Mark 5:17

17 Then the people began to beg Jesus to leave their territory.

Mark 5:17 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 5:17

And they began to pray him
That is, the inhabitants of the city of Gadara, and of the villages round about, very earnestly importuned him

to depart out of their coasts;
fearing, lest for their sins, some sorer judgment should fall upon them, than the loss of their swine; since they perceived he was a person of great power and authority; which shows great ignorance and worldly mindedness: they knew not how great a person they had among them; that he was the Son of God, and Saviour of the world: they might have known from the miracles wrought, that he was a very wonderful and extraordinary person; but then they considered him as one endued with great power, rather, to do them hurt than good; as one sent to scourge them for their sins, than to save them from them: such very contrary notions have carnal men of Christ; they are afraid of being sufferers, or losers by him: they do not care to part with their swinish lusts for him; these they prefer to a Saviour, and love the world, and the things of it, more than he, and therefore are not worthy of him; (See Gill on Matthew 8:34).

Mark 5:17 In-Context

15 They came to Jesus and saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons. The man was sitting there dressed and in his right mind. The people were frightened.

16 Those who saw this told what had happened to the demon-possessed man and the pigs.

17 Then the people began to beg Jesus to leave their territory.

18 As Jesus stepped into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged him, "Let me stay with you."

19 But Jesus would not allow it. Instead, he told the man, "Go home to your family, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been to you."