Book List
Prev Mark Chapter 5 Next
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Click *H for Haydock Commentary.
Click * Footnote to expand footnote
Click any word in Latin to activate the parser. Then click on the display to expand the parser.

5:1 Et venerunt trans fretum maris in regionem Gerasenorum.
And they came over the strait of the sea, into the country of the Gerasens.
A.D. 31.
* Footnote * Matthew 8 : 28 And when he was come on the other side of the water, into the country of the Gerasens, there met him two that were possessed with devils, coming out of the sepulchres, exceeding fierce, so that none could pass by that way.
* Footnote * Luke 8 : 26 And they sailed to the country of the Gerasens, which is over against Galilee.
5:2 Et exeunti ei de navi, statim occurrit de monumentis homo in spiritu immundo,
*H And as he went out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the monuments a man with an unclean spirit,


Ver. 2. Ven. Bede gives a beautiful explanation of this miracle. He says that it represents the Gentiles, who were converted to the faith by the apostles. The legion represents the innumerable vices to which they were subject, neither restrained by the laws of God nor man, but breaking through every restraint, and wallowing in all kinds of uncleanness. Ven. Bede. — The three evangelists agree in the expulsion of the legion of devils, except that S. Matt. makes mention of two demoniacs, and SS. Mark and Luke only of one. The difficulty is thus solved by S. Austin. S. Mark and S. Luke only mention one, as being more generally known, and particularly frightful in the neighbourhood. S. Aug.

5:3 qui domicilium habebat in monumentis, et neque catenis jam quisquam poterat eum ligare :
Who had his dwelling in the tombs, and no man now could bind him, not even with chains.
5:4 quoniam saepe compedibus et catenis vinctus, dirupisset catenas, et compedes comminuisset, et nemo poterat eum domare :
For having been often bound with fetters and chains, he had burst the chains, and broken the fetters in pieces, and no one could tame him.
5:5 et semper die ac nocte in monumentis, et in montibus erat, clamans, et concidens se lapidibus.
And he was always day and night in the monuments and in the mountains, crying and cutting himself with stones.
5:6 Videns autem Jesum a longe, cucurrit, et adoravit eum :
And seeing Jesus afar off, he ran and adored him.
5:7 et clamans voce magna dixit : Quid mihi et tibi, Jesu Fili Dei altissimi ? adjuro te per Deum, ne me torqueas.
*H And crying with a loud voice, he said: What have I to do with thee, Jesus the Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God that thou torment me not.


Ver. 7. I adjure thee by God. The same is, I earnestly beg of thee not to torment me, by sending me into hell, and confining me in the abyss, there to be more tormented than I am at present. See S. Luke viii. 31. Wi.

5:8 Dicebat enim illi : Exi spiritus immunde ab homine.
For he said unto him: Go out of the man, thou unclean spirit.
5:9 Et interrogabat eum : Quod tibi nomen est ? Et dicit ei : Legio mihi nomen est, quia multi sumus.
*H And he asked him: What is thy name? And he saith to him: My name is Legion, for we are many.


Ver. 9. My name is Legion. Spirits have no names, only with respect to our language. These devils say their name is Legion, because they are many. Wi.

5:10 Et deprecabatur eum multum, ne se expelleret extra regionem.
And he besought him much, that he would not drive him away out of the country.
5:11 Erat autem ibi circa montem grex porcorum magnus, pascens.
And there was there near the mountain a great herd of swine, feeding.
5:12 Et deprecabantur eum spiritus, dicentes : Mitte nos in porcos ut in eos introeamus.
And the spirits besought him, saying: Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.
5:13 Et concessit eis statim Jesus. Et exeuntes spiritus immundi introierunt in porcos : et magno impetu grex praecipitatus est in mare ad duo millia, et suffocati sunt in mari.
*H And Jesus immediately gave them leave. And the unclean spirits going out, entered into the swine: and the herd with great violence was carried headlong into the sea, being about two thousand, were stifled in the sea.


Ver. 13. Jesus Christ permitted the devil to destroy these swine, that from their destruction, the men of that country might take the alarm, and be converted. Ven. Bede.

5:14 Qui autem pascebant eos, fugerunt, et nuntiaverunt in civitatem et in agros. Et egressi sunt videre quid esset factum :
And they that fed them fled, and told it in the city and in the fields. And they went out to see what was done:
5:15 et veniunt ad Jesum : et vident illum qui a daemonio vexabatur, sedentem, vestitum, et sanae mentis, et timuerunt.
And they came to Jesus, and they see him that was troubled with the devil, sitting, clothed, and well in his wits, and they were afraid.
5:16 Et narraverunt illis, qui viderant, qualiter factum esset ei qui daemonium habuerat, et de porcis.
And they that had seen it, told them, in what manner he had been dealt with who had the devil; and concerning the swine.
5:17 Et rogare coeperunt eum ut discederet de finibus eorum.
*H And they began to pray him that he would depart from their coasts.


