Mark 5,1-20: A Lesson in Cross-Cultural Story-Telling
For the first time in Mark’s Gospel, Jesus ventures into Gentile territory. He is immediately confronted by a man with unclean spirits, whom Jesus exorcises into unclean animals, pigs. Eric Wefald argues that such imagery allows Mark to proclaim to the Jewish reader that Jesus has begun his mission to the unclean people, the Gentiles. Given though that the author of Mark was likely Gentile, it seems more fitting that Mark would have in mind not only a Jewish, but also a Gentile audience. , Indeed, throughout his telling of the Demoniac story, Mark cleverly offers evidence to both Jews and Gentiles that Jesus is their savior. However, like all stories in Mark, the matter is left unsettled, urging the read to keep reading.
The Jewish reader would realize within the first two sentences that Jesus is no longer in “clean” territory. In the first sentence, Mark tells us that Jesus has crossed the Sea of Galilee into the land of the Gerasene. Although there is some debate about the exact location and town of this story, the NET Bible Commentary includes the helpful citation: “Irrespective of how one settles this issue, for the [second and] Third Evangelist the chief concern is that Jesus has crossed over into Gentile territory, ‘opposite Galilee’.” As soon as Jesus gets out of the boat, the reader learns a man is coming to Jesus from the tombs. Leviticus 21 makes it clear that dead bodies are unclean and that contact with them defiles the person who does so. Thus, anyone living around the tombs would be unclean, someone to avoid. Furthermore, the man has unclean, “avkaqa,rtwn,” spirits. This Greek word is the word used throughout Leviticus (72 times in LXX!) to describe things that are unclean. avkaqa,rtwn, even if translated “evil,” would have ceremonial and religious connotations for the Jewish reader.
The modern “Gentile” reader can easily miss the significance of the “unclean.” As Eric Wefald writes, “these Jewish ways of thinking are very concerned with who is within and who is outside the people of God, with distinctions between Jew and Gentile.” Pheme Perkins concurs, “Jewish ritual practice separates the world into categories of clean and unclean. When heard within that context, the elements of impurity in this story are piled one upon another: unclean spirit, dwelling among tombs, and a large herd of swine.” In terms of plot development, Mark prepares the Jewish reader for a battle of Jesus against the unclean.
As Mark develops this battle scene for his Jewish readers, he concurrently sets the stage for a battle that will interest his Gentile audience. Mark does this through his detailed commentary on the demoniac. His description evokes curiosity and fear, for the man howls and bruises himself, even breaking the chains they tried to place on him. To help create trepidation and discomfort in the reader, Mark uses the word “tombs” three times in four verses. The claim is even made: “No one had the strength to subdue him.” One need not be a Jew to be aghast. As Perkins comments, “The demons have stripped this man of every shred of humanity,” and even Gentile readers would realize this. While Mark has sets up a battle of purity for the Jewish audience, he also sets up one of power for the Gentile audience.
As the battle unfolds, Mark provides his Jewish audience with more evidence that Jesus is fighting in unclean territory. After a dialogue with the demons, self-identified as “Legion,” Jesus sends the roughly 2,000 into a swineherd. The swine proceed to drive themselves off a cliff. The significance of the “swine” is emphasized by Mark using the word four times. Pigs were unclean – even today practicing Jews do not eat pork! As Wefald comments, “since Jews neither near nor herd swine, this is a blatant signal to the reader that they are on the non-Jewish, eastern shore of the Sea.”
Mark’s use of the pigs may serve as more than a geographical reminder for his Jewish audience. Wefald argues that “Jews associated the category of ‘demons’ with gods of the unclean heathen Gentiles…the gods of the heathen are demons.” In his view, Jesus does not simply defeat the demons in the demoniac, but the gods of the Gentiles. Wefald concludes, “from a Jewish perspective, the incident in the country of the Gerasenes represents a triumph wrought by Yahweh, the God of Israel, for the Jewish people over the heathen.”
The “gods” of the unclean were not only demons, however, but also soldiers. Mark may also have political overtones to his connection of a legion with swine. As Perkins offers,
“The tenth legion, which used the boar as a symbol on its standard, had been stationed there since 6 CE...the local populace, faced with powers it could not resist, had a very different perception, regarding imperial power as oppressive.”
