David Bahn – Reflections

Mark 5:1-13

And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. ⁷ And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” ⁸ For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” ⁹ And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.”

I can recall one time when I was literally surrounded by my enemies. They were intent on doing me grave harm. They were mad. I was on the run. And several of them managed get to me causing great harm. It was a swarm of wasps! I was about 10 years old at the time and had been throwing dirt clods at a wasp next, managing to hit the nest. In the few moments that I had and until somehow I managed to get away, they stung me on my head four or five  times. Whew! That hurt.

Jesus’ encounter with the legion of demons was far more grave and dangerous than a swarm of wasps. It was one against a legion, and Jesus won the battle. There are so many parts of this encounter that capture my heart. Two, however, especially are important to me.

First of all Jesus recognized the man behind the demon-possessed crazy tomb-dweller. I love it when Jesus says, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit.” Jesus saw the man. That gives me hope: We have a Savior who sees us as men and women; not just as sinners or demoniacs.

Secondly, Jesus wins the battle against all odds. The man is besieged by a swarm worse than wasps. He cannot keep himself from harming himself. No one could hold him down. Jesus – one man! – takes him on and calls him by name and sends the legion of demons out of the man and into the pigs and into the sea. One against a thousand and the One wins!

Want to know the best part of all? Jesus wins for the man. Jesus wins for the disciples. And Jesus wins for you and for me. We have a winner! Thanks be to God!

Mark 5:1-13

They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. ² And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. ³ He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, ⁴ for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. ⁵ Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. ⁶ And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. ⁷ And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” ⁸ For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” ⁹ And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” ¹⁰ And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. ¹¹ Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, ¹² and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” ¹³ So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea.