He was constrained to act just like the other prophets before him. Although the Almightys statement is only one sentence in Deuteronomy 12:32, Jews regard it as two different commandments no additions and no subtractions. Yes, you read that right. The normally merciful Messiah destroyed the pigs in accordance with Gods Law about clean and unclean meat. No cumbered chamber will the Master share,But one swept bare By cleansing fires, then plenished fresh and fairWith meekness, and humility, and prayer.There will He come, yet, coming, even thereHe stands and waits, and will no entrance winUntil the latch be lifted from within. Racism: Not a modern invention . Amen. Jun 21, 2021. The excavations uncovered what is to date the best preserved Rom. Doesnt Pastor MacArthur know his Bible? Only this interpretation explains the farmers restrained reaction over the slaughter of the swine, and their tremendous terror of the Messiah. Israel doesnt [need] a savior who can fight off a legion of Roman soldiers. (, Still, Jesus was not in Gadarenes for judging; he was there, Not contrary, but consistent with Christs Character, Here is a prophesy that Christians love to quote: , The LORD has sworn it and He will not change his mind: You are a priest forever, after the nature of Melchizedek. The LORD is upon your right hand. Well this is a taste of the profound arguments that you will find in that book. It is now called Jerash and is a deserted ruin. They belonged to God. War III. Now what happens in this passage? All Rights Reserved. Apparently Gerasa was rebuilt by the Romans before the revolt began, prob. The apostle had been busy preaching in Demetriuss hometown of Ephesus and Pauls message about the one true God was catching on. Demonic forces seem to be territorial; i.e., they have assigned areas of domain. But it was what they loved and they preferred it to everlasting blessing in Jesus Christ. But when Jesus explained that the commandment was the old one from Leviticus, Love one another, they signed with relief, seeing how he was just underscoring the command that God already gave (Leviticus 19:18). (, Therefore you should understand that the LORD your God, Because God is so steady, and doesnt reverse or repeal, He can be trusted to do what He promises; good or, If the Eternal One, blessed be He, had said just, But the Almighty said it so many times. But there are many reasons why Im not keen on the idea of the Gospels as non-historical. Oh, you mean THOSE pigs!! Also oral tradition in this area talks of Christ coming and preaching the gospel there but being asked to leave shortly afterwards. I dont know of any illness that can do that. What is the significance of Decapolis in the Bible? Gods Everlasting Word is not something evolving or morphing into a strange new unusual thing, like some rose turning into a radish, or a carrot into a carnation. Such alternative readings include arguments that the swine were meant to represent the Roman army or "unclean and unfaithful" people; that pigs were considered "unclean", so destroying them might be consistent with care for other animals; and that Jesus did not actually "send" the devils into the pigs. Matthew tells us there were two demoniacs, while Mark and Luke only Lots of non-Jews lived there. However, the silversmith was a smart cookie and knew that the more people bought into Pauls line of thinking, Note: Demetrius was angry only because of, Therefore, were those cool-headed pig-farmers really Gentiles? That's even more unexpected than not being angry because in Paul's case, it was the other way around. Dedicated Online Support through Live Chat & Customer Care contact nos. Remember the story of Jesus casting demons out of the crazy man in Luke 8? I'm the man who Jesus saved by casting out the demons from me.. I trust the Lord Jesus to know what to do with demons and what ought to be done. Why should this surprise us? Christ's primary focus was on "the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matt. The fact anyone dreamed up dispensationalism, They say, None, but Jesus, kept the Law perfectly. Emily Langer, Washington Post, 16 June 2022 Three of the Comedian Harmonists were Jewish, three were gentile. Looking back over the entirety of Gods Word, we do indeed notice many plagues rained down on the wicked in other books. Do you see how Jesuss Gentiles dont act like Gentiles! It is repeated over and over. These pastors have added to Scripture that the God of the Old Testament is different in the New and taken away from it Mosess 613 commandments are now reduced to 2. Studying these Scripture passages show us that Jesus only ever walked in the land that God had promised to Abraham, Isaac and Israel and Moses. I would think that it shows that demons would enter anything that could be unclean including a human being. He was Jewish and tragically lost. (, Worse yet, dont trust one who says Scripture. So if you have the ears to hear, the Father and the Son both wrote the Law and