Hi Everyone,
This is going to be one of those long ones, but not to worry it will be mostly scripture with some comments and questions from me and perhaps you too!
Remember those children's magazines that would have 2 pictures that at first glance looked the same but when you pay closer attention you could find 5 or maybe more differences in the pictures?
Matthew 8
28And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.
29And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?
30And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding.
31So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.
32And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.
33And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils.
34And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts.
Mark 5
1And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.
2And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,
3Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:
4Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.
5And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.
6But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,
7And cried with a loud voice, and said, 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.
8For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.
9And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.
10And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.
11Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.
12And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.
13And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.
14And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done.
15And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.
16And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine.
17And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.
18And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.
19Howbeit 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 had compassion on thee.
20And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.
21And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea.
Luke 8
26And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over against Galilee.
27And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs.
28When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not.
29(For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.)
30And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him.
31And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep.
32And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them.
33Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked.
34When they that fed them saw what was done, they fled, and went and told it in the city and in the country.
35Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.
36They also which saw it told them by what means he that was possessed of the devils was healed.
37Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them; for they were taken with great fear: and he went up into the ship, and returned back again.
38Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying,
39Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.
40And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people gladly received him: for they were all waiting for him.
A quick overview of some of the differences we have in these three accounts of what on the surface is apparently the same event. Are the events different, the perception of events different or are the messages to the readers through the ages and spiritual conditions different?
Right off the bat we have two "countries" that appear in Mark and Luke Gadarenes (Gadara a town East of the Jordan, Strongs G1046); In Matthew it is referred to as Gergesenes (Palestine, Strongs G1086).
In Matthew there are two who are possessed; is it two men, two women, one man & one woman? For some reason this account is gender neutral as well as having an additional demon possessed person.
The dwelling place for the man in Mark is the tombs, in Luke he dwells in the mountains and the tombs, in Matthew there is no reference to where the two "dwelled" but only that they were "coming out of the tombs."
The demons in Matthew ask Jesus "art thou come hither to torment us before the time?" In Mark "I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not." Then in Luke it's "I beseech thee, torment me not." We can see that the demons in Matthew are aware they have a "time" coming and seem surprised that Jesus is there, in Mark it is more like a lawyer making a legal claim" I adjure you...!" In the name of God no less! Then in Luke it is once again more like a plea rather than a legalistic technical motion.
As you can see there are many more but for the sake of keeping this post from getting too bloated and also to gauge whether there is any interest in this I will stop here, feel free or should I say please post your observations and questions, they are very much appreciated, the study of the Gospels and our Lord's time in walking this earth is very worthy of a deeper study. I will end with this, the very last verse in the Gospel of John;
Joh 21:25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.
His Peace and Wisdom to you,
Joe
Author
Topic: Matthew, Mark & Luke (Read 11685 times)