At first it's easy to look at a story of a demon-possessed man and think, "how in the world does this relate to me?" We live in a more "civilized" age where what was once thought to be demon-possession, is now more accurately diagnosed as epilepsy, or some other medical condition that causes seizures. However, what if we lay aside our rationalistic critiques of Scripture for a moment in an attempt to see the deeper meaning behind Jesus' interaction with this man. After all, the Gospel of Mark is not a medical textbook, but rather the story of the good news of Jesus Christ, and the grace and healing that he embodies. I think that if we view this story through the lens of experience, as it was meant to be seen, then we will see that from this man's experience we learn three things are as true for us today as they were for him, changes in scientific terminology not withstanding.
The first thing that we learn is that Jesus meets us where we are. It's a common misconception, one reinforced by our semantics at times, that we "come" to Jesus. The entire story of Jesus Christ is one in which He comes to us. It's what gives such power and mystery to the story of the Incarnation and the virgin birth. The idea that God would in humility become like the very humans He created speaks of God's willingness, even His eagerness to enter into a relationship with us. It is true that we find people in the gospels coming to Jesus, but their actions are made possible only because He first came to us as a helpless child in a manger in Bethlehem. Beyond the larger action of the Incarnation, Jesus shows a remarkable willingness in His everyday life to go wherever He is needed. The present case is perhaps one of the most notable examples, as Jesus has left Jewish soil and entered Gentile territory, and not just Gentile territory, but a ritually unclean cemetery where a ritually unclean demon-possessed man resides. Nothing, not geographic borders, not ritualistic purity laws, not even the humiliating act of emptying Himself and taking the form of a servant (see Philippians 2), will prevent Christ from going where He is most needed, and faithfully meeting us there.
A second enduring truth we learn from this man's experience is that we all have demons. Again, the terminology can obscure our ability to actually see the similarities between this man's experience and our own. We see him referred to as demon-possessed, and we automatically assume that we have very little in common with him. On the contrary, if we look at his symptoms rather than the diagnosis we may be shocked to see exactly how much we resemble this man at times. "Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones." (v. 5) The self-loathing that motivates the cutting of oneself is something that we have not escaped, despite all of our scientific advancement and improved diagnostic ability. Too many people, especially young people, have directed a hatred inward at themselves that manifests itself in violent, self-destructive ways. Every year, 11 out of every 100,000 people in the United States will take their own life. In 2006, over 33,000 people in the United States killed themselves. If we think a little more generally, we see that self-destructive behavior is not limited to suicidal attempts or overt acts of violence against ourselves. From 2001-2005 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that there were around 79,000 alcohol-related death. How many of us walk around having damaged our bodies because of addiction, whether it be to alcohol, drugs, or even sex. Our understanding of medicine and even the human mind may have advanced substantially since the day that this demon-possessed man encountered Jesus, but the fact remains that we all have demons. Our refusal to acknowledge them as such doesn't change the reality of our situation. When Jesus comes to us, we are all in some way the victims of our own self-destructive behavior.
The final truth we learn from this man's experience is one that comes as a great relief, and that is that we can encounter Jesus just as we are. I have found that people often feel the need to "clean up" their life before becoming a Christian, or getting involved in church. Imagine if we took the same attitude toward our physical health. What we think of someone who insisted on waiting to go to the doctor until the were completely healthy? We might begin to assume that their problem wasn't physical, but perhaps mental in nature! Doctors are there for the express purpose of treating us when we are ill, or injured. We come to them sick and broken, so that we might find healing. Why then, do we so many times insist on getting our lives in order before we turn to Jesus? An even more pressing question is, why do our churches insist on only admitting those whose lives are "in order"? It's the spiritual equivalent of a hospital rejecting the wounded for fear of getting blood on the floor. We see this man come to Jesus, and even as he cries out he recognizes Jesus for who He is, stating "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?" It is ironic that even in his demon-possessed state this man is able to see clearly enough to recognize Jesus as the "Son of the Most High God", something Jesus' own disciples have failed to do. (Mark 4:41) Maybe it is even the process of acknowledging our demons that causes us to see Jesus more clearly, that drives us to cast ourselves into His merciful arms where healing can be found. The picture of this formerly demon-possessed man is a powerful testimony to Jesus ability to drive out own own demons, for they "came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid." He who was naked, is now clothed. He whose consciousness was once racked by demons, now sits calmly. He who once lived in a cemetery among the tombs of the dead, now sits at the feet of Jesus, who will conclusively demonstrate His power to give life when he triumphs over sin and death through His own resurrection. Perhaps we should all consider a similar move, from the cemetery of our past where the demons hold us in their grip, to the presence of Jesus, where the Son of the Most High casts out the sin and death associated with our past.
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