John Calvin Commentary Mark 5

And no man could bind him, not even with chains. Naturally, he was not able to break the chains; and therefore we infer that Satan is sometimes permitted to make extraordinary movements, the effect of which goes beyond our comprehension and beyond ordinary means.

We often perceive in individuals with severe mental afflictions much greater strength than belongs to their natural capacity, and we cannot deny that, in such cases, the devil does his part when God permits him. However, the force, which is described by the Evangelists, was far greater.⁵⁴⁸

It was indeed a sad and shocking exhibition, but it may serve to remind us how wretched and alarming it is to be placed under the tyranny of Satan, and also that bodily agony, however violent or cruel, is not to be dreaded more than distress of mind.

Worshipped him⁵⁴⁹ The arrangement of the narrative may be stated as follows. When the demoniacs came to meet him, Christ ordered the unclean spirits to go out of them, and then they prayed and entreated that he would not torment them before the time. The worship, therefore, did not precede Christ’s words, nor did they complain that Christ gave them uneasiness,⁵⁵⁰ until he urged them to go out. We should be aware that they did not come of their own accord into Christ's presence, but were drawn by a secret exercise of his authority. Just as they had formerly been accustomed to carry men off, in furious violence, to the tombs, so now a superior power compels them to appear reluctantly at the tribunal of their judge.

From this we infer that the whole of Satan’s kingdom is subject to Christ's authority.⁵⁵¹ For the devils, when Christ summons them to appear before him, are no more at their own disposal than were the wretched men whom their tyranny used to drive about in every direction. Finally, by Christ's secret power, they are dragged before him, so that by casting them out, he might prove himself to be the deliverer of men. They also reluctantly worship him, and their rebellious complaints testify that their confession was not made from choice, but was drawn from them by force.

My name is Legion. The devil was compelled by Christ to pronounce this word, that he might more fully display the greatness and excellence of his grace. There must have been good reasons why this man endured so severe a punishment as to have an army of devils, so to speak, dwelling within him. What compassion, then, it was to rescue from so many deaths a man who was more than a thousand times ruined! It was a magnificent display of the power of Christ, that by his voice not one devil, but a great multitude of devils, were suddenly driven out. Legion denotes here not a definite number of men, but merely a great multitude.

Hence it is evident what a wretched creature man is, when he is deprived of divine protection. Every man is not only exposed to a single devil but becomes the retreat of vast numbers. This passage also refutes the common error, borrowed by Jews and Christians from the pagans, that every man is attacked by his own particular devil. On the contrary, Scripture plainly declares that, just as it pleases God, one devil⁵⁵⁴ is sometimes sent to punish a whole nation, and at other times many devils are permitted to punish one man; as, on the other hand, one angel sometimes protects a whole nation, and every man has many angels as his guardians. There is the greater necessity for keeping diligent watch, lest so great a multitude of enemies take us by surprise.

And entreated him earnestly. Luke says they requested not to be sent into the deep. Some explain these words to mean that they wished to avoid uninhabited places.⁵⁵⁵

I, however, view it as referring to their rage for doing mischief. Because devils have no other object than to prowl among men, like lions in search of prey, they are grieved at being plunged into the deep, where they will have no opportunity to injure and ruin men.

That this is the true meaning may be inferred from the words of Mark, who says they requested not to be compelled to go out of the country. In short, they manifest their disposition to be such that there is nothing they more eagerly desire than the destruction of mankind.

And they come to Jesus We have here a striking proof that not all who perceive the hand of God profit as they ought to do by yielding themselves to him in sincere godliness. Having seen the miracle, the Gadarenes were afraid, because the majesty of God shone brightly in Christ. So far, they did right; but now that they send him out of their territories, what could have been done worse than this? They too were scattered, and here is a shepherd to collect them. Or rather, it is God who stretches out his arms, through his Son, to embrace and carry to heaven those who were overwhelmed by the darkness of death. They choose rather to be deprived of the salvation offered to them than to endure the presence of Christ any longer.

The apparent ground of their offense is the loss of the swine, but Luke assigns a loftier cause, that they were seized with a great fear⁵⁵⁶; and certainly, if they had been exasperated by the loss they sustained, they would not have requested him, but would rudely have driven him out. They honor him as God’s minister, and yet are so struck with dread that they desire him to go to a distance from them. Thus we see that they were not at all moved by a sense of the divine grace. And indeed, though all wicked men adore God and take great pains to appease him, yet if they had their choice, they would withdraw to the greatest possible distance from him: for his face is terrible, as long as they contemplate him as a Judge and not as a Father. The consequence is that the gospel, which is more delightful than anything conceivable, is everywhere considered so dismal and severe that a good part of the world would wish that it were buried.

And yet it is true that their fear was partly occasioned by their loss. Thus today, as long as men believe that the kingdom of God is opposed to their interests, whether public or private, they are prepossessed by a depraved and carnal fear and have no relish for his grace. Accordingly, when he comes, they think that God does not regard them with favor but rather with anger, and, as far as lies in their power, they send him to another place. It is a mark of shameful insensibility in those men that the loss of their swine alarms them more than the salvation of their soul would give them joy.