Mark 5:20Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

But although he bade others, whom he healed, to tell it to no one, he nevertheless fitly bids this one proclaim it, since all that region, being possessed by devils, remained without God.

But amazed at the miracle, which they had heard, they were afraid, and for this reason they beseech him to depart out of their borders; which is expressed in what follows: And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts; for they feared lest some time or other they should suffer a like thing: for, saddened at the loss of their swine, they reject the presence of the Saviour.

Here again the demoniac is the people of the Gentiles, in a most hopeless case, bound neither by the law of nature, nor of God, nor by human fear.

But the herdsmen also took to flight, lest they should perish with the swine, and spread the same fear amongst the inhabitants of the town. Wherefore there follows: And they that fed them, &c. The necessity of their loss, however, brought these men to the Saviour; for frequently when God makes men suffer loss in their possessions, he confers a benefit on their souls. Wherefore it goes on: And they came to Jesus, and see him that was tormented by the devil, &c. that is, at the feet of Him from whom he had obtained health; a man, whom before, not even chains could bind, clothed and in his right mind, though he used to be continually naked; and they were amazed; wherefore it says, And they were afraid. This miracle then they find out partly by sight, partly by words; wherefore there follows: And they that saw it told them.

A multitude of swine from Gadara cast out the demons into the sea, and from the depths of the tombs, amidst the cries of these animals, a tormenting wail is heard. The voices of men declare: "We recognize you, Jesus, Son of God, Heir of King David. We know who you are and why you have come, and by what authority you will expel us; we are terrified in your presence" (Lk. 8:26-33). Has this proclamation reached your ears, O Judea? Indeed, it has, yet it has not penetrated the hearts of the unawakened, for they remain sealed behind locked barriers (Rev. 3:20). However, the arrival of the Lord resonates where the sun of Iberia sets, where the dawn meets the twilight. The frigid winters of Scythia were softened by the power of the gospel, and the cold of Hyrcania was conquered, allowing the waters of the Gebra river to flow unimpeded from the heights of the Caucasus.

For when we have perceived ever so little of the Divine knowledge, we are at once unwilling to return to human affairs, and seek for the quiet of contemplation; but the Lord commands that the mind should first toil hard at its work, and afterwards should refresh itself with contemplation.

Mystically, however, Gerasa or Gergese, as some read it, is interpreted casting out a dweller or a stranger approaching, because the people of the Gentiles both expelled the enemy from the heart, and he who was afar off is made near.

The man who had been possessed by demons went on to proclaim in the region of the Ten Cities the wonders that Jesus had performed in his life, and all who heard were astonished. With the intention of sending him to share the Gospel in this area, Jesus unveiled the light of truth to him, imparted teachings that prepared him for his mission, and there was ample opportunity for such a conversation before the people from nearby towns and villages gathered. Thus, this man, liberated from demonic bondage and enlightened by the wisdom of Jesus Christ, set out to announce His message throughout the land of the Ten Cities.

He decided to immediately depart from the unwelcoming region. However, to ensure that the message of the coming Kingdom of Heaven was not completely lost to that place, He chose to appoint one of those healed as a herald of God’s glory there. “Go home,” the Savior instructed him, “to your own people, and share with them what the Lord has done for you and how He has shown you compassion.” Consequently, the man once tormented by demons from Gadara became the inaugural messenger of the Kingdom of God throughout the area known as Deciatigradia, which included Gadara. His testimony about the miraculous act performed on him served to affirm his preaching.

In the region of Tithedown, as noted in Matthew 4:25, the grateful man who had been healed began to proclaim the miracles of Christ, extending his message beyond his own hometown and family, as instructed by Christ. His deep gratitude compelled him to share the good news across the entire nation. This fervor for Christ undoubtedly served a positive purpose. The question arises: why did the Lord not only permit the healed man to speak of his healing, contrary to what occurred in other instances (e.g., Matthew 8:3ff.), but rather commanded him to share the miracle? The explanation appears to be that the event transpired in Perea, an area with fewer restrictions compared to Galilee or Judea, where revealing such miracles prematurely was impractical (see note on Matthew 8:4).

Upon witnessing the events that had unfolded, the shepherds hurried to share the extraordinary news throughout the city and the surrounding villages. This remarkable revelation prompted the local residents to rush to the site to witness the occurrence for themselves. When they approached Jesus Christ, they discovered the formerly possessed man, known as Legion, sitting peacefully at His feet, clothed and in sound mind, which left them in shock. Those who had witnessed the miracle recounted to the newcomers the details of the man's healing and the fate of the swine.