gave it to 630,000 men (and women and children) at Mt. 5 By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their 3. So whats the point because Pastor John Piper feels the pigs were less important and John LOL MacArthur just jokes about the slaughter neither reaction seems sensible. I cannot offer you a proof-text for this observation. And Luke intends this to be a display of an extraordinary case. Thats the exodus that Israel needs. SO Jesu said later in the NT, that meats going in the mouth does not defile because we excrete it out in the draught, solid and liquids, so physically our body cleans itself if there were toxins, and It is whatever comes out of the mind, is what taints a person, whatever he or she thinks. That is how valuable human life is." What good to us that Thou hast made him whole, since we have lost our swine? Is that not a picture of people that love what they have or what they want more than they love the One who loves their souls? Secondly, I want you to look at the Lord Jesus Christ Himself because His power over Satan is on display full force in this passage. They tried to kill us. We and therefore the good pastor declares the demoniac to be a Gentile since, as everyone also knows, Gentiles are better tomb-dwellers.. A city in Transjordania, situated about thirty-five m. SE of the S end of the [[Sea of Galilee]], one of the cities of the Decapolis; the Jerash (aka Gerasa, Gerash or Gerasha) is the capital and the largest city of the Jerash Governorate in Jordan, but in ancient times it was one of the wealthiest and most cosmopolitan cities in the ancient Near East.Settled by humans as early as the Neolithic period (c. 7500-5500 BCE) and founded as a Hellenistic city in the 2nd century BCE, Jerash is In 2 Samuel 17 we read of the young boy who would be king risking everything for one lamb. The entire herd ran straight off a cliff and drowned. What do you want? Pastor MacArthur would do well to learn from his Jewish counterparts. 8 ) Their pork was kosher, kept out of the camp for 7 days, and circumcised. How and why did this happen in the first place? Well, this happens in the gospel with Jesus. But as Gergesa was a small village, and little known, the evangelists, who wrote for more distant readers, spoke of the event as taking place in the country of the Gadarenes, so named from its largest city, Gadara; and this country included the country of the Gergesenes as a state includes a county. Regrettably, what were about to study the Big Pig Splash Down isn't one of them. Incredible. Now Jesus grants this permission. He is a billionaire, he is about to break Jack Nicklaus record, he's married to a model, he has two beautiful children, he has everything that anybody in the world could possibly want to have. Interestingly, if you obey the latter, and take just the babies or the eggs but release the dame, God promises you a long and successful life. These pastors have, Look at the prophets; they also prove Scripture doesnt change. Lastly, based on culture, human-nature and most importantly, on specific Scripture passages, we know the demoniac could not have been a Gentile but was most assuredly, Yet a complete interpretation of Mark 5 needs to clear up one last point: the pigs were forbidden but did they, Christ kept kosher and cleaned up the town, I can of Myself do nothing. The NT references (Mark 5:1; Luke 8:26; cf. In retaliation for the massacre of the Jews at Caesarea, the Jews sent several raiding parties into the Gentile cities of the Decapolis. He knew how bad it was going to go for the pigs. And sadly, neither of the two Johns considered Gods extreme love for His Creation when giving their interpretations. Fear and selfishness prompted the prayer. While foretelling death and doom was often, Fifth Fact: The True Author(s) of Scripture. WebApparently Gerasa was rebuilt by the Romans before the revolt began, prob. To feed the spectators who came there purposely to see those crazy chain braking tomb dwelling lunatics! Last week we said the focus was on the power and the person of Jesus Christ. Do you remember at the end of the book, in the sixth book, when the King of Gondor and his captains and the host of Gondor have arrived at the black gates of Sauron Sauron is the evil figure in the book and if you know Tolkien's cosmology, he was actually an apprentice to the Satan figure of Tolkien's writings. facts why Jesus cast the demons Demons, Jesus, and the Pigs The Outlaw Bible Student, http://www.linearconcepts.com/archives/2011. In course of time, as the Jews began more and more to pride themselves on their peculiar privileges, it acquired unpleasant associations, and was used as a term of contempt. (Later, in Genesis 8:20, Noah sacrificed some of the clean animals to God as thank you offerings because their ship had come in! In other words, to paraphrase what Gertrude told Hamlet, Methinks the good pastor doth protest too much. Scripture also makes it abundantly clear that God Almighty