Hello From The Other Side

A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to visit the ruins of the ancient city of Hippos on the Golan Heights above the Sea of Galilee.  It was the first time I'd visited the site, and I couldn't have been more pleased. 

Hippos was a Hellenistic city positioned high on a hill and was part of the Decapolis, ten Roman/Hellenistic cities that occupied the Golan Heights in the ancient world.  It was the site of a miracle of Jesus, and could very well have been the "city on a hill" that he referred to when teaching his disciples about being lights in the world.  

In Mark 5:1-18, we encounter a dramatic story filled with spiritual and cultural meaning, especially in light of the Roman occupation of 1st-century Judea. 

As Jesus and His disciples cross the Sea of Galilee, they arrive in the region of the Gerasenes, a territory marked more by Hellenistic influence and Roman dominance than by Jewish tradition. 

This “other side” of the lake was a place of the unfamiliar and uncomfortable, and the Jewish people often avoided it. Yet, here Jesus chooses to go, demonstrating His willingness to reach beyond borders—geographical, cultural, and spiritual.

Jesus and his followers are immediately confronted by a demon-possessed man who lives in the burial caves outside of the city.  

The man was possessed by a legion of demons—a Roman military term that signifies a large force of 6,000 soldiers.

This symbolism emphasizes the oppressive regime’s strength and dominance, which Jesus confronts head-on. As Jesus casts out the legion into a herd of pigs—animals often associated with Roman presence and symbolizing impurity—the scene becomes a vivid picture of divine authority over human degradation and oppressive powers.

Interestingly, the Tenth Roman Legion's symbol was a wild boar on their emblems and banners.  This would become the legion that would assist in putting down the Jewish rebellion over thirty years after Jesus. 

The fact that Jesus instructs the man to stay in his own home area—likely Hippos, close to where the herd of pigs was seen—tells us that this healed man was called to be a witness in the very land of the oppressors. 

Jesus was about spiritual liberation and calling those who’ve experienced His power to bear witness where they are. His act of healing the man transforms a symbol of despair and darkness into hope and testimony, demonstrating that God's love and power are accessible everywhere, even in the most uncomfortable or hostile environments.

This story reminds us that Jesus intentionally moves into spaces many might avoid. The “other side” of the Sea of Galilee, with its Hellenistic cities and Roman influence, represents places where societal and cultural boundaries are often maintained or feared. 

Yet, in these spaces, Jesus demonstrates His Lordship and offers redemption, directly breaking barriers and confronting spiritual darkness.

As followers of Christ, we are called to emulate this courage—to be willing to step into uncomfortable spaces, reach out to those marginalized or misunderstood, and share God's hope and love. 

Just as Jesus entered territory that others avoided, we can extend His compassion to people needing a word of hope, forgiveness, and renewal. 

May we be inspired to go “to the other side”—to places, people, and situations that require us to rely on God's strength. God's grace can transform even the most daunting circumstances into testimonies of God's glory.