our passage for this episode is found in the gospel of Mark, chapter 4, and we will read from the God’s Word translation. Starting in verse 35, Mark tells us:

³⁵ That evening, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side.”

³⁶ Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus along in a boat just as he was. Other boats were with him.

³⁷ A violent windstorm came up. The waves were breaking into the boat so that it was quickly filling up. ³⁸ But he was sleeping on a cushion in the back of the boat.

So they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to die?”

³⁹ Then he got up, ordered the wind to stop, and said to the sea, “Be still, absolutely still!” The wind stopped blowing, and the sea became very calm.

⁴⁰ He asked them, “Why are you such cowards? Don’t you have any faith yet?”

⁴¹ They were overcome with fear and asked each other, “Who is this man? Even the wind and the sea obey him!”

This event challenged the disciples on an entirely new level. If prior to this point, the disciples simply believed Jesus to be a significant teacher and healer, this event amplified their impression of who Jesus was and what Jesus was capable of.

When I say this, it is interesting in my mind because up to this point, the disciples likely had a similar impression of Jesus as the religious leaders. Both of these opposite groups believed Jesus to be a gifted speaker and a skilled healer. However, while the religious leaders disliked Jesus because of what He taught and what He did, the disciples had allied themselves with Jesus.

It is interesting too that this mirrors what many people believe today. Of those willing to admit that there was a historical figure known as Jesus Christ, many believe Him to be only a significant teacher or perhaps a skilled healer. Another group willing to admit that Jesus Christ was a historical figure say they believe He was God’s Messiah, but they stop there, not willing to accept what this actually means. In contrast to both these groups, only a small number actually accept Jesus as God’s Messiah, including what this actually means.

The event we just finished reading polarizes these groups of people. Some people will simply reject this event as fiction. Others, while admitting that Jesus lived and storms like what we just read about in this passage happened on the sea like this regularly, will say that this event was simply a fluke or a convenient coincidence. The reason this event polarizes people is that if we decide, like a minority of people, to accept that Jesus can command the weather, this makes Jesus God, and it is difficult to accept the idea that God is actually interested in us to the point that He would become one of us.

Understanding how God the Creator can choose to become a part of His creation is impossible for me to comprehend, but this is what the Bible describes in Jesus. With this event, we are forced to accept Jesus for being more than simply a teacher or healer, or to reject Jesus’ significance entirely.

When reading this event, it is interesting in my mind because the disciples do not ask Jesus for a miracle. Instead, the disciples wake Jesus up with the belief that this is their last night alive. The disciples had concluded that there was no way they were making it through this storm alive. When waking Jesus up, these disciples ask Him, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to die?”

In this question, there isn’t any indication or faith that Jesus can do anything for them except help them pitch water from the boat. I don’t know if Jesus had a hint of irritation in His voice regarding the disciples or regarding being woken up, but when Jesus commanded the wind and waves to stop, according to this passage, the effect was instantaneous.

Jesus then turns and challenges the disciples, calling them cowards and calling out their lack of faith. The disciples lack of faith is evidenced in how they ask themselves who Jesus really is. By questioning how a man could command the wind and the sea, these disciples are at a crossroads in their belief. These disciples must make a choice between believing Jesus is more than simply a religious teacher and healer, and whether He truly is the Messiah, the Son of God.

Also in this passage is another amazing truth that I want to focus our attention on. The only reason this storm was so bad was because Satan wanted to end Jesus’ life before He reached the other side of the lake, and especially before Jesus was able to face the cross. The truth we can discover in this passage related to this idea is that Satan caused storms are no match for Jesus’ command.

When Satan brings a storm into our life, or when he tries to amplify challenges or temptations in our minds, we should lean on Jesus’ promises and Jesus’ commands because the best Satan can come up with to challenge us is no match for Jesus. The best, scariest storm Satan could muster ended the instant Jesus spoke. When deciding who we should align our lives with, the clear choice is Jesus. He has the power to help us face anything Satan wants to throw our way!

As we come to the end of another podcast episode, here are the challenges I will leave you with:

As I always challenge you to do, intentionally seek God first in your life and choose to place your faith, hope, trust, and belief in Jesus as God’s Son and as our Messiah. Remember that anything Satan tries to throw at us is no match for Jesus, and in every case where Jesus steps in to face Satan head on, Jesus wins clearly and easily. Choose to align your life with Jesus.

Also, continue praying and studying the Bible for yourself to learn and grow closer to God and Jesus each day. Choose to spend time praying and studying to grow personally closer to God and to fall in love with Him like He has fallen in love with you. Discover in the pages of the Bible, a God who gives up everything for you and me!

And as I end every set of challenges by saying in one way or another, never stop short of, back away from, chicken out of, or abandon where God wants to lead you to in your life with Him!

As we continue moving forward in the gospels focusing on the miracles Jesus did, we come to a miracle where Jesus asks the person he has healed to be quiet. In this miracle, we discover what Jesus likely wanted, but we also discover that just because Jesus asked this man to do something, doesn’t mean this man obeyed. When someone is excited about something that has happened, it is almost impossible for them to remain quiet about it.

Let’s read what happened, and what we can learn from this miracle that we can apply into our lives.

Our passage is found in the gospel of Matthew, chapter 8, and we will be reading from the New Century Version of the Bible. Starting in verse 1, Matthew tells us that:

¹ When Jesus came down from the hill, great crowds followed him. ² Then a man with a skin disease came to Jesus. The man bowed down before him and said, “Lord, you can heal me if you will.”

Let’s pause reading here because I want to draw our attention onto something significant. In this passage, the man with a skin disease acknowledges that Jesus is capable of healing him, but he questions Jesus on His willingness to heal him. This is important for us to pay attention to because it has a parallel in our own lives even if we don’t have a skin disease.

In our own lives, we could just as easily say to Jesus, “Lord, you can forgive me if you will”. Through Jesus, we are capable of being forgiven, however do we ever struggle with feeling doubt about whether God would want to forgive us?

While it is easy to say that God is a God who forgives, it is much harder to think that He is willing to apply this forgiveness in serious or extreme situations. This is one reason I am happy to not be the judge or even anywhere close to the judge’s seat in this matter.

It’s possible that this man believes his disease is the result of something bad he had done and this disease is a punishment for that sin, and that God would not want to remove this punishment for the sin this man committed. With this angle on how the man phrases his statement and request, the man actually makes this healing subtly also relate to forgiveness from his past sin.

With this in mind, let’s look at how Jesus responded. Continuing in verse 3, Matthew tells us that:

³ Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man and said, “I will. Be healed!” And immediately the man was healed from his disease. ⁴ Then Jesus said to him, “Don’t tell anyone about this. But go and show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded for people who are made well. This will show the people what I have done.”

In Matthew’s gospel, we discover that Jesus is more than willing to heal people, and that Jesus doesn’t see illness, disease, or tragedy as divine punishment. Sometimes bad things happen simply because we live in a sinful world; sometimes bad things happen because God chooses to withdraw His protection. When we are living apart from God, it makes logical sense that God is not obligated to protect us from the sin in this world. God’s protection is a gift, and when we realize this, we should be grateful when we are protected, not angry when bad enters our lives.

After healing this man, Jesus tells him to stay quiet about this but go and show himself to the priest. I wonder if the priests who had pronounced this man as unclean made the claim that God was punishing him for his past sins. If so, then Jesus wants this man to show up healed, and with this healing, along with the gift that those who were healed were to bring, the priests would have to admit that their previous conclusion that this man would be punished for the rest of his life was false.

Matthew’s gospel ends this event here, and we might assume that this man did as Jesus had requested. However, Mark’s gospel records this event with an extra verse at the end. Mark, chapter 1, verse 45 tells us that: “The man left there, but he began to tell everyone that Jesus had healed him, and so he spread the news about Jesus. As a result, Jesus could not enter a town if people saw him. He stayed in places where nobody lived, but people came to him from everywhere.”

I think that part of the reason Jesus wanted the man to stay quiet was that Jesus wanted to slow His advance into the spotlight. I think Jesus wanted anonymity for a little longer so He could help more people.

However, with this healed-man’s excitement, there was no way Jesus could remain secret. Because of this man’s excitement, Jesus became so well known that He couldn’t enter a town if people recognized Him.

Part of me believes that this man’s excitement wasn’t just because Jesus had healed him. When reading this passage, I get the impression that this man was just as excited that Jesus wanted to heal him, and that he felt this healing was connected with the understanding that God had forgiven him as well.

When we make mistakes in life, and when we sin, it is easy to think that God no longer loves us. However, God is more than willing to forgive you and me than we are willing to admit. God loves you and I so much that nothing could stop Jesus from coming down to take the punishment for our sins. Jesus forgives us because He wants to forgive us, and because He knows that His forgiveness is a big part of the way we receive eternal life.

As we come to the end of another podcast episode, here are the challenges I will leave you with:

Always seek God first and place Him first in your life. Know, understand, and admit that God loves you even when you have sinned, and that God is more than willing to forgive us when we acknowledge that He is willing to forgive. God loves you and I, and He won’t stop loving us even if we have completely walked away and rejected Him.

Also, always pray and study the Bible for yourself to learn what God is like. The Bible is God’s story and it is a record of what He has done in the world. The Bible points us to Jesus, and we must always remember that without Jesus, there wouldn’t be a point to the Bible, and without the Bible, we wouldn’t be able to recognize God or Jesus. Intentionally study the Bible with the goal of growing closer to God each day and know that when we look at the world through the lens of the Bible, we are better able to see the world as God sees it.

And as I end every set of challenges by saying in one way or another, never stop short of, back away from, chicken out of, or abandon where God wants to lead you to in your life with Him!