Hog Wild! Jesus is Greater Than the Demon

(Mark 5:1–20)

Years ago, at a family camp hosted on a ranch, I participated in a “pig catching” contest. The pig was small and greased, making it virtually impossible to hold onto. I ended up slamming my body onto the slippery little oinker to pin it down! When we look at Mark chapter 5, verses 1 through 20, we see a scene that is truly “hog wild,” but with much higher stakes. We meet a man possessed by a Legion of demons—the Gadarene demoniac—and witness the immense, undeniable power of Jesus Christ.

Christ intentionally crossed the sea, overcoming a great storm (as we discussed last week), simply to meet this one man. Why? Because life is valuable to God (Mark 5:2). This man was a terror: dwelling among the tombs, screaming, cutting himself with stones, and possessing uncontrollable, unnatural strength that snapped chains and fetters like thread (Mark 5:3–5). Imagine the fear and disruption he caused in the city of Gadara; he was the “crazy man” everyone had given up on. But the end of his story is glorious: he was found “sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind” (Mark 5:15). Amen!

Demons are Detrimental

Demons are real, deadly, and detrimental. They were causing immense suffering to this man, demonstrating uncommon and unnatural actions.

Hurting the Man: His symptoms—uncontrollable strength, self-mutilation (cutting himself with stones), and living among the dead—show that his issue was not merely biological or mental, but spiritual (Mark 5:5). This is a spiritual problem, and for the Christian, while we cannot be demon-possessed, we can be demon-oppressed. Demon-inspired activities, such as cutting, have reached epidemic levels among teenagers today, often fueled by negative cultural influences.
Knowing Jesus: The demons recognized Jesus instantly, causing the man to run and worship Him. They cried out: “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” (Mark 5:6–7). They knew who He was and that they must obey Him. Just like some who only perform well when the “boss” is present, the demons, though rebels by nature, left the man immediately when commanded (Mark 5:13).
Avoiding Disembodiment: Jesus asked the demon’s name: “My name is Legion: for we are many” (Mark 5:9). A Roman legion could contain up to 6,000 men, meaning thousands of demons occupied this single individual. Furthermore, they begged Jesus not to send them away “out of the country” (Mark 5:10), which Luke’s account clarifies was a plea not to be sent into the “deep” (or abyss—the bottomless pit, their ultimate destination). They would rather occupy 2,000 swine than face their judgment.
Demanding Loyalty and Destruction: This man was so delusional that he pleaded with Christ not to cast the demons out. He had accepted the destructive loyalty of his oppressors over the help of his Savior. This demonstrates that demons love death and destruction. When Jesus allowed them to enter the herd of swine, the entire herd “ran violently down a steep place into the sea… and were choked in the sea” (Mark 5:13). Do not play with demonic activity. Tarot cards, palm reading, spells, curses, and even entertainment that glorifies supernatural power are nothing for a Christian to be involved with; they open doors to dangerous influence.

Souls Can Be Saved

Jesus didn’t cross the sea to save pigs; He went to save a soul. Despite the demoniac’s vile state, life is valuable to God.

Life Can Be Right with God: This man had been rejected and mocked by everyone, yet Jesus sought him out. If a man so utterly vile, demon-possessed, and insane could be forgiven and seated “clothed, and in his right mind” (Mark 5:15), then anyone can be saved! No matter how evil, no matter what sin or guilty conscience you carry, the Holy Spirit can work in your heart. You can receive Christ as your Savior and be absolutely 100% right with God today.
Life Can Be Lived with God: Once healed, the man’s first request was, “that he might be with him” (Jesus) (Mark 5:18). He wanted to follow Jesus! While the city leaders, fearing the loss of their swine industry, begged Jesus to leave, Christ told the newly-saved man to stay: “Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee” (Mark 5:19).
Living Beyond Expectation: The man obeyed. He “began to publish in Decapolis” (the ten-city region) “how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel” (Mark 5:20). Like the three questions posed by John Ruskin—Where am I from? Whither am I going? What must I do on the way?—this man found his purpose: to know the Lord and to make Him known!

The Lord Loves

The entire passage is a powerful demonstration of the Lord’s great love, compassion, grace, and mercy.

He Loves Enough to Go: Jesus loved enough to make the 8-10 mile journey across the stormy sea simply for this one man. Just as He left heaven to come to this earth and die on the cross for our sins, God loves enough to seek us out (Mark 5:1).
He Loves Enough to Heal: Jesus commanded the demons to leave (Mark 5:13), resulting in complete spiritual and emotional healing, which led to physical and relational healing. He brought the man peace, restoration, and a right mind (Mark 5:15).
He Loves Enough to Send: Instead of taking the man with Him, Christ commissioned him to be a witness, telling his friends and the entire region what the Lord had done (Mark 5:19–20). This Great Commission—to “go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15)—is His command for us today.

As the hymn writer P.P. Bliss realized, “Wonderful things in the Bible I see, this is the dearest, that Jesus loves me.” Because of His great love, Jesus is so much greater than the demon.

If God has challenged you to take a next step today—whether it’s trusting Christ for salvation, turning away from any activity with demonic influence, or sharing your testimony with others—we invite you to act on that decision.