Furthermore, “Jewish sources as old as 1 Enoch 89:12 identify the boar with Esau, who became a symbol of Rome. The narrative thus reflects the connection between Roman imperialism and what Frantz Fanon called the 'colonization of the mind' of subjugated peoples.” Regardless of whether one takes a more spiritual or political interpretation, Mark’s connection of the swine and the legion strongly suggests that even if Jesus is in Gentile land, Jesus is on the side of the Jews, fighting against the unclean, the heathen.
Mark simultaneously provides his Gentile, “unclean” listeners, a compelling scene of Jesus’ power.
“Mark unfolds an intense battle scene. Although it lasts only a few verses in the text, the tense of the verbs indicate the severity of the battle. Jesus calls the demon out. Mark uses the imperfect, which indicates repeated or continuous action, evidently because these please are unsuccessful and therefore repeated.”
Although such repeated action might stress the weakness of Jesus, it also serves to highlight the severity of the battle. A full-strength legion had “6,000 infantry, 120 cavalry, and associated auxiliaries.” Jesus is facing an entire hoard by himself.
Jesus not only can battle the demons, but he has authority over them. He does not suggest or beg that they go into the swine, but rather, evpe,treyen auvtoi/j. BDAG offers the definition of evpitre,pw as “allow,” and Liddell and Scott even offer, among other translations, “command.” Moreover, Mark only uses this verb one other time, to describe Moses “allowing” a law to be written (10.4). Given Moses’ authority over the law, Mark’s use of this word shows he is ascribing a great deal of authority to Jesus in relation to the demons. Thus, even the non-Jewish person listening to this story would be struck by the power and authority of Jesus. Jesus here shows that he can heal the sick and fight the mighty of the Gentile world.
The story ends as dramatically as it began, with the healed man begging Jesus to accompany Jesus, and Jesus telling him to stay and proclaim what the Lord has done. This ending is highly unusual for Mark, where Jesus normally concludes his miracles with a command of silence. In addition, Jesus uses the verb, “khru,ssw,” which indicates more than simply “say” or “tell.” According to BDAG this denotes “the official activity of a herald.”
Both Perkins and Wefald interpret this “appointment” as signaling the inclusion of Gentiles in the ministry of Jesus. Perkins writes that “this episode has been expanded to provide Jesus with his first Gentile missionary.” Wefald concurs, arguing that “two distinct missions are emerging, the first prepared on Jewish territory by John the baptizer, whose actions are paralleled by the Gerasene demoniac on Gentile territory. Moreover, both authors conclude that healing of the Demoniac heals the rift between Jew and Gentile in Jesus’ ministry. Perkins concludes “the Sea, which might have been a barrier between the two ways of life, will hereafter be crossed repeatedly.” Wefald asserts this even more strongly, maintaining that in “Mk 5.1-20 the barrier of the Gentiles’ uncleanness has been removed.”
Such a conclusive interpretation, especially the claim, that the “Gentile’s uncleanness has been removed” removes from Mark the element of mystery. Mark’s narrative teems with suspense; indeed, even Mark’s ending in chapter 16 leaves the reader full of questions. Moreover, in the previous chapter, Jesus began teaching parables, telling the disciples, “to you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside, everything comes in parables (4.11).” To conclude that any secrets have been fully disclosed by Mark 5 seems unnecessarily premature.
Indeed, Mark 5 leaves many questions unanswered. Why is it that the demoniac, when told to proclaim what “o` ku,rio,j” has done, tells people what Jesus has done? Will Jesus battle “real” legions, fulfilling Jewish dreams of a Jewish king? Will Jesus fight demons again, or was this victory final? Although Werner Kelber wrote about Mark 4, his claim that the “passage furnishes a good example of both unlocking and creating secrecy” certainly holds true for Mark 5 as well.
The genius of Mark, however, is that just has he presented Jesus as Savior to both Jewish and Gentile audiences, Mark leaves the question of ministry to the Gentiles unanswered. Both communities likely have the same question as Jesus gets in the boat: Will Jesus cross the Sea again?