cannot change, and no one, not even the Lord's Anointed Messiah can change the Law which they both wrote. Or are we with those who love what we want and what we have more than we love the Word of life from the only One who can give life? Even city officials who were Pauls friends were scared for Pauls life (Acts 19:31). Many year later, Messiah went to Israel as a prophet to get the people of Israel back to his Law. 8). When Jesus asked the mans name always a good way to start a conversation the demons replied, We are Legion, for we are many. A legion is a Roman military unit consisting of four to six thousand soldiers. Wnsche, Neue Beitrge zur Erluterung der Evangelien aus Talmud und Midrasch, p. 119. The Son of God mercifully cast thousands of defiling demons out of a lost Jew and purposefully launched the legion killers into two thousand defiling swine. Money Maker Software is compatible with AmiBroker, MetaStock, Ninja Trader & MetaTrader 4. Pigs, of course, were unclean for the Jews (Lev. Of course not. Who were the gerasenes in the bible? The demons freak out that Jesus is there because its not time for them to be tormented by Him yet. They were to teach the Gentiles about Him (Acts 13:4647). And John nicely parallels Jesus who said, not the smallest letter nor the smallest comma will pass away from the Law (Matthew 5:18). This, by the way, is the miracle story that happens in Gentile land. What are you doing here, man of God? And then he attempted to intimidate him. Nothing we have belongs to us. And so they begin crying out, Don't cast us into the abyss.. And did the Gospels writers believe the explanation was so obvious they didn't need to write one? In delivering the man from his bondage, Jesus restored creations promise. Gergesenes means "those who come from pilgrimage or fight." Why explain something that is as plain as the nose on your face? I wonder why?). So you not only see the power of Christ over Satan in this passage in the miracle that He performs in casting these demons out of this man, but you also see Jesus compassion towards sinners. He is more open with Gentiles because it fits His purpose about revelation to the Gentiles and the new inclusion in the kingdom. And because he said it one single, solitary time, and he didnt actually present anything new, we have clear proof that he didnt add anything to the Law and his joke underscores the fact that he didnt add (or delete) from the Law! It all belongs to God. 141-144). He has stabbed the heads of many lands. Third, I want you to see the change that results in this man after he is not only liberated from these demons, but after he clearly, because of a change of heart, becomes a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. In some of your Bibles, it may say Gergesenes or Gadarenes in the parallel passages in the gospels. Since demons are by most accounts fallen angels to begin with, they already know to Whom they are ultimately accountable. And repeatedly, these miracles will focus us in on Who is Jesus? and What do His deeds tell us about what He has come to do and the power that He has? And so this passage helps us in this way. Ptolemy says Gerasa was a city in Coele-Syria, thirty-five travel m. from Pella. I would, however, be a little skeptical of stories about Jesus Himself visiting Spain. The Gemara on the passage gives a historical foundation for the practise in the times of Aristobulus. Archeology. The man howled day and night and cut himself with stones. The final battle requires a different strategy, one that involves a cross. But what does Leviticus says about ham? That is exactly what is happening here. Early in the video, he is very factual and seems sure of himself. The text of Mark 5 says pigs were nearby, but it doesnt say they were the only things nearby. The Gadarenes Rejection | Reformed Bible Studies & Devotionals But it struck me as interesting that Bertrand Russell had the exact same reaction to this miracle that the people of the Gerasenes had. Therefore, if Paul had taken a single silver goddess Diana doll and tossed it into the Aegean Sea, what kind of a hornets nest of trouble would the apostle have stirred up for himself? it depends on the text you read, but one of the four Greek words is sometimes neuter, sometimes masculine a big deal in this language and in this verse. Gerasa was a city situated near the Jabbok River about eighteen m. E of the Jordan, about twenty m. SE of Pella, and twenty m. N of Philadelphia. Therefore they should be taken as such. He will judge the Gentiles, filling places with bodies. He does. Were in the same story. 