Ver. 17. Astonished at the miracle that had been performed, and displeased with the loss of their herds, they refused the Saviour of the world entrance into their country. Theophy. — It is observed that all Christ's miracles, except this, and the blasted fig-tree, were of the beneficent kind. We cannot but pity the wretched blindness of the Gerasens, in driving Jesus from their coasts. As a just judgment of God, their city was the first that fell into the hands of the Romans, in the fatal war under Vespasian.

5:18 Cumque ascenderet navim, coepit illum deprecari, qui a daemonio vexatus fuerat, ut esset cum illo,
*H And when he went up into the ship, he that had been troubled with the devil, began to beseech him that he might be with him.


Ver. 18. That he might be with him; i.e. as one of his disciples. S. Amb. says Christ did not grant his request, lest they might think that he sought to be glorified by men, in having always in his company a man out of whom he had cast so many devils. Christ himself seems to give us another reason, that the man might go, and publish in his own country the miracles done by Jesus. Wi.

5:19 et non admisit eum, sed ait illi : Vade in domum tuam ad tuos, et annuntia illis quanta tibi Dominus fecerit, et misertus sit tui.
*H And he admitted him not, but saith him: Go into thy house to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had mercy thee.


Ver. 19. And he admitted him not: By Christ's conduct on this occasion, he teaches his disciples that they ought sometimes to make known their own good works, when either the glory of God or the edification of their neighbour were likely to be advanced by such a manifestation: otherwise they ought to conceal them, out of a spirit of humility. Dion. Carth.

5:20 Et abiit, et coepit praedicare in Decapoli, quanta sibi fecisset Jesus : et omnes mirabantur.
*H And he went his way, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men wondered.


Ver. 20. Decapolis, a territory on the eastern borders of the sea of Tiberias, and is so called, from ten principal towns that compose it. V.

5:21 Et cum transcendisset Jesus in navi rursum trans fretum, convenit turba multa ad eum, et erat circa mare.
And when Jesus had passed again in the ship over the strait, a great multitude assembled together unto him, and he was nigh unto the sea.
5:22 Et venit quidam de archisynagogis nomine Jairus, et videns eum procidit ad pedes ejus,
And there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue named Jairus: and seeing him, falleth down at his feet.
* Footnote * Matthew 9 : 18 As he was speaking these things unto them, behold a certain ruler came up, and adored him, saying: Lord, my daughter is even now dead; but come, lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.
* Footnote * Luke 8 : 41 And behold there came a man whose name was Jairus: and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell down at the feet of Jesus, beseeching him that he would come into his house:
5:23 et deprecabatur eum multum, dicens : Quoniam filia mea in extremis est, veni, impone manum super eam, ut salva sit, et vivat.
*H And he besought him much, saying: My daughter is at the point of death, come, lay thy hand upon her, that she may be safe, and may live.


Ver. 23. S. Matt. says: my daughter is even now dead. The sense in both is exactly the same. S. Matt. attended rather to the thoughts of Jairus, than to his words; for, as he left her dying, he could not reasonably hope to find her still in the same state; and, as he expected she was already dead, when he spoke this to Jesus, S. Matt. relates what the man thought at that instant, not what he said. S. Aug.

5:24 Et abiit cum illo, et sequebatur eum turba multa, et comprimebant eum.
And he went with him, and a great multitude followed him, and they thronged him.
5:25 Et mulier, quae erat in profluvio sanguinis annis duodecim,
And a woman who was under an issue of blood twelve years,
5:26 et fuerat multa perpessa a compluribus medicis : et erogaverat omnia sua, nec quidquam profecerat, sed magis deterius habebat :
And had suffered many things from many physicians; and had spent all that she had, and was nothing the better, but rather worse,
5:27 cum audisset de Jesu, venit in turba retro, et tetigit vestimentum ejus :
When she had heard of Jesus, came in the crowd behind him, and touched his garment.
5:28 dicebat enim : Quia si vel vestimentum ejus tetigero, salva ero.
*H For she said: If I shall touch but his garment, I shall be whole.


