2 When He got out of the boat , immediately a man from the tombs with an unclean spirit met Him, 3 and he had his dwelling among the tombs . And no e one was able to bind him anymore , even with a chain ; 4 because he had often been bound with shackles and chains , and the chains had been torn apart by him and the shackles broken in pieces , and no one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Constantly , night and day , he was screaming among the tombs and in the mountains , and gashing himself with stones . 6 Seeing Jesus from a distance , he ran up and bowed down before Him; 7 and shouting with a loud voice , he said , " What business do we have with each other, Jesus , Son of the Most High God ? I implore You by God , do not torment me!" 8 For He had been saying to him, "Come out of the man , you unclean spirit !" 9 And He was asking him, "What is your name ?" And he said to Him, "My name is Legion ; for we are many ." 10 And he began to implore Him earnestly not to send them out of the country . 11 Now there was a large herd of swine feeding nearby on the mountain . 12 The demons implored Him, saying , "Send us into the swine so that we may enter them." 13 Jesus gave them permission . And coming out, the unclean spirits entered the swine ; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea , about two thousand of them; and they were drowned in the sea .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Mark 5:2-13
Commentary on Mark 5:1-20
(Read Mark 5:1-20)
Some openly wilful sinners are like this madman. The commands of the law are as chains and fetters, to restrain sinners from their wicked courses; but they break those bands in sunder; and it is an evidence of the power of the devil in them. A legion of soldiers consisted of six thousand men, or more. What multitudes of fallen spirits there must be, and all enemies to God and man, when here was a legion in one poor wretched creature! Many there are that rise up against us. We are not a match for our spiritual enemies, in our own strength; but in the Lord, and in the power of his might, we shall be able to stand against them, though there are legions of them. When the vilest transgressor is delivered by the power of Jesus from the bondage of Satan, he will gladly sit at the feet of his Deliverer, and hear his word, who delivers the wretched slaves of Satan, and numbers them among his saints and servants. When the people found that their swine were lost, they had a dislike to Christ. Long-suffering and mercy may be seen, even in the corrections by which men lose their property while their lives are saved, and warning given them to seek the salvation of their souls. The man joyfully proclaimed what great things Jesus had done for him. All men marvelled, but few followed him. Many who cannot but wonder at the works of Christ, yet do not, as they ought, wonder after him.