Mark 1:28

ἡ ἀκοὴ, the report, as in Matthew 14:1; Matthew 24:6. εὐθὺς, expressive of the lightning speed with which rumour travels = πανταχοῦ = πανταχοῖ, in every direction. εἰς ὅλην τ. π. τ. Γαλ., a vague phrase suggestive of a wide range of circulation, even beyond the boundaries of Galilee. But that can hardly be meant. Recent interpreters take it as meaning that the fame spread into the Galilean environment of Capernaum, along the lake north and south, and back into the hill country.

Similarity at certain points in this incident to the story of the Gadarene demoniac, especially in the deprecatory speech (Mark 1:24; Matthew 8:29), has suggested the hypothesis of borrowing on one side or other. Keim thinks this not a real history but an acted programme, like the change of water into wine in John 2 and like the preaching programme in Luke 4 (L. J., ii. 165, 203), a mere duplicate of the Gadara story. Weiss thinks the words spoken by the demoniac (Mark 1:34) are borrowed from that story, and that Mark reproduces the features with which Peter was wont to describe such cases. The lifelike reflections of the spectators (Mark 1:27) powerfully witness for the reality of the occurrence.