When life gives us a stormy experience.
Recently I was having my Bible reading time and I was meditating on a passage from the Gospel according to St. Mark. Here is the following passage.
Mark 4:39-41 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great storm of wind arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care if we perish?" And he awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?" And they were filled with awe, and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey him?"
I had some questions which I tried to answer with the help of the spirit according to my little understanding, according to my little abilities, my limits.
•To begin; when they left to go to the other side, as the verse says in Mark 4:36 And other boats were with him. So when they started their journey there is a possibility of some other boats too of being there.
•Now we read in Mark 4:38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him. The disciples had to literally wake him up. We do not read anywhere in the Bible, that Jesus was sleeping and the disciples had to wake him up.
oThere are certain times in our lives when due to our inactive spiritual life; when we by our actions & activities nullify the spirit within us and we feel as if out prayers are not heard i.e Jesus is asleep.
•Then in Mark 4:39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. When he is awake everything is calm.
oIn our lives too when such storms i.e problems or or sickness troubles arise, all we have to do is what the disciples did; cry out to him, call onto him i.e wake him up and once he's awake the storms die down and as the word says there was a great calm.
Here I felt like there is a good connection between the above mentioned Gospel passage and the very next passage described below
Mk 5:1-20 They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Ger'asenes. And when he had come out of the boat, there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, who lived among the tombs; and no one could bind him any more, even with a chain; for he had often been bound with fetters and chains, but the chains he wrenched apart, and the fetters he broke in pieces; and no one had the strength to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out, and bruising himself with stones. And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped him; and crying out with a loud voice, he said, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me." For he had said to him, "Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!" And Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" He replied, "My name is Legion; for we are many." And he begged him eagerly not to send them out of the country. Now a great herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside; and they begged him, "Send us to the swine, let us enter them." So he gave them leave. And the unclean spirits came out, and entered the swine; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and were drowned in the sea. The herdsmen fled, and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened. And they came to Jesus, and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the man who had had the legion; and they were afraid. And those who had seen it told what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine. And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their neighborhood. And as he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. But he refused, and said to him, "Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you." And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decap'olis how much Jesus had done for him; and all men marveled.
As we move further again there were questions which I tried to answer again according to my limits.
•Again as I said before there was some connection between the previous passage and this passage is this we read in Mark 5:2 And when he had come out of the boat, there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit.
oHere my questions begins as to how did this man came to know that Jesus was coming. For E.g If we come to know that somebody who is a powerful or a well-known person, and he is coming to our place. As soon as he lands we will go to meet him, greet him and welcome him. We see that as soon as Jesus steps out of the boat; a man not an ordinary man but with evil spirits. He doesn't live nearby but as the word says in the tombs. The tombs would never be near the sea shore.
Of course! It's not a picnic spot.
oHere there may be chances that he must have known beforehand that Jesus is coming; so there can be possibilities that he must have known it before and in order to keep Jesus away from coming to the place; the stormy sea and the winds must have been caused by him.
•He also introduced himself and called himself 'Legion' and completed it saying he was many
oSo here I thought that Legion was his name, but he said we are many; so how many? In those days when a King after getting bored doing his regular Kingly duties, would take some time off to chill and go out hunting. Now hunting would not be a one day trip; to leave in the morning and return home by evening. But would take days almost like a mini-holiday trip; so for safety sake he would take few soldiers with him. Again how many? On searching I found the meaning of Legion. It's a division of 3,000–6,000 men, including a complement of cavalry, in the ancient Roman army. So that makes sense when he said many. There it says that there were 2000 swines; so maybe Legion was around 6000 evil spirits which makes 3 spirits per swine.
•Now we see them begging Jesus to send them into a Great herd of swine and now when they enter they rush down the steep bank into the sea.
oI feel that act a bit foolishness by the evil spirits because if you had to only go die, you could have just gone out. So why that unnecessary act.
•Later we read the herdsmen went to the village and told the villagers about it, they came out and begged Jesus to leave their neighbourhood.
•Here something struck me: The evil spirits had the village and they must have led the people in the life of sin. So if Jesus would come he would proclaim the Good news of the kingdom of God and the people would repent and turn away from sin; which would be a big loss for the Evil One. So he initially tried to stop them by the stormy weather. But failed. So here the pigs are an important aspect of their livelihood. So if that is finished, they would tell Jesus to leave and they will reject the good news.
