MarkStudy Guide

Chapter 5

Themes, discussion questions, Christ connections, and denomination lenses.

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Scripture

KJV

1And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.

2And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,

3Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:

4Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.

5And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.

6But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,

7And cried with a loud voice, and said, 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.

8For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.

9And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.

10And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.

11Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.

12And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.

13And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.

14And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done.

15And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.

16And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine.

17And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.

18And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.

19Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.

20And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.

21And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea.

22And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet,

23And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.

24And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.

25And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,

26And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,

27When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.

28For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.

29And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.

30And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?

31And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?

32And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.

33But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.

34And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.

35While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?

36As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.

37And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.

38And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.

39And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.

40And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying.

41And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.

42And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.

43And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.

Key VerseMark 5:36

As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.

Overview

Jesus crosses the Sea of Galilee to the region of the Gadarenes, where He delivers a man possessed by a legion of demons, sending the spirits into a herd of swine. Returning to the western shore, He is approached by Jairus, a synagogue ruler, whose daughter is dying. On the way, a woman with an issue of blood for twelve years touches His garment and is healed, and Jesus then raises Jairus' daughter from the dead.

Key Themes

1

Power Over the Demonic Legion

No force of darkness can withstand Jesus — even a legion of demons begs for permission before Him, demonstrating His absolute supremacy over the spiritual realm.

2

Faith That Reaches Out

The hemorrhaging woman's act of touching Jesus' garment reveals that even desperate, trembling faith — when directed at Christ — is enough to bring complete healing and restoration.

3

Authority Over Death

By raising Jairus' daughter with the simple words 'Talitha cumi,' Jesus reveals that death itself is subject to His command, foreshadowing His own triumph over the grave.

Study Questions

1.

Why did the people of the Gadarenes beg Jesus to leave their region after the healing of the demoniac — and what does this reveal about the cost of encountering Christ?

2.

The healed demoniac wanted to follow Jesus, but Jesus sent him home to testify — what does this teach us about the different forms discipleship can take?

3.

How does the woman with the issue of blood model faith for us, and why does Jesus insist she identify herself publicly rather than slip away quietly?

4.

What does Jesus mean when He tells Jairus 'Be not afraid, only believe' in the face of his daughter's death — and how do we apply this when our situations seem hopeless?

5.

How do the three miracles in this chapter — exorcism, healing, and resurrection — together reveal the comprehensive scope of Christ's saving power?

Connection to Christ

Mark 5 displays the full range of Jesus' saving power: He liberates the demon-possessed, heals the chronically ill, and raises the dead. No human condition is beyond His reach. He is the compassionate Savior who crosses every boundary — geographic, social, and spiritual — to rescue those in desperate need.

Personal Reflection

Take time to journal or meditate on what God is teaching you through Mark 5. How can these truths transform your thinking and actions today?

Mark

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