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BACKGROUND FOR THIS EPISODE

(In Order of Appearance)

NEW TESTAMENT OF THE BIBLE:
  • John 1:1,14 -In the beginning was the Word,a and the Word was with God, and the Word was deity.b… 
  • John 8:44 – You come from your father, the Devil. You want to do the sinful things that your father wants. The Devil was a murderer from the very beginning. He does not stand with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he is only talking naturally, because he is a liar and the father of lies.
  • John 3:16 – God loved the people of the world so much that He gave up His one and onlyb Son. Every person who commits himself to Jesus will not be destroyed. Instead, that person will have eternal life.
  • Romans 7:15-18, 24 – I don’t understand what is happening to me: I don’t always do what I really want to do. Instead, I am always doing what I actually hate. 16Since I am doing what I don’t want to do, I am agreeing with the law, that the law is right. 17But now, I am not the one who is doing this anymore. No, it is the sin which is living in me. 18I know that good does not live in me. (I mean, in my human nature.) I am ready and willing to do good, but I can’t do it…24I am a miserable man. Who will help me escape this body of death!?
  • Romans 8:1 – So, there is no condemnation now for those people who are in Christ Jesus.
  • Matthew 4:13 – After leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, beside Lake Galilee, in the Zebulun and Naphtali area.
  • Acts 13:15 – Sections of the law of Moses and the writings of the prophets were read aloud. Then the leaders of the synagogue sent a message to Paul and Barnabas: “My brothers, if you have something to say which will help the people here, please speak.”
  • Mark 1:21-28 – They went into the town of Capernaum. On the sabbath day, when Jesus went into the synagogue, he began to teach the people right away. 22They were amazed at what he taught. Jesus was teaching them as one with authority—not as the teachers of the law. 23There was a man in their synagogue with an evil spirit. Suddenly, he shouted, 24“Jesus of Nazareth! What do you want with us? Did you come here to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” 25But Jesus stopped the evil spirit. Jesus said, “Stop talking and come out of the man!” 26The evil spirit jerked the man around. He shouted loudly and came out of the man. 27All the people were shocked. They started asking one another, “What is this? A new teaching? With authority Jesus even commands evil spirits and they obey him!” 28And so, the news about Jesus went out immediately to the whole area around the land of Galilee.
  • Mark 5:2-5 – When Jesus was getting out of the boat, immediately a man with an evil spirit met him. This man came from the graveyard. 3His home was among the tombs. No one was able to bind him with chains anymore. 4His hands and feet had been bound many times, but he would always break the chains apart and smash the shackles. No one was strong enough to tame him. 5Day and night, he was always in the hills or among the tombs shouting and cutting himself with sharp stones.
  • Gergesa was a largely Grecian city about six miles from the eastern coast of the Sea of Galilee with high cliffs overlooking the water and tombs hewn in these cliffs.  Its ruins are known today as Umm Qays.
  • Mark 5:19-20 – But Jesus would not allow him to do this. Instead, Jesus said to him, “Go home to your family. Tell them what the Lord has done for you. He has shown you mercy.” 20So, the man went back to the area of Ten Towns,c and began to proclaim what Jesus had done for him. Everyone was amazed.
  • In this episode and the others about demon possession, all the people were either attending the synagogue (“church”), so were trying to follow God despite their problem, and/or they went out preaching afterward.
  • Mark 5:1 – Jesus and his followers came to the other side of the lake, the land where the Gerasene peoplea lived.
  • Luke 8:26-40 –Jesus and his followers sailed across the lake from Galilee. They reached the land where the Gerasene peoplea lived. 27When Jesus went ashore, a man from the town met him. This man was demon-possessed. For a long time, he had worn no clothes. He was living in the graveyard, not in a house. 28-29He had often been taken, put in jail, and tied with chains and shackles, but the man would always break the bonds. And, a demon inside him would force him to go out to the deserted places. Then Jesus commanded the evil spirit to come out of this man. The man fell down in front of Jesus and shouted, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God!? Please, don’t punish me!” 30Jesus asked him, “What is your name? He said, “Legion”b (because many demons had gone into him). 31The demons begged Jesus not to send them into the bottomless pit. 32On that hill there was a large herd of pigs feeding. The demons begged Jesus to allow them to go into the pigs. So, Jesus let them. 33Then the demons came out of the man and went into the pigs. The herd ran down the cliff into the lake and drowned. 34Some men had been taking care of the pigs. When they saw what happened, they ran away. They told the story in the fields and in the town. 35People went out to see what had occurred. They came to Jesus and found the man sitting there at Jesus’ feet. The man had clothes on, and he was in his right mind—the demons were gone. The people became afraid. 36The men who saw these things happen told the other people all about how Jesus had healed the demon-possessed man. 37All the people of the surrounding Gerasene area asked Jesus to go away from them. They were all very frightened. So, he climbed into a boat and went back to Galilee. 38The demon-free man begged to stay with Jesus. But Jesus sent the man away, saying, 39”Go back home and tell what God did for you.” So, the man went all over town proclaiming what Jesus had done for him. 40When Jesus returned to Galilee, a crowd of people welcomed him. Everyone was waiting for him.