Ver. 28. Touch his garment. Almighty God is pleased to give occasionally to the relics and clothes of his pious and faithful servants, a degree of virtue. See Acts v, and xix, where the very shadow of S. Peter, and the handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched the body of S. Paul, and were brought to the sick, cured their diseases, and banished the wicked spirits. See S. Chrysostom, T. 5. contra Gent. in vit. Babylœ. S. Basil saith: "he that toucheth the bone of a martyr, receiveth in some degree holiness of the grace or virtue that is therein. Bas. in Psalm cxv.

5:29 Et confestim siccatus est fons sanguinis ejus : et sensit corpore quia sanata esset a plaga.
And forthwith the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the evil.
5:30 Et statim Jesus in semetipso cognoscens virtutem quae exierat de illo, conversus ad turbam, aiebat : Quis tetigit vestimenta mea ?
*H And immediately Jesus knowing in himself the virtue that had proceeded from him, turning to the multitude, said: Who hath touched my garments?


Ver. 30. Virtue that hath proceeded from him. Virtue to heal this woman's malady proceeded from Christ, though she touched but his coat: so when the saints by their relics and garments perform miracles, the grace and force thereof cometh from our Saviour; they being but the means of instruments of the same. B.

5:31 Et dicebant ei discipuli sui : Vides turbam comprimentem te, et dicis : Quis me tetigit ?
And his disciples said to him: Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou who hath touched me?
5:32 Et circumspiciebat videre eam, quae hoc fecerat.
And he looked about to see her who had done this.
5:33 Mulier vero timens et tremens, sciens quod factum esset in se, venit et procidit ante eum, et dixit ei omnem veritatem.
But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.
5:34 Ille autem dixit ei : Filia, fides tua te salvam fecit : vade in pace, et esto sana a plaga tua.
And he said to her: Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole: go in peace, and be thou whole of thy disease.
* Footnote * Luke 7 : 50 And he said to the woman: Thy faith hath made thee safe. Go in peace.
* Footnote * Luke 8 : 48 But he said to her: Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole. Go thy way in peace.
5:35 Adhuc eo loquente, veniunt ab archisynagogo, dicentes : Quia filia tua mortua est : quid ultra vexas magistrum ?
*H While he was yet speaking, some come from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying: Thy daughter is dead: why dost thou trouble the master any further?


Ver. 35. Ruler of the synagogue. His house is understood.

5:36 Jesus autem audito verbo quod dicebatur, ait archisynagogo : Noli timere : tantummodo crede.
*H But Jesus having heard the word that was spoken, saith to the ruler of the synagogue: Fear not, only believe.


Ver. 36. Only believe. Dissenters grossly abuse this and other similar texts of Scripture, to prove that faith alone will suffice for justification; whereas God only declares, that he requires a faith in his almighty power for the performance of miracles, and that without this necessary predisposition, he will not do any miracles. See v. 5, of the following chapter.

5:37 Et non admisit quemquam se sequi nisi Petrum, et Jacobum, et Joannem fratrem Jacobi.
And he admitted not any man to follow him, but Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.
5:38 Et veniunt in domum archisynagogi, et videt tumultum, et flentes, et ejulantes multum.
And they cone to the house of the ruler of the synagogue; and he seeth a tumult, and people weeping and wailing much.
5:39 Et ingressus, ait illis : Quid turbamini, et ploratis ? puella non est mortua, sed dormit.
And going in, he saith to them Why make you this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.
5:40 Et irridebant eum. Ipse vero ejectis omnibus assumit patrem, et matrem puellae, et qui secum erant, et ingreditur ubi puella erat jacens.
And they laughed him to scorn. But he having put them all out, taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying.
5:41 Et tenens manum puellae, ait illi : Talitha cumi, quod est interpretatum : Puella (tibi dico), surge.
*H And taking the damsel by the hand, he saith to her: Talitha cumi, which is, being interpreted: Damsel (I say to thee) arise.


Ver. 41. Only three resurrections from the dead are mentioned as performed by our Saviour: one just dead; one carried out to be buried; and Lazarus, already in his tomb. These represent the different states of sinners dead in sin, some more desperate than others. To such as have been for years in sin, and have none to intercede for them, we must apply the words of Christ, suffer the dead to bury the dead. Ven. Bede, and S. Aug. de verb. Dom. serm. 44.

5:42 Et confestim surrexit puella, et ambulabat : erat autem annorum duodecim : et obstupuerunt stupore magno.
And immediately the damsel rose up, and walked: and she was twelve years old: and they were astonished with a great astonishment.
5:43 Et praecepit illis vehementer ut nemo id sciret : et dixit dari illi manducare.
And he charged them strictly that no man should know it: and commanded that something should be given her to eat.
Prev Next