The Triumphant ChurchThis fellow was probably a masochist, deriving sexual
pleasure from suffering physical pain.
We see that this unclean spirit made the madman of
Gadara what it was, because as soon as the man was
delivered and restored to his right mind, he put on
clothes: "... they come to Jesus, and see him that was
possessed with the devil... sitting, and clothed, and in
his right mind ..." (Mark 5:15).
Also, when this fellow was restored to his right
mind, he began sitting at the feet of Jesus to learn of
Him. People who are delivered from Satan and sin are
restored to their right minds and begin to sit at the feet
of Jesus to learn of Him.
Another important element in this passage is found
in Mark 5:2. Only one devil does the possessing. Notice
the Bible says, "... when he [Jesus] was come out of the
ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man
with an unclean SPIRIT." The word "spirit" is singular.
That's the first evidence we have that only one spirit
does the possessing.
Soon after His encounter with this man, Jesus told
the unclean spirit to come out of the man, "... Come out
of the man, thou UNCLEAN SPIRIT" (Mark 5:8). But
the unclean spirit did not come out of the man. So then
Jesus asked: "What is thy name?" The unclean spirit
answered, "... MY NAME is Legion: for we are many" (v.
9).
That indicated there was only one spirit that did the
possessing—and it was an unclean spirit named Legion.
In this case, "Legion" refers not only to the name of the
unclean spirit but also to its number. This one evil
spirit that was an unclean spirit was named Legion,
and by its name we know that it brought in with it
many other evil spirits to inhabit the man.