Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 5:10
And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.
10. out of the country ] i. e. as it is expressed in St Luke, into “the abyss of hell” (Mar 8:31).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 10. Out of the country.] Strange that these accursed spirits should find it any mitigation of their misery to be permitted to exercise their malevolence in a particular district! But as this is supposed to have been a heathen district, therefore the demons might consider themselves in their own territories; and probably they could act there with less restraint than they could do in a country where the worship of God was established. See Clarke on Mr 5:1.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
10. And he besought him much that hewould not send them away out of the countryThe entreaty, itwill be observed, was made by one spirit, but in behalf ofmany“he besought Him not to send them,&c.”just as in Mr 5:9,”he answered we are many.” But what do theymean by entreating so earnestly not to be ordered out of the country?Their next petition (Mr 5:12)will make that clear enough.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And he besought him much,…. The devil that was at the head of this legion, who had the rest under his command, he, in their name, and on their behalf, entreated Jesus with great earnestness. This shows the authority Christ has over the devils, and their subjection to him; they are not only obliged to quit their former possession, when he gives orders, but they cannot go any where else, or where they would, without his leave: though the man they were in could not be bound and held with chains and fetters of iron, through the great strength they put forth in him; yet these themselves are bound and held in chains, and cannot move without Christ’s permission, or as he is pleased to lengthen out the chain unto them: and though they are no humble supplicants to him for grace and mercy, yet they are, that they may continue where they are; or be suffered to be somewhere else, to do mischief to the souls and bodies of men: and though they are such proud spirits, they be, they are very willing to humble themselves and in the most submissive and pressing manner ask a favour, even of him whom they hate, when they have an end to answer by doing injury to others; and in this, as well as in many other things, they are imitated by them who are truly called the children of the devil, and do the lusts of him their father.
That he would not send them away out of the country; that if he did think fit to dispossess them from that man, that however he would permit them to stay in that country, and not drive them wholly from thence; and which they might be the more desirous of, because it was an Heathen country, inhabited by the blind Gentiles, that knew not God, or apostate Jews, or both; among whom their power and authority were very great; and where they had long been, and had had a large experience of the tempers and dispositions of men, and knew how to bait their temptations with success.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
1) “And he besought Him much,” (kai parekalei auton polla) “And he besought Him much,” the deranged spirit of the Gadarene man, associated with the legion of demon spirits, appealed to Jesus immediate future. He appealed for a little more mercy, until Mat 25:41.
2) “That He would not send him away,” (hina me auta aposteile) “in order that Jesus would not mandate or commission that he go away,” be. banished, disembodied not, not permitted to occupy something in the universe in that Gadara area of Decapolis, that he could pollute or destroy. Demons thus acknowledge the supremacy of Jesus over them.
3) “Out of the country.” (ekso tes choras) “Outside and away from the country of Gadara,” perhaps haunted by fear that he might be sent on, and restricted to hell, before his time, 2Pe 2:4; Jud 1:6.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
Mar 5:10
. And entreated him earnestly Luke says, they requested that they might not be sent into the deep Some explain these words to mean that they wished to avoid uninhabited places. (555) I rather view it as referring to their rage for doing mischief. As the devils have no other object than to prowl among men, like lions in search of prey, they are grieved at being plunged into the deep, where they will have no opportunity of injuring and ruining men. That this is the true meaning may be inferred from the words of Mark, who says that they requested that they might not be compelled to go out of the country In a word, they manifest their disposition to be such, that there is nothing which they more eagerly desire than the destruction of mankind.
(555) “ Ce qu’aucuns exposent comme si les diables n’eussent point voulu aller en lieu desert;” — “which some explain as if the devils did not wish to go into a desert place.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(10) He besought him much that he would not send them.The words are singularly significant of the state of the demoniac as half-conscious of his own personal being, and half-identifying himself with the disturbing demoniac forces which were tormenting him, and yet in so doing were leading him to look on the great Healer as his tormentor.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
10. He besought him The demon besought the Lord. He knows his master. It is a demon’s prayer. And it is heard! But he utters no petition to have his diabolical nature changed. He only asks a boon suited to his demoniac nature. Luke (Luk 8:31) says: “They besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep;” that is, the abyss, or “bottomless pit.” Rev 20:3.
