THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION

Mark: Jesus The Perfect Servant Of God

Part II: The Perfect Service Of Jesus, The Perfect Servant Of God, Mark 1:1-10:52

P. Christ's Work To Conquer In The Angelic Conflict

(Mark 5:1-20 et al.)

I. Introduction

A. We learned in our first lesson in this series that Mark's Gospel presents the perfect service of God's Perfect Servant, Jesus, with Mark's focus of having rebounded unto upright Christian service from personal failure.

B. Sometimes such failure arises from defeat in the angelic conflict (cf. 1 Peter 5:8), what may have caused Mark to abandon Paul and Barnabas in Acts 13:13 after Paul had gotten into conflict with a sorcerer (Acts 13:6-11), so we view Jesus' work to conquer in a severe angelic conflict situation in Mark 5:1-20 for our instruction:

II. Christ's Work To Conquer In The Angelic Conflict, Mark 5:1-20 et al.

A. Viewing the events in Christ's interaction with a demon possessed man, a "demoniac," exposes markers we can use in identifying a potential angelic conflict situation in our own lives, Mark 5:1-7:

1. The demoniac dwelt in the country of the Gadarenes where many Gentile's lived and practiced pagan beliefs, Mark 5:1, 20; Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978, ftn. to Mark 1:20. We can expect to face a heightened degree of angelic conflict issues in areas of the world where wickedness abounds.

2. The demoniac initiated a sudden confrontation with Jesus (Mark 5:2), and we should discern sudden, strong confrontations from evil parties as signaling the presence of an angelic conflict.

3. The demoniac was anti-social, dwelling in the tombs and the mountains instead of staying with and relating properly with his family, Mark 1:3a, 5a, 19 NIV. We can expect pressures that counter normal marital, family and social relationships likely to signal angelic conflict, cf. Eph. 5:22-6:9 with 6:10-12.

4. The demoniac was disorderly and untamed (Mk. 5:3b-4), typical of demonic activity, James 3:15-16 NIV.

5. The demoniac was emotionally disturbed, always crying, a typical signal of demonic pressure, Mark 5:5b.

6. The demoniac was suicidal, always cutting himself, a signal typical of demonic pressure, Mark 5:5c.

7. The demons in the man knew and expressed superhuman knowledge about Jesus, and we can identify badly used superhuman spiritual knowledge expressed by people to originate out of angelic conflict issues.

B. The angelic conflict Jesus faced involved more than just His exorcising the demons from this man -- it also affected Jesus' personal reputation, credibility and even His ministry (as follows), Mark 5:8-12:

1. When Jesus asked for the name of the demon, and the demon answered, "My name is Legion: for we are many," a legion in the Roman army numbering between 3,000 and 6,000 men (Ibid., ftn. to Mark 5:9), the demons in the man begged Jesus not to send them out of the country, but to send them among a herd of pigs nearby that they might indwell the pigs, Mark 5:8-12 NIV.

2. Though this might initially appear to be a spiritually neutral request, it was a loaded entrapment for Jesus:

a. Had Jesus refused their request, the demons would have left Jesus appearing to condone the raising of pigs for human consumption in violation of the Mosaic Law, cf. Leviticus 11:1-7.

b. However, if Jesus consented to their request, the demons could enter the pigs, causing the pigs to kill themselves (as they did, cf. Mark 5:13), upsetting those in that area who raised pigs for Gentile consumption and causing the community to reject Jesus' ministry in the area (as did occur, Mark 5:16-17).

C. Jesus chose the path of personal righteousness, trusting the Father to counter the misrepresentation to His character and so to His ministry that the demons' reaction to His righteous action caused, Mark 5:13-20 et al.:

1. To heed the Law, what was absolutely essential for Jesus to be our sinless Sinbearer, He let the demons enter and kill the herd of pigs, Mark 5:13. This led to the community's negative reaction and rejection of Jesus as they thought He would destroy all of their commercial activity in the area, Mark 5:14-18a.

2. Yet, God had a counter to this misrepresentation, the testimony of the saved man, Mk. 5:15b, 18b-19, 20. His testimony later made it possible for Jesus to feed the 4,000 thousand there, Mark 5:20; 7:31; 8:1-9.

Lesson: When its telltale characteristics signaled Jesus faced angelic conflict, He kept to the path of personal righteousness, trusting the Father to protect His consequently demon-maligned reputation and ministry.

Application: (1) May we like the demoniac put our trust in Christ to be saved, Mark 1:15, 18-20. (2) If we face an angelic conflict situation with its signs described in "II, A, 1-7" above, may we always take the path of personal righteousness, not yielding to Satan's pressures to compromise with sin, trusting God to give us victory in the end.