Mark 5:7 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And crying out with a loud voice, he said, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me."

NIV: He shouted at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!"

NASB: and shouting with a loud voice, he *said, 'What business do You have with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God, do not torment me!'

CSB: And he cried out with a loud voice, "What do you have to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you before God, don’t torment me!"

NLT: With a shriek, he screamed, 'Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In the name of God, I beg you, don’t torture me!'

KJV: And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.

NKJV: And he cried out with a loud voice and said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me.”

The Bible does not give the reason that Jesus wanted to cross the Sea of Galilee other than to escape the crowds on the western shore. The legion of demons (Mark 5:9) assume Jesus is there for them. "Adjure" is from the Greek root word harkizo which means to implore or beg. Although demons had revealed Jesus' identity before (Mark 1:24), by using Jesus' name and the phrase "by God," the demons here are attempting much more than just asking a favor. There is a pagan belief that if you know someone's name you can control them. The demons aren't just requesting Jesus leave them alone; they are trying to magically force Him to make an oath in God's name.

Of course, as God, Jesus is not bound by any demonic attempts, despite the fact He does not torture the demons. The Greek root word from which "torment" is derived is basanizo and means to determine something's purity or to use torture to get information. God is omniscient; He has no need of information from demons and He's well aware of their unrighteous state. In all Jesus' encounters with demons, He never tormented them. He just told them to leave.

Interestingly, this statement may give us insight into the question of why Satan thought he could defeat God (Isaiah 14:12–15) and why one-third of the angels in heaven followed him (Revelation 12:3-4). If these demons thought they could control Jesus, or influence His actions in any way, they don't fully understand the power of God. We make the same mistake when we try to manipulate God to do what we want, rather than relying on His will.

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.