9 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.

10 And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.

11 Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.

12 And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.

13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine; and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand,) and were choked in the sea.

14 And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done.

15 And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind; and they were afraid.

16 And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine.

17 And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.

18 And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.

19 Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.

9 forth, thou unclean spirit, out of the man. And he asked him, What is thy name? And he saith unto him, My name is1 Legion; for we are many. 10 And he besought him much that he would not 11 send them away out of the country. Now there was there on the mountain side a great herd of 12 swine feeding. And they besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into 13 them. And he gave them leave. And the unclean spirits came out, and entered into the swine: and the herd rushed down the steep into the sea, in number about two thousand; 14 and they were choked in the sea. And they that fed them fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they came to see what it 15 was that had come to pass. And they come to Jesus, and behold him that was possessed with devils sitting, 2clothed and in his right mind, even him that had the legion: and they were 16 afraid. And they that saw it declared unto them how it befell him that was possessed with 17 devils, and concerning the swine. And they began to beseech him to depart from their bor18 ders. And as he was entering into the boat, he that had been possessed with devils besought 19 him that he might be with him. And he suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go to thy house unto thy friends, and 5 tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and how he

opportunities of possession in that country; but all curious inquiry is here vain. (3) Send us into the swine. In the course of these entreaties comes the statement that here is not merely one but a great number of demons. 9. The Roman Legion with its auxiliaries would be some ten thousand men; and throughout the empire that term would naturally be employed to denote a very large number, like the Greek ten thousand used as myriad (comp. Matt. 26:53). 11. On the mountain side is a detail given by Mark only, and renders the picture more distinct.

13. The man is delivered, and the swine perish. Many questions here present themselves which cannot be answered, for we cannot explain demoniacal possession, of men or of brutes, and it is better to abstain from idle speculation. The number of the swine is given by Mark only. The destruction of property was an act of "sovereign authority," like the destruction of the barren fig tree (11: 14). A teacher come from heaven, and able to work miracles, would scarcely seem to need vindication for these acts. Some value the explanation that the Gerasenes, if Jews, were forbidden by the law to eat swine's flesh, and therefore ought not to have reared swine.

III. RESULTS, 14-20. 14-17. A great number of persons (Luke 8: 37 says, "All the people of the country of the Gerasenes") thus heard

of Jesus, and had opportunity to see and listen to him, with present and unanswerable proofs of his divine mission (ver. 15, 16). This ought to have been a great blessing to them. But instead of receiving him, they besought him to depart. 15. They were afraid. Luke (8:37) says, "They were holden with great fear." The presence of the supernatural merely alarmed and did not attract them, from lack of interest (it would appear) in such spiritual instruction as this teacher could give. Jesus acquiesced-how easily they got rid of him.

18-20. The man who was healed. A beautiful picture in ver. 15, compared with ver. 3-5. The naked and dreadful demoniac, who used to rush howling about, and cut his poor body with sharp stones, is here sitting still, clothed, and in his right mind. 18. That he might be with him was a very natural sequel, and in Galilee Jesus had permitted and encouraged many to follow him. But here was a large and populous district which he had not before visited, and was besought to leave at once, and here was a well-known man who would be listened to, and whose story might draw many from Decapolis (ver. 20) to come over to Galilee and attend the Saviour's ministry, as we know was done by some (Matt. 4: 25). 19. Go... and tell. There was here no danger, as there often was in Galilee (1: 38, 45; 6: 31, etc.), of a fanatical excitement among a friendly popu

20 And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.

21 And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him; and he was nigh unto the sea.

22 And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet,

23 And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.

24 And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.

25 And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,

26 And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,

27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.

28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.

20 had mercy on thee. And he went his way, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.

21 And when Jesus had crossed over again in the boat unto the other side, a great multitude was gathered unto him: and he was by the sea. 22 2 And there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and seeing him, he 23 falleth at his feet, and beseecheth him much, saying, My little daughter is at the point of death: I pray thee, that thou come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be made whole, and 24 live. And he went with him; and a great multitude followed him, and they 5 thronged him. 25 And a woman, which had an issue of blood 26 twelve years, and had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather_grew 27 worse, having heard the things concerning Jesus, came in the crowd behind, and touched his gar28 ment. For she said, If I touch but his garments,

lace; these people knew little of Jesus and were inclined to be unfriendly, and the man's grateful and zealous testimony could work only good. 20. Decapolis, a region of ten cities (deca is Greek for ten, and polis for city), lying southeast and south of the lake, mentioned again in 7:31.

