A 40-DAY JOURNEY WITH THE KING: Lenten reflections from Mark’s Gospel (13)

 

“They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes.  And when he had stepped out of the boat, immediately a man out of the tombs with an unclean spirit met him. He lived among the tombs; and no one could restrain him any more, even with a chain… Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always howling and bruising himself with stones.  When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and bowed down before him; and he shouted at the top of his voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” (Mk. 5.1-3, 5-7)

     Jesus now prepares to enter the second chaotic situation.  Jesus has tamed the wind/the waves and now reaches the eastern shore of the sea.  The world itself was in a state of watery chaos before God “spoke” and established an ordered cosmos where there had previously only been “a formless void” (cf. Gn. 1.1-3).  Once God began to speak, the chaos and disorder obeyed his commands to “fall into place” and take shape.

     As soon as Jesus’ feet hit the beach, the forces of chaos once again confront him.  Darkness has entrenched itself within a crazed, naked creature who comes running down the hill and collapses before Jesus.  As per usual, the demons – who bear the name of a Roman military unit consisting of thousands of men – acknowledge Jesus’ messianic identity.  By setting foot in the country of the Gerasenes, Jesus has advanced further into “unclean” territory than ever before.  This is the Gentile side of the lake; not only that, but there is a graveyard near to where Jesus has landed.  Furthermore, next to the cemetery, there is a 2,000-head herd of pigs grazing.  Pagans, pigs, demons and the dead.  This is an extreme case of “uncleanness”.  No self-respecting Jew would ever allow himself to be found within ten miles of such a place.  And yet here is Jesus.

     This exorcism is on a whole different level from those that Mark has so far described, and not only because of the number of demons infesting this hapless man.  This individual has been completely cut off from human society, indeed, from his very humanity.  His appearance and behaviour suggest those of a brute beast as opposed to a human person.  He doesn’t wear clothing, he doesn’t sleep, he roams the hills night and day howling and performing acts of self-mutilation.  He is utterly alone – there was a time when perhaps well-intentioned folk attempted to restrain him with chains (to prevent him harming himself?; cf. 3.27), but those attempts had long since been abandoned.  This tortured soul had been given up to the dead – he “lives” among the tombs, a wraith, a creature without memory of garments, civility, family or community.  In many ways, his fate is worse than those whose tombs he frequents; his is a living death, an unceasing anguish that cannot continue but that betrays no hope of respite.  This man is in hell.  And yet here is Jesus.

     Interestingly, this man/the demons not only know that Jesus is the Son of God, but t(he)y call(s) Jesus by name (5.7; cf. 1.23-24).  Jesus appears to not have the equivalent knowledge of the man/spirits – What is your name? Jesus asks.  The reply comes: My name is Legion (5.9).  Jesus engages the demons in a contest of wills.  After an initial command to come out of the man, “he” begged Jesus not to send “them” out of the country; then “the spirits” beg Jesus to send them into the pigs (5.10-12).  Finally, Jesus grants the demons permission (5.13).  Upon being inhabited by the spirits, the pigs rush headlong into the sea and perish.  The forces of chaos have returned to their natural habitat, the watery abyss (cf. Gn. 1.1-2; Rev. 21.1).

     After having “witnessed” this dual between Jesus and the legion, we are almost surprised to discover that there are other people in the scene – the swineherds (5.14; and let’s not forget the disciples!).  The swineherds become “messengers” and draw out the local populace, who are shocked to find the demoniac “clothed and in his right mind” (5.15).  The people have a peculiar reaction – they are afraid.  As the spirits had begged Jesus to allow them to enter the swine, so the Gerasenes beg Jesus to leave their region (5.17).  As Jesus clambers aboard the ship, the demoniac begs permission to accompany him back to Capernaum.  However, Jesus declines this request and sends him home to tell his friends what “the LORD” had done for him; the once-again-alive man began to spread the news far and wide about what Jesus had done for him (5.19-20).  The source of all life can re-create life even in the face of death and all the legions of hell.