There are those in this world who try to confuse
Christians by telling them that the Bible has inconsistencies. They say that
since there are lies in the Bible, that disproves that Jesus Is the Son of
God. Is that true? First of all, they are trying to confuse you by
misguided logic. Just because there may be inconsistencies in the Bible,
doesn’t make them lies. Additionally, having inconsistencies in the Bible in no
way disproves that Jesus Is the Son of God! Now, I plan to do further
research on this particular miracle reported in the New Testament and see if
there is anything significant enough to disprove that Jesus healed the
demon-possessed man and that Jesus Is the Son of God. I will share this
information with you, so you can make up your own mind!
I will be using the New King James Versions
[NKJV] of the Bible. Additionally, I will use the internet, as needed. Some
passages will have both the word he and him within the same verse, which can
make it difficult to know who is speaking and who is being spoken to. I will
put who is speaking and who is being spoken to within brackets when I feel it’s
unclear by the text. For those who are listening to this podcast, I generally
try to let you know when I’m sharing bracketed information.
Additionally, I will put my analysis, opinions,
and comments within brackets, as well. That will allow those who want to read
the research further for themselves to go to either Biblical
Proof! at https://biblicalproof.blogspot.com/ or Do
Biblical Inconsistencies Really Matter? at https://biblicalinconsistencies.blogspot.com
Matthew 8:28-34 says: When He [Jesus] had come
to the otherside, the country of Gergesenes, there met Him two demon possessed
men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass
that way. And suddenly they cried out, saying, “What have we to do with You,
Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?” Now a
good way off from them there was a herd of many swine feeding. So the demons
begged Him, saying, “If You cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of
swine.” And He said to them, “Go.” So when they had come out, they went into
the herd of swine. And suddenly the whole herd of swine ran violently down the
steep place into the sea, and perished in the water. Then those who kept them
fled and they went away into the city and told everything, including what had
happened to the demon-possessed men. And behold, the whole city came out to
meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they begged Him to depart from their region.
Mark 5:1-20 says: Then they came to the other
side of the sea, to 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 the chains, because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And
the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces;
neither could anyone tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the
mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones. When he
saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him. And he cried out with a loud
voice and said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I
implore You by God that You do not torment me.” For He said to him, “Come out
of the man, unclean spirit!” Then He [Jesus] said to him, “What is your name?”
And he answered, saying, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” Also he begged
Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country. Now a large herd
of swine was feeding there near the mountains. So all the demons begged Him,
saying, “Send us to the swine, that we may enter them.” And at once Jesus gave
them permission. Then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there
were about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place into
the sea, and drowned in the sea. So those who fed the swine fled, and they told
it in the city and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that
had happened. Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been
demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind.
And they were afraid. And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who
had been demon-possessed, and about the swine. Then they began to plead with
Him [Jesus] to depart from their region. And when He got into the boat, he who
had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him. However, Jesus
did not permit him, but said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them
what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on
you.” And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had
done for him; and all marveled.
Luke 8:26-39 says: Then they sailed to the
country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee. And when he stepped out on
the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long
time. And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs. When
he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said,
“What have I to do with You, Jesus, son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not
torment me!” For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the the
man. For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with
chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into
the wilderness. Jesus asked him, saying, “What is your name?” And he said,
“Legion,” because many demons had entered him. And they begged Him that He
would not command them to go out into the abyss. Now a herd of many swine was
feeding there on the mountain. So they begged Him that He would permit them to
enter them. And He permitted them. Then the demons went out of the man and
entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the
lake and drowned. When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and
told it in the city and in the country. Then they went out to see what had
happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had
departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they
were afraid. They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been
demon-possessed was healed. Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region
of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great
fear. And He got into the boat and returned. Now the man from whom the demons
had departed begged Him [Jesus] that he might be with Him [Jesus]. But Jesus
sent him away, saying, “Return to your own house, and tell what great things
God has done for you.” And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole
city what great things Jesus had done for him.
The Gospel of John does not have anything about
Jesus healing the demon possessed man.
[Well, first of all, we have to determine which
things to analyze. Since each of the three Gospels that records that Jesus
healed the demon-possessed man, says a different name for the location, we need
to see if that inconsistency is significant.]
