Mark 5:1-20. The Healing of the Gadarene Demoniac 1. _they came_ to the eastern shore, but not even there was the Lord destined to find peace or rest. _the Gadarenes_ All three Gospels which record this miracle vary in their readings between (1) _Gadarenes_, (2) _Gergesenes_, and (3) _Gerasenes_. ... [ Continue Reading ]
_out of the tombs_ These tombs were either natural caves or recesses hewn by art out of the rock, often so large as to be supported with columns, and with cells upon their sides for the reception of the dead. Such places were regarded as unclean because of the dead men's bones which were there (Numb... [ Continue Reading ]
_he had been often_ Each Evangelist adds something to complete the picture of the terrible visitation, under which the possessed laboured. St Matthew that he made the way impassable for travellers (Mark 8:28); St Luke that he was without clothing (Mark 8:27); St Mark that he cried night and day and... [ Continue Reading ]
_afar off_ St Mark alone tells us this. While, as a man, he is attracted towards the Holy One; as possessed by the Legion, he desires to withdraw from Him.... [ Continue Reading ]
_What have I to do with thee?_ Literally, WHAT IS THERE BETWEEN THEE AND ME? What have we in common? Why interferest Thou with us? _I adjure thee_ Notice the intermixture of praying and adjuring, so characteristic of demoniac possession when brought into the presence of Christ.... [ Continue Reading ]
_My name is Legion_ "He had seen the thick and serried ranks of a Roman legion, that fearful instrument of oppression, that sign of terror and fear to the conquered nations." Even such, terrible in their strength, inexorable in their hostility, were the "lords many," which had dominion over him. Com... [ Continue Reading ]
_out of the country_ i. e. as it is expressed in St Luke, into "the abyss of hell" (Mark 8:31).... [ Continue Reading ]
_a great herd swine_ The lawless nature of the country, where Jews lived mingled with Gentiles, the Evangelist denotes by the circumstance of the two thousand swine, emphasizing the greatness of the herd. If their owners were only in part Jews, who merely trafficked in these animals, still they were... [ Continue Reading ]
_down a steep place_ At _Kerza_or _Gersa_, "where there is no precipice running sheer to the sea, but a narrow belt of beach, the bluff behind is so steep, and the shore so narrow, that a herd of swine rushing frantically down, must certainly have been overwhelmed in the sea before they could recove... [ Continue Reading ]
_clothed_ because, as St Luke informs us (Mark 8:27), before the wretched man _wore no clothes_. "On descending from the heights of Lebanon, I found myself," writes Warburton, "in a _cemetery_… The silence of the night was now broken by _fierce yells and howlings_, which I discovered proceeded from... [ Continue Reading ]
_to depart out of their coasts_ Many were doubtless annoyed at the losses they had already sustained, and feared greater losses might follow. "And their prayer was heard: He did depart; He took them at their word; and let them alone" (cf. Exodus 10:28-29). Trench _on the Miracles_, p. 177.... [ Continue Reading ]
_And when he was come …_ Rather, WHEN HE WAS IN THE ACT OF STEPPING INTO THE SHIP. _that he might be with him_ Either (i) in a spirit of deepest gratitude longing to be with his Benefactor, or (ii) fearing lest the many enemies, from whom he had been delivered, should return. Comp. Matthew 12:44-45... [ Continue Reading ]
_and tell them_ On others (comp. Matthew 8:4; Luke 8:56) after shewing forth towards them His miraculous power, He enjoined silence; on this man He enjoined publicity. He appoints him to be a living memorial of His own saving Power, and so to become the first great preacher in the half-heathen distr... [ Continue Reading ]
_Decapolis_ When the Romans conquered Syria, b. c. 65, they rebuilt, partially colonized, and endowed with peculiar privileges "ten cities," the country which was called Decapolis. All of them lay, with the exception of Scythopolis, East of the Jordan, and to the East and South-East of the Sea of Ga... [ Continue Reading ]
The Petition of Jairus 21. _unto the other side_ i. e. the western side of the Lake, near Capernaum.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the rulers of the synagogue_ Each synagogue had a kind of Chapter or College of Elders, presided over by _a ruler_, who superintended the services, and possessed the power of excommunication. From this place, e.g., compared with Acts 13:15, it would appear that some synagogues had several rulers.... [ Continue Reading ]
