November 23 2025, Sunday School Lesson

Jesus Casts Out Legion

Lesson Text: Mark 5:1-20

Related Scriptures: Matthew 8:28-34; Mark 3:22-27; Luke 4:16-21; 5:1-8; 8:26-39

TIME: between A.D. 26 and 30

PLACE: territory of Gadara

Golden Text – “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 ha compassion on thee” (Mark 5:19)

Introduction

This week’s lesson picks up right where last week’s left off. Have demonstrated His power over creation by calming a storm in Mark 4, Jesus was next confronted by a violent, demon-possessed man. This man was not merely possessed by a single demon but rather by an intimidating legion. Would such an intimidating adversary be able to resist Jesus? The text does not even entertain the idea. Jesus easily overcame them by simple ordering them out.

By easily casting out the legion of demons, Jesus demonstrated that He rules over not only the natural but also the supernatural. No matter whether our problems today are natural or supernatural, Jesus can take care of us as well. His power is unmatched, and He uses it both to protect His followers from danger (4:35-41) and to save spiritually oppressed people (5:1-20). No matter the person and not matter the circumstances, Jesus is able to deliver anyone.

LESSON OUTLINE

1. The setting – Mark 5:1-5

2. The Conflict – Mark 5:6-13

3. The fallout – Mark 5:14-20

QUESTIONS

1. Do the Gospel writers contradict each other on where this story took place?

2. What is the difference between unclean spirits and devils?

3. Why could the man not be restrained previously?

4. What was unusual about Jesus casting out these demons?

5. Do we know how many demons this man had?

6. What three things did the demons immediately know about Jesus when they met Him?

7. Why might the demons have driven the pigs into the sea?

8. Why might Jesus allowed the demons to drive the pigs into the sea?

9. Why did the people ask Jesus to leave, according to Luke?

10. How effective of a witness was the demon-possessed man?

ANSWERS

1. There is no conflict between the various Gospel accounts of this miracle happening in the land of the Gergesenes or the land of the Gadarenes. Both phrases refer to the same Gentile area. This story took place in the small town of Gergasa by the sea. The town was in the general region associated with Gadara, the larger city that the whole region would have been associated with.

2. The term “unclean spirit” used in the passage is synonymous with “devil” (cf. vs. 16). We should not waste time trying to draw nuanced distinctions between unclean spirits and devils, given that the book of Mark uses both terms interchangeably (cf. vss. 2, 12).

3. The afflicted man could not be restrained. He had unnatural strength. He was able to break chains. Demons can confer supernatural strength.

4. Usually, Jesus is recorded as simply casting demons out rather than talking to them at length.

5. We do not know how many demons this man had. The size of a Roman legion at the time was roughly six thousand men if both infantry and cavalry were counted. However, demons are liars, and even if Jesus compelled them to speak truthfully, they only declared that they were many, not that they were the exact count of a Roman legion.

6. When the demons encountered Jesus, they knew multiple things. First, they knew His identity. Second, they knew that He had power over them, so they appealed to Him not to torment them. Third, they knew that He would one day judge them.

7. It is possible the demons were trying to stir up trouble for Jesus and hoped their actions would result in Him being asked to leave the region. Killing two thousand pigs could cause serious problems for the local economy. Alternatively, perhaps the demons simply like death and destruction and were violently expressing frustration at being cast out of the man by maliciously killing the pigs. Both of these explanations assume that the demons intentionally drove the pigs into the sea. Since demons, however, do not seem to like being without a host (cf. Matt. 12:43-45), some Christians think that they were not intending to destroy the herd immediately. In this view, Jesus was judging the demons, and although He allowed them into the pigs as judgment upon the demons, or Jesus Himself drowned the pigs as judgment upon the demons. While Jesus did curse the fig tree (cf. 1:12-25), there are no other recorded miracles of Jesus that are destructive. Therefore, it seems unlikely that Jesus drove the pigs into the sea.

8. First, the death of the herd dramatically revealed what Jesus was dealing with. It is one thing to say Jesus cast many demons out of a man. It is another to see a herd of two thousand pigs wildly trample down a cliff and drown. It highlighted how many demons there were and how great Jesus’ power is. Second, upon seeing the pigs drown, those tending the pigs went back to town and reported all that had happened (5:14-16). That caused Jesus’ actions to be more widely known in a way that might not have happened if Jesus had simply cast the demons out. Third, pig were unclean for Jews. Although it was a Gentile region, some wonder whether there were Jews who helped raise there pigs or ate them. By removing this potential source of defilement, Jesus could have been merciful in preventing some Jews from sinning.

9. However, Luke gave a different motivation for the people asking Jesus to leave; they were seized with great fear (cf. Luke 8:36-37).

10. His testimony caused everyone to marvel, and when Jesus later returned, a crowd was ready to bring people to Him (cf. 7:31-37). This man was an effective witness who prepared the area for when Jesus returned.