1. Now I must say that that really boggles my mind because Luke's main point is so crystal clear and it's set in the context of three other stories that are crystal clear. And were you aware that the New Testament repeats the same two commands from Deuteronomy? led to the substitute reading Gergesenes, a reading that was suggested by a study of the geography of the area. Over the years, Ive had to prove all this to myself first, and it took soul-searching and tons of Scripture research. Because God is so steady, and doesnt reverse or repeal, He can be trusted to do what He promises; good or evil. Pork is the most infamous of all-things-not-Jewish and the bad press that pigs receive in Scripture, and in contemporary Western society, is another reason why I accuse both pastors of being less than honest in their explanations about Mark 5. Gerasa was rebuilt in splendor and remained prosperous for several centuries. What about sheep? The fascinating story behind many people's favori Can you handle the (barometric) pressure? All four gospel writers repeatedly testify to Jesuss power over storm, waves and. But are these good pastors on the right track? Theres another interesting question in the sidelines: if Jews detested pigs, why were there pigs in the area? Years earlier, when the ancient Israelis came to the border of the Promised Land, part of the eastern shore was controlled by the Geshurites (and the Maakathites) but Joshua told Israel to possess their land (, Last Fact: The coming Judgement Jews First, We have seen that God Almighty loves animals as much as humans, so Jesus randomly killing two thousand swine seems senseless, unless we remember God has commanded righteous people to avoid defiling food, such as pork. Their dead bodies you must not touch. Just remember the wonderful folks in Jesuss hometown? The power of the Lord Jesus Christ over Satan. Reading the whole account in Acts 19:23 to 41, we see that it was not hard for the sore silversmith to drum up anti-Jewish anger in the crowd that day. In the end, the good pastors assumptions keep us rolling in the aisles. It pains them to admit that Jesus was/is a Jewish Messiah and not a Christian one. He is the strong man who binds Satan and plunders his house. Therefore, when it came to sacrifices on it, the menu was even shorter. With or without graves? WebWhy were there pigs in gerasenes? Those outside of the nation of Israel were considered gentiles. And God isnt going to renounce or retract that decision no matter how many dispensational charts they print. They were not. We should ask the good pastors if love thy neighbour as thyself has any bearing on killing your neighbours livestock. The district of the Gerasenes probably included that of the Gadarenes; so that the demoniac of Gergesa belonged to the country of the Gadarenes and also to that of the Gerasenes, as the same person may, with equal truth, be said to live in the city or the state, or in the United States. These forces plundered Gerasa, Philadelphia, Pella, and others (Jos. Logically we understand that no person on Earth could say something in strong terms over and over, and then just one day say, Oops, can I retract that? So could or would God Almighty flip flop? To save this word, you'll need to log in. This one verse alone, without all the extra proof from Jesuss joke, should convince us that his commandments are the 613 commandments of the Law of Moses. They could, at least, admit to the possibility of what has been discussed here and about the other facts. What do you love? Part of the reason for such a short list is due to the fact that Gods People are special (Exodus 19:5-6) and separate (Deuteronomy 7:6) and unique from others on the earth (1 Peter 2:9). They had rather have their swine than their Saviour, and so, though they saw the demoniac sitting, clothed, and in his right mind, at the feet of Jesus, they in turn beseech that He should take Himself away. By using our website, you accept our use of cookies. "Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged [Jesus], saying, 'Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.' In other words, they believe the one who killed the pigs with the demons is equal to the Father. The Psalmist states that God owns the cattle on a thousand hills Because to me belong every beast of the wood, every herd on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10, and were assuming Jesus the Second Person of the triune God had equal rights to those hills and those cattle.). And the only real bargaining chip according to this interpretation was offering them the two thousand big pink chips. This now then is our fifth fact in a nutshell. Power over Demons: The Gerasene Demoniac Matthew Remember that the Law reveals to us the mind and personality of God. A wonderful verse that reveals Him to us and probably the most heartwarming is the commandment in the Torah that mother animals are allowed to stay with their newborns for at least seven days before the offspring can be taken for food or for sacrifice (, All of these commandments and more are still taken literally by many Jews today. In actual fact, when you stop to think about it, If our faithful, unchanging Heavenly Father God made a straightforward decisive yet divisive decision and repeated it, Fourth Fact: Gods Enduring, Unchangeable Word, As was just so elegantly