Mark 5:15 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid.

NIV: When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.

NASB: And then they *came to Jesus and *saw the man who had been demon-possessed sitting down, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had previously had the 'legion'; and they became frightened.

CSB: They came to Jesus and saw the man who had been demon-possessed, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.

NLT: A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons. He was sitting there fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid.

KJV: And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.

NKJV: Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid.

Unlike the pig-herders, the people who come from the towns and countryside are more amazed by the freed demoniac than concerned over the fate of the pigs. The man has been a well-known figure in the area. Luke 8:29 explains that he had often been set under guard, but he would break his shackles and chains so often the people drove him into the wilderness.

Now they see this man sitting in his right mind, fully dressed, and they are afraid. "Afraid" is from the Greek root word phobeo and means to be terrified to the point of flight. They aren't afraid that the man will revert to his former behavior; they're afraid of the awesome power it took to free him—as the disciples were when Jesus calmed the storm (Mark 4:35–41).

Although the man's previous behavior gives them an exceptional example with which to compare the man's current condition, the crowd's behavior serves as a reminder to us. Human shackles and chains and guards cannot contain the destructive forces inside us. Our sin nature condemns us as wholly as any demon possession, and there is nothing in the human realm that can free us. Only the power of Jesus can set us right, put us in our right mind spiritually, and clothe us in righteousness (Isaiah 61:10). That awesome power is fearsome, but we can trust that the One who wields it works ever only for our good (Romans 8:28).

Mark 5:14–20 details the aftermath of Jesus freeing a possessed man from a legion of demons. The released demons entered into a herd of pigs, which ran into the Sea of Galilee and drowned. In response, the local villagers beg Jesus to leave, and Jesus obliges. The man, however, wants to follow. Jesus tells him to stay and spread the word of what he's experienced. When Jesus next travels through the area, the man's message leads to a much warmer welcome (Mark 7:31–37). You can also read this account in Luke 8:34–39 and possibly Matthew 8:33–34, although Matthew's story records two possessed men.

Jesus arrives on the other side of the Sea of Galilee and heals a man afflicted by a ''legion'' of demons. In the aftermath of this event, Jesus once again crosses the waters within this region, known as the Decapolis. There, He is approached by a synagogue leader, begging Him to come and save a dying girl. In the midst of this trip, Jesus stops the crowd to identify a woman who attempted to covertly touch his robes; her faithful act results in healing. Jesus then continues on to the home of the synagogue leader and resurrects his recently-deceased child.

Mark 4:35—5:43 sees an increase in the scope of Jesus' miracles. He has just calmed a violent storm on the Sea of Galilee. Now, He expels a legion of demons, heals a woman without overtly acting, and brings a girl back to life. All three situations—related to tombs, blood, and death—show Jesus bringing healing to unclean circumstances. In chapter 6, the tone of His ministry will develop. He will be rejected by those who should know Him best, He will send out His followers to do His work, and His direct link to the Old Testament prophets will be explained.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.