Mark 5:8

8 (for he said to him, `Come forth, spirit unclean, out of the man,')

Mark 5:8 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 5:8

For he said unto him
Or he had said unto him, as soon as he came up to him, and fell before him; even before he had confessed, and adjured him; and which indeed drew out the confession from him, that he was superior to him, and therefore became his supplicant:

come out of the man, thou unclean spirit;
which was said with so much authority and power, that there was no withstanding it: the devil knew he was not a match for him; that he must, at his command, quit his possession, and therefore fell to confession and entreaty. Christ will not dwell where Satan does; when therefore he is about to take up his residence in the hearts of any, he outs with Satan; he binds the strong man armed, and dispossesses him; he causes the spirit of uncleanness to depart; he sanctifies the heart by his grace and Spirit, and so makes it a proper habitation for him to dwell in by faith; and this is done by mighty power: a man cannot deliver himself out of the hands of Satan, or cause him to quit his hold of him, or the unclean spirit to depart; nor can he sanctify and cleanse himself, and make himself meet for the master's use: this is all owing to efficacious grace.

Mark 5:8 In-Context

6 And, having seen Jesus from afar, he ran and bowed before him,

7 and having called with a loud voice, he said, `What -- to me and to thee, Jesus, Son of God the Most High? I adjure thee by God, mayest thou not afflict me!'

8 (for he said to him, `Come forth, spirit unclean, out of the man,')

9 and he was questioning him, `What [is] thy name?' and he answered, saying, `Legion [is] my name, because we are many;'

10 and he was calling on him much, that he may not send them out of the region.