Legion
Legion
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Mike vanOuse is a Factoryjack from Indiana who has taught the Bible in various venues since 1993. Legion - Glory Unveiled - is an examination/elucidation of the gospel accounts of the "Demoniac of Gadera." If you've ever wondered how Jesus casting demons into a herd of 2000 swine, causing them to stampede into the Sea of Galilee, then turning away the man who was exorcised casts God in a favorable light, this short book will shine that light for you.
Elements
Matthew says there were two demoniacs, Mark and Luke both say that there was one. Matthew says they were in the country of Gergesenes, while Mark and Luke say it was the country of Gadarenes. Neither of these differences change the outcome: that Jesus confronted a demoniac(s) whom the local authorities couldn't tame, delivered him from satanic dominion, and all that ensued. Gergesenes and Gadara are not two distinct countries: they were two cities near each other in a cluster of towns East of the Sea of Galilee, referred to in scripture as "Decapolis," translated: "the ten cities." Before becoming a disciple and Apostle of Christ, Matthew was a tax collector whom Jesus recruited on the fly. Jesus, passing by his work station, said, "Follow Me," and Matthew left all to follow Him1. Matthew was the only eyewitness to the account of the three gospel writers. Mark was a protege to the Apostle Peter. It's assumed that the Gospel of Mark was dictated to him by Peter, who also witnessed the account (Mark may or may not have been there). Luke was a traveling companion of the Apostle Paul who didn't witness the account. Luke, being a physician by profession was the most highly-educated of the gospel writers. He compiled his gospel from interviews with those directly involved, to include Mary, the mother of Jesus. And he did his footwork: his gospel is considered one of the most detailed and accurate historic accounts of the period. The four Gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John - tell the same story from four different perspectives. It's as if a traffic accident happened in the middle of an intersection, and the four gospels are the accounts of four witnesses who were standing on separate corners of the intersection. It stands to reason that they would each see different things. But it's not as though they were journalists who submitted scoops to their editors the same day it happened. Scholars estimate that the Gospel of Matthew was written somewhere between 50 and 70 AD. Jesus was crucified circa 33 AD. That puts a minimum gap of 17 years between the event and its record. Likewise the authorship of Mark is pegged at about 60 AD, and Luke at 50-80 AD. So while time had elapsed from the event to its recording and peripheral details vary, the pertinent elements agree. Nevertheless, it's a confounding story. Why would Jesus accede and grant the petition of demons? Aren't they enemies of God and intrinsically evil? Why didn't He show such compassion toward the poor local townsfolk who raised pork for a living? Surely He knew what the outcome would be : He's God - He knows everything. How was God glorified in showing up uninvited, making a mess, destroying the local economy, and being urged by the community to leave post haste? To top it off, when the beneficiary of His handiwork asked to accompany Him, He denied him permission. Rejection hurts. How is that merciful? The object of this treatise is to answer all of those questions and reveal the understated glory buried in the midst of this account.
1Matthew 9:9
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