Not send them out of the country Our Lord only assumed to expel the devils from their abode in the particular human being. He did not shape their subsequent course, or mark out their path. And Stier well argues with those who impute immorality to Jesus for giving this permission, that it is even less liable to the imputation of immorality than the divine permission, not withheld from demons, to possess men; or, we may add, the divine permission yielded to evil men to rule in the world. That a Mohammed, a Nero, or a Napoleon should rule mankind with bloodshed, is the mystery of God.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.’
Once they had admitted that there were many of them they recognised that Jesus did not require their names in order to cast them out. He could command them all at a word. So the man, still controlled by the evil spirits, now pleaded that they might be allowed to enter some other physical bodies and not be sent out of the country to their terrible end, for they felt their need of a body and were aware that Gentile Decapolis presented their greatest hope. Surely the God of the Jews would not mind that? They possibly felt that Jesus would not mind them possessing Gentiles, and besides, comparatively few Jews were open to possession because of their beliefs. The evil spirits were still evasive and desperate. The words were the words of the man but the ideas were the ideas of the evil spirits.
‘Besought Him much’ suggests that a rare verbal battle was now ensuing. It is probably here that the words expressed in Matthew in the plural are spoken. Each would want to be represented, and they were fighting for their very existence on earth. Note the order. First ‘what have we in common?’, then their evasive declaration of their joint power, ‘my name is legion’, then their plea not to be tormented before their time, then their plea to be allowed to stay in Decapolis, and finally their reluctant willingness to enter the pigs. Even now they had to recognise that they had failed in their attempts to intimidate Him.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
(10) And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. (11) Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. (12) And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. (13) And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand,) and were choked in the sea. (14) And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done.
Much hath been said by infidels, on those verses, by way of cavil but it hath only terminated to their own confusion and the LORD’s glory. Many very blessed truths are taught the Church by it, and these if they were all, are sufficient to account for the LORD’s per mission of the devils entering into the herd of swine. As first what a blessed evidence it afforded of CHRIST’s GODHEAD. He who had power to dispossess devils from one part of his creation, had power no less to permit the possession of devils in another. Reader! think of this, and turn to those scriptures. Jer 5:22 ; Luk 12:4-5 . Moreover, hereby the LORD confirmed the holiness of his law. The swine was unclean by the law; and by this permission, JESUS gave testimony to it. Lev 11:7 . No method, according to our view of things, could be more decisive to teach this, and enforce it also. And as the Jews were very lax in their obedience to the law, in our LORD’s days, in the keeping those animals for others, if they partook not of their flesh themselves; by this act of JESUS the law was strikingly revived, to shew uncleanness; and perhaps yet more with an eye to himself, who came to fulfil the law, and do away the whole shadow of it by the substance, in the sacrifice of himself.
In relation to the devils being permitted to possess the swine, this was not to gratify them; but to answer CHRIST’s purpose, Satan obtained leave to tempt Job. But we know the sequel. The trial ended to Job’s joy, the LORD’s glory, and Satan’s confusion. See Job 1:8-12 . And who shall say, what blessed consequences followed, in the after circumstances of the Church, from this transaction both on Jew and Gentile, when CHRIST had finished redemption-work and was returned to glory; and GOD the HOLY GHOST came down? Reader! let you and I, learn not to be wise above what is written, but in all questionable cases; I mean, such as you and I cannot fully explain, or such as sceptics make so; let us resolve all into that soul-satisfying scripture, which forms at once both question and answer: Shall not the judge of ail the earth do right? Gen 18:25 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
