Mar 5:1-20 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Mark 5:1-20: 5:1-20 Jesus and the disciples arrived at the other side of the lake , completing the journey begun in 4:35 . As in 1:21-28 and 3:11 , the demons truly recognized (1:34 ) that Jesus was the Son of the Most High God . For the first time in the Gospel of Mark, a Gentile was the recipient of Jesus’ healing ministry (see study note on 5:10-13; cp. 7:24-30 ). 5:1 The region of the Gerasenes: Textual and geographical problems make the exact location uncertain. Manuscript evidence supports Gerasa, a city in this region located thirty-seven miles southeast of the Sea of Galilee (5:13 ). Some manuscripts read “Gadarenes”; Gadara was five miles southeast of the Sea of Galilee. A few manuscripts read “Gergesenes”; the town of Gergesa was located on a steep bank on the Sea of Galilee’s eastern shore.

Summary for Mark 5:1-20: 5:1-20 ^a Jesus and the disciples arrived at the other side of the lake, completing the journey begun in 4:35 ^b. As in 1:21-28 ^c and 3:11 ^d, the demons truly recognized (1:34 ^e) that Jesus was the Son of the Most High God. For the first time in the Gospel of Mark, a Gentile was the recipient of Jesus’ healing ministry (see study note on 5:10-13; cp. 7:24-30 ^f). 5:1 ^g The region of the Gerasenes: Textual and geographical problems make the exact location uncertain. Manuscript evidence supports Gerasa, a city in this region located thirty-seven miles southeast of the Sea of Galilee (5:13 ^h). Some manuscripts read “Gadarenes”; Gadara was five miles southeast of the Sea of Galilee. A few manuscripts read “Gergesenes”; the town of Gergesa was located on a steep bank on the Sea of Galilee’s eastern shore.
Summary for Mark 5:2-5: 5:2-5 ⁱ Mark focuses on Jesus. The evil spirit had great strength, but Jesus’ authority was even greater (5:6-13 ^j).
Summary for Mark 5:6-8: 5:6-8 ^k Despite the man’s horrible condition, Jesus’ coming provided him a glimmer of hope; he ran and knelt before Jesus, seeking help.

• Son of the Most High God: Evil spirits know Jesus’ true identity (1:24 ^l, 34 ^m; 3:11 ⁿ).

• There was no struggle; Jesus was in charge and the evil spirit obeyed the Master. Torture is the final judgment awaiting evil spirits (Matt 8:29 ^o; Luke 8:31 ^p).
5:9 ^q A legion was a Roman military unit of 5,000–6,000 men. Here it describes the presence of many evil spirits.
Summary for Mark 5:10-13: 5:10-13 ^r The spirits’ persistent begging shows Jesus’ mastery over them. They were permitted to enter a herd of about 2,000 pigs, whose presence marks this as Gentile territory. Some have focused on the economic loss of the pigs or have speculated about why Jesus let the demons destroy them, but Mark and his readers were interested in how Jesus saved the man.
Summary for Mark 5:15-16: 5:15-16 ^s The contrast between the former and present condition of the man who had been possessed was a testimony of Jesus’ saving power.
5:17 ^t The frightened people asked Jesus to go away. Fear and amazement are frequent responses to the mighty acts of Jesus (cp. 1:22 ^u, 27 ^v; 2:12 ^w; 4:41 ^x; 6:50-51 ^y). The response to Jesus’ saving work varied (cp. 4:14-20 ^z).
5:18 ^aa Unlike his neighbors (5:17 ^ab), the man experienced God’s grace and wanted to go with him (literally to be with him; see 3:14 ^ac).
Summary for Mark 5:19-20: 5:19-20 ^ad Jesus’ mission for the man was to tell others the great things the Lord had done for him. Mark thus identifies Jesus as the Lord.

• tell them everything: Unlike other occasions, Jesus did not try to keep his identity secret (see 3:11-12 ^ae), perhaps because it was less dangerous in this Gentile area.

• Ten Towns: See study note on Matt 4:24-25.