Mark 5:4 - Printer Friendly

ESV: 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.

NIV: For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him.

NASB: because he had often been bound with shackles and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him and the shackles broken in pieces; and no one was strong enough to subdue him.

CSB: because he often had been bound with shackles and chains, but had torn the chains apart and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him.

NLT: Whenever he was put into chains and shackles — as he often was — he snapped the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him.

KJV: Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.

NKJV: because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him.

We tend to think of demon possession manifesting as mental disorders or blasphemous speech, but the Bible shows it often has a physical aspect. In Acts 19:13–16, demon-possessed men attack a group of charlatan exorcists, beat them, strip their clothes, and run them out of a house. In Mark 9:14–29, Jesus frees a boy possessed by a demon that regularly throws him into fire or water, attempting to kill him. In this case, a "legion" (Mark 5:9) of demons has given a man supernatural strength.

The life of this man is desperate and violent. "Shackles" is from the Greek root word pede, which refers to a fetter for one's feet. A chain is as we would imagine—metal links that no mortal should be able to break. Diaspao, the Greek root for "wrenched" doesn't just mean break, it means to tear into pieces.

The demon-possessed man's supernatural strength shows the true nature of sin and evil. Despite whatever self-help books or diets or 12-step programs we enroll in, these are merely external controls that mitigate behavior. They don't heal our root issues. Rules and standards are necessary for a decent society, but they don't save. This was the entire point of the Old Testament era—the time of an independent Israel governed by the law God revealed to Moses. Even though the people knew exactly how to act to please God, they weren't capable of carrying out the requirements. The demoniac is a vibrant illustration of the heart of anyone who tries to find salvation in rules—it is chaotic, lonely, and ready to break its bonds at any moment.

Mark 5:1–13 describes Jesus' encounter with a man possessed by a vast number of demonic spirits. Jesus has shown His authority over storms during the turbulent crossing of the Sea of Galilee. In a cemetery on the eastern shore of the lake, He and the twelve meet a wild, dangerous man controlled by a ''legion'' of demons. Jesus allows the fleeing evil spirits to enter a herd of pigs which promptly run into the sea and drown. The man is grateful. The locals, either startled by Jesus' power or afraid for their livestock, promptly ask Jesus to leave. This account is also found in Luke 8:26–33 and possibly Matthew 8:28–32 which mentions 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.