Possessed

„When He had come to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way. And suddenly they cried out, saying, “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?” Now a good way off from them there was a herd of many swine feeding. So the demons begged Him, saying, “If You cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of swine.” And He said to them, “Go.” So when they had come out, they went into the herd of swine. And suddenly the whole herd of swine ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and perished in the water. Then those who kept them fled; and they went away into the city and told everything, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they begged Him to depart from their region.” Mat 8:28 – 34

“Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him,fn not even with chains 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. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones. When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him. 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.” For He said to him, “Come out of the man, unclean spirit!” Then He asked him, “What is your name?” And he answered, saying, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” Also he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country. Now a large herd of swine was feeding there near the mountains. So all the demons begged Him, saying, “Send us to the swine, that we may enter them.” And at once Jesusfn 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. 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. 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. And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine. Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their region. And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him. 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.” And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled.” Mark 5:1 – 20

People are always fascinated by the supernatural. Our music and movies mostly relate to this topic. People like to be cos-playing zombies; vampires and others such. But for those people depicted in the highlighted passages, this was not a game. Being possessed meant that you there an outcast of your village. Not only because spirits there fought to be “unclean” so a matter of wickedness in your ways of life was always thought, or if you couldn't be blamed, your family and relatives. So being possessed meant, that nobody wanted to get contracted of this “guilt” of your circumstance. Israel like many eastern places worship honor, as a counter-product of that people get pre-obscured and -absorbed by guilt and shame. Everything shameful lowers your social status and is hence avoided. And while there was no lunatic asylums back then, it meant, your family had to contain you. But a possessed person will not just quietly stand down, when contained. Just like in Naruto with the hidden lotus tehnique what allows to use the full might of the muscles by shutting down the inhibitors of the body or namely the brain, that must restrain us. A possessed person has no restraint what so ever and can be insanely strong. It takes normally the strength of four Foot-ball players to contain one such person. Such persons are corded with metal wire to a firm pole in the house, because ropes get just yanked to bits like smoked yarn, and often cut themselves with it. So it looks very depressing to see such a family who has this kind of issue.

In our passage the man or men, for in Mathew it is said to be more than one to give the severeness of the problem to the reader or listener, for the original was heard not read. Not many people could read back then. These men, or that man lived in a cemetery – nobody else wanted him anymore around. Not even his siblings and family. And he beat himself with rocks – possibly to get away or rid of the demon(s) but couldn't. This depressed desperate man/men meets Jesus and immediately understands that this is the help he needs. Maybe he felt something changing inside that the dark presence inside was afraid of Jesus. That doesn't really matter. What matters is, that the demons begun to beg for themselves and not in particular to be left alone in the body, which is odd, but in that place. For that they saw fit that even to be hosted into a crowd of pig would be more preferable, although these killed themselves immediately, because they couldn't stand the corruption.

My theory, based on anime and other such material is, that spirits cannot survive for long without a host-body. Just like parasidic plants or insects, they need somebody or something to feed on, for inability to gather food themselves. I assume, that spirits are like inert gas-creatures of a odd kind what cant be detected well yet. This could be one of the reasons why spirits commune with humans to give them small trinkets or service while hosting the medium for life.

So the demons who called themselves “Legion” for being so many – A legion being the size of 4000 able men gives a hint of the multitude and severeness of corruption in that poor mans mind. – pleaded for their lives to be spared and not banished from that region so they could possibly host something else in the future, and Jesus lets that happen. It always stumbled me, that Jesus would reason with demons on that level and not just yank them out and cast into the depths of Hell. I don't understand that in Jesus, to have mercy even to demons. But what I don't understand even more, is the reaction of the village people. Ok, the shepherds lost their jobs for being unable to salvage the pigs, but the entire town who cast Jesus out for ruining their business? I mean, they should have been happy that the road to the village is now safe from the constant hellbent moanings and attacks by the possessed man/men, that the shame and guilt for this man and his family and siblings is over. It meant, that after succeeding in passing the cleansing ceremonies they could enter the temple. Maybe for the first time in their lives. So that should have been indeed a reason to celebrate.

Instead the villagers drove Jesus out, and not just calmly, but really in urging fashion not relenting on their want to get rid of Jesus, who gave them that misfortune of loosing a crowd of pig. Some people see only the damage to their own pockets and not the gain to the community in total. People always miss the big picture whining about stuff. The sad truth is – the religious people are the most clingy and whiny about. On Marks passage, the healed man, wanted to go with Jesus and was refused so he could say his Good News to Decapolis so this happiness wouldn't go unnoticed. And he did that, making everybody astonish in the ways of God. It wasn't very common for possessed people to get better. Normally that condition lasted an entire lifespan, forcing some of the victims in suicidal attempts, what was even encouraged. It was the shame and guilt what everyone wanted to get rid of.

Today we have western medicine and the knowledge of mental illnesses. Still those who are ill like that, are treated like vermin of the society. For they don't fit in, are not normal like the rest of us. If their treatment would be too costly it's for the better of the common good to let them be in an asylum and wait for their quiet releavement from life itself. And that is not fair! It should be for the witty and strong of mind the prime purpose to mend the fatigue and pain of the mentally ill and possessed, just as Mother Theresa helped the lepers who there abandoned for their uncleanness. We also have “unclean spirits” in our midst. So if you think of yourself Christian, find a place in your heart for those kind of persons, just like Jesus did before you – if your faith doesn't find that in your heart – get out of my sight, and may our paths never cross! A true Christian always cares of the people not of his own life. Of the peoples needs not of your own needs. If you favor the reason of the people of Decapolis who shed a tear for the pigs, you are not with me. For I shed tears for people not for commerce. I don't wanna hear the sound of coin clashing in the coffers of the church, I love the sound of Joy in children hearts, what only God can hear – and by those with God. The love in mans heart for being freed of oppression is more tasteful in my eyes than the love of great riches and spoils of marketry. Who do you wanna save – the pigs or the man? That is here the question!