discussed, the destruction of the herd, Your word, O LORD, is everlasting; it is firmly fixed in the heavens. And from what I have heard, preferrably pig blood. Swine are considered unclean and unholy in the Jewish tradition, and Jesus was Jewish.This miracle, witnessed by his disciples, also shows Jesuss wisdom in teaching the Word of God among non Jewish people. That is why At best, Malachi 4:4 should read as, Remember the Law of Moses, but mine's better. Jesus was also a prophet. Johns words seem to apply to all of Scripture. neither the four Greek words, nor any idea similar to them, are ever repeated in Scripture, whereas the destruction of the swine herd is thrice-repeated and uses a few more than four words. (Only an amateur Hebraist would claim the latter, frankly.). Most translations interpret the Hebrew to say, Canaanite, but both are more than possible and perhaps the double meaning was intended by the prophet. Luckily, they didnt find Paul anywhere, but they did haul a number of Pauls colleagues down to city hall. But these differences are typical of eye-witness reports and only irritate skeptics. Its flesh you must not eat. But this view is shocking because it places Gods Son on an equal footing with the unclean spirits and thus flies in the face of the normal presentation of Jesus in the Gospels. Every creature on land, or in the water, or in the air is classified by either the Hebrew term, (tahor), meaning ritually clean/pure, or by the term, (tameh), unclean/defiling. Now it's not a very profound book. Try Bible Gateway Plus free today. The Tabernacle of Ancient Israel - Brief Overview of the Tabernacle of Moses in the Wilderness and the Ark of the Covenant. Israel was to be a nation of priests, prophets, and missionaries to the world (Exodus 19:46). Gerasene Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster The two Johns see more than a hint of what I am talking about in the destruction of the swine and it frightens them so they avoid a serious discussion. The concept of Gentiles is found in the Old Testament. Dictionaries Encyclopedias Lexicons. Gods Word has to agree with Gods Word. B. vii. John 13:34 was the one single, solitary time that the Master told his disciples, I give you a new commandment. However, the commandment wasnt a new commandment. As for Matthew, he quoted Jesus as commanding the demons, and used the plural form of the verb, go. in which he transferred the demons afflicting a man to a number of swine, that thereupon He doesnt want to connect the dots and he doesn't want us to either. A main street with columns on both sides leads out of the forum. The action is no different than, Lets return again to when Jesus cleaned up the Temple courtyard of merchants and merchandise. Now not only did the Jewish people not eat bacon, and not only were they forbidden by Moses to eat bacon, but they were not allowed to raise bacon even to sell it to the Gentiles. He says that the demon expulsions are just unenlightened men of the first century trying to explain illnesses being healed. 4. Gerasa. They were wise enough to figure out if Jesus in His authority over them would allow them to exit of their choosing, they would select the black pigs often used in sacrifice to Baal. Heavenly Father, we thank You that the name of Jesus is sweet in the ears of believers, but we know, O Lord, that those who love this world do not know the sweetness of the sound of His name. Last Update: Jan 03, 2023 He was completely in the thrall of sin. Reading the Word of God is wonderful. It's in Luke chapter 8, verse 18. To suggest God retracts or repeals laws tarnishes His Dignity. I definitely dont want to be near that doctor on Judgement Day.). Did Jesus really sacrifice the swine for the man? The demons, who in this man have terrified the whole countryside to the point that they had tried to retrain this man with chains they were so frightened of Him, those demons are now afraid of Jesus because they know who Jesus is and they know where Jesus can cast them. Now do you see how silly the Jesus-kept-the-Law-perfectly statement is? And do you believe for one minute that God told us to obey something that He knew full-well we couldnt obey? Ill take Mark at his word; hes thinking of an army of demons, not an army of human soldiers. God told Jonah that it was not just all the people, but also so much livestock (Jonah 4:11). This picking and choosing is completely unbiblical. The Catholic Church's interpretation of this verse is sheer nonsense, because the weight of Scripture contradicts it, so true Reformers need to re-read their Bibles. 1). If a bunch of little children want a ball to play with and I toss them a grenade, am I off the hook if a kid pulls out the pin? While animal-abuse cases arent normally rampant among church-goers, its no thanks to this bishops official policy. Gods Law even has two commands that equate domestic livestock with wild animals.
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