Chapter 5

Chapter 5. — On the Legion. On the Daughter of the Ruler of the Synagogue. On the Woman With the Issue of Blood

¹ And they came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. And when he had come out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains, because he had often been bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him and the fetters broken in pieces; and no one was strong enough to subdue him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones. The more accurate of the copies have, into the country of the Gergesenes. Now Matthew says that there were two who were possessed by demons, but Mark and Luke [say] one; for, having selected the more grievous one, they recount concerning him. The demoniac comes, then, confessing him to be the Son of God. For since those in the boat were in doubt what manner of man this was, the testimony from his enemies becomes more trustworthy—I mean from the demons. And he dwelt among the tombs, wishing to put an evil supposition into men, that the souls of those who die become demons. May it never be that anyone should believe this. And when he had seen Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, and crying out with a loud voice, said: What have I to do with you, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, torment me not. For he said to him: Come out of the man, you unclean spirit. And he asked him: What is your name? And he answered, saying: Legion is my name, for we are many. And he besought him much, that he would not send them out of the country. The demons account it a torment to come out of the man. Therefore they say, Torment us not, that is, do not lead us out of our dwelling-place, namely the man; and besides, they supposed that, because of the excess of the things daringly done by them, he would not bear it, but would deliver them straightway already to punishment; and for this cause also they beseech him not to torment them. But the Lord asks him, not that he himself might learn, but that the others might learn the multitude of the demons dwelling in him. For since he appeared to be one, Christ shows with how many enemies that pitiable man was wrestling. And there was there, near the mountain, a great herd of swine feeding. And all the demons besought him, saying: Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. And straightway Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits, having gone out, entered into the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep place into the sea. And they were about two thousand, and were choked in the sea. And those who fed the swine fled, and told it in the city and in the fields. The demons indeed ask the Lord not to send them out of the country, but to release them into the herd of swine; and he permits this. For since our life is a wrestling-school, the Lord did not wish to release the demons outside of this life, in order that, wrestling with us, they might make us more fit. And he permitted them to enter into the swine, that we might learn that, just as they did not spare the swine, so neither would they have spared that man, had not a divine power been preserving him; for the demons, being enemies, would have cut us to pieces on the spot, had not God kept us. And learn that the demons do not have authority even over swine, and much more not over men, unless God permit; and understand that even into the men who live after the manner of swine, and wallow in the mire of pleasure, [they enter,] so as to carry them down the steep place of perdition into the sea of this life.

² And they went out to see what it was that was done. And they come to Jesus, and behold the one who had been possessed by the demon sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind—the one who had had the legion—and they were afraid. And those who had seen it told them how it had happened to the demoniac, and concerning the swine. And they began to beseech him to depart from their borders. And as he was entering into the boat, the one who had been possessed besought him that he might be with him. But Jesus did not permit him, but says to him: Go to your house unto your own, and tell them how great things the Lord has done for you, and has had mercy on you. And he departed, and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him; and all marvelled. The people of that city went out to Jesus, being astounded at the miracle; but when they had heard, they were the more afraid. For this cause also they beseech Jesus to depart out of their borders; for they were in dread lest they should suffer some yet greater thing. For having lost the swine, and being grieved at the loss, they decline even the presence of the Lord. But the one who had been possessed besought him that he might be with him; for he was afraid lest, the demons finding him alone, they should again come upon him. But the Lord releases him to his own house, showing him that, even if he himself be not present, yet his power and his oversight will guard him; and at the same time, that being seen he might profit others also. Behold, accordingly, he began to proclaim, and all marvelled. And mark also the freedom from vanity of the Saviour. He did not say, Tell how great things I have done for you, but, How great things the Lord has done for you. So also do you, whenever you do any good thing, ascribe the deed not to yourself, but to God.

