Mark - Lesson 7

Lesson 7

Beyond All Hope

Mark 5:1–20

Son of Man, Son of God

Studies in Mark’s Gospel

LAST WEEK IN REVIEW

Lesson 6 covered two important topics.  First was the conclusion of the sample parables Mark chose to include in his Gospel.  Jesus gave the parable of spiritual growth (the patient farmer) as well as the growth of the kingdom of God (the mustard bush’s unusual growth).  We discussed the importance of these parables and what they spoke to us about our own spiritual growth in the Lord, as well as how the process of bearing fruit is actually God’s work in us, not what we can achieve; our responsibility is to cultivate and fertilize ourselves so the growth in Him continues on.  He will “grow” His kingdom, yet He graciously uses us to minister to others by sowing seeds in their lives.  Then we can enjoy watching them grow in Christ and bear fruit themselves.  The second part of Lesson 6 involved the episode on the Sea of Galilee.  The same storm that freaked the disciples rocked Jesus to sleep!  He demonstrated clearly to them by His muzzling of the storm (which they knew God alone could do) who He really was.  We saw that our faith will also be tested and confronted at times in our walk with Christ, perhaps in the very things we see as our strengths, just as these experienced fishermen were tested in the very area they were strongest, and failed miserably.  When we reach the point they did, feeling that He doesn’t even care, Jesus is there for us in each storm.  We can know He will see us through, and we can grow as a result of our experiences that are as unpleasant as much or more as pleasant ones! 

The events of Mark 4 and 5 tie together,[i] for they demonstrate how Christ handled four different conditions that seemed beyond all hope: His hopeless disciples in view of a life threatening storm; a hopeless man long tormented by evil; a hopeless woman who took desperate steps of faith; and a hopeless father who took a chance and came to Jesus for help.  This week we will focus on the hopeless man long afflicted by evil, and see what we can learn through this passage that speaks to us today.

DAY ONE:  A Hopeless Wildman

Please carefully read Mark 5:1-5 and answer the following questions.

1.  The way Mark described the storm in chapter 4 made it appear to be a satanic attack on Jesus and His followers.  It was now probably late at night or early the next morning, with all of them exhausted.  Yet what immediately confronted them (v. 1, 2)?

NOTE: Knowing some facts about this location helps us understand this story.  This vicinity was primarily a non-Jewish, Gentile area that during the inter-testament days embraced the Greek culture.  Thus these people were most likely Gentiles, which would have been interesting to Mark’s Roman readers.  This story reflects as well the danger of rejecting of God to embrace the more degrading elements of culture.[ii]

2.  What was the result of people’s attempts to do something about him (v. 3, 4)?

3.  Some versions translate the latter part of verse 4 as “no-one was strong enough to control him.”  Multiple negative Greek words are used in verse 3 to show how impossible it was for anyone to keep him under control, and the tense of verse 4 means that this man was uncontrollable, roaming around at will.[iii]  What else do we learn about this man in verse 5?

4.  Imagine the scene: “he was always shrieking and screaming and beating and bruising and cutting himself” (amp), running wild around the tombs, continually shrieking wildly in an unearthly scream, impossible to be understood.[iv]  The verb for cutting himself occurs here only in the New Testament, and means to cut down. We’d say cut up, gash, hack to pieces. Perhaps he was scarred all over with gashes from his moments of wild frenzy in the tombs and on the mountains.[v] Satan’s minions had turned this human being into a psychotic superhuman wild man, and no doubt the demons enjoyed tormenting and driving him toward self-destruction.  As Warren Wiersbe well said, “Never underestimate the destructive power of Satan. He is our enemy and would destroy all of us if he could.”[vi]  How do the following passages describe Satan’s goal with this man and all those he attacks?

John 10:10; 1 Peter 5:8, 9

Ephesians 2:1-3; 2 Timothy 2:25, 26

Scripture Memory:  This week we will be memorizing Mark 5:19b.  Review the passage several times throughout the day each day this week, and by the end of the week, you should have it memorized completely.

“Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.”  Mark 5:19b, nkjv