The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1906-05-11
A Fierce
Dem0niaCHealed
Sunday School Lesson for May IS. 1906
Specially Prepared for This Paper

LESSON TEXT-Mark 5;1-2O. Memory
verse. Is.
GOLDEN TEXT.-"Go home to thy
friends and tell them how great things the
Cord hath done for thee. MARK BIB
TIME.-Autumn. A. ID. rs, the morning
following the events of last lesson
PLACE.-Coast of Lake of Galilee, across
from Liberals.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES. - Other
recorded cures of demoniacs: Matt. 9;S2.
49,; Mark 1926 duke 4:SS-S5); Matt l2.22
duke 11:1D; Matt. 17:14-lS Mark s:If-ZS;
Luke 9:3S-4Z. References to Satan;
Chron. 21I; Job 1:6; Psa 1896; Zech. 81.
New Testament references to Satan: Mat
i:10; 1925; 1923; Mark AIS; Luke 1O:ls; 22:3;
John 1927; Acts $50; 26:lS; Rom. 1920; Tim.
Sis: Rom. 1873, etc. Demons: Mark s;Ss'
Luke 4:41; OIL; 1917; 1882; Cor. 1920, ~
JAS 2:19; Rev. 1872, etc.
Comment and Suggestive Thought
v. l. They" Jesus and the Twelve,
1.-THE other side" Across the Sea OF
Galilee from Capernaum; hence TO-
ward its southeast extremity.
V. 2. "Out of the tombs." Which
we're not far from the shore. "A man."
Matthew mentions two demoniacs.
We may presume that the one Mark
tells of was so peculiarly fierce that
the other was scarcely considered,
though we have no doubt Jesus healed
him also. "An unclean spirit" One
thus afflicted was prone to haunt
places and follow practices regarded
by Jews as ceremonially unclean.
V. 3. Had his dwelling among the
tombs." Natural and artificial caves,
often very large, are found in this
region.
v. 4. Bound with letters" Chains
fastening the feet. Matthew tells us
that people we're afraid to pass that
way, because of this fierce man.
"Plucked asunder" Like many an
other frenzied person, he seemed TO
have superhuman strength. Broken
in pieces" Or torn asunder, If they
were of rope.
tains and tombs." Roaming the hill
sides or hiding among the tombs.
Crying and cutting himself" He
was in misery, and gave vent probably
to fierce shrieks. He also had a pro-
pensity to injure himself. The devil
is hard paymaster (Rom. 6:23).
V. G. "Saw afar off," He
must have discerned him when he was
yet out at sea. 'Worshiped Him. :"
Fell PROSTATE before Jesus, as in
worship.
! v. T. "Cried with a loud voice."
An inarticulate shrek. What have
I?' etc. Literally. What is there to
me and thee" That is, what have
we in common?" 'Son of the most
high God" A title for Jesus that
was used by Gentiles rather than
Jews" Torment me not" Trench
says: "The true devilish spirit counts
it torment not to be suffered to tor
ment others"
V. 8. "He said" Rather, was say
ing" Already, by word or manner.
Jesus had indicated his purpose to
release the demonized man.
v. 8. What is thy manner" 1t is
said nothing goes farther toward
bringing a frenzied person to com.
posture than getting him to tell his
name. Legion" A division of the
Roman army consisting nominally Of
5000 soldiers, was called a legion.
Here the term merely means many.
v. TO- "Out of the country" Luke
says 'into the Deep" or the abyss"
that is, to Gehenna, the place Of evil
spirits.
v. II. "a great herd of swine"
The region was largely inhabited by
Gentiles. or by religiously careless
Jews. since strict Jews deemed swine
unclean, and would have nothing to
do with the animal save under di.
rect necessity duke 1919.
v. 13. Jesus gave them leave"
Demons can do nothing among men
save as permitted by God; and this
assures us that he purposes to over.
rule their work for our good, and
will enable us to escape being harmed
by them Il Cor. 1919. "The herd
ran (rushed) into the sea"
The frenzied animals rushed down the
steep bank. Thus the demons were
outwitted, and we may presume could
only return to their own place.
V. IA. "They fed" The keepers
were dismayed, perhaps feared for
their own lives, and hurried home.
ward, spreading the news of the event
in the country and the city as they
went. They" Many of those who
heard the story of the swineherds.
Matthew says "the whole city"
v. Is. See him." Better in Rev.
ver., Behold" as the original
means to look earnestly and intently.
Doubtless many OF them had known
this man in the past only to fear
him. Sitting clothed, in his right
mind" Whereas before he had been
ever on the move, naked and dement,.
ed Were afraid" They felt an awe
of both the man and his Healer.
v. 16. "They that saw It," The
swineherds. who returned with the
crowd. Told how it befell." They
fully reported both parts of the story;
but alas, the loss OF the pigs impressed
the people more than the rescue OF the
afflicted man.
Practical Points.