Mark 5:18 - Printer Friendly

ESV: As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him.

NIV: As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him.

NASB: And as He was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed was begging Him that he might accompany Him.

CSB: As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged him earnestly that he might remain with him.

NLT: As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to go with him.

KJV: And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.

NKJV: And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him.

The once-possessed man wants to follow Jesus, as one might expect. If we can understand men like the apostles wanting to follow Christ, based only on His teachings, how much more would someone be willing to follow Him after being so miraculously rescued? Jesus has another plan in mind, for this man. This plan does, in fact, allow him to spread the good news of Christ's message, but to a different audience than the one Jesus will be seeing in the near future (Mark 5:19).

The Bible doesn't explain why Jesus took the disciples across the Sea of Galilee to the Gentile region of Decapolis. Although He was trying to get away from the crowds on the Jewish side, a boat trip all night through a violent storm seems excessive. And unlike in Capernaum, where crowds mobbed Him, looking for healing or gathering around listening to His teaching, Jesus only heals one man and doesn't seem to teach at all.

But this account is consistent with God's heart. In Luke 15, Jesus tells three parables that express the love God has for the lost. The first is of a shepherd who leaves ninety-nine sheep to find the one who is lost. The second is of a woman who loses one of her ten silver coins and scours the house until she finds it. The third is the familiar story of the Prodigal Son. The father has property, wealth, and a responsible, obedient heir, but when his errant younger son returns, he abandons decorum, runs to him, and welcomes him home.

Jesus is both strategic and extravagant in His ministry. He lives on next to nothing, but graciously accepts Mary's gift of expensive perfume poured on His feet (John 12:3). He stops a mob and a synagogue official to address an unclean woman (Mark 5:24–34). And He gladly takes time from the important work of training the future church leaders to bless children (Mark 10:13–16).

To Jesus, there is nothing more natural than traveling all night, healing one man, and getting right back in the boat. He suffered on the cross for our sins, and He has all the time in the world for us. We should respond like this man—being willing to sacrifice everything to follow Him.

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.