  • Matthew 8:28-34 – Jesus arrived on the other side of the lake in the country of the Gadarene people.b Two men met him. They had demons in them. These men came out of the graveyard. They were so fierce that no one could pass by on that road. 29Suddenly, they yelled, “What do you want with us, O Son of God!? Did you come here to punish us ahead of time!?” 30A long way off, there was a large herd of pigs that was feeding. 31The demons were begging Jesus, “Since you must throw us out, send us into the herd of pigs.” 2Jesus said to them, “Go!” And they came out and went into the pigs. Suddenly, the whole herd ran down the cliff into the lake. They drowned. 33Some men had been taking care of the pigs. They ran away. When they came into the town, they told the whole story about the two demon-possessed men. 34Then, look, the whole town came out to meet Jesus. When they saw him, they begged him to leave their area.
  • Mark 5:6-20 – When this man saw Jesus far away, he ran to Jesus and bowed down. 7-8While Jesus was saying this to him, “Evil spirit, come out of this man!”, the man shouted loudly, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In the Name of God, I beg you, don’t punish me!” 9Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”He said to Jesus, “My name is Legion,b because we are many.” 10The man started to beg Jesus for many things. He didn’t want Jesus to send them out of the country. 11At that hill there was a large herd of pigs feeding. 12They begged Jesus, “Send us into the pigs; we could go into them!” 13Jesus allowed them to do so. So, the evil spirits came out of the man and went into the pigs. (There were about 2,000 pigs.) The herd ran down the cliff and into the lake. They drowned. 14Some men had been taking care of the pigs. They ran away. They told the story in the fields and in the town. The people came to see what had happened. 15They came to Jesus and saw the man sitting there. The man had clothes on and he was in his right mind. This man did not have a legion of evil spirits anymore. The people were afraid. 16There were men who had seen what Jesus did to the man who used to have demons. They told all about the pigs. 17The people began to beg Jesus to leave their area. 18As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who no longer had demons continued to beg Jesus; he wanted to stay with Jesus. 19But Jesus would not allow him to do this. Instead, Jesus said to him, “Go home to your family. Tell them what the Lord has done for you. He has shown you mercy.” 20So, the man went back to the area of Ten Towns,c and began to proclaim what Jesus had done for him. Everyone was amazed.
  • John 8:44 – You come from your father, the Devil. You want to do the sinful things that your father wants. The Devil was a murderer from the very beginning. He does not stand with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he is only talking naturally, because he is a liar and the father of lies.
  • James 2:18-19 – But someone might say this: “You have faith, but I’m a man of action!” How can you show me your faith without your actions? From my actions, you can see my faith! 19You say that you believe there is one God. That’s fine! The demons also believe this and shake with fear.
  • Decapolis was a region east of the Sea of Galilee with ten cities populated mostly by Greeks and who were given their freedom by Pompeii to rule themselves.
OLD TESTAMENT OF THE BIBLE:
  • Daniel 10:1-2, 12-13, 20-21 [PREDICTED 530 YEARS BEFORE JESUS] – During Cyrus’ 3rd year as the king of Persia,a something was revealed to Daniel (who was also named Belteshazzar). The message was true. It was about a great conflict. But Daniel understood this message, because it was explained to him in a vision. 2Daniel said, “At that time, I, Daniel, was very sad for 3 full weeks:b 3I did not eat any fancy food. I didn’t eat any meat.c I didn’t even taste wine. I didn’t put any olive oil on my skin. I didn’t do any of these things for 3 full weeks. 12“Then the man said to me, ‘Daniel, don’t be afraid! Some time ago, you decided to try to gain an understanding. You humbled yourself in the presence of your God. Since that time, God has listened to you.q And, I have come to you because you have been praying. 13But the demonic general of the Persian Empirer has been opposing me for 21 days. Then, behold, Michael,s one of the most important angels,t came to help me. He came, because I had been left there with the princes of Persia…20“So then he said, ‘Daniel, do you know why I have come to you? Soon I must go back to fight against the demonic general of Persia.z When I leave, then, look, the general of Greeceaa will come.bb 21But before I go, I must first tell you what is written in the Book of Truth.cc Except for Michael, no one stands with me against them. Michaeldd is the guardian angel who is in charge of your people.’ ”
  • Isaiah 64:4-5 – Since ancient times, no one has ever heard of such a God as You. No ear has perceived, no eye has ever seen a God other than You. You help the people who trust You. 5You help those who enjoy doing good. You help those who remember how You want them to live. Nevertheless, behold, You were angry, because we sinned. For a long time, we have continued to disobey. How can we be saved!?
  • Isaiah 66:17 – “These people make themselves so ‘holy’ and ‘pure,’ going to worship their false gods in their special gardens!bb They follow each other into their gardens.cc They eat the meat of pigs and ratsdd and other disgusting things! But, they will all finally be destroyed together!” says Yahweh.

OTHER JESUS QUOTES IN THIS EPISODE

 

SPECIAL CHARACTERS APPEARING IN OTHER EPISODES

Season 8, Star Song, “Cradle of Majesty”

Season 1, Dream Maker, “Odyssey of Truth”

Season 1, Dream Maker, “God Eyes”

Season 1, Dream Maker, “Power House”

Season 2, Hearts Afire, “The Benefactresses”

Season 3, Folk Hero, “Catch the Wind and Water”