Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 5:4
Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any [man] tame him.
4. he had been often ] Each Evangelist adds something to complete the picture of the terrible visitation, under which the possessed laboured. St Matthew that he made the way impassable for travellers (Mar 8:28); St Luke that he was without clothing (Mar 8:27); St Mark that he cried night and day and cut himself with stones (Mar 5:5).
broken in pieces ] For another instance of the extraordinary muscular strength which maniacs put forth see Act 19:16.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 4. With fetters and chains] His strength, it appears was supernatural, no kind of chains being strong enough to confine him. With several, this man would have passed for an outrageous madman, and diabolic influence be entirely left out of the question; but it is the prerogative of the inspired penman only, to enter into the nature and causes of things; and how strange is it, that because men cannot see as far as the Spirit of God does, therefore they deny his testimony. “There was no devil; there can be none.” Why? “Because we have never seen one, and we think the doctrine absurd.” Excellent reason! And do you think that any man who conscientiously believes his Bible will give any credit to you? Men sent from God, to bear witness to the truth, tell us there were demoniacs in their time; you say, “No, they were only diseases.” Whom shall we credit? The men sent from God, or you?
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
4. Because that he had been oftenbound with fetters and chains, c.Luke says (Lu8:29) that “oftentimes it [the unclean spirit] had caughthim” and after mentioning how they had vainly tried to bind himwith chains and fetters, because, “he brake the bands,” headds, “and was driven of the devil [demon] into the wilderness.”The dark tyrant-power by which he was held clothed him withsuperhuman strength and made him scorn restraint. Matthew (Mt8:28) says he was “exceeding fierce, so that no man mightpass by that way.” He was the terror of the whole locality.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains,…. Trial had been made several times, to no purpose; his arms had been bound with chains, and his feet with fetters, which was very proper to prevent doing hurt to himself, and injury to others:
and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces; as if they had been twine threads; such was his strength, through the force of madness, and the possession of Satan, and his diabolical influence:
neither could any man tame him; by any methods whatever; even such who undertook the cure of madness, or to exorcise those that were possessed: this man was so furious and outrageous, that he was not to be managed any way, either by art or force.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Often bound ( ). Perfect passive infinitive, state of completion. With fetters (, from , foot, instep) and chains, bound hand and foot, but all to no purpose. The English plural of foot is feet (Anglo-Saxon fot, fet) and fetter is feeter.
Rent asunder (). Drawn () in two (– same root as , two). Perfect passive infinitive.
Broken in pieces (.) Perfect passive infinitive again, from , to rub together. Rubbed together, crushed together. Perhaps the neighbours who told the story could point to broken fragments of chains and fetters. The fetters may have been cords, or even wooden stocks and not chains.
No man had strength to tame him ( ). Imperfect tense. He roamed at will like a lion in the jungle.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
With fetters and chains [ ] . pedh, fetter, is akin to peza, the instep; just as the Latin pedica, a shackle, is related to pes, a foot. The Anglo – Saxon plural of fot (foot) is fet; so that fetter is feeter. So Chaucer :
“The pure fetters on his shinnes grete Were of his bitter salte teres wete.”
Alusiv (derivation uncertain) is a chain, a generic word, denoting a bond which might be on any part of the body.
Broken in pieces [] . The verb suntribw means originally to rub together, to grind or crush. It has been suggested that the fetters might have been of cords which could be rubbed to pieces. Wyc. renders, Had broken the stocks to small gobbets.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Because that he had been often bound,” (dia to auton pollakis) “Because it had happened often, or repeatedly,” for a long time, he had been repeatedly bound or chained to detain him out there in the countryside, among the tombs, as an habit of existence, in the heat and the cold, day and night.
2) “With fetters and chains,” (peclais kai halusesin declesthai) “To have been bound with fetters and with chains,” fetters for his hands, and chains for his feet, to keep him in his quarantine zone, from disturbing public peace and scattering contagious diseases.
3) “And the chains had been plucked asunder by him,” (kai diespasthai hip’ autou tas haluseis) “And the chains had been burst or broken apart by him,” those designed to shackle his feet.
4) “And the fetters broken in pieces:- (kai tas pedas suntetriphthai) “And the fetters, by friction, had been broken into pieces,” those designed to keep his hands shackled. Man is by nature corrupt, sinful, alienated from God, restless, without peace, quarantined from entering heaven, except by intervention of Supernatural power through the new birth, Eph 2:1-3; Joh 3:3; John 6; Rev 21:27.
5) “Neither could any man tame him.” (kai oudeis ischen auton damosai) “And no one was strong enough to subdue or control him,” when he was under the spells of demon seizure. His demon possession was humanly untamable, by all efforts of men, by all physicians, as the case of Mar 4:25-34. To tame a demon, one must be stronger than the demon, Mar 3:27.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(4) Bound with fetters and chains.These were not necessarily of metal. The two processes of snapping the latter by one convulsive movement and wearing away (not breaking) the latter by friction, rather suggests the idea of ropes, or cords, as in the case of Samson (Jdg. 15:13). In Psa. 149:8 the chains seem distinguished from the links of iron. The vivid fulness of the whole description is eminently characteristic of St. Marks style.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Mar 5:4. Because, &c. For he had often been bound with fetters and chains, and had wrenched his chains, and broken his fetters, and nobody could tame him. Respecting this miracle, see the notes on Mat 8:28; Mat 8:34 and Luk 8:26; Luk 8:56.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.
Ver. 4. See Trapp on “ Mat 8:28 “
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
4. ] The gives the reason, not why he could not be bound, but why the conclusion was come to that he could not. The are shackles for the feet, the chains in general, without specifying for what part of the body.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mar 5:4 tells how they had often tried to bind the madman, feet ( ) and hands ( , with chains, for the hands here , in contrast to , chains for the feet; usually it means chains in general). : the use of a distinct verb in reference to the fetters suggests that they were of different material, either cords (Meyer) or wooden (Schanz), and that we should render ., not “broken in pieces” (A.V [33] ), but rubbed through as if by incessant friction.
[33] Authorised Version.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Because. Greek. dia to. App-104. Mar 5:2.
by. Greek hupo. App-104.
neither could any man tame him = and no (App-105) man was strong enough to master him.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
4.] The gives the reason, not why he could not be bound, but why the conclusion was come to that he could not. The are shackles for the feet, the chains in general, without specifying for what part of the body.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
tame: Jam 3:7, Jam 3:8
Reciprocal: Dan 4:16 – be changed Dan 4:25 – drive Mat 17:15 – for ofttimes Mar 5:15 – him that Luk 9:39 – lo Act 19:16 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
4
Attempts were made to bind this man but the chains would not hold. No man could tame him means he could not be subdued because of his strength.