21-43. (Comp. Matt. 9: 18-26; Luke 8: 41-56.) Here are two notable miracles, unlike any that have preceded them, and full of interest. They appear from the order of Luke as well as of Mark to have occurred immediately after our Lord's return from the country of the Gerasenes. The precise place of their occurrence cannot be determined, but it was on the west of the lake, and most likely at Capernaum. Our Lord goes to work one miracle, and another takes place on the road.

IV. JESUS SETS OUT TO THE HOUSE OF JAIRUS, 21-24. 21. The boat is now familiar and dear to us, for in it Jesus slept on the cushion (4: 36 f.), and from it he spoke the parable of the Sower (4:1). A great multitude, as the day before when he spoke the parable and when the blasphemous accusation was made (3: 20, 32; 4: 1, 36). Luke says (8: 40), they "welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him." By the sea, where it was easiest for a great throng to see and hear him, as in 2: 13; 3:7,9; 4: 1. 22. The synagogue, probably the leading synagogue at Capernaum, which the Roman centurion had built (Luke 7: 5), and in which we shall soon find our Lord speaking a great discourse (John 6: 59). 23. My little daughter. The Greek word is a diminutive, somewhat like the forms we use to express

affection (comp. 1 John 2: 1). She was an only daughter" (Luke 8:42). Is at the point of death. So Luke says (8: 42) that "she lay a dying." Matthew's expression (9: 18), "is even now dead," at first seems irreconcilable with this. But notice that Matthew's very brief narrative takes no account of the messengers who afterward came from the house and stated that she was dead (see below, ver. 35), and he merely includes it all in one statement, as we often find done in Scripture, in other histories, and in common life. Made whole, Margin "saved," which is the literal translation. (King James renders it variously, but the Revised Version alike throughout, ver. 23, 28, 34.) This term is commonly used of spiritual salvation, but sometimes of bodily healing or saving, as in 5: 28, 34; 6: 56; 10: 52, often in Luke, a few times in Matthew, John, and Acts, and once in the much-discussed passage of James 5 15. 24. Thronged him, the great multitude now accompanying him from the seaside (ver. 21) toward Jairus' house. Their thronging all around him and pressing against his person as he walked, gave occasion for the very peculiar miracle which follows.

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V. ON HIS WAY, A WOMAN IS HEALED BY TOUCHING HIM, 25-34. 25. Twelve years, so long a sufferer. The precise nature of her disease we may leave for medical inquiry. 26. Suffered many things. The Greek has a very peculiar idiom, the substantial meaning of which is that she had been treated in many ways. Notice then the numerous aggravations of the case, most fully given by Mark. The disease was long continued; she had employed

29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.

30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? 31 And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?

32 And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.

33 But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.

34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.

35 While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead; why troublest thou the Master any further?

36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.

37 And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. 38 And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.

29 I shall be made whole. And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her 302 plague. And straightway Jesus, perceiving in himself that the power proceeding from him had gone forth, turned him about in the crowd, 31 and said, Who touched my garments? And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who 32 touched me? And he looked round about to 33 see her that had done this thing. But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what had been done to her, came and fell down be34 fore him, and told him all the truth. And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy 2 plague.

35

While he yet spake, they come from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any 36 further? But Jesus, not heeding the word spoken, saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, 37 Fear not, only believe. And he suffered no

man to follow with him, save 8 Peter, and James, 38 and John the brother of James. And they come to the house of the ruler of the synagogue; and he beholdeth a tumult, and many weeping and

many different physicians, who tried many kinds of treatment; their fees had consumed all her property; she was nothing bettered by it all-instead of that she grew worse. [One can picture the scene-Jesus walking along the road, Jairus before him, the twelve disciples following, but the eager multitude crowding closely all around him; the timid sufferer, despairing of all other help, believing in his power to heal, pressing through the crowd, not in front but behind him; she touches his loose outer garment, touches the mere border of it (Luke 8: 44); she is healed, immediately (Luke), consciously.]

30. The power proceeding from him seems to imply that there was a power which in all cases of healing went forth from him, and he was conscious that this had now taken place. This going forth of power at every healing might account for the prostrating fatigue he sometimes evidently felt. "Virtue" in King James meant power, as we say that medicine has healing virtue. The language of ver. 30-33 is all plain. In ver. 31 Peter was spokesman (Luke 8:45), as he often was. In ver. 32 Mark does not say, as we might expect, to see who had done this, but says by anticipation of the result, to see her that had done it. 34. Go in peace, was a common Hebrew parting salutation, in which the word shalom (Arabic salaam) denotes not merely peace but wellbeing-go, and may you do well (comp. James 16). He sends her away with a benediction, and the assurance that her cure is permanent.

