The story of the Gerasene demoniac: revelation of allusion as a means of a new interpretation of the Gospel narrative
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51216/Keywords:
Holy Scriptures, gospel allusion, the phenomenon of «demonic possession», Roman legion, the image of a pig (boar), paganism.Abstract
The relevance of the study of the Gospel in a specific historical context is due to the possibility of a deeper interpretation of the famous episodes of the Holy Scriptures. In this article, the author reveals the allusion contained in the gospel text (Mark 5, 1–14): the introduction of fallen spirits into pigs in the story of the Gerasene demoniac is associated with the Roman legion X being in Palestine at that time, which is seen as an omen of the subsequent fall of paganism before apostolic preaching. A brief analysis of the phenomenon of «demonic possession» in the Orthodox tradition is carried out, the image of a pig in various pagan beliefs and in the Holy Scriptures is considered. The liberation of a possessed, former pagan who became a preacher of the truth among fellow tribesmen, from the point of view of the author, is a prototype of the liberation of mankind from the power of the devil through the adoption of faith in the true God. In this context, saints are considered as an external, material embodiment of paganism, and demons as its spiritual component. In conclusion, the author claims that the identification of direct links between the gospel images and historical realities creates the basis for the effective preaching of the word of God in the modern world.
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