•But here Jesus left the place with a witness to proclaim which we read in Mark 5: 19-20 But he refused, and said to him, "Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you." And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decap'olis how much Jesus had done for him; and all men marveled.
So till here we see that Jesus left the place. But there were some small things which I left out.
Again I would repeat the same things I said earlier that these are my thoughts. Thoughts of a mere human. I'm not sure if this can even be considered, but still writing down what I felt. So here it goes:
There were some events I left out. For instance, before Jesus reached and met Legion as the verse says in Mark 4:36 And other boats were with him. So there can be possibilities that when there was the stormy weather; instead of being with the apostles boat, the other boats might have strayed of to a different coast. So when Jesus landed there it was the only boat there. So where could have the other boats gone and the people in them?
So reading further I read another incident, which I read in Mark 6:53-56 And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennes'aret, and moved to the shore. And when they got out of the boat, immediately the people recognized him, and ran about the whole neighborhood and began to bring sick people on their pallets to any place where they heard he was.
So he is a land known as Gennes'aret but the place where they meet Legion was Ger'asenes. I searched about the place with 'Google Uncle', but none said it to be two different places. Mostly stating that it was the same place or can be close to each other like our eyes and nose.
Jesus must have anyways not gone there the next day. May be after a few months. So I think that maybe those boats which starayed off when traveling together with Jesus and the apostles must have wandered off to a different coast and they must have tried to reach there on foot. In the meantime that man once possessed by Legion; now in all his senses must have proclaimed what great things God has done and as it is written "all men marveled". So now when those people who had wandered off reached there searching for Jesus, they must have asked around for him. The people must have surprisingly asked as to who this Jesus is. They must have described about him as a miracle worker, a healer, a prophet and the wonders they saw in their own towns. So when Jesus came the next time, the people there now knowing him; they ran about in the neighborhood and brought all the sick. This time requesting him to let them touch him.
-GOD BLESS
Mark 4:39-41 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great storm of wind arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care if we perish?" And he awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?" And they were filled with awe, and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey him?"
I had some questions which I tried to answer with the help of the spirit according to my little understanding, according to my little abilities, my limits.
•To begin; when they left to go to the other side, as the verse says in Mark 4:36 And other boats were with him. So when they started their journey there is a possibility of some other boats too of being there.
•Now we read in Mark 4:38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him. The disciples had to literally wake him up. We do not read anywhere in the Bible, that Jesus was sleeping and the disciples had to wake him up.
oThere are certain times in our lives when due to our inactive spiritual life; when we by our actions & activities nullify the spirit within us and we feel as if out prayers are not heard i.e Jesus is asleep.
•Then in Mark 4:39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. When he is awake everything is calm.
oIn our lives too when such storms i.e problems or or sickness troubles arise, all we have to do is what the disciples did; cry out to him, call onto him i.e wake him up and once he's awake the storms die down and as the word says there was a great calm.
Here I felt like there is a good connection between the above mentioned Gospel passage and the very next passage described below
Mk 5:1-20 They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Ger'asenes. And when he had come out of the boat, there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, who lived among the tombs; and no one could bind him any more, even with a chain; for he had often been bound with fetters and chains, but the chains he wrenched apart, and the fetters he broke in pieces; and no one had the strength to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out, and bruising himself with stones. And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped him; and crying out with a loud voice, he said, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me." For he had said to him, "Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!" And Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" He replied, "My name is Legion; for we are many." And he begged him eagerly not to send them out of the country. Now a great herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside; and they begged him, "Send us to the swine, let us enter them." So he gave them leave. And the unclean spirits came out, and entered the swine; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and were drowned in the sea. The herdsmen fled, and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened. And they came to Jesus, and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the man who had had the legion; and they were afraid. And those who had seen it told what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine. And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their neighborhood. And as he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. But he refused, and said to him, "Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you." And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decap'olis how much Jesus had done for him; and all men marveled.
As we move further again there were questions which I tried to answer again according to my limits.
•Again as I said before there was some connection between the previous passage and this passage is this we read in Mark 5:2 And when he had come out of the boat, there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit.
oHere my questions begins as to how did this man came to know that Jesus was coming. For E.g If we come to know that somebody who is a powerful or a well-known person, and he is coming to our place. As soon as he lands we will go to meet him, greet him and welcome him. We see that as soon as Jesus steps out of the boat; a man not an ordinary man but with evil spirits. He doesn't live nearby but as the word says in the tombs. The tombs would never be near the sea shore.