2:

VI. HE RAISES JAIRUS' DAUGHTER FROM THE DEAD, 35-43. 35. He goes on toward the house. While he yet spake. Mark gives, as so often, a vivid picture. They come, an impersonal expression, just as in English "they say," etc. Any further. They had no dream of such a thing as that the prophet of Nazareth should raise the dead; he had healed many kinds of diseases, but had never done this. 36. Not heeding. We cannot be sure whether the correct Greek text means this, or as in the Margin, "overhearing." It makes no substantial difference for the narrative or its lessons. Luke (850) has simply "hearing." Fear not, only believe is here said only as to the matter in hand (comp. Luke 8: 50), but the general teachings of Scripture fully warrant our applying it to every spiritual blessing, and to every temporal object which he shall see to be really most for our good and for his glory (1 John 5: 14).

37-40. He enters. These three disciples will again be his only companions on the mount of Transfiguration (9: 2), and in the garden of Gethsemane (14:33); they and Andrew constituted the first of the three groups into which the Twelve were divided (3:14). 38. A tumult. Oriental mourning is still extremely demonstrative and

39 And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but a sleepeth.

40 And they laughed him to scorn. b But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying. 41 And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, (I say unto thee,) arise.

42 And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonish

ment.

43 And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.

3

39 wailing greatly. And when he was entered in, he saith unto them, 1 Why make ye a tumult, and 40 weep? the child is not dead, but 2 sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. But he, having put them all forth, taketh the father of the child and her mother and them that were with him, 41 and goeth in where the child was. And taking the child by the hand, he saith unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say 42 unto thee, 5 Arise. And straightway the damsel rose up, and walked; for she was twelve years old. And they were amazed straightway with a 43 great amazement. And he charged them much that no man should know this: and he commanded that something should be given her to

eat.

conspicuously noisy. Besides the actually bereaved, it is considered an act of friendship for others to come and join in weeping and wailing greatly, and professional mourners are also frequently hired. Musicians often help in producing a tumultuous din, and on this occasion we learn from Matthew (9: 23) that there were "flute-players." 39. Is not dead, but sleepeth. Matthew and Luke also give this remarkable expression. That the child really was dead, is evident from the whole tone of the narrative, and expressly asserted by Luke (8: 53, 55). 40. Taking his expression as literal, they laughed him to scorn, because they knew (Luke) that she was dead. Why he put them all forth, except the parents and the three disciples, it might seem hard to say; the widow's son at Nain was publicly raised to life, and Lazarus in the presence of a considerable number of persons, including some enemies. This difference of circumstances in the three recorded cases is a noticeable part of the evidence. The most probable explanation of the comparative secrecy in this case is suggested by ver. 43. It may be that an avowed and proclaimed case of bringing the dead to life would just at this juncture (on the day after the blasphemous accusation) have so kindled the fanaticism of friend and foe as to have precipitated a crisis, which our Lord always prudently avoids till his "hour is come."

41-43. He restores the child to life. Talitha cumi is Aramaic, the language of Aram, which the Greeks called Syria. This language resembled Hebrew, but was quite distinct from it with a relation to it like that between Spanish, Italian, and French, or between Dutch and German. The forms of the words found here and elsewhere in the New Testament (Ephphatha, Abba, Maranatha, etc.) show that the household tongue of Palestine at this time was not Western Aramaic (which we call Syriac), but more nearly the

Eastern Aramaic (which we call Chaldee). The claim which some American controversialists have made that the Peshito Syriac version better represents our Lord's sayings than the original Greek, is unfounded.

42. The child was brought to life straightway, as the woman had just before been straightway healed (ver. 23). 43. Charged them, see just above, and compare 1: 43; 3: 12. Yet here also the charge was in vain, for the report " went forth into all that land" (Matt. 9: 26). Given her to eat. The supernatural is used only so far as indispensable, and then the natural is at once resumed, as in 6: 43.

SIDE-LIGHTS.

The tombs. Travelers in Palestine tell us that the tombs are to-day a feature of the landscape, the hillsides in the neighborhood of Eastern towns being honeycombed with these rockchambers of the dead. They are often hewn out of detached bowlders, or the sides of natural caves, or carved in the solid rock. The entrance is sometimes by a staircase, leading below the surface, sometimes by a door on the ground level, sometimes by gallery or passage. Travelers at the present day often find a night asylum in these old tombs, which are no longer used as burial places. Buckingham, who visited a number of tombs found a carpenter's shop in one of them, and a dwelling in another. He says of the latter: "The tomb was about eight feet in height on the inside, as there was a descent of a steep step from the stone threshold to the floor. Its size was about twelve paces square; but as no light was received into it except by the door, we could not see whether there was an inner chamber, as in some of the others. A perfect sarcophagus still remained within, and this was now used by the family as a chest for corn and other provisions, so that this violated sepulchre of the dead had thus become a

secure, a cool, and a convenient retreat to the living of a different race."

