This verse reminds us that Jesus’ power extends over every realm, and that even a multitude of forces opposed to God are no match for Him.
Now we come upon one of the brief but significant images within Mark’s retelling of Jesus’ encounter with demon-possessed men. Now there was a large herd of swine feeding nearby on the mountain. (v.11) These swine, or pigs, were being tended in a hilly area that rose above the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, in the region sometimes referred to as the Gerasenes. This region was part of the Decapolis, a group of ten cities populated largely by Gentiles, marking a culturally non-Jewish territory where pigs could be raised—an animal that was unclean by Jewish standards.
The timeline of this event falls within the public ministry of Jesus, roughly around 28-30 AD, when He frequently traveled across the Sea of Galilee to both Jewish and Gentile areas. Jesus (ca. 4 BC - AD 30/33) intentionally included this miracle in His ministry to display His authority over the dark spiritual forces that tormented humanity. The mention of the large herd of pigs visually underscores the scale and gravity of this situation—in Mark 5:9 and Mark 5:10, the demon identified itself as “Legion” (implying many demons), and the nearby pigs represent a physical demonstration of the impending expulsion of these evil spirits.
This verse sets the stage for Jesus’ dramatic action of delivering the demon-possessed men. In the subsequent verses, He grants the demons’ request to enter the swine, which immediately plunge downhill into the Sea of Galilee, foreshadowing the ultimate defeat of spiritual wickedness. It also highlights the compassion of Jesus toward those oppressed, even in an area where many who lived there did not share Israel’s religious traditions.
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Mark 5:11 meaning
Now we come upon one of the brief but significant images within Mark’s retelling of Jesus’ encounter with demon-possessed men. Now there was a large herd of swine feeding nearby on the mountain. (v.11) These swine, or pigs, were being tended in a hilly area that rose above the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, in the region sometimes referred to as the Gerasenes. This region was part of the Decapolis, a group of ten cities populated largely by Gentiles, marking a culturally non-Jewish territory where pigs could be raised—an animal that was unclean by Jewish standards.
The timeline of this event falls within the public ministry of Jesus, roughly around 28-30 AD, when He frequently traveled across the Sea of Galilee to both Jewish and Gentile areas. Jesus (ca. 4 BC - AD 30/33) intentionally included this miracle in His ministry to display His authority over the dark spiritual forces that tormented humanity. The mention of the large herd of pigs visually underscores the scale and gravity of this situation—in Mark 5:9 and Mark 5:10, the demon identified itself as “Legion” (implying many demons), and the nearby pigs represent a physical demonstration of the impending expulsion of these evil spirits.
This verse sets the stage for Jesus’ dramatic action of delivering the demon-possessed men. In the subsequent verses, He grants the demons’ request to enter the swine, which immediately plunge downhill into the Sea of Galilee, foreshadowing the ultimate defeat of spiritual wickedness. It also highlights the compassion of Jesus toward those oppressed, even in an area where many who lived there did not share Israel’s religious traditions.