Why did the man beg Jesus to let him go with Him in Mark 5:18? Setting the Scene “ As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed by the demons begged to go with Him.” (Mark 5:18) Immediate Clues in the Passage • Before this moment, the man had lived among tombs, naked, uncontrollable, “crying out and cutting himself with stones” (Mark 5:5). • Jesus cast out the legion of demons, leaving the man “clothed and in his right mind” (Mark 5:15). • Townspeople asked Jesus to leave; Jesus was already stepping back into the boat (Mark 5:17). • The man’s plea is the only request in the chapter that Jesus denies (Mark 5:18-19). Core Reasons He Begged to Go With Jesus 1. Grateful devotion • The first natural impulse after such total deliverance is to stay near the Deliverer. • Psalm 116:12-14—“How can I repay the LORD for all His goodness to me? … I will fulfill my vows to the LORD.” 2. Desire for ongoing protection • Having just been freed, he likely feared relapse if separated from Jesus (cf. Luke 11:24-26 on unclean spirits seeking return). 3. New identity and fellowship • Everything familiar—family, friends, region—had associated him with torment and shame. • 2 Corinthians 5:17—“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” • He wanted to start that new life among the only people who had welcomed him—Jesus and the disciples. 4. Hunger to learn and follow • Mark consistently shows true disciples “with Him” (Mark 3:14; 4:10). • The healed man instinctively reached for the same relationship. 5. Readiness to serve • A heart touched by grace longs to testify (cf. John 4:28-30; Acts 9:19-20). • He assumed the best place to serve was wherever Jesus physically was. Why Jesus Said “No” (Mark 5:19) “ Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how He has had mercy on you.” • Jesus turned the man from follower-in-training to first missionary to the Gentile Decapolis. • Sometimes staying becomes the greater act of obedience (cf. 1 Corinthians 7:17). Take-Home Reflections • Deliverance produces devotion; gratitude seeks closeness. • Jesus may redirect zeal, turning our “Let me come” into “Go and tell.” • The most powerful witness often rises right where bondage once ruled. • True discipleship is measured not merely by proximity to Jesus’ person but by obedience to His command (John 14:23). |
    |