In all likelihood, to the Jewish-Christian reader this whole trip is a disaster, an affirmation of his or her suspicions. Everything is unclean and the people reject Jesus. There is no teaching, no law-giving and no circumcision after conversion. The implied silence of the disciples likely reflects the best Jewish response at this point. One can almost imagine a sigh of relief from the disciples (and Jewish readers) when Jesus tells the Demoniac he cannot travel with them.
On the other hand, to the Gentile-Christian reader, the trip is probably both uplifting and frightening. Finally, Jesus is leaving his Jewish enclave and venturing into the “real” world. He defeats the powers of evil and gives healing. The people reject him, but Jesus still commands the message to be proclaimed. One can almost imagine a sigh of relief from the Gentile readers when Jesus tells the Demoniac he cannot travel with him, but must stay and proclaim the good news.
As Mark’s story progresses, the reader learns that Jesus does cross the sea again, and that Jesus’ ministry is for both Jews and Gentiles. However, Mark knows that even if Jesus is Savior for Jew and Gentile, his contemporary Jews and Gentiles have a “Sea” between them. His understanding of both groups allows him to weave together a narrative that simultaneously speaks to both audiences. The convincing portrayal of Jesus’ power and the awakened questions about Jesus’ Gentile ministry speak to Jews and Gentiles, thus showing Mark’s cross-cultural narrative ability.
Green, J.B. The Gospel of Luke. New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdman’s, 1997.
Kelber, Werner H. “Narrative and disclosure: mechanisms of concealing, revealing, and reveiling.” Semeia 43 (1988), p 1-20.
Liddell H. G., R. Scott, and H. S. Jones. A Greek-English Lexicon, 9th ed. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1996.
Marcus, Joel. Mark 1-8. Anchor Bible. New York: Doubleday, 2000.
NET Bible Commentary, Bible Works 6.
Nestle-Aland, 27th Edition, Bible Works 6.
NRSV, Bible Works 6.
Perkins, Pheme. The Gospel of Mark: Introduction, Commentary, and Reflections. New Interpreter’s Bible VIII. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1995.
Powell, Mark Allan. The Gospels. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1998.
Robbins, Vernon K. Jesus the Teacher: A Socio-Rhetorical Interpretation of Mark. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1984.
Wefald, Eric K. “The Separate Gentile Mission in Mark: A Narrative Explanation of Markan Geography, the Two Feeding Accounts and Exorcisms.” Journal for the Study of the New Testament 60 (1995), 1-16.
The Jewish reader would realize within the first two sentences that Jesus is no longer in “clean” territory. In the first sentence, Mark tells us that Jesus has crossed the Sea of Galilee into the land of the Gerasene. Although there is some debate about the exact location and town of this story, the NET Bible Commentary includes the helpful citation: “Irrespective of how one settles this issue, for the [second and] Third Evangelist the chief concern is that Jesus has crossed over into Gentile territory, ‘opposite Galilee’.” As soon as Jesus gets out of the boat, the reader learns a man is coming to Jesus from the tombs. Leviticus 21 makes it clear that dead bodies are unclean and that contact with them defiles the person who does so. Thus, anyone living around the tombs would be unclean, someone to avoid. Furthermore, the man has unclean, “avkaqa,rtwn,” spirits. This Greek word is the word used throughout Leviticus (72 times in LXX!) to describe things that are unclean. avkaqa,rtwn, even if translated “evil,” would have ceremonial and religious connotations for the Jewish reader.
The modern “Gentile” reader can easily miss the significance of the “unclean.” As Eric Wefald writes, “these Jewish ways of thinking are very concerned with who is within and who is outside the people of God, with distinctions between Jew and Gentile.” Pheme Perkins concurs, “Jewish ritual practice separates the world into categories of clean and unclean. When heard within that context, the elements of impurity in this story are piled one upon another: unclean spirit, dwelling among tombs, and a large herd of swine.” In terms of plot development, Mark prepares the Jewish reader for a battle of Jesus against the unclean.
