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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Mark 5:1-20

We have here an instance of Christ's dispossessing the strong man armed, and disposing of him as he pleased, to make it appear that he was stronger than he. This he did when he was come to the other side, whither he went through a storm; his business there was to rescue this poor creature out of the hands of Satan, and when he had done that, he returned. Thus he came from heaven to earth, and returned, in a storm, to redeem a remnant of mankind out of the hands of the devil, though but a... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Mark 5:1-13

5:1-13 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 man lived amongst the tombs. No one had ever been able to bind him with a chain, because he had often been bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been wrenched apart by him and the fetters shattered; and no one was strong enough to tame him. Continually, night and day, in the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Mark 5:5

And always night and day, he was in the mountains ,.... And this being in an Heathen country, would have rendered him an unclean person, if he had not been possessed with an unclean spirit; for so runs one of the Jewish canons F19 Misn Oholot, c. 19. sect. 6. : "he that walks in an Heathen land, on mountains and rocks, is unclean.' And in the tombs : which very likely were on the mountains, and cut out of them, it being usual to cut their sepulchres out of rocks: crying, and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Mark 5:5

Crying and cutting himself with stones - In this person's case we see a specimen of what Satan could do in all the wicked, if God should permit him; but even the devil himself has his chain; and he who often binds others, is always bound himself. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Mark 5:1-20

The Lord of spirits. There was for Christ, during his earthly ministry, no escape from personal toil—from the claims made upon his benevolence by human misery, or from man's ingratitude. He crossed the lake to seek repose, but at once, on landing, was met by a case of the utmost wretchedness and need, demanding the exercise of his compassionate authority. His stay was brief, yet long enough to earn the thanks and the devotion of one poor liberated captive, and long enough to qualify and to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Mark 5:1-20

Legion. General question of demon-possession. An aggravated form of Satanic influence. Intelligible enough on the principle of provocation and desperation: light and darkness are strongest side by side. The advent of Christ roused to intense activity and excitement the whole demoniacal realm. In this scene there is exemplified— I. MORAL ANTAGONISM . 1 . Instinctive. Spontaneous; prescient; yet furnishing no intelligible reason. "An intensified spiritual presentiment" (Lange).... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Mark 5:1-20

A man with an unclean spirit. It is no part of the office of the homilist to enter upon the field of apologetics or exegesis. Criticism and interpretation provide the words with their definite meanings. Homiletics unfold and apply practical lessons. The difficulties of this narrative must, therefore, be discussed elsewhere. I. Our attention is first arrested by the physical derangement exhibited in this case of possession by "an unclean spirit." The sadness of this spectacle is amply... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Mark 5:1-20

Christ, the Redeemer of the intellect. I. THE EXTREME OF HUMAN DEGRADATION AND MISERY . Bondage, impotent violence, suicidal mania. We cannot make out a theory of the facts; the facts are certain, and sad enough in this as in that age. There may be a duplicity in the consciousness of man, so that the being is threatened with a rending asunder. There is a certain reflection of this duplicity in all of us. II. VIOLENT CONFLICT PRECEDES HAPPY CHANGE . There are... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Mark 5:1-20

Parallel passages: Matthew 8:28-34 ; Luke 8:26-40 .— Gadarene or Gergesene demoniacs. I. CURE OF THE GADARENE DEMONIAC . 1 . The district. The country called Gilead in the Old Testament, at a later period and in the New Testament goes by the name of Peraea. It was south of Bashan, and formed a sort of peninsula, bounded by the Yarmuck (anciently Hieromax) on the north, Arnon (now Wady el Mojeb) on the south, and Jordan on the east. The part of Gilead between the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Mark 5:2-5

There met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit . St. Matthew says that there were two. St. Luke, like St. Mark, mentions only one, and him "possessed with devils," The cue mentioned by St. Mark was no doubt the more prominent and fierce of the two. This does not mean merely a person with a disordered intellect. No doubt, in this case, as in that of instantly, physical causes may have helped to lay the victim open to such an incursion; and this may account for cases of possession... read more

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