The Country of the Gadarenes - Mark 5:1

Mark wrote, “the same day, when the even was come, he said unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, care you not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are you so fearful? how is it that you have no faith? And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”, and in chapter five and verse one of his book, Mark shares how Jesus and His disciples came over, “into the country of the Gadarenes” where we read:

And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.

The verse reads, “And they came over unto the other side of the sea, ...” Mark began with the words, “and they came over” or “and Jesus and His disciples crossed” “unto the other side” which means “to the opposite side” “of the sea” or “pertaining to the sea of Galilee”. Mark shared how Jesus and His disciples crossed the “sea” after the storm to it's opposite side.

The verse goes on to say, “into the country of the Gadarenes.” Mark continued with the words, “into the country” which means “into the territory, region, towns and villages” “of the Gadarenes” which means “belonging to the Gadarenes which refers to the capital of Peraea, situated opposite the south extremity of the Lake of Gennesaret to the south-east, but at some distance from the lake on the banks of the river Hieromax and means reward at the end”. Mark shared how Jesus and His disciples entered the “territory” that belonged to the people of “Gadara”.

When we consider Mark's words in this verse, we see how Jesus and His disciples were on the move again as they crossed the “sea” to land in the “territory” of the “Gadarenes”. Jesus was purpose driven, and He knew what He would encounter everywhere He went. Each of these events lead to people learning that He is indeed the “Messiah” and “Christ” sent from God, and when a person understands that He came to “save” people from their sins, they should submit their lives to Him as their personal “Savior and Lord”.

Next time Mark shares how there, “met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".