In Mark 5:1-20, we read about Legion, a man possessed by many devils. While dealing with him, Christ received four requests – one from Legion, one from the devils, one from the people, and another from the man formerly known as Legion. In every case, they are described as beseeching or praying to Christ (the same Greek word is used in all four requests). This showed they all recognised His invincible power. What is especially instructive, however, is that the first three “prayers” were offered by unregenerate creatures and were granted. The fourth prayer was offered by a saved sinner who loved Christ, but it was denied.
1. Legion’s request
When Legion saw Christ, he cried out, “What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not” (Mark 5:7). The devils made Legion “exceeding fierce” (Matthew 8:28), so that no man could restrain him. But they recognised Him to be the Son of God, and therefore He had power to punish them forever.
Legion “besought Christ much” that He would not send the devils out of the country. Legion did not want them to go far away. It is important to remember that these devils gave him power over others, so that he could do as he pleased: “no man could bind him.” He was reluctant to give up this power. Here he illustrates the sinner who has been convinced by Christ’s word that he must forsake his idols, lusts, and sinful pleasures. But while the sinner may give up many outwardly sinful practices, he does not want to make a clean break with all sin. He holds out hope that he might sometime in the future enjoy his idols and pleasures again, and still go to heaven.
2. The devils’ request
All the devils pleaded with Christ to let them go into the swine nearby. We can be sure that they had an evil motive behind this request. They wanted to do all the harm they could to Christ and His cause. Therefore, it is likely they wanted to enter into the swine to destroy them, so that the people would be alienated against Christ, and reject His offer of eternal life.
The devil continues to do all he can to alienate sinners against the gospel, wherever it is preached. One way is by raising prejudices in their minds against faithful preachers of the Gospel. In Acts 14, Paul and Barnabas were preaching in Iconium with much success. “A great multitude both of Jews and of Greeks believed” (Acts 14:1). When the unbelieving Jews saw this, they stirred up the Gentiles and “made their minds evil affected against the brethren” (Acts 14:2). No doubt Satan was working in the Jews and tempting them to do this. But in every case, Satan is only able to do so because Christ permits him (Mark 5:13).
3. The people’s request
When the people saw Legion, he was a new man – sitting, clothed, and in his right mind. Hence the Holy Spirit no longer calls him by his old name; he is a new creature (2 Cor. 5:17).
But instead of rejoicing, they make an astonishing request: the whole city besought Him to depart out of their coasts (Matthew 8:34, Mark 5:17). Why? Some had suffered great losses with Christ’s coming (that is, those who had owned the swine), and they feared additional losses if He remained with them.
This illustrates the fear and secret desire of far too many who hear the gospel. They see Christ as One Who destroys all the things that give them pleasure. For example, their best friend, who pursued the world with them, is suddenly converted. Instead of encouraging and helping them pursue worldly pleasures, they now reprove them.
4. The saved man’s request
The man formerly possessed by many devils also has a request. He prayed that he might be with Christ. But Christ does not grant his request. Instead He tells him, “Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee” (Mark 5:19).
Christ’s answer required humility and self-denial to accept. The man had to go away from the company of Christ and His like-minded disciples. He had to go back to a place where the devil was highly active, and preach to a Christ-rejecting people. He had to learn that Christ’s glory and the good of others was more important than his own immediate comfort.
But when he obeyed, and began to publish in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him, “All men did marvel” (Mark 5:20). This would have given him a joy that he never would have had, if Christ had granted his request. He, and many other believers who have experienced similar disappointments, must exclaim, “He hath done all things well!”
Rev C J Hembd