Ancient medical practice. It was no wonder the poor woman had suffered much of many physicians. The wonder was that she had lived through their practices. The knowledge of medicine, if there was anything worthy the name in those days, was extremely slight. Quackery and superstition and reliance upon charms and magic about made up the sum of it. For such a case the Jewish medical treatment is thus quoted by Lightfoot from the Talmud: "Take of the gum of Alexandria the weight of a zuzee (a fractional silver coin); of alum the same; of crocus the same: let them be bruised together, and given in wine. If this does not benefit, take of Persian onions three logs (pints); boil them in wine and give her to drink, and say, 'Arise from thy flux.' If this does not cure her, set her in a place where two ways meet, and let her hold a cup of wine in her right hand, and let some one come behind and frighten her, and say, 'Arise from thy flux.'"

If these do no good, other doses, over ten in number, are prescribed, and among the methods of treatment is this: "Let them dig seven ditches, in which let them burn some cuttings of vines, not yet four years old. Let her take in her hand a cup of wine, and let them lead her away from this ditch, and make her sit down over that. And let them remove her from that, and make her sit down over another, saying to her at each remove, 'Arise from thy flux.''

But these, Geikie says, were only a few of the more harmless prescriptions in vogue. Pliny's "Natural History" gives some curious glimpses of the medical science of the time even at Rome, the center of civilization. Ashes of burnt wolf's skull, stags' horns, the heads of mice, the eyes of crabs, owls' brains, the livers of frogs, vipers' fat, grasshoppers, bats, etc., supplied the alkalis prescribed. Doctors ordered doses of the gall of wild swine, of horses' foam; the laying of a piece of serpent's skin on an affected part, the fat of bears, the juice of boiled bucks' horns, and powdered horses' teeth. Cold in the head was cured by kissing a mule's nose; sore throat by inhaling the fumes of snails; quinsy with the brain of the marsh owl; diseases of the lungs with mouse-flesh; disorders of the stomach with boiled snails, of which, however, only an odd number must be taken. Frogs' eyes were useful for contusions, if the eyes were taken out at the conjunction of the moon and kept in an egg shell. Frogs boiled in vinegar were sovereign for toothache; for

cough, the slime of frogs which had been hung up by the feet, and so on through their materia medica.

In

Ancient mourning customs. The house of Jairus was filled with the noise and tumult that followed and still follows a death in that land. "As soon as death takes place," says Van Lennep," the female members of the household and the professional mourning-women announce it to the neighborhood by setting up their shrill and piercing cry, called the tahlil, which is heard at a great distance and above every other noise, even the din of battle, and is quite characteristic of the East." Dr. W. N. Clarke says. in his "Commentary on Mark," ""Allusions to the lamentation at funerals are numerous in the Old Testament; for example, Eccl. 12: 5, where the professional mourners are mentioned. Jer. 9: 17, the mourning women are called in to assist in giving utterance to grief; in Amos 5: 16 there is a call for those who are 'skillful of lamentation'; in 2 Chron. 35: 25, the minstrels appear, the mourners who were called in to help." In Eccl. 12: 5, the Preacher refers to this when he says: "Because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets." The rabbinic rule provided for the poorest Israelite at least two flute-players and one mourning woman. "Among the well-to-do it was common to hire professional mourners. They accompanied the dead body to the grave, moving onwards with formal music and singing dirges to the dead. They were both men and women.' ""

PRACTICAL LESSONS.

1. The frightful sufferings produced by demoniacal possession, by insanity, and by some bodily diseases, should impress upon us the evil of sin, which is the original cause of them all (ver. 3, 4).

2. Almost as wonderful a spectacle as this (ver. 15) is a once grossly wicked man, who through the power of Christ has become humble, loving, holy-a spectacle often seen to-day.

3. We must let the Master himself decide how and where we shall serve him (ver. 18, 19). This man wished to go, and must stay; Paul wished to stay at home, and must go (Acts 22 : 18-21).

4. When one they love is at the point of death, the lofty and proud will often humble themselves before God (ver. 23).

5. Very timid faith may sometimes be true, and richly blessed (ver. 28, 34).

6. How often men scoff at Christianity through ignorance as well as through unbelief (ver. 40).