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.
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.
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.
Read Mark 5:1-20 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!
In one of the most unique and spectacular healings Jesus ever did, Jesus heals a multiple-demon-possessed man who had been written off by society. In this healing, a phrase stood out to me that I had not paid much attention to. This phrase comes as the demons respond to Jesus’ question.
Mark tells us that Jesus asks the man, “What is your name?” (v. 9a)
This question is simple enough, but the response the man gives is far from ordinary. The man responds to Jesus by saying, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” (v. 9b)
Prior to looking closer at this passage, the man/demon’s response didn’t really stand out to me, but something in this response struck me as I read it this time: the first half of the response uses the word “my”, which is singular, while the second half of the response uses the word “we”, which is plural.
This contrast is clearly shown in how Mark shares the response, but the parallel idea that I thought of when reading this is that it is similar to how we describe God. We use singular pronouns to describe the Godhead, and the whole belief of the Trinity (Father, Son, & Holy Spirit) is a blend of a singular and plural thought.
If we read earlier in Mark, we get a description of what this man was known for. Mark describes the man by saying, “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.” (v. 3-5)
While nothing really speaks to this man trying to take the place of God or even Jesus, it is clearly evident in Mark’s description that the man was supernaturally strong. Reading this description prompts me to think that he may have been trying to set himself up as the god of the dead – to contrast Jesus being the Savior of the living.
But looking at Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, we know that Jesus is also the Savior of the dead and that Jesus’ power extends over both life and death. But before this was clear in the minds of those living in that era, part of me wonders if that singular and plural response the demons gave Jesus was a jab at God’s own nature that is both singular and plural.
In this response, I am reminded that almost anything can try to impersonate Jesus and God. Many things try to take the place of God in our lives, but none of them fit into the place God designed for Himself in our hearts. None of the impersonations can truly bring life and joy into our lives – and none of the impersonations can offer salvation for eternity. Life, joy, and salvation are just a few of the gifts God gives us when we choose to bring Him into our lives.
This thought was inspired by studying the Walking With Jesus “Reflective Bible Study” package. To discover insights like this in your own study time, click here and give Reflective Bible Study a try today!
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