The Meaning of Mark 5:9 Explained

Mark 5:9

KJV: And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.

YLT: and he was questioning him, 'What is thy name?' and he answered, saying, 'Legion is my name, because we are many;'

Darby: And he asked him, What is thy name? And he says to him, Legion is my name, because we are many.

ASV: And he asked him, What is thy name? And he saith unto him, My name is Legion; for we are many.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  he asked  him,  What  [is] thy  name?  And  he answered,  saying,  My  name  [is] Legion:  for  we are  many. 

What does Mark 5:9 Mean?

Study Notes

many
See, Mark 16:9 ; Matthew 7:22
Devils
Devils, lit demons. To the reality and personality of demons the N.T. scriptures bear abundant testimony. As to their origin nothing is clearly revealed, but they are not to be confounded with the angels mentioned in 2 Peter 2:4 ; Judges 1:6 .
Summary: Demons are spirits Matthew 12:43 ; Matthew 12:45 are Satan's emissaries; Matthew 12:26 ; Matthew 12:27 ; Matthew 25:41 and so numerous as to make Satan's power practically ubiquitous. Mark 5:9 . They are capable of entering and controlling both men and beasts Mark 5:8 ; Mark 5:11-13 and earnestly seek embodiment, without which, apparently, they are powerless for evil.; Matthew 12:43 ; Matthew 12:44 ; Mark 5:10-12 . Demon influence and demon possession are discriminated in the N. T. Instances of the latter are; Matthew 4:24 ; Matthew 8:16 ; Matthew 8:28 ; Matthew 8:33 ; Matthew 9:32 ; Matthew 12:22 ; Mark 1:32 ; Mark 5:3-5 ; Mark 5:16 ; Mark 5:18 ; Luke 8:35 ; Acts 8:7 ; Acts 16:16 . They are unclean, sullen, violent, and malicious; Matthew 8:28 ; Matthew 9:23 ; Matthew 10:1 ; Matthew 12:43 ; Mark 1:23 ; Mark 5:15 ; Mark 9:17 ; Mark 9:20 ; Luke 6:18 ; Luke 9:39 . They know Jesus Christ as Most High God, and recognize His supreme authority; Matthew 8:31 ; Matthew 8:32 ; Mark 1:24 ; Acts 19:15 ; James 2:19 . They know their eternal fate to be one of torment; Matthew 8:29 ; Luke 8:31 . They inflict physical maladies; Matthew 12:22 ; Matthew 17:15-18 ; Luke 13:16 but mental disease is to be distinguished from the disorder of mind due to demonical control. Demon influence may manifest itself in religion asceticism and formalism 1 Timothy 4:1-3 degenerating into uncleanness 2 Peter 2:10-12 . The sign of demon influence in religion is departing from the faith, i.e. the body of revealed truth in the Scriptures. 1 Timothy 4:1 . The demons maintain especially a conflict with believers who would be spiritual.; Ephesians 6:12 ; 1 Timothy 4:1-3 . All unbelievers are open to demon possession Ephesians 2:2 . The believer's resources, prayer and bodily control Matthew 17:21 "the whole armour of God" Ephesians 6:13-18 . Exorcism in the name of Jesus Christ Acts 16:18 was practised for demon possession. One of the awful features of the apocalyptic judgments in which this age will end is an irruption of demons out the abyss. Revelation 9:1-11 .

Verse Meaning

These verses resume the conversation from Mark 5:7. A legion was six thousand Roman soldiers. Probably the leading demon used this as a round number to represent thousands of demons (cf. Mark 5:13). The word "legion" also suggests their organization, strength, oppression, and authority over the man they influenced. [1] Probably Jesus asked this question for the disciples" benefit.

Context Summary

Mark 5:1-20 - Power Over Unclean Spirits
This poor victim of a dark tyrant power was endowed with superhuman strength, and scorned restraint. Terrible to others, he endured untold misery himself, and sought relief in tears and self-inflicted torture. The evil spirit who inflicted torment was also in dread of torment from the gentle Savior, as one whose eyes are inflamed dreads the light. What an admixture of man and demons-he answered, We are many! And how malignant! The demons dread disembodiment and prefer a swine's body to none. Many in our midst are held by a similar diabolic power, against which, because they yielded at first by imperceptible degrees, they now struggle in vain. Yet for such there is absolute deliverance in Christ. The emblem of a sinner, a very Samson in evil-doing, this man gives encouragement to all those who are driven to evil by demon power.
Distinguish between the sinner and the evil spirits that have control of him, and do their will. The demon that torments a man loves mischief, and would rather destroy swine than be idle. It was not Christ who destroyed these animals, but the spirit of evil. Hast thou been redeemed? Go forth and win others for thy Lord. Tell them what he has done for thee! [source]

Chapter Summary: Mark 5

1  Jesus delivering the possessed of the legion of demons,
13  they enter into the pigs
22  He is entreated by Jairus to go and heal his daughter
25  He heals the woman subject to bleeding,
35  and raises Jairus' daughter from death

Greek Commentary for Mark 5:9

My name is Legion [Λεγιων ονομα μοι]
So Luke 8:30, but not Matthew. Latin word (legio). A full Roman legion had 6,826 men. See note on Matthew 26:53. This may not have been a full legion, for Mark 5:13 notes that the number of hogs was “about two thousand.” Of course, a stickler for words might say that each hog had several demons. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 5:9

Luke 8:30 Many devils were, etc []
Compare Mark 5:9. [source]
Luke 8:2 From whom seven devils (demons) had gone out [απ ης δαιμονια επτα εχεληλυτει]
Past perfect active third singular for the δαιμονια — daimonia are neuter plural. This first mention of Mary Magdalene describes her special cause of gratitude. This fact is stated also in Mark 16:9 in the disputed close of the Gospel. The presence of seven demons in one person indicates special malignity (Mark 5:9). See Matthew 12:45 for the parable of the demon who came back with seven other demons worse than the first. It is not known where Magdala was, whence Mary came. [source]
Luke 8:30 Legion [Λεγιων]
See note on Mark 5:9. [source]

What do the individual words in Mark 5:9 mean?

And He was asking him What [is] [the] name of you saying he answered Legion [is] name to Me because many we are
Καὶ ἐπηρώτα αὐτόν Τί ὄνομά σοι λέγει αὐτῷ Λεγιὼν ὄνομά μοι ὅτι πολλοί ἐσμεν

ἐπηρώτα  He  was  asking 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἐπερωτάω  
Sense: to accost one with an enquiry, put a question to, enquiry of, ask, interrogate.
Τί  What  [is] 
Parse: Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: τίς  
Sense: who, which, what.
ὄνομά  [the]  name 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: ὄνομα  
Sense: name: univ.
σοι  of  you 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 2nd Person Singular
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.
λέγει  saying 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
αὐτῷ  he  answered 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
Λεγιὼν  Legion 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: λεγιών  
Sense: a legion, a body of soldiers whose number differed at different times, and in the time of Augustus seems to have consisted of 6826 men (i.
ὄνομά  [is]  name 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: ὄνομα  
Sense: name: univ.
μοι  to  Me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
ὅτι  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
πολλοί  many 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: πολύς  
Sense: many, much, large.
ἐσμεν  we  are 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Plural
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.

What are the major concepts related to Mark 5:9?

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