Mark 4:35 – 8:21 Proclamation to Jew and Gentile: Crossing the Sea

This large section of Mark is structured around journeys across the Sea of Galilee, moving between the Jewish and the Gentile sides of the sea (lake). We note that the first such journey (4:35 – 5:1) takes the Jesus group into the country of the Gerasenes where there is a huge herd of pigs; this side of the sea is clearly the Gentile side. The exorcism of the demoniac (5:2 – 20) is the only action on the first trip to the Gentile side: others will follow on the next trip (6:53 – 8:12). The short trip back across the sea takes them back to the Jewish side (note the very Jewish healing story in 5:21-43) where a series of events culminates in the first of two feeding stories (the feeding of the 5,000). They cross back to the Gentile side where we see a comparable series of events that includes a Gentile healing story (7:24-30) and the Gentile feeding story (the feeding of the 4,000). There is a balance between the two sides and three of the crossings of the sea are very significant occasions.

Mark 4:35 – 5:1 Stilling of the sea
The first and third crossing stories will demonstrate the lordship of the divine man Jesus over the chaos and demonic power of the sea together with his caring presence with his disciples. They exhibit a lack of trust.

The first crossing acts out Psalm 107:23-32. Jesus’ sleeping contrasts the disciples fear and lack of faith. He exhibits the power of God to quell the storm just as the third crossing will show him striding over the heads of the sea monsters. In contrast to the assurance spoken of by the psalmist (Ps. 46:1-3), the disciples cry out “don’t you care that we are about to die?” We know, having read Mark 13, that Mark’s first audience see themselves in a time of absence of Jesus (the sleeping Jesus). Donahue notes: “Mark’s readers would be led to see that Jesus is the agent of God’s power who ultimately triumphs over the forces that threaten the community with extinction (‘we are about to die’)” (p.161).

The disciples are rebuked for their lack of courage and lack of faith. Called and taken aside to be taught, they still have a long way to go in their journey of faith (lack of faith). We take courage from the lack of courage and trust shown by the new family of Jesus. Their closing choral response is fitting in the face of a clear demonstration of the power of God. This epiphany of Jesus is sung out with “Who is this that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

Mark 5:2 – 20 Exorcism of the Gerasene Demoniac
The exact location of the town is unknown, but it is a Gentile town. The man lives amongst the tombs in the mountains; he is clearly a madman and a Gentile. The unclean spirit is more than a match for the chains but we know that the stronger one will prevail. The Gentile exorcism parallels the Jewish exorcism at Capernaum (Mk.1:21-28) Exorcisms begin both the Jewish and the Gentile activity of Jesus and they both address a similar question to the Holy One: “what do we have in common?” The Gentile exorcism is “by far the most elaborate and enigmatic gospel miracle story”. (see Donahue, p.169)

The expected pattern of an exorcism is broken at a couple of points: the man invokes God “I adjure you by God”, normally the prerogative of the exorcist, and he requests permission to enter the swine and thus not be sent off into another territory.

"My name is Legion". Struthers Malbon suggests the irony of the crazy (Roman) Legion rushing into the sea and self-destructing would not be lost on the first hearers. Add to this that Jesus has asked the demon his name and hence now has power over “the Legion”. (Hmm?) Donahue discusses such socio-political interpretations of the name, noting the Gentile territory of the demoniac. (p. 166)

The healed Gentile begs that “he might be with him”. We have seen that it is Jesus who appoints those who are to be with him (3:14). This commissioning of the former demoniac by Jesus looks a bit like the sending forth of a missionary into the “Ten Cities” area. The amazement is the typical choral response to a healing/exorcism.

Time to go back to the other side: We will return!