As Mark develops this battle scene for his Jewish readers, he concurrently sets the stage for a battle that will interest his Gentile audience. Mark does this through his detailed commentary on the demoniac. His description evokes curiosity and fear, for the man howls and bruises himself, even breaking the chains they tried to place on him. To help create trepidation and discomfort in the reader, Mark uses the word “tombs” three times in four verses. The claim is even made: “No one had the strength to subdue him.” One need not be a Jew to be aghast. As Perkins comments, “The demons have stripped this man of every shred of humanity,” and even Gentile readers would realize this. While Mark has sets up a battle of purity for the Jewish audience, he also sets up one of power for the Gentile audience.
As the battle unfolds, Mark provides his Jewish audience with more evidence that Jesus is fighting in unclean territory. After a dialogue with the demons, self-identified as “Legion,” Jesus sends the roughly 2,000 into a swineherd. The swine proceed to drive themselves off a cliff. The significance of the “swine” is emphasized by Mark using the word four times. Pigs were unclean – even today practicing Jews do not eat pork! As Wefald comments, “since Jews neither near nor herd swine, this is a blatant signal to the reader that they are on the non-Jewish, eastern shore of the Sea.”
Mark’s use of the pigs may serve as more than a geographical reminder for his Jewish audience. Wefald argues that “Jews associated the category of ‘demons’ with gods of the unclean heathen Gentiles…the gods of the heathen are demons.” In his view, Jesus does not simply defeat the demons in the demoniac, but the gods of the Gentiles. Wefald concludes, “from a Jewish perspective, the incident in the country of the Gerasenes represents a triumph wrought by Yahweh, the God of Israel, for the Jewish people over the heathen.”
The “gods” of the unclean were not only demons, however, but also soldiers. Mark may also have political overtones to his connection of a legion with swine. As Perkins offers,
“The tenth legion, which used the boar as a symbol on its standard, had been stationed there since 6 CE...the local populace, faced with powers it could not resist, had a very different perception, regarding imperial power as oppressive.”
Furthermore, “Jewish sources as old as 1 Enoch 89:12 identify the boar with Esau, who became a symbol of Rome. The narrative thus reflects the connection between Roman imperialism and what Frantz Fanon called the 'colonization of the mind' of subjugated peoples.” Regardless of whether one takes a more spiritual or political interpretation, Mark’s connection of the swine and the legion strongly suggests that even if Jesus is in Gentile land, Jesus is on the side of the Jews, fighting against the unclean, the heathen.
Mark simultaneously provides his Gentile, “unclean” listeners, a compelling scene of Jesus’ power.
“Mark unfolds an intense battle scene. Although it lasts only a few verses in the text, the tense of the verbs indicate the severity of the battle. Jesus calls the demon out. Mark uses the imperfect, which indicates repeated or continuous action, evidently because these please are unsuccessful and therefore repeated.”
Although such repeated action might stress the weakness of Jesus, it also serves to highlight the severity of the battle. A full-strength legion had “6,000 infantry, 120 cavalry, and associated auxiliaries.” Jesus is facing an entire hoard by himself.
Jesus not only can battle the demons, but he has authority over them. He does not suggest or beg that they go into the swine, but rather, evpe,treyen auvtoi/j. BDAG offers the definition of evpitre,pw as “allow,” and Liddell and Scott even offer, among other translations, “command.” Moreover, Mark only uses this verb one other time, to describe Moses “allowing” a law to be written (10.4). Given Moses’ authority over the law, Mark’s use of this word shows he is ascribing a great deal of authority to Jesus in relation to the demons. Thus, even the non-Jewish person listening to this story would be struck by the power and authority of Jesus. Jesus here shows that he can heal the sick and fight the mighty of the Gentile world.
The story ends as dramatically as it began, with the healed man begging Jesus to accompany Jesus, and Jesus telling him to stay and proclaim what the Lord has done. This ending is highly unusual for Mark, where Jesus normally concludes his miracles with a command of silence. In addition, Jesus uses the verb, “khru,ssw,” which indicates more than simply “say” or “tell.” According to BDAG this denotes “the official activity of a herald.”