³ And when Jesus had passed over again in the boat unto the other side, much people gathered together unto him; and he was beside the sea. And behold, there comes one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name. And when he saw him, he falls at his feet, and besought him much, saying: My little daughter is at the point of death; come and lay your hands on her, that she may be made whole, and she shall live. And he went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him. And a certain woman, who had been in an issue of blood twelve years, and had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather came to the worse, when she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind and touched his garment. For she said: If I but touch his garments, I shall be made whole. And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she knew in her body that she was healed of the plague. After the miracle upon the demoniac, the Lord works another, raising up the daughter of the ruler of the synagogue. And he tells also the name of the ruler of the synagogue, on account of the Jews who knew what had come to pass. And the man is but half a believer; for in that he falls at his feet, he is a believer; but in that he beseeches him to come, he does not display as much faith as he ought. For he ought to have said, Speak the word. And as it were by the way, while the Lord is departing, the woman with the issue of blood also is healed; and most faithful was the woman, in that she thought to be profited even from his garments; wherefore also she obtains the healing. And you shall understand these things also with respect to human nature, which was [as one] with an issue of blood. For it brought in sin, which is the murder of the soul, and pours out the blood of our souls. And by many physicians—I mean the wise men of this world, and the law and the prophets—it could not be healed. But as soon as it touched the garments of Christ, that is, his flesh, it was healed. For he who believes that Christ was made flesh, this is he who touches his garments.

⁴ And straightway Jesus, knowing in himself the power that had gone out of him, turned about in the press and said: Who touched my garments? And his disciples said to him: You see the multitude thronging you, and you say, Who touched me? And he looked round about to see her that had done this. But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had been done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. And he said to her: Daughter, your faith has made you whole; go in peace, and be whole of your plague. A power goes out from Christ, not passing over locally, but distributed unto others, and remaining undiminished in Christ; just as branches of learning too are both with those who practice them, and are handed on to those who learn. And mark how the multitudes thronged him, yet no one touched him; but she who thronged him not, she touched him. For from this we learn a mystery, that no one of those who have crowds and tumults touches Jesus, but only throngs him. But if anyone throng not Jesus, nor cast about with tumults the reason that is in himself, that man touches him. For what cause does the Lord make the woman manifest? First, that he might glorify the faith of the woman; then, that he might also encourage the ruler of the synagogue, that his little daughter too should thus be saved; and at the same time, that he might release the woman also from her great fear; for indeed the woman was afraid, as having stolen the healing; wherefore the evangelist also says, Fearing and trembling she came. But the Lord says not, I have made you whole, but, Your faith. Go therefore in peace, that is, into rest; so that what is said is of this kind: Depart, be at rest, since up to the present you have been amid waves and tumults. While he was yet speaking, there come from the ruler of the synagogue, saying: Your daughter is dead; why do you trouble the Teacher any further? But Jesus, straightway hearing the word that was spoken, says to the ruler of the synagogue: Fear not, only believe. And he suffered no one to follow with him, save Peter and James and John the brother of James. And he comes to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and beholds a tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly. And when he had entered, he says to them: Why do you make this commotion, and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeps. And they laughed him to scorn. But he, having put them all out, takes the father of the child and the mother, and those who were with him, and enters in where the child was lying; and taking the child by the hand, he says to her: Talitha cumi, which is, being interpreted: Damsel, I say to you, arise. And straightway the damsel arose, and walked (for she was twelve years old); and they were amazed with a great amazement. And he charged them much that no one should know this; and commanded that something should be given her to eat. Those of the ruler of the synagogue’s house, supposing Christ to be one of the teachers, for this cause besought him to come and pray over the damsel; and thereafter, when she had died, they supposed there was no further need of him, because she was dead. But he encourages the father, and, Only believe, says he; for the lowly Jesus by no means wishes to do anything for display. And when he says that the damsel is not dead, but sleeps, they laugh him to scorn—so that they might not afterward be able to say that she had fallen into a coma, and that it was nothing wonderful if he raised her, but that they themselves, witnessing against themselves, might be convicted, that he truly raised her who had died; seeing that they even laughed him to scorn when he said that she was not dead. And he takes her by the hand, that he might put power into her. And he gives her to eat, that he might confirm the resurrection, that it truly came to pass and not according to fancy.