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Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Mark 5:9

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. Compare (i) the "seven demons," by whom Mary Magdalene was possessed (Luke 8:2), (ii) the "seven other spirits" "worse than the first," which our Lord describes as taking up their abode in a man (Matthew 12:45).

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See also Mark 5:9 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Mark 5:9. _LEGION: FOR WE ARE MANY._] Could a _disease_ have spoken so? "No, there was no devil in the case; the man spoke according to the prejudice of his countrymen." And do you think that t...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    See this account of the demoniacs fully explained in the notes at Matthew 8:28. Mark 5:4 HE HAD BEEN OFTEN BOUND WITH FETTERS AND CHAINS - Efforts had been made to confine him, but his great strength...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 5 _ 1. The Servant's Power over Satan's work. (Mark 5:1. Matthew 8:28; Luke 8:26 .)_ 2. The Servant's Power over disease and death. (Mark

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    MARK 4:35 TO MARK 5:43. FOUR WONDER-STORIES. The stilling of the tempest, the healing of the demoniac and of the woman, and the raising of Jairus-' daughter form one of the most graphic sections of Mk...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    They came to the other side of the lake, to the territory of the Gerasenes. Immediately Jesus had disembarked from the boat, there met him from the tombs a man in the grip of an unclean spirit. This m...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    THE BANISHING OF THE DEMONS (Mark 5:1-13)...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    LEGION. A Roman legion was about 6,000 men....

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ΛΈΓΕΙ ΑΥ̓ΤΩ͂Ι ([919][920][921][922][923][924][925][926]) rather than ἀπεκρίθη λέγεν ([927][928][929] etc.). Scribes often insert ἀπεκρίθη or ἀποκριθείς, cf. Mark 7:6; Mark 9:12; Mark 10:5;...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    1–20. CURE OF THE GERASENE DEMONIAC Matthew 8:28-34; Luke 8:26-39...

  • Catena Aurea Commentary

    Ver 1. And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. 2. And when He was come out of the ship, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean s...

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _JESUS HEALED A DEMON-POSSESSED MAN MARK 5:1-9:_ Jesus and his disciples crossed the Sea of Galilee and came to the area of the Gerasenes. This was on the eastern shore of Galilee. As Jesus got out of...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΈΠΗΡΏΤΑ _impf. ind. act. от_ ΈΠΕΡΩΤΆΩ (G1905) справляться, задавать вопросы, спрашивать (Taylor). Inch, _impf._, подчеркивающий начало действия: "Он начал задавать вопросы" ΛΕΓΙΏΝ (G3003) легион, под...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    WHAT IS THY NAME?— See Luke 8:30....

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    B. THE FIERCE DEMONIAC. 5:1-20. _TEXT 5:1-20_ And they came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gerasenes. And when he was come out of the boat, straightway there met him out of the...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    _SUMMARY 4:34_5:43 The argument of this section is the same as that of the corresponding section in Matthew. (See Matthew 8:1 to Matthew 9:35.) It proves the divine power of Jesus by showing that he c...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. AND HE ASKED, WHAT IS THY NAME? The object of this question was to extort an acknowledgment of the...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    35-41 Compare Mat_8:18-27; Luk_2:22-25. 37 The lake of Galilee is subject to sudden squalls when the wind sweeps down from the mountains on the east. In a short time it changes from a placid mirror-li...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    Mk and Lk (not Mt) state that the man called himself 'Legion,' because he believed himself to be possessed by numerous devils. 18-20. Our Lord thought the quiet of home life better for the man than t...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE GADARENE DEMONIAC. JAIRUS' DAUGHTER 1-20. The Gadarene (Gerasene) DEMONIAC (Matthew 8:28; Luke 8:26). See on Mt; Mk's account is much the fullest....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    CHRIST IN THE BIBLE: MARK’S GOSPEL _KEITH SIMONS_ This commentary HAS BEEN through Advanced Checking. CHAPTER 5 JESUS IN GERASA VERSES 1-20 This man seemed strong and well. But his mind was ve...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    V. (1-20) See Notes on Matthew 8:28....

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 5 CHAPTER 5:1-20 (Mark 5:1) THE DEMONIAC OF GADARA "And they came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gerasenes. And when he was come out of the boat, straightway there met...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    _Meeting with Jesus_. This desperate case will test Christ's power to heal. Madness, as wild and untamable as the wind or the sea. What is going to happen?...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    _The Gerasene Demoniac_ (Matthew 8:28-34; Luke 8:26-39)....