Both Perkins and Wefald interpret this “appointment” as signaling the inclusion of Gentiles in the ministry of Jesus. Perkins writes that “this episode has been expanded to provide Jesus with his first Gentile missionary.” Wefald concurs, arguing that “two distinct missions are emerging, the first prepared on Jewish territory by John the baptizer, whose actions are paralleled by the Gerasene demoniac on Gentile territory. Moreover, both authors conclude that healing of the Demoniac heals the rift between Jew and Gentile in Jesus’ ministry. Perkins concludes “the Sea, which might have been a barrier between the two ways of life, will hereafter be crossed repeatedly.” Wefald asserts this even more strongly, maintaining that in “Mk 5.1-20 the barrier of the Gentiles’ uncleanness has been removed.”
Such a conclusive interpretation, especially the claim, that the “Gentile’s uncleanness has been removed” removes from Mark the element of mystery. Mark’s narrative teems with suspense; indeed, even Mark’s ending in chapter 16 leaves the reader full of questions. Moreover, in the previous chapter, Jesus began teaching parables, telling the disciples, “to you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside, everything comes in parables (4.11).” To conclude that any secrets have been fully disclosed by Mark 5 seems unnecessarily premature.
Indeed, Mark 5 leaves many questions unanswered. Why is it that the demoniac, when told to proclaim what “o` ku,rio,j” has done, tells people what Jesus has done? Will Jesus battle “real” legions, fulfilling Jewish dreams of a Jewish king? Will Jesus fight demons again, or was this victory final? Although Werner Kelber wrote about Mark 4, his claim that the “passage furnishes a good example of both unlocking and creating secrecy” certainly holds true for Mark 5 as well.
The genius of Mark, however, is that just has he presented Jesus as Savior to both Jewish and Gentile audiences, Mark leaves the question of ministry to the Gentiles unanswered. Both communities likely have the same question as Jesus gets in the boat: Will Jesus cross the Sea again?
In all likelihood, to the Jewish-Christian reader this whole trip is a disaster, an affirmation of his or her suspicions. Everything is unclean and the people reject Jesus. There is no teaching, no law-giving and no circumcision after conversion. The implied silence of the disciples likely reflects the best Jewish response at this point. One can almost imagine a sigh of relief from the disciples (and Jewish readers) when Jesus tells the Demoniac he cannot travel with them.
On the other hand, to the Gentile-Christian reader, the trip is probably both uplifting and frightening. Finally, Jesus is leaving his Jewish enclave and venturing into the “real” world. He defeats the powers of evil and gives healing. The people reject him, but Jesus still commands the message to be proclaimed. One can almost imagine a sigh of relief from the Gentile readers when Jesus tells the Demoniac he cannot travel with him, but must stay and proclaim the good news.
As Mark’s story progresses, the reader learns that Jesus does cross the sea again, and that Jesus’ ministry is for both Jews and Gentiles. However, Mark knows that even if Jesus is Savior for Jew and Gentile, his contemporary Jews and Gentiles have a “Sea” between them. His understanding of both groups allows him to weave together a narrative that simultaneously speaks to both audiences. The convincing portrayal of Jesus’ power and the awakened questions about Jesus’ Gentile ministry speak to Jews and Gentiles, thus showing Mark’s cross-cultural narrative ability.
Green, J.B. The Gospel of Luke. New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdman’s, 1997.
Kelber, Werner H. “Narrative and disclosure: mechanisms of concealing, revealing, and reveiling.” Semeia 43 (1988), p 1-20.
Liddell H. G., R. Scott, and H. S. Jones. A Greek-English Lexicon, 9th ed. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1996.
Marcus, Joel. Mark 1-8. Anchor Bible. New York: Doubleday, 2000.
NET Bible Commentary, Bible Works 6.
Nestle-Aland, 27th Edition, Bible Works 6.
NRSV, Bible Works 6.
Perkins, Pheme. The Gospel of Mark: Introduction, Commentary, and Reflections. New Interpreter’s Bible VIII. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1995.
Powell, Mark Allan. The Gospels. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1998.
Robbins, Vernon K. Jesus the Teacher: A Socio-Rhetorical Interpretation of Mark. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1984.
Wefald, Eric K. “The Separate Gentile Mission in Mark: A Narrative Explanation of Markan Geography, the Two Feeding Accounts and Exorcisms.” Journal for the Study of the New Testament 60 (1995), 1-16.
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