This verse highlights the man’s grateful testimony and proves the transformative power of Jesus to heal and restore.
As the former demoniac set free by Christ travels home, Mark describes how, “And he went away and began to proclaim in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed.” (Mark 5:20). This verse follows the man’s dramatic deliverance from a legion of demons and underlines the immediate outpouring of gratitude that flowed from his transformed soul. After encountering Jesus—who is believed to have lived between around 4 BC and AD 30 or 33—this newly freed man needed no further prompting to share every detail of the miracle, testifying to Christ’s authority over spiritual powers (Mark 5:1-20).
The region of Decapolis itself was a cluster of ten Greco-Roman cities situated primarily east of the Jordan River. Well known for a mixture of cultures, it provided a strategic setting for the spread of the good news. By proclaiming “what great things Jesus had done for him” in such a crossroads of trade and diverse peoples, the man who had been delivered became a living testimony among both Jews and Gentiles. The response was astonishment, revealing that encounters with Christ were not just casual events but life-altering experiences that stirred wonder in everyone who heard.
In a broader sense, this proclamation demonstrates both the commission and privilege believers hold: to share with others how Jesus rescues broken lives. The man’s obedience in telling his story foreshadows how followers of Jesus are still called to spread the message of His mercy to communities near and far. God’s transforming work in individual lives, just like it was in the Decapolis, continues to serve as a powerful witness to a watching world.
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Mark 5:20 meaning
As the former demoniac set free by Christ travels home, Mark describes how, “And he went away and began to proclaim in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed.” (Mark 5:20). This verse follows the man’s dramatic deliverance from a legion of demons and underlines the immediate outpouring of gratitude that flowed from his transformed soul. After encountering Jesus—who is believed to have lived between around 4 BC and AD 30 or 33—this newly freed man needed no further prompting to share every detail of the miracle, testifying to Christ’s authority over spiritual powers (Mark 5:1-20).
The region of Decapolis itself was a cluster of ten Greco-Roman cities situated primarily east of the Jordan River. Well known for a mixture of cultures, it provided a strategic setting for the spread of the good news. By proclaiming “what great things Jesus had done for him” in such a crossroads of trade and diverse peoples, the man who had been delivered became a living testimony among both Jews and Gentiles. The response was astonishment, revealing that encounters with Christ were not just casual events but life-altering experiences that stirred wonder in everyone who heard.
In a broader sense, this proclamation demonstrates both the commission and privilege believers hold: to share with others how Jesus rescues broken lives. The man’s obedience in telling his story foreshadows how followers of Jesus are still called to spread the message of His mercy to communities near and far. God’s transforming work in individual lives, just like it was in the Decapolis, continues to serve as a powerful witness to a watching world.