The Mad Man of Gadera

Westhill Episcopal Church 30/6/96

Readings:    Matt 8: 28-34; Mark 5:1-20; Luke 8:26-39

Introduction Gaderenes, Gerasenes, Gergasenes were alternative names for part of the territory belonging to ten towns on the east side of Galilee and the river Jordan. The area is probably that known today as Jaras. The whole territory was known as Decapolis. Gadera and Gerasa were the names of two of the ten towns.

                        There are three accounts of the encounter between Jesus and the demon-possessed man from this area. There are differences between these accounts, the most obvious of which is that Matthew writes of two men but Mark and Luke write of one man. Why the difference? More disturbingly, does this mean that the Bible is inaccurate?

·          It could be that Matthew writes of a completely different event from that of Mark and Luke. This is not very credible; all three gospel writers place this event immediately after the occasion of Jesus calming the storm on the lake.

·          Note that there is no contradiction between the accounts; although Mark and Luke speak of one man they do not exclude the possibility of more than one.

·          Matthew was writing as an eye-witness. His primary objective was to record what he saw and heard. Mark and Luke however were writing as reporters not actually present. It is unlikely that they were with Jesus at this point in his ministry. Their objective was to present the main features to their hearers and readers, and to focus on the lessons to be learned without obscuring these lessons with too much detail. It was the miracle of deliverance that impressed the followers of Jesus, not the number of people delivered.

·          It is very likely that only one of the delivered men became a disciple of Jesus and active in the Christian community subsequently. If so he would have been well-known in some parts of the early church as’the man delivered from Legion’. This would explain why Mark and Luke concentrated on him and excluded the other man.

·          The differences authenticate the historical accuracy and reliability of the records; they are evidence that there was no collusion or fabrication of accounts.

The Compassion that Drove

                        Why did Jesus cross the lake? His ministry was effective, crowds were hanging on his words, many were being healed. Why expose himself and his disciples to danger from the storm? Why go to an inhospitable region where almost everyone would reject him?

·          He went to deliver the possessed man. His ministry was to ‘proclaim release to the captives’ (Luke 4:18).

·          He went to confront Satan. The storm, the deliverance, and the destruction of the pigs are evidence of a major spiritual battle.

·          The Lord is not just interested in easy cases, nor is he put off by difficulties. He went out of his way to win one man in an unreceptive and ungodly region. Let us have the same mind. Not ‘where are people most receptive?’ but ‘where do people most need the Lord?’

·          What drives us? Even if we are heavily involved in Christan activity, is our motivation a Christlike heart of compassion for those in need of his grace? Or do we measure success by some other yardstick? There is a strong tendency amongst Christians today to go where the work is easy, and where results come quick and fast; a tendency to focus on our own needs and aspirations rather than the needs of others. This was not the way Jesus chose.

The Condition that Disturbed

                        There is no conflict between the biblical understanding of the deranged man’s condition and that of modern medicine, provided each position is rightly understood. The Bible speaks of a spiritual cause. Medicine addresses the physiological outcomes, and seeks to remedy them or relieve their effects. I have no doubt that doctors and psychiatrists today could make the existence of a man such as this considerably more comfortable, but they could not deliver him from the power of the evil one, nor make him right with God - only Jesus can do this.

                        Satan is the spoiler and the destroyer, opposing all of God’s work and all that is good. Look at the evidence of his work in the possessed man’s life.

·          isolation and loneliness - when God said, “It is not good for man to be alone” (Gen 2:18);

·          physical abuse    when God said of his creation, “It is very good” (Gen 1:31);

·          loss of self control - when God said, “Fill, subdue, manage and rule” (Gen 1:28);

·          destructiveness - when God said, “Be fruitful” (Gen 1:28);

·          humiliating public nakedness - when God clothed Adam and Eve (Gen 3:21);

·          obsession with death and decay - when God breathed into man the breath of life and he became a living being (Gen 2:7).

                        Whenever we see these kinds of things in people and society we see evidence of the hand of Satan at work. This disturbed Jesus. Does it disturb you or me? Worse, do we allow such things to creep insidiously into our own lives, without challenge or concern?

The Command that Delivered

                        Jesus destroys the work of Satan. His word delivers from the guilt and the power of sin, and from Satan’s bondage. He makes crooked people straight. He makes wounded  people whole. He gives weary people rest. He gives troubled people peace. He gives abused people love. He gives rejected people acceptance. He gives aimless people direction. He brings lonely people into his family.

                        Jesus challenges social attitudes. The community was complacent and indifferent regarding their responsibilities as God’s people. Jesus confronted this by attending to the man’s needs and by allowing the pigs to be destroyed. The community did not want to receive this kind of ministry, and asked him to leave them.

                        Note that the community’s criticism of Jesus could not be justified. His ministry was compassionate, directed to the real need, and effective. Sadly this can not be said of all deliverance ministry performed by Christians in the name of Jesus since that time. If the deliverance ministry restrains, demeans, abuses, pressures, controls, frightens or excludes then it shows more evidence of the spoiling work of Satan than of the compassion of Jesus.

The Commission that Delighted

                        The restored man was given a task to do for Jesus. It was not his own choice. Often this is the case, isn’t it? We have our own ideas about the best way we can live for Jesus, but he gently points us in the direction that he wants us to go. This man was to be a missionary at home.

                        Tell people ‘how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.’ See how enthusiastically the man carries out Jesus’ commission, and how in consequence people in his community focussed on God’s goodness and greatness.

                        Sometimes we are not effective in our witness for Jesus just because we are working to our agenda, not his. Quite often his is far less complicated than ours, and requires a much lower budget! What commission has the Lord given to you? Are you delighting to carry it out for his glory?

Conclusion

Compassion  Whose are the needs that drive you - your own or those of others?

Condition       What disturbs you? Do you recognise the work of Satan and purpose with God’s grace to oppose it, in your life and in society about you?

Command      What do you strive to see accomplished? Is it forgiveness, wholeness, acceptance, peace, love, fellowship? Or is your ‘job’ or ‘ministry’ an end in itself, more important than the needs of those around you?

Commission  Is your vision essentially to do what the Lord wants you to do, or do you have something else on your agenda?

                        May the Lord enable us by his grace both to receive from him and to yield to him in a way that will transform our lives and those around us in need of his delivering power.