Mark 5:1-20
5 Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes. 2 And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, 3 who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains, 4 because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him. 5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones.
6 When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him. 7 And he cried out with a loud voice and said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me.”
8 For He said to him, “Come out of the man, unclean spirit!” 9 Then He asked him, “What is your name?”
And he answered, saying, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” 10 Also he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country.
11 Now a large herd of swine was feeding there near the mountains. 12 So all the demons begged Him, saying, “Send us to the swine, that we may enter them.” 13 And at once Jesus gave them permission. Then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there were about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea.
14 So those who fed the swine fled, and they told it in the city and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that had happened. 15 Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. 16 And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine. 17 Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their region.
18 And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him. 19 However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.” 20 And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled.
In our lesson, Jesus, as the Landlord’s only begotten Son is taking back what belongs to Him by casting the demons out. Sinners need forgiveness from the compassionate Jesus on the cross, but demons need to be cast out by the powerful Jesus on His throne.
Yes, we announce that Christ Jesus died for the ungodly while we were yet sinners; we announce the love of God in Jesus Christ as a free, unmerited, and undeserved gift, received through faith; we show Christ Jesus lifted up on the cross and now drawing all people unto Himself; and we also declare that Christ Jesus Himself is truly present always and everywhere through Word and Sacrament–not just His benefits. The purpose here is that when the demon-possessed (or influenced) are despairing of themselves or have finally been confronted with the truth, that their demons (literal and metaphorical) must go! Who will actually deliver the demon-possessed from these bodies of death? Only Christ Jesus, fully present, fully alive, and fully powerful, can cast the demons out!
Jesus Himself must cast all of our demons into the waters of Holy Baptism. He must cast them there to be drowned daily. An honest naming of the demons–in confession before another (whether pastor or Christian brother or sister)–is initially (and sometimes repeatedly) part of the process with certain demons. The Living Lord Jesus makes Himself known through the external Word of God–the Word that comes from outside of us–His Word which makes us His and marks us as His own! Living in Christ, by daily drowning the old man in the waters of baptism, is how “the Christ in us” continues to overpower Satan because of “the Christ for us.”
Let us pray: O God, in the glorious transfiguration of your only Son you confirmed the mysteries of the faith by the testimony of Moses and Elijah. In the voice that came from the bright cloud you wondrously foreshowed our adoption as your children. Mercifully make us heirs with the Christ of his glory, and bring us at last to share that same glory with him; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
