Mark Chapter 5
Today there are many who do not believe that Jesus is the Son of God. Many think that He was just a man who lived on earth. Sadly, they never allow themselves the opportunity to look into scripture and see the truth for themselves. In this chapter we find truth that Jesus is who He said He is – the Christ, the Son of God. Even the demons who tormented people of Judea during this time period knew who He was, and they understood the power that He possessed.
Let's Reflect
1. This man possessed with demons came from the area of the tombs to meet Jesus on the shore. He wanted help! We are not told for how long this man had been suffering but apparently for quite some time since the townspeople had made multiple attempts to chain him up. Notice the destructive nature of the demon possessed man. What did he do to himself continually?
2. By what name did the demons call Jesus?
3. Where did the demons not want to be sent by Jesus?
4. So, Jesus cast them into a bunch of dumb pigs who ran into the sea and drown. How many pigs were in that herd that drowned? (This doesn’t necessarily mean that there were that many demons, since herds of animals will typically follow one another even if the direction brings them peril. Or it could mean that there were that many demons.)
The thing we should think about is that even though they tried to act tuff, saying that there was a legion (a great many of them); they knew that they were powerless before the powerful Son of God.
5. What did the herdsmen who had been taking care of the pigs do?
6. What is the demeanor of the man now who was healed of the demon possession? Notice that scripture tells us he was now clothed – did Jesus miraculously provide some clothes for him? I don’t know. He certainly could have.
7. How did people react to seeing this man now?
8. Jesus then performed one of the greatest miracles ever – he brought a little girl back to life from the dead. On His way to the little girl’s house, what other miracle happened?
9. Verse 35 tells us the funeral process has already begun by the time Jesus arrived. Jesus saw the situation differently and called her death as what He saw it - a temporary condition. He called it sleeping. Jesus did not allow the crowd to witness this miracle. Can you imagine the uproar it would have caused if the people had been able to see someone brought back from the dead? Jesus would not have been able to share His message of His coming kingdom. What did Jesus tell the father of this little girl? See verse 36.
10. Imagine the joy of seeing your 12-year-old daughter brought back to life! Is Jesus real? Is He the Son of God? I guarantee you the family of this little girl knew from that day forward that Jesus is the Christ!
Devotionals
