The Wisdom of Yeshua: Dealing With Prejudice

In Mark 5, Yeshua is in the region of the Gadarenes. This is the Gentile side of the Sea of Galilee. When He arrives, a man possessed by many unclean spirits comes and worships Him. This man was known to be uncontrollable. He was not capable of being subdued. The unclean spirits went by the name Legion because they were so many. The man asks Yeshua: "What have I to do with you, Yeshua the Son of The Most High Elohim?" The unclean spirits begged Yeshua to be sent into the nearby swine. Verse 13 reads: "And he permitted them, and those unclean spirits departed and attacked the pigs. And that herd ran to a steep place and fell into the sea, and about two thousand were drowned in the water." The man with the unclean spirit was completely delivered and set free. The delivered man seeks to remain with Yeshua as he enters the boat to go back to the Jewish side of the Sea of Galilee. Yeshua says to the man: "Go to your house to your people and relate to them what Master YHWH did for you and how he had mercy on you."

It is very easy to miss Yeshua's teachings if you read this passage independent of the culture of the day. Yeshua does not permit the man to accompany Him back to the Jewish side of the Sea of Galilee. Why not? The reason is that the uncircumcised Gadarene would not have been accepted by the Jewish congregation. The delivered man would have met with strong resistance and been rejected because he was a Gentile. It was an act of mercy by Yeshua to spare him that rejection. That is why Yeshua sends him to "his people," where his testimony will be received. Yeshua understands people's biases and prejudices and works around them to bring YHWH the most good. Some of the Jews might have even questioned whether YHWH had performed the miracle on the Gentile.

Today, behold the wisdom and mercy of Yeshua. He delivered a Gentile, and protected his feelings from rejection. To those who were legalistic Jews, Yeshua even showed mercy on them by not giving them the opportunity to reject the work of YHWH. Don't you just marvel at the wisdom of our Messiah? He truly is the Son of God!