Jesus and the Demoniac

Benjamin had that super-human strength and it took many men of the village to hold him down, bind him up, and drag him out to the tombs. They chained him inside one. Pinned to the ground. Maybe they’re the ones who stripped off his clothes, hoping he’d just die of exposure.

But the next day they found him with glazed eyes, his own flesh torn with rocks, screaming at them, his hair matted and bloody.

A Madman. A Terror.

They were all afraid. They had heard the stories and made up their own: “This man would drink their blood.”

Now as Jesus and his disciples go for breakfast - screams fill the air.

Disciples scatter: Judas climbing the cliff; Peter toward the boat; Andrew climbing a tree

Running away from the THING coming toward them. Running. Not a man… A monster.

You knew Jesus could calm the Sea, but you run anyway.

Jesus is standing still and calm, but you run.

We run away from the smelly, the deranged, the madmen.

But Jesus steps toward him.

The pigherders at the top of the hill start laughing. It’s a pretty good show!

The man charges at Jesus, screeching. Jesus steps forward: “Come out of him!”

The man falls to the ground. Gets up again and charges again.

“Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”

Peter watches over the edge of the boat. Judas is behind a rock on the cliff. Simon the Zealot has his sword ready. Andrew looking down from the tree. All are watching, knowing this may be the end of their master.

But Jesus is not afraid of the devil. Jesus is not afraid of anything.

He’s not disgusted by the smell of the man’s breath or body odor. Jesus isn’t repulsed by the man with the demon.

Then Jesus does the most bizarre thing recorded in the gospels. He asks the demon: “What’s your name?”

This is one of the greatest characteristics of Jesus. He is compassionate. Jesus is even compassionate in caring for the devil! His goal was to set the man free from the demons torturing him. And yet he takes time to talk to the demons. Maybe there’s a spark of recognition reaching back thousands of years. At one time, before the fall, Jesus had known them. They had been friends. They recognize Jesus. And Jesus recognizes them.

“What is your name?”

But they don’t know anymore. They’ve lost their identity. Our name is Legion. For we are many. Legion - between 4000-6000 Roman soldiers. All those demons fighting for possession of this man.

But Jesus is clear. They cannot stay.

“Just don’t send us into the abyss (luke), or the country (mark), or the water (matthew).”

“Well, where do you want to go? Where should I send you?” Why would Jesus ask that? His character and his love knows no bounds!

“Into the pigs.”

Jesus sends the demons into the pigs. About two thousand of them. The Bible tells us they rushed down the steep bank and drowned in the sea.

Benjamin blinks. He knows something is different. He reaches up to brush his hand through his hair, but it’s matted with dirt and sweat and blood. He looks down at his cut, bleeding, naked body… the scars. He tries to cover himself.

Jesus puts his arm around Benjamin and holds that grungy, filthy, smelly body close and says, “Good morning.”

To Peter: “Sandals and your old jacket out of the boat. Benjamin needs clothes!”

Peter is wary. The man looks the same.

But something has changed.

Jesus sits on the rock next to the man. “Benjamin. I’m so glad to meet you. Tell me a little about yourself.”

“I… I really… everything is such a muddle. I can’t remember much… Tell me about you!”

“Instead of talking about me, why don’t we talk about peace. Would you like peace?”

“Oh, nothing more, sir. If I could just know… If I could… this idea about peace. How can I get it?”

Can you hear the conversation as Jesus tells him more about God? Talks to him about creation. “God made you, Benjamin. He made you special. And the kind of things that have been happening to you these last few months… well, they aren’t normal. God wants so much better for you.”

Just about that time, the first sounds of an angry mob start from Pigherders Hill. The people have come out of the village. They look down the cliffs and see Jesus talking with the madman. But now he’s clothed and calm.

“It can’t be. Nobody can get that close to him. If he can talk with him, maybe he has a demon, too!”

“He killed my pigs. Let’s get him!”

They didn’t care about Benjamin. They didn’t care about his mental health, his spiritual growth, or even basic human kindness. They cared about their pigs and their money.

“It’s me, Benjamin! I’m well. Jesus has healed me!”

“He killed the pigs. Let’s get rid of him!” They move to attack Jesus.

And Jesus: “Wait. wait. wait. Wouldn’t you like to know what’s happened to Benjamin this morning? Wouldn’t you like to know how God has given him peace?”

But they just want Jesus to leave.

And so, in his compassion, Jesus grants their request. Jesus will never force himself on anyone. Jesus turns to Peter, “I think we should leave.”

Benjamin wants to come too. But Jesus has a mission for Benjamin.

19: “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”

20: And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.

Jesus had shown his power over the wind and the waves. And now his power over the demons. He shows us his love and compassion, for the smelly and the matted, the hurting, the demon-possessed, and yes, even for the demons.