Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 5:3
Who had [his] dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:
Verse 3. Who had his dwelling among the tombs] See Mt 8:28.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
3. Who had his dwelling among thetombsLuke (Lu 8:27)says, “He ware no clothes, neither abode in any house.”These tombs were hewn out of the rocky caves of the locality, andserved for shelters and lurking places (Lu8:26).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Who had his dwelling among the tombs,…. Which is one of the characters of a madman among the Jews; who say it is q
“the sign of a madman, that he goeth out in the night,
, “and lodges among the tombs”, and rends his garments, and loses what is given to him.”
The same they say, in the same place, of an hypochondriac, and melancholy man; and of Kordiacus, which they give out r is a demon that possesses, and has power over some sort of persons:
and no man could bind him, no, not with chains; so as to hold him for any length of time: not only cords were insufficient to hold, but even chains of iron; so strong was he through the possession; for this could not be by his own natural strength.
q T. Hieros. Gittin, fol. 48. 3. & Trumot, fol. 40. 2. r Jarchi & Bartenora in Misn. Gittin, c. 7. sect. 1.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
No man could any more bind him, no, not with a chain ( ). Instrumental case , a handcuff ( privative and , to loosen). But this demoniac snapped a handcuff as if a string.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
The details of verses 3 – 5 are peculiar to Mark. “The picture of the miserable man is fearful; and in drawing it, each evangelist has some touches which are peculiarly his own; but St. Mark’s is the most eminently graphic of all, adding, as it does, many strokes Which wonderfully heighten the terribleness of the man’s condition, and also magnify the glory of his cure” (Trench, ” Miracles “).
Dwelling [] . The kata, down, gives the sense of a settled habitation. Compare our phrase settled down. So Tynd., his abiding.
The tombs [ ] . “In unclean places, unclean because of the dead men’s bones which were there. To those who did not on this account shun them, these tombs of the Jews would afford ample shelter, being either natural caves or recesses hewn by art out of the rock, often so large as to be supported with columns, and with cells upon their sides for the reception of the dead. Being, too, without the cities, and oftentimes in remote and solitary places, they would attract those who sought to flee from all fellowship of their kind” (Trench, ” Miracles “).
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Who had his dwelling among the tombs (hos ten katoikesin eichen en tois mnemasin) “Who held, had, or possessed a dwelling among the tombs,” among the sepulchers, as an outcast, where the lepers and those with contagious and incurable mental problems were held under quarantine restrictions, from going back into the city or populated areas of the country, lest they be stoned or put to death, Isa 65:4.
2) “And no man could bind him,” (kai oudeis eclunato auton deoai) “And no person was able to bind or restrain him with a chain,” when seizures of emotional insanity took sudden hold on him, as an incurable maniac.
3) “No, not with chains:” (oude halusei ouketi) “No, not any longer was able, even with a chain;” for the chains would be broken by him in these times of terrible seizure. To pass through this area was almost impossible for travelers, Mat 8:28; Mark reports the night and day screaming of the maniac, and Luk 8:27 indicates that this maniac was naked, unclothed.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
Mar 5:3
. And no man could bind him, not even with chains Naturally, he was not able to break the chains; and hence we infer that Satan is sometimes permitted to make extraordinary movements, the effect of which goes beyond our comprehension and beyond ordinary means. We often perceive in madmen much greater strength than belongs to their natural capacity; and we are not at liberty to deny that, in such cases, the devil does his part when God permits him: but the force, which is described by the Evangelists, was far greater. (548) It was indeed a sad and shocking exhibition, but may serve to remind us how wretched and alarming it is to be placed under the tyranny of Satan, and also that bodily agony, however violent or cruel, is not more to be dreaded than distress of mind.
(548) “ Mais l’effort et la violence que les Evangelistes deserlvent estoit bien autre et plus grande;” — “but the effort and the violence, which the Evangelists describe, was quite different and much greater.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(3) No man could bind him.The better MSS. give, no man could any longer bind him. The attempt had been so often made and baffled that it had been given up in despair.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
3. Dwelling among the tombs Mark is very copious in his description of the fierceness of this demoniac. We may remark that these feats of strength and fondness for horrible resorts are often manifested by madmen. The tombs and charnels of the Jews were large, and filled with the uncleanness of dead men’s bones. In this wild region, around the eastern and less civilized side of Tiberias, many gloomy recesses were to be found.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:
Ver. 3. Who had his dwelling among the tombs ] The burial places of the saints were anciently thought to have a kind of holiness in them. Hence grew that superstition of meeting and praying together at the saints’ sepulchres; and afterwards of praying for them, and to them. Which to foment, the devil usually haunted such places, there to play his pranks.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
3. ] not even with a chain.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mar 5:3-5 elaborately describe the man’s condition, as if the evangelist or rather his informant (Peter) were fascinated by the subject; not a case of idle word-painting, but of realistic description from vivid, almost morbid, recollection. Holtzmann (H. C.) refers to Isa 65:4-5 , as if to suggest that some elements of the picture dwelling in tombs, eating swine’s flesh were taken thence. ., the, i.e. his dwelling, implying though not emphasising constant habit ( perpetuum , Fritzsche), Lk., “for a long time”. , , : energetic accumulation of negatives, quite in the spirit of the Greek language. At this point the sentence breaks away from the relative construction as if in sympathy with the untamable wildness of the demoniac.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
dwelling. Greek. katoikesis. A Divine supplement, here.
among. Greek. en. App-104.
no man . . . no, not = no one . . . not even. Greek. oudeis . . oude. Compounds of ou. App-105.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
3. ] not even with a chain.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mar 5:3. , dwelling) The dwellers among the tombs were of various descriptions. See Mar 5:5.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Mar 9:18-22, Isa 65:4, Dan 4:32, Dan 4:33, Luk 8:29
Reciprocal: Dan 4:25 – drive Mar 9:20 – the spirit Act 19:16 – General Rev 18:2 – become
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
3
No man could bind him. The effect of being possessed with an unclean spirit (devil) was not always the same. Sometimes it produced great prostration, at others it caused insanity, and in the present case it brought abnormal strength together with manifestations of insanity at times.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mar 5:3-5. Marks description of the man is most full and striking. Both he and Luke tell in different words that his dwelling was among, lit., in the tombs, a fact only hinted at by Matthew. Peculiar to this narrative is the mention of the fact that no man could bind him any more; as well as the proof of it from the unsuccessful attempts which had been made (Mar 5:4). The case was probably one of long standing, and repeated efforts had been made to confine him (Luk 8:29.
Fetters were for the feet, chains, for any other part of the body.
To tame him, by any means. The necessity for attempting to tame him was the danger to those passing that way (Mat 8:28). This untamable demoniac spent his time in self-laceration (Mar 5:5), crying, night and day, deprived of sleep in all probability, and wandering not only among the tombs in which he dwelt, but in the mountains, so common in that district. That he was usually naked is implied here, but stated in Luke only. A fearful picture, agreeing in most points with certain forms of insanity. It cannot be argued from these symptoms that it was merely a case of insanity. The writers who so accurately describe the symptoms, define the malady; their statements must be accepted or rejected as a whole. (See on Mat 8:34). Marks gospel, more fully than any of the others, shows Christs power over evil spirits. The power is measured by the difficulty of the case.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 3
Could bind him; could bind him securely, with the ordinary chains used for such a purpose.