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    τί σοι ὄνομα; instead of saying at once what He had meant to say, Jesus adopts a roundabout method of dealing with the case, and asks the demoniac his name, as if to bring him into composure. Λεγιὼν :...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    POWER OVER UNCLEAN SPIRITS Mark 5:1-20 This poor victim of a dark tyrant power was endowed with superhuman strength, and scorned restraint. Terrible to others, he endured untold misery himself, and s...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Nevertheless the men of Gadara "began to beseech Him to depart from their borders" (verse Mar 5:17). The price was too heavy; their pigs were destroyed. There is heartbreak here. Jairus fell at His fe...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _My name is Legion. Spirits have no names, only with respect to our language. These devils say their name is Legion, because they are many. (Witham)_...

  • Godbey's Commentary on the New Testament

    THE DEMONIZED GADERENE Matthew 8:28-34; Matthew 9:1; Mark 5:1-21; and Mark 5:26-40. We visited this country of the Gadarenes, which com

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (9) And he asked him, What _is_ thy name? and he answered, saying, My name _is_ Legion: for we are many. CHRIST's question could not have been for himself, but it seems to have been intended for the i...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    It is remarkable how tradition has contrived to injure the truth in touching the question of the method of the gospel we now enter on; for the current view which comes down to us from the ancients, st...

  • James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

    _SATAN’S LEGIONS_ ‘And (Jesus) asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.’ Mark 5:9 I. OUR SPIRITUAL DANGERS.—May we not say of our spiritual dangers,...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    Mark 5:9_My name is Legion. _The devil was compelled by Christ to pronounce this word, that he might more fully display the greatness and excellence of his grace. There must have been good reasons why...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    But, in another sense, they are not with Him. They are called to serve, when He quits the scene of His labour. We learn this from the demoniac Legion (chapter 5), delivered from his miserable conditio...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND HE ASKED HIM, WHAT IS THY NAME?.... Which question Christ put, not for his own sake; for he was not ignorant of his name, nor of the number of the unclean spirits which were in the man; but partly...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And he asked him, What _is_ thy name? And he answered, saying, My name _is_ Legion: for we are many. Ver. 9. _My name is Legion_] That is, a multitude. A legion was commonly among the Romans, saith I...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _They came into the country of the Gadarenes_ Called Gergesenes, Matthew 8:28. Gadara and Gergasa being towns near each other, and their inhabitants, and those of the country adjacent, taking their na...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    Legion of devils. Matthew 8:28-34; MATTHEW 26:53....

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    LEGION; for the number of the Roman legion, see note on Matthew 26:53. The word is here used simply in the sense of a multitude. WE ARE MANY; the man speaks, under the influence of the evil spirits,...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    AND HE ASKED HIM, WHAT IS THY NAME? AND HE ANSWERED, SAYING, MY NAME IS LEGION; FOR WE ARE MANY....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Acknowledging Jesus as the superior:...

  • Manly Luscombe Commentary on New Testament

    TITLE: Son of God Most High TEXT: Mark 5:6-9 PROPOSITION: Even the demons believe in Jesus. QUESTION: Why? KEY WORD: Confessions READING: Same INTRODUCTION: 1. Confess = Say the same thing 2. God sa...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-20 Some openly wilful sinners are like this madman. The commands of the law are as chains and fetters, to restrain sinners from their wicked courses; but they break those bands in sunder; and it is...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    SEE POOLE ON "MARK 5:1...

