Why was Jesus nice to the evil spirits? + Why did they want to send Jesus away?

[Dizzytimes7]

Mark 5

Jesus Restores a Demon-Possessed Man

1 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes.[a] 2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. 3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. 4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.


6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. 7 He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!” 8 For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!”
9 Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”
“My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” 10 And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.
11 A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. 12 The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” 13 He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs.confused


The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.



14 Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. 15 When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 16 Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. 17 Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.

confusedconfusedconfusedconfused

18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. 19 Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis[b] how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.



In verse 17 why did the people plead for Jesus to leave their region?


He gave permission to the evil spirits to enter the pigs?

Wonder why He was nice to the evil spirits that way?

[RabbiKnife]

vs 17: Jesus was very bad for the pig business, so the folks didn't want him messing with their $$$

Why do you think that going into a pig that then drowns itself is "being nice" to an evil spirit?

[Dizzytimes7]

Well the evil spirits asked to go into the pigs. Jesus let them go where they wanted. He could have put them into something worse maybe.

Jesus knew that the people would ask Him to leave ahead of time.....so why didn't HE do something else so that HE could stay in the town to preach ....reaching others?

[RabbiKnife]

Jesus doesn't have a habit of staying where he's not wanted.

[Dizzytimes7]

Jesus doesn't have a habit of staying where he's not wanted.

THAT is powerful!

[Slug1]

Jesus doesn't have a habit of staying where he's not wanted.

Yeah... we need to exercise this as well, specially in other threads where God's Word and His truth isn't wanted or listened to

[jayne]

He gave permission to the evil spirits to enter the pigs?

Wonder why He was nice to the evil spirits that way?

Here's what David Guzik says.

e. The herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea: The destructive nature of demonic spirits is shown by their effect on the swine. They are like their leader, Satan whose desire is to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. (John 10:10)

i. This helps explain why Jesus allowed the demons to enter the pigs - because He wanted everyone to know what the real intention of these demons was. They wanted to destroy the man just as they destroyed the pigs. Because men are made in the image of God, they could not have their way as easily with the man, but their intention was just the same: to completely destroy him.

ii. “Jesus allowed the demons to enter the swine to indicate beyond question that their real purpose was the total destruction of their host.” (Lane)

iii. Wasn’t this unfair to the owner of the pigs? “‘But the owners of the swine lost their property.’ Yes, and learn from this how small value temporal riches are in the estimation of God. He suffers them to be lost, sometimes to disengage us from them through mercy; sometimes out of justice, to punish us for having acquired or preserved them either by covetousness or injustice.” (Clarke)

[Dizzytimes7]

Thanks jayne I believe you may have explained this for me. I was thinking God was being merciful to the evil spirits but HE wasn't. It is always for us to learn by what He has done. (I didn't say this well ........but you know what I mean)

[nzyr]

In verse 17 why did the people plead for Jesus to leave their region?

What they saw might have scared them.

He gave permission to the evil spirits to enter the pigs?

Wonder why He was nice to the evil spirits that way?

I don't believe he was nice to them. I believe he knew the pigs would throw themselves into the sea. Also notice how soon the pigs threw themselves into the sea. They couldn't take it. Just think what that man had put up with before Jesus arrived.

[Dizzytimes7]

Thanks to everyone for the answers they all make sense to me.