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Who is This!? And Where Did He Get His Authority? - Part 2 of 2 (Mark 4:35-6:6)

As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed kept begging Him to be with Him.But He would not let him; instead, He told him, “Go back home to your own people, and report to them how much the Lord has done for you and how He has had mercy on you.”So he went out and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and they were all amazed. Mark 5:18-20 (NIV)

Context:

The readings for Days 7 and 8 may be viewed as two parts of one section. Mark began (Mark 4:35-41) and ended (Mark 6:1-6) the unit with similar stories, like a literary “frame.” Check out Day 7 if you need a reminder of what we observed.

Today, we will observe and interpret the stories within the “frame.” You’ll notice that in each story, Jesus encounters a person who is ceremonially unclean according to Mosaic Law: the man possessed by a “Legion” of unclean spirits, the woman bleeding for 12 years (see Lev 15:25-27), and the 12-year-old girl who had died (see Num 5:2).

In the Old Covenant, unclean people and things had to be avoided. Any contact with them brought contamination and required atonement (Lev 5:2-6). But Jesus could touch these people, remain clean, and even extend his purity to the unclean person! This was even greater evidence of his remarkable authority.

It may be interesting to note that the man possessed by a “Legion” was unclean for a number of reasons:

1. He lived in the region of the Gerasenes (Gadarenes in some translations) (Mark 5:1) which was part of the Decapolis (Mark 5:20). The Decapolis was predominantly inhabited by Greeks (Gentiles), and religious Jews would have viewed this man as unclean because of his ethnic and cultural background (see Acts 10:28 and 11:18).
2. He was possessed by an unclean spirit (Mark 5:2)
3. He lived among the tombs (Mark 5:3). According to the Law, dead bodies were unclean and should not be touched (see Num 5:2).
4. The unclean spirits were sent into a herd of pigs on nearby hills (Mark 5:11-14). According to the Law, pigs were unclean and not to be eaten. Their carcasses could not be touched (see Lev 11:7-8).

Observation:

Pay attention to the many elements of uncleanness in the story of the man who was possessed by “Legion.”

• After he is healed, notice what the man asks Jesus (Mark 5:18).
• What does Jesus command him to do instead (Mark 5:19)?

Observe how Mark “interrupts” the healing of Jairus’s daughter (Mark 5:21-24; 34-35) with the healing of the woman with the issue of blood (Mark 5:25-34). Additionally, notice how both females:

• are referred to as “daughter” (Mark 5:23, 34) and
• associated with the number 12 (Mark 5:25, 42)

Interpretation:

From these stories, Mark’s readers would notice Jesus’s willingness to engage—and even to touch—people who were unclean.

• In what ways might these stories encourage, offend, or even terrify the original readers in Rome?
• After reading, how do you think Mark wants the original readers to respond to people considered unclean (or outsiders) in their own community?

On Day 3 of this study, we noted the theme of “hiddenness” in the first half of Mark, and that Jesus often commanded people NOT to spread the word about him. However, the one exception is the man who had been possessed by Legion. This is likely because of his different geographical and cultural context. The area he lived in was predominantly inhabited by Greeks. Unlike the Jews, the Greeks did not expect a Messiah to bring deliverance and usher in his kingdom. Jesus essentially tasks this man with preparing hearts in this region—like the sower scattering seeds, hoping some would fall on good soil and bear kingdom fruit (see Mark 4:14-20).

• Still, how do you think the man felt when Jesus told him that he couldn’t go with him to the “other side” (the Jewish side) of the Sea?

Application:

Who are the people in your community (your family, church, or city) would identify as unclean or “outsiders”? Why are they viewed that way?

In prayer, ask Jesus for his perspective on these “outsiders,” and for one practical step that you could take towards them.