10 And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.
Ver. 10. He would not send them away, &c. ] Because, saith Cajetan, they have several regions where they most haunt, and do hurt; and are therefore loth to be put out of their old quarters.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
10. ] . . . = . . Luke: see on Mat 8:30 .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mar 5:10 . : he , Legion, in the name of the demons, beseeches earnestly ( ) that He would not send them ( ) out of the region ( ). Decapolis, beloved by demons, suggests Grotius, because full of Hellenising apostate Jews, teste Joseph. (A. J., xvii., 11).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
besought. Note the three prayers in this chap ter: (1) the unclean spirits: Answer “Yes” (verses: Mar 5:10, Mar 5:12, Mar 5:13); (2) the Gadarenes: Answer “Yes” (Mar 5:17); (3) the healed man: Answer “No” (verses: Mar 5:18, Mar 5:19. “No” is often the most gracious answer to our prayers.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
10.] . . . = . . Luke: see on Mat 8:30.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mar 5:10. , he besought) The singular number; the plural occurs in Mar 5:12.-, the country) which they loved, and were then dwelling in. [And so, therefore, being acquainted with the men of that country, they were meditating to inflict the more injury by means of their acquaintance with them.-V. g.] But it is marvellous that they did not avoid the locality in which the Messiah, the destroyer of their power, was sojourning.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Mar 5:13, Mar 3:22
Reciprocal: Luk 11:24 – I will
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
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Speaking on behalf of the other devils, he requested Jesus not to send them out of the country. That was the main point of interest, not so much the idea of remaining in the man. (See the comments on verse 8.)
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mar 5:10. He besoughtsend them away. The singular and plural here used confirm the explanation just given.
Out of the country, i.e., the Gerasene district. Luke says: into the deep; comp. Mat 8:29, This request seems to have been a preparation for the subsequent one (Mar 5:12). It was less definite than the first adjuration, but still uttered in the spirit of resistance. Their desire to remain in that district was probably connected with its lawless character, though it may have been merely the wish to stay where they were, in the man.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
10 And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. 11 Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. 12 And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. 13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea. 14 And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done. 15 And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. 16 And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine. 17 And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.
Why would the demons not want to leave the country? Why would what country they were in concern them? Were they worried about homesickness – it is quite doubtful. Mark mentions country, Luke mentions they did not want to be sent into the abyss and Matthew does not cover the topic.
Luke and Mark probably were just recording different parts of the conversation, but why would the country they were in be a problem to them? It is possible that we have some little insight into the make up of the fallen angels. It may be that they have emotional attachments to their “home” though I would not want to make too much of this point. It might indicate that they have emotions as do we. We know that they have decision making powers, we know they have curiosity so why not emotions as well? There is also the possibility that they had a real freedom in this area/country. There would have been many lost people to possess and there would be very little opposition to their activity.This would be fitting with their similar eternal existence to that of fallen man. There would be purpose to punishment etc. more so if they had similarities to man in these areas. We know further from Daniel that they war, they know allegiance etc. so why not emotional attachment to a locality.
Now, just why the demons wanted to go into the swine is a question to be answered, as is the question of what happened to the demons when the swine died. Did they cease to exist? It is doubtful since they are to be judged with the Devil. Did they just go into the abyss? There is no indication of this though that is a possibility. Did they enter into other humans? This would be the obvious conclusion, but why would there be no record of legions of possessed people?
The best option would be that something occurred other than immediate re-indwelling. First of all we have no indication that they are required to indwell. The swine may just have been their desire to cause more destruction. It is quite possible they just reported back to the Devil for further assignment.
The Roman legion, which they would have known about at this time, was around 6 to 7000 soldiers. Imagine 6000 different personalities acting out in your being – there must have been tremendous turmoil in the man if he had any consciousness at all.
Another question that arises is why were legions of them indwelling one or two individuals when they could have been causing legion of people problems? Why this concentrated effort by the Devil? It most likely relates to the fact that the Devil wanted to confront the Lord at this juncture in this particular way. It might be that this was a confrontation of Good and Evil in the most real sense.
It might well have been the Devil trying the Lord to see what powers He had, and how powerless he himself was going to be now that God was walking among men. This might be indicated in the questions that the demons asked the Lord including their wondering if they were being sent to the abyss or whether He was there to torment them. This would indicate they and more importantly the Devil did not know just what the rules of the game were going to be now that God was man and operating in the Devil’s domain.
Some thought might be given to the idea of Christ tormenting them. Was this related to the abyss and eternal torment in their minds or was this the thought that He might just torment them as part of His earthly ministry?
Fuente: Mr. D’s Notes on Selected New Testament Books by Stanley Derickson
5:10 And he {d} besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.
(d) The demon that was the spokesperson of the many.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
This verse also shows the superiority of Jesus’ power that the demons recognized. It is unclear why the demons wanted to remain in that area of the country.