In this passage, Mark spends a lot of time describing the state of the demon-possessed man. He is not only oppressed by demons but living among the tombs, howling in the darkness, soaked in death and pain.
The man is experiencing severe isolation. He is an outcast from society, a problem for those around him and so rejected. He is exhibiting anti-social behavior, keeping himself isolated. He is homeless, only able to find shelter in the most cursed place in the region. He is self-destructive as well, cutting himself. While the specifics may be different, these are things we see on the streets of our cities regularly.
The demons controlling the man recognize Jesus and know His name, though He does not know theirs and asks. But they beg him not to send them out of the region. But why does that matter?
It implies that there is a greater strategic purpose and goals of the demons – it’s not ultimately only about one man, but about the region as a whole. It’s the people, the environment, the systems. Everything is interconnected. The demon goes from singular to plural and our understanding of evil should likewise expand.
So the demons know their time is over but they beg to keep some control. Jesus sends them into herd of pigs, which promptly commit suicide. These thousands of pigs (which indicate a gentile area) represent a huge investment, a large amount of money and serves in some ways as a corporate payment for the evil centered on this man.
And just as the demons begged to stay in the region, the people begged Jesus to leave it. Despite the miracle He has done and the freedom He had given, the people of the region prized their peace and prosperity over the health of that man – they prized the status quo despite the evil that it meant lived among them.
We see in the Greek names of the region and the fact of a herd of pigs that this was a Greco-Roman region rather than a Jewish one. Jesus’ actions here demonstrate His power over not only supernatural oppression, but also the Empire that oppresses His people.
And the final step here is the actions of the man himself having been freed. The natural next step is to jump in the boat and follow Jesus, just like the disciples – but Jesus sends him out to his own people to spread the word of what has happened to him.
Two big takeaways for us. First, we all bear responsibility for each other. We are all called to care for the howling people among us. Second, evil is real and must not be ignored. We must face the evil in both our past and our present, both corporate and individual.
In response to that evil, though, we must not despair but turn to Jesus in His person and His body, the Church. Like any predator, evil goes after the isolated and alone. Come together and draw others into the saving relationship with Christ.
— Sermon Notes, Dave Sim, Renew Church, Lynnwood WA, November 26, 2023