_My little daughter_ His "_only daughter_," Luke 8:42. The use of diminutives is characteristic of St Mark. Here we have "little daughter;" in Mark 5:41 "damsel," or "_little maid;_" in Mark 7:27, "dogs = "_little dogs_," "_whelps;_" in Mark 8:7, _a few_" _small fishes;_" in Mark 14:47, _his ear_, l... [ Continue Reading ]
_thronged him_ The word thus rendered only occurs here and at Mark 5:31.... [ Continue Reading ]
The Healing of the Woman with an Issue of Blood 25. _a certain woman_ "Such overflowing grace is in Him, the Prince of Life, that as He is hastening to the accomplishing of one work of His power, He accomplishes another, as by the way." Trench, p. 188. _an issue of blood_ Her malady was especially... [ Continue Reading ]
_his garment_ The law of Moses commanded every Jew to wear at each corner of his _tallith_a fringe or tassel of blue, to remind them that they were God's people (Numbers 15:37-40; Deuteronomy 22:12). "Two of these fringes usually hung down at the bottom of the robe, while one hung over the shoulder... [ Continue Reading ]
_of that plague_ On this word see above, note on Mark 3:10.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Who touched my clothes?_ He who with the eye of His Spirit saw Nathanael under the fig tree (John 1:47-48), recognised at once (Mark 5:30) the magnetic touch of faith however weak and trembling (Luke 8:46). "Many throng Him, but only one touches Him." "Caro premit, fides tangit," says St Augustine.... [ Continue Reading ]
_he looked round_ Another proof of St Mark's graphic power. The tense in the original is still more expressive. It denotes that He KEPT ON LOOKING ALL ROUND, that His eyes WANDERED OVER one after the other of the many faces before Him, till they fell on her who had done this thing.... [ Continue Reading ]
_fearing and trembling_ She may have dreaded His anger, for according to the Law (Leviticus 15:19) the touch of one, afflicted as she was, caused ceremonial defilement until the evening. _told him_ i. e. probably all the particulars we find in Mark 5:25-26, and this before all the people (Luke 8:47... [ Continue Reading ]
_Daughter_ Our Lord is recorded to have addressed no other woman by this title. It calmed all her doubts and fears. _go in peace_ This is not merely "go with a blessing," but _abi in pacem, enter into peace_, "as the future element in which thy life shall move," and _be whole of thy plague. Be_= es... [ Continue Reading ]
The Raising of the Daughter of Jairus 35. _why troublest thou the Master?_ Or as, literally rendered, it is in St Luke's Gospel (Luke 8:49), "_trouble not the Master any further_." The word, here translated "_trouble_," one which is used here and here alone by St Mark and St Luke (except Luke 7:6),... [ Continue Reading ]
_heard_ Perhaps according to a better reading, "_overheard._" The very instant the Lord heard the message, He hastens to reassure the ruler with a word of confidence and encouragement.... [ Continue Reading ]
_save Peter, and James, and John_ This is the first time we hear of an election within the election. "That which He was about to do was so great and holy that those three only, the flower and crown of the Apostolic band, were its fitting witnesses." The other occasions when we read of such an electi... [ Continue Reading ]
_them that wept_ These were the hired mourners, chiefly women; whose business it was to beat their breasts (Luke 8:52), and to make loud lamentations at funerals; comp 2 Chronicles 35:25; Jeremiah 9:17-18; Amos 5:16. The Rabbinic rule provided for the poorest Israelite at least two flute-players, an... [ Continue Reading ]
_but sleepeth_ Comp. His words in reference to Lazarus (John 11:11). The Lord of life takes away that word of fear, "_She is dead_," and puts in its room that milder word which gives promise of an awakening, "_She sleepeth_.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Talitha cumi_ = " LITTLE MAID, ARISE. " Doubtless St Peter, who was now present, often recalled the actual words used on this memorable occasion by our Lord, and told them to his friend and kinsman St Mark. So it is the same Evangelist, who preserves the very word, which our Lord used, when He open... [ Continue Reading ]
_And immediately her spirit came again and she arose straightway_(Luke 8:55), and _began to walk_. There is no struggle, no effort on his part, Who is "_the Resurrection and the Life_" (John 11:25); we read of no "crying unto the Lord," or "stretching himself upon the child three times" as in the ca... [ Continue Reading ]
_something should be given her to eat_ At once to strengthen the life thus wonderfully restored, and to prove that she was no spirit, but had really returned to the realities of a mortal existence.... [ Continue Reading ]