Of course! It's not a picnic spot.
oHere there may be chances that he must have known beforehand that Jesus is coming; so there can be possibilities that he must have known it before and in order to keep Jesus away from coming to the place; the stormy sea and the winds must have been caused by him.
•He also introduced himself and called himself 'Legion' and completed it saying he was many
oSo here I thought that Legion was his name, but he said we are many; so how many? In those days when a King after getting bored doing his regular Kingly duties, would take some time off to chill and go out hunting. Now hunting would not be a one day trip; to leave in the morning and return home by evening. But would take days almost like a mini-holiday trip; so for safety sake he would take few soldiers with him. Again how many? On searching I found the meaning of Legion. It's a division of 3,000–6,000 men, including a complement of cavalry, in the ancient Roman army. So that makes sense when he said many. There it says that there were 2000 swines; so maybe Legion was around 6000 evil spirits which makes 3 spirits per swine.
•Now we see them begging Jesus to send them into a Great herd of swine and now when they enter they rush down the steep bank into the sea.
oI feel that act a bit foolishness by the evil spirits because if you had to only go die, you could have just gone out. So why that unnecessary act.
•Later we read the herdsmen went to the village and told the villagers about it, they came out and begged Jesus to leave their neighbourhood.
•Here something struck me: The evil spirits had the village and they must have led the people in the life of sin. So if Jesus would come he would proclaim the Good news of the kingdom of God and the people would repent and turn away from sin; which would be a big loss for the Evil One. So he initially tried to stop them by the stormy weather. But failed. So here the pigs are an important aspect of their livelihood. So if that is finished, they would tell Jesus to leave and they will reject the good news.
•But here Jesus left the place with a witness to proclaim which we read in Mark 5: 19-20 But he refused, and said to him, "Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you." And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decap'olis how much Jesus had done for him; and all men marveled.
So till here we see that Jesus left the place. But there were some small things which I left out.
Again I would repeat the same things I said earlier that these are my thoughts. Thoughts of a mere human. I'm not sure if this can even be considered, but still writing down what I felt. So here it goes:
There were some events I left out. For instance, before Jesus reached and met Legion as the verse says in Mark 4:36 And other boats were with him. So there can be possibilities that when there was the stormy weather; instead of being with the apostles boat, the other boats might have strayed of to a different coast. So when Jesus landed there it was the only boat there. So where could have the other boats gone and the people in them?
So reading further I read another incident, which I read in Mark 6:53-56 And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennes'aret, and moved to the shore. And when they got out of the boat, immediately the people recognized him, and ran about the whole neighborhood and began to bring sick people on their pallets to any place where they heard he was.
So he is a land known as Gennes'aret but the place where they meet Legion was Ger'asenes. I searched about the place with 'Google Uncle', but none said it to be two different places. Mostly stating that it was the same place or can be close to each other like our eyes and nose.
Jesus must have anyways not gone there the next day. May be after a few months. So I think that maybe those boats which starayed off when traveling together with Jesus and the apostles must have wandered off to a different coast and they must have tried to reach there on foot. In the meantime that man once possessed by Legion; now in all his senses must have proclaimed what great things God has done and as it is written "all men marveled". So now when those people who had wandered off reached there searching for Jesus, they must have asked around for him. The people must have surprisingly asked as to who this Jesus is. They must have described about him as a miracle worker, a healer, a prophet and the wonders they saw in their own towns. So when Jesus came the next time, the people there now knowing him; they ran about in the neighborhood and brought all the sick. This time requesting him to let them touch him.
This is how life sometimes does with us. It tosses us around in life, sometimes we keep pursuing and moving forward. Many a times relying on our own strength and not on faith alone. Again sometimes we may wander off. But even if we have a pinch of faith, trust our complete belief; he can and he will turn our most baddest experience or our worst condition into a blessing. For example: The man possessed with Legion whose presence was a horrifying experience for the people in the village or the loss of their livestock. Everything was turned into a blessing. Sometimes all we can do or we should do is to wait patiently. Things will work out in our favour.
-GOD BLESS
Thank-you very much for your response.
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