ESV Global Study Bible :: Footnotes for Mark 5

Mark 5:6–7 Ran and fell down before Jesus may mean that the demons unwillingly submitted to Jesus’ greater power, or that the man himself longed to be free of the demonic influence, or some of both.

Mark 5:8 Was saying (imperfect tense) indicates that Jesus had told the demon more than once to come out of the man, but it had not obeyed.

Mark 5:9 My name is Legion. A legion was the largest unit of the Roman army, with as many as 6,000 soldiers. This does not necessarily mean that there were 6,000 demons in the man, only that there were a great many.

Mark 5:11 It is not surprising to find ceremonially unclean pigs in the Gentile Decapolis region.

Mark 5:13 See note on Matt. 8:30–34.

Mark 5:15 they were afraid. See note on Luke 8:37.

Mark 5:18–20 that he might be with him. It is possible that the restored man was asking Jesus for permission to join the inner circle of disciples (see 3:14), but Jesus wanted him to be a witness to God’s power in the Decapolis. Jesus often discouraged such publicity, so that the people would not try to make him a political messiah (see note on Matt. 8:4). But apparently Jesus knew that the Gentile people of the Decapolis would not do this. The work of the Lord in Mark 5:19 is described as the work of Jesus in v. 20, indicating that Jesus shares the same nature as God himself.

Mark 5:21 to the other side (see note on Matt. 8:28). Jesus returns to the Galilean side of the sea.

Mark 5:22 The laymen who were rulers of the synagogue presided over the affairs of the synagogue, including organizing and teaching in synagogue services. Most of them were Pharisees (on synagogues, see note on Luke 4:16 and The Synagogue and Jewish Worship).

Mark 5:25–27 discharge of blood. On account of her condition, the woman is ceremonially unclean (see Lev. 15:25–28). She is not permitted to enter the temple section reserved for women, or to be in public without making people aware of her condition. touched his garment. Jesus makes the woman clean by his power, instead of becoming unclean himself (see Lev. 15:19–23; Mark 1:41; 5:41).

Mark 5:31–33 Fear and trembling can lead to faith (see note on 4:40).

Mark 5:34 The Greek word for made (you) well can mean either “heal” or “save” (see note on Matt. 9:22).

Mark 5:35 Verses 35–43 resume the account of Jairus’s daughter (vv. 22–24).

Mark 5:36 Do not fear, only believe. Again, Jesus shows that faith is the solution to fear (see 2:5; 4:40).

Mark 5:37 Peter and James and John. Only the inner circle of disciples is permitted to join Jesus (see 1:29; 9:2; and note on 3:16–17).

Mark 5:38–40 weeping and wailing loudly. Some in the crowd were professional mourners, who were expected to be present even at funerals for the poor (see note on Matt. 9:23). The child is not dead but sleeping. The child had indeed died (see Luke 8:55), but from Jesus’ viewpoint her death is but sleep.

Mark 5:41 Touching a dead person renders one ceremonially unclean (Lev. 22:4; Num. 19:11), but once again Jesus overcomes uncleanness (see note on Mark 5:25–27), and the girl comes back to life (see 2 Kings 4:17–37; Acts 9:39–41). Talitha cumi. At times, Mark reports Jesus’ statements in Aramaic, which shows that Mark’s writing was based on eyewitness accounts.

Mark 5:43 no one should know this. See note on Matt. 8:4.