(1) From 4:35 to 5:20, both miracles showed the great power of Jesus. When He rebuked the wind and sea had to listen to Him. Legions of demonic spirits had to beg Him not torment them. After the demons left the changes of the once demon-possessed man make people afraid v.15.
(2) 2 Responses
5:15 They came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man sitting there, clothed and in his right mind—the one who had the “Legion”—and they were afraid.5:16 Those who had seen what had happened to the demon-possessed man reported it, and they also told about the pigs. 5:17 Then they asked Jesus to leave their region.
(BECNT) Their fear is a natural response to their having experienced the presence of God. How one responds varies. In some cases, the experience produces good fruit (4:20), but in others who see but do not perceive, hear but do not understand, the seed falls on bad soil (4:15–19).
5:18 As he was getting into the boat the man who had been demon-possessed asked if he could go with him. 5:19 But Jesus did not permit him to do so. Instead, he said to him, “Go to your home and to your people and tell them what the Lord has done for you, that he had mercy on you.”
Jesus showed His mighty power to cast out the demons, but the once demon-possessed man Jesus should felt that He did that out of mercy. In other words, He did not have to do that, but He did. Therefore he asked to go with Jesus. I guessed that was why Jesus wanted him to tell the people that God had mercy on him. When they knew that they might believe in Jesus, too.
(BECNT) Their fear is a natural response to their having experienced the presence of God. How one responds varies. In some cases, the experience produces good fruit (4:20), but in others who see but do not perceive, hear but do not understand, the seed falls on bad soil (4:15–19).
5:18 As he was getting into the boat the man who had been demon-possessed asked if he could go with him. 5:19 But Jesus did not permit him to do so. Instead, he said to him, “Go to your home and to your people and tell them what the Lord has done for you, that he had mercy on you.”
Jesus showed His mighty power to cast out the demons, but the once demon-possessed man Jesus should felt that He did that out of mercy. In other words, He did not have to do that, but He did. Therefore he asked to go with Jesus. I guessed that was why Jesus wanted him to tell the people that God had mercy on him. When they knew that they might believe in Jesus, too.
(3) Reflection: God helped us in miraculously way in the past, e.g. our sickness was healed, our worries are gone, and etc. Do we think that it was only out of His mercy He helped us? Are we willing to follow His Word after that? Or we are like the villages and we only see the "wow" effect, and never get close to God?
Audrey
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