Matthew 8:28 says: When He [Jesus] had come to
the otherside, the country of Gergesenes, there met Him two demon possessed
men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass
that way. The footnote for this Bible verse says: the NU-Text reads “Gadarenes”
I looked in the front of the [NKJV of the Bible to see what NU meant. It says
it is the modern eclectic, or “critical,” text of the Greek New Testament.
Mark 5:1 says: Then they came to the other side
of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes. The footnote for this says:
NU-Text reads “Gerasenes”.
Luke 8:26 says: Then they sailed to the country
of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee. The footnote says:NU-Text reads
“Gerasenes”.
[First, I did a Google search to see if Gadarenes, Girgesenes, Gerasenes are all the same
place. I got the following information from Bible.Gateway.com at https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/dictionaries/dict_meaning.php?source=3&wid=S8128 It said: (These three
names are used indiscriminately to designate the place where Jesus healed two
demoniacs. The first two are in the Authorized Version. (Matthew 8:28; Mark
5:1; Luke 8:26) In Gerasenes in place of Gadarenes. The miracle referred to
took place, without doubt, near the town of Gergesa, the modern Kersa, close by
the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, and hence in the country of
Gergesenes. But as Gergesa was a small village, and little known, the
evangelists, who wrote for more distant readers, spoke of the event as taking
place in the country of the Gadarenes, so named from its largest city, Gadara;
and this country included the country of the Gergesenes as a state includes a
county. The Gerasenes were the people of the district of which Gerasa was the
capital. This city was better known than Gadara or Gergesa; indeed in the Roman
age no city of Palestine was better known. "It became one of the proudest
cities of Syria." It was situated some 30 miles southeast of Gadara, on
the borders of Peraea and a little north of the river Jabbok. It is now called
Jerash and is a deserted ruin. The district of the Gerasenes probably included
that of the Gadarenes; so that the demoniac of Gergesa belonged to the country
of the Gadarenes and also to that of the Gerasenes, as the same person may,
with equal truth, be said to live in the city or the state, or in the United
States. For those near by the local name would be used; but in writing to a
distant people, as the Greeks and Romans, the more comprehensive and general
name would be given.--ED.)]
[In reviewing this, all
three names appear to be referring to the same general area, which is not
significant enough to disprove that Jesus healed the demon-possessed man or
that Jesus Is the Son of God.]
The next inconsistency of
importance is that the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke have recorded that
Jesus healed the demon-possessed man, but the Gospel of John does not have it
recorded. Is that significant?]
[Mark 3:14-15 says: Then He
[Jesus] appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send
them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out
demons: In reading this, it may have been that the Apostle John was elsewhere
preaching at the time that Jesus healed the demon-possessed man and was not a
witness to this. Additionally, in doing lots of research on Biblical
Inconsistencies and other Biblical authorities, some of the Apostles add
additional information to what the other Apostles have recorded, if it wasn’t
included. Possibly, the Apostle John felt that Matthew, Mark, and Luke had the
main information and that he didn’t need to add anything further.]
[There is no way to truly
know why the Apostle John did not record Jesus’ healing of the demon-possessed
man. Is any of this significant enough to disprove that Jesus healed the
demon-possessed man or that Jesus Is the Son of God? In evaluating this, even
if the Apostle John didn’t record this, doesn’t disprove that Jesus healed the
demon-possessed man or that Jesus Is the Son of God.]
[An additional point to
analyze is how many possessed men were healed.]
Matthew 8:28 says: When He [Jesus] had come to
the otherside, the country of Gergesenes, there met Him two demon possessed
men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass
that way.
Mark 5:2 says: And when He [Jesus] had come out
of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an
unclean spirit.
Luke 8:27 says: And when He [Jesus] stepped out
on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons
for a long time. And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the
tombs.
[In reviewing this information, whether it is
recorded that Jesus healed one man or two men isn’t significant enough to prove
that Jesus didn’t heal the demon-possessed nor does it have any implications to
disprove that Jesus Is the Son of God.]
[Next, we will look at what is recorded that the
demons said to Jesus.]
Matthew 8:29-31 says: And suddenly they [the
demons] cried out, saying, “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God?
Have You come here to torment us before the time?” Now a good way off from
them there was a herd of many swine feeding. So the demons begged Him,
saying, “If You cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of swine.”
