The Home of the Demoniac

and Gadara were all within the borders of the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Another problem The Home of the Decapolis. with this site is that the Yarmuk River runs Because these three were all cities of the through a deep, nearly impassable ravine Demoniac Decapolis, it would not be wrong for the Gos- called the Hieromax between the Sea of Gali- pel writers to use any of the names to identify lee and the outskirts of the city. There is no ark 5:1-20 relates the story of the the general location of the miracle. reasonable way for the boat to be pulled up healing of a demoniac. At first In the same way, we often use a well- to shore there, since it has no body of water. Mglance, it seems pretty clear that known landmark to help someone under- Gergesa: The most likely setting for this Jesus and His disciples sailed southeast from stand the general location of a place of less miracle of compassion by Jesus is Gergesa. Capernaum and across the Sea of Galilee to prominence. For instance, I grew up in the It was a city on the east shore of the Sea of a city on the eastern shore. There, they were village of Stinesville, Indiana. People must go Galilee, near the base of the great plateau met by a raving demoniac. Jesus cast out the there on purpose to find it. The one grocery of Bashan, which towers 2,000 feet or more demons that plagued the man, then urged store, filling station, a special limestone above the water. From that height, the him to go back to his own family and village church, and the hundred or so houses are off ground slopes down steeply. At the foot of and tell them what the Lord had done for the beaten path in Monroe County, Indiana. the slope, just above the water, a bold spur him. Many people I meet outside central runs out to the water’s edge. These details are clear. However, one thing Indiana have never heard of my hometown Somewhere on this plateau or slope is the is not clear in this miracle story told in the of 300 Hoosiers. So, when I am asked where most probable spot where Jesus cast the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke: In what it is, I usually say, “It’s 15 miles from Bloom- demons out of the man and into “a large herd city did this take place? ington, the county seat.” (The Gospel writers of pigs” (Mark 5:11). The pigs, now possessed might have said, “It’s in the region of Monroe by the demons, “rushed down the steep Gerasa, Gadara, Gergesa? County.”) After a moment of reflection, bank into the lake and were drowned” (v. 13). The confusion over the location of this people usually respond, “Oh, yes, I know Gergesa is the only city of the three that had miracle arises from the different names in where Bloomington is.” In this way, they have the steep bank, the lake, and the shoreline the Gospels themselves. Mark 5:1 and Luke a general idea of where Stinesville is located that Mark 5:1-20 describes. 8:26 identify the place as “the region of the in relation to another place they know. Gerasenes” (the people of Gerasa), while Mat- Don’t Miss the Main Point thew 8:28 reports that it was “in the region of Locating the Miracle It is interesting to try to ferret out the pre- the Gadarenes” (those living in Gadara). Early A good way for us to understand where cise location of the “where” of this story, but manuscripts of all three Gospels sometimes this miracle was performed by Jesus is to con- we must be careful not to miss the enormity identify the people as Gergesenes (citizens of sider the topography of the area as it is today, of what Jesus did there. A gripping aspect Gergesa), in addition to the other two names. including lakes, rivers, ravines, and cities, and of this account is the obstacles and unpleas- Understanding the term “Decapolis,” used the distances between them. Then we can ant circumstances that the Lord overcame by both Matthew and Mark, may be helpful compare that to the descriptive words of the to reach this poor, miserable demoniac. He here. All three cites were found in the region Gospels to understand better where Jesus survived a storm in crossing the sea, landed known as the Decapolis. The Greek name and His disciples were that day. in Gentile territory, stood nose to nose with means “10 cities,” but also marked the general Gerasa was a town east of the Jordan, mid- a lunatic, confronted a legion of demons, area in which they were located. The region way between the Sea of Galilee and the Dead had an encounter with pigs, and was asked stretched 60 miles south and east from the Sea. This town was 35 miles south of the to leave. He endured all this to completely shores of the Sea of Galilee and encompassed shore where Jesus and the disciples landed deliver a tomb-dweller who was filled with perhaps 3,000 square miles. and were immediately met by the demon- devils. He gave him a brand-new life. That’s The citizens were mainly Greek in origin possessed man. It would seem that this town the real story. and culture. They were planted there as a was too far away from where they pulled the result of the conquests of Alexander III of boat ashore to be the actual site referred to in This article originally appeared in Illustrated Bible Life, Winter 2005-6. Macedonia (Alexander the Great) in about the Gospel story. 334 BC. The descendants of the original set- Gadara was southeast of the southern tip BY tlers were there when the Roman armies took of the Sea of Galilee. The ruins there tell us JESSE E. PITTS freelance writer and retired public school over these cities in about 65 BC, and their that it was once a beautiful city, and there administrator and teacher, Brazil, Indiana offspring were the inhabitants when the dis- are remains of tombs stretching for some disciples pulled Jesus’ boat up on the shore and tance on the cliffs not far from this metropo- were met by the demoniac. Gergesa, Gerasa, lis. However, it is seven miles from the nearest .

Load more