Mark 5:17

17 And they began to urge him to depart from their region.

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 And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man sitting [there] clothed and in his right mind--the one who had had the legion--and they were afraid.

16 And those who had seen [it] described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man, and about the pigs.

17 And they began to urge him to depart from their region.

18 And [as] he was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed began to implore him that he could go with him.

19 And he did not permit him, but said to him, "Go to your home to your [people] and tell them all that the Lord has done for you, and [that] he has had mercy on you."