Mark 5:5-7 says: And always, night and
day, he [the demon possessed-man] was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying
out and cutting himself with stones. When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and
worshiped Him. And he cried out with a loud voice and said, “What have I to
do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do
not torment me.”
Mark 5:9-12 goes on to say: Then He [Jesus] said
to him, “What is your name?” And he [demon-possessed man] answered, saying, “My
name is Legion; for we are many.” Also he begged Him earnestly that He would
not send them out of the country. Now a large herd of swine was feeding there
near the mountains. So all the demons begged Him, saying, “Send us to the
swine, that we may enter them.”
Luke 8:27-28 says: And when he stepped out
on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a
long time. And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs.
When he saw Jesus, he [the demon-possessed man] cried out, fell down before
Him, and with a loud voice said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, son of the
Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!”
Luke 8:30-32 further says: Jesus asked him,
saying, “What is your name?” And he [the demon-possessed man] said,
“Legion,” because many demons had entered him. And they begged Him that He
would not command them to go out into the abyss. Now a herd of many swine was
feeding there on the mountain. So they begged Him that He would permit them to
enter them.
[In my opinion, all three Gospels have the
demons saying the same basic things: that Jesus is the Son of God or Most High,
that they didn’t want to be tormented and then asked if Jesus would permit them
to enter into the herd of swine. There appear to be no inconsistencies in these
reports.]
[Last of all, I will analyze what happened after
the demons entered the swine and ran into the lake/sea and drowned. I am going
to copy and paste the portions of the above Bible passages that apply to this
analysis, so that I can examine it more carefully.]
Matthew 8:33-34 says: Then those who kept
them fled and they went away into the city and told everything, including what
had happened to the demon-possessed men. And behold, the whole city came out
to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they begged Him to depart from their
region.
Mark 5:14-20 says: So those who fed the swine
fled, and they told it in the city and in the country. And they went out to see
what it was that had happened. Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had
been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right
mind. And they were afraid. And those who saw it told them how it happened to
him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine. Then they began to
plead with Him [Jesus] to depart from their region. And when He got into
the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him.
However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, “Go home to your friends,
and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had
compassion on you.” And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that
Jesus had done for him; and all marveled.
Luke 8:34-39 When those who fed them saw
what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. Then
they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man
from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in
his right mind. And they were afraid. They also who had seen it told them by
what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed. Then the whole
multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from
them, for they were seized with great fear. And He got into the boat and
returned. Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him [Jesus] that
he might be with Him [Jesus]. But Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return to your
own house, and tell what great things God has done for you.” And he went his
way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done
for him.
[In all three Gospels, those who fed the swine
went to tell the people in the city and country about how Jesus had healed the
demon-possessed and how the demons entered the swine and drowned in the
lake/sea.]
[All three Gospels said that they were afraid
and citizens came and asked Jesus to depart from them.]
[Although the Gospel of Matthew didn’t have this
recorded, both the Gospels of Mark and Luke have it recorded that the man who
had been healed from the demons went to Jesus as He was boarding the boat and
asked to go with Him. Instead, Jesus told him to share the healing that
Jesus/God had done for him and he did this.]
[After researching and evaluating all of this
information, there were minimal inconsistencies which were considered of no
major significance. None of them were significant enough to disprove that Jesus
healed the demon-possessed. In fact, you would think these passages corroborate
the fact that it actually happened. Not only was this recorded in these three
Gospels, but those who fed the swine were eye-witnesses of Jesus’ healing the
demon-possessed. The citizens of the area who heard of this miraculous healing,
those that fed the swine and the Apostles were either eye-witnesses or recorded
the information for disciples who were eye-witnesses that the demon-possessed
was healed.]
[Additionally, who but Jesus, the Son of God,
could heal someone filled with a legion of demons? Besides that, in each of the
three Gospels, it is recorded that the demons all acknowledged that Jesus Is
the Son of God/the Most High. These all verify that Jesus Is the Son of God.]
[Don’t let people confuse you with false logic
about inconsistencies. I have yet to find anything in the Bible that disproves
that Jesus Is God’s Son in reading the Bible 16+ times from cover to cover. In
fact, the more that I read the Bible on a daily basis, my faith in Jesus being
the Son of God is continually reinforced, which helps me get through the
stressors of this world. Try reading the Bible daily. Jesus is here for you, as
well!]