  • NT Verse References in the Ante-Nicene Fathers

    Constitutions of the Holy Apostles Book VIII And after they are gone out, let him say: Ye energumens, afflicted with unclean spirits, pray, and let us all earnestly, pray for them, that God, the love...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Mark 5:9 Then G2532 asked G1905 (G5707) him G846 What G5101 your G4671 name G3686 And G2532 answered...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘And he asked him, “What is your name?” ' By now Jesus had recognised that He was dealing with an unusual situation of a plurality of evil spirits and His request was therefore in order to discover e...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    JESUS DEMONSTRATES HIS POWER AND AUTHORITY OVER A REGIMENT OF EVIL SPIRITS (5:1-20). The incident we are now about to examine raises the question as to the existence of evil spirits. But this is somet...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    Mark 5:9. WHAT IS THY NAME! Probably addressed to the man, since there would be no special object in finding out the name of the demon, who however answered: LEGION IS MY NAME. Matthew omits this, and...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    THE TIME of the voyage across the lake is fixed by the account before us. It was the evening of the day (Mark 4:35) when the discourse in parables had been uttered. The other accounts (Matthew 8:18; L...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    Mark 5:1-20. THE DEMONIAC AT GERASA. See on Matthew 8:28-34. Comp. Luke 8:26-39. Luke's account more nearly resembles that of Mark, and both are fuller than that of Matthew....

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    MY NAME IS LEGION (Λεγιων ονομα μο). So Luke 8:30, but not Matthew. Latin word (_legio_). A full Roman legion had 6,826 men. See on Matthew 26:53. This may not have been a full legion, for Mark 5:13...

  • Scofield's Bible Commentary

    MANY See (Mark 16:9); (Matthew 7:22). (_ See Scofield) - (Matthew 7:22). _...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Mark 5:1 This story may be viewed in four aspects. I. The human. (_a_) The human aspect as seen in shadow: (1) Man impure unclean spirit; (2) Man dis-socialised his dwelling was among the tombs; (3)...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Mark 5:1. _And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes._ They had had a very eventful passage across that small but stormy sea, and Christ had proved himself...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Mark 5:1. _And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Mark 5:1. And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean s...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: The maniac of Gadara. Woman with issue of blood healed. Daughter of Jairus raised from the dead. CHARACTERS: Jesus, disciples, demoniac, sick woman, Jairus, his daughter. CONCLUSION: The po...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Mark 5:9. _What is thy name?_ Our Saviour asked this to show the great power which demons have over men, when permitted of God. Mark 5:25. _A certain woman._ See Luke 8:43....

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Into the country of the Gadarenes._ THE COUNTRY OF THE GADARENES I spent a night and part of two days in the vicinity of the Lake of Tiberias. My tent was pitched near the Hot Baths, about a mile so...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _My name is Legion._ THE LEGION OF SIN Truly the name of sin is Legion. It is anger, malice, intemperance, murder, impurity, unfaithfulness, dishonesty, equivocation, dissimulation, falsehood, hypocr...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    MARK—NOTE ON MARK 5:9 MY NAME IS LEGION. A legion was the largest unit of the Roman army, with as many as 6,000 soldiers. This does not necessarily mean that there were 6,000 demons in the man, only t...

  • The Gospels Compared

    JESUS SENDS THE DEMONS INTO A HERD OF PIGS MATTHEW 8:28-34; MARK 5:1-20; LUKE 8:26-39; MATTHEW 8:28 And when he was come to the other side

  • The Great Commentary of Cornelius à Lapide

    CHAPTER 5 1 _Christ delivereth the possessed of the legion of devils_, 13 _they enter into the swine_. 25 H _e healeth the woman of the bloody issue_, 35 _and raiseth from death Jairus his daughter. _...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL AND EXEGETICAL NOTES_ Mark 5:1. GADARENES.—_Gerasenes_ is undoubtedly the true reading here, and in Origen’s time it was the prevalent one; “but the copyists, thinking this referred to the w...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION MARK 5:1 AND THEY CAME TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SEA. The other side of the sea would be the south-east side of the sea. INTO THE COUNTRY OF THE GADARENES, or rather, _Gerasenes_,_ _which...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes (Mark 5:1). Now, that is on the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee. It is the area near the beginning of the Golan...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Luke 11:21; Luke 8:30; Matthew 12:45; Matthew 26:53...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    THE WILD MAN OF GADARA Mark 5:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS There are several things we wish to suggest, culled from the opening verses of our Scripture. 1. THE FIRST PHRASE: "THE OTHER SIDE." The opening...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    My name is Legion! for we are many — But all these seem to have been under one commander, who accordingly speaks all along, both for them and himself....

  • When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties, Norman L. Geisler and Thomas Howe, 1960

    (CF. MARK 5:1-20; LUKE 8:26-39)— Where were the demoniacs healed? PROBLEM: The first three Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) each give an account of Jesus healing demoniacs. Matthew states that the pl...

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