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Why Did He Ask His Name?

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The different New Testament gospels sometimes tell the same story and give extra details by reading different accounts. So it is with Matthew 8 and Mark chapters 4 and 5. In Matthew chapter 8 It is an account of Jesus going around healing many people and performing miracles, and in v23 Jesus enters into a ship then tells of the storm where the disciples got scared with them entering a ship then upon reaching the other side he meets the possessed man and casts out a legion of unclean spirits into a herd of swine.

Mark 4 & 5 tells the same story and in greater detail. Apparently when He first got into the ship before they left to go to the other side, he taught the multitudes who were following Him because He was walking around performing many miracles. Then they all left to go to the other side and that's where they meet the man possessed by a legion of unclean spirits...but in this account it reveals that Jesus asked the evil spirit(s) it's name.

This has to be a significant detail. Why did He ask his name?

:thinking
 
5 And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.
2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,
3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:
4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.
5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.
6 But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,
7 And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.
8 For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.
9 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.
 
5 And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.
2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,
3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:
4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.
5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.
6 But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,
7 And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.
8 For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.
9 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.
Good question,
The only thing that comes to mind is,
I know that when one performs an exorcism, they want to know them by name, to see whom they are dealing with, thus cast him out namely.
:crossed
 
Yeah but it's not like Jesus didn't know already. He was walking with the Father, performing Miracles and all that...He knew already. He always knew what was in peoples hearts and minds around Him, so this was something else and for a calculated reason I'm sure...but why?
 
In asking for his name Jesus identified what the problem was.
In mark 5v1 a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him.
yet in v9 My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.

Jesus was dempnstrating that the problem was greater than people thought.
 
Yeah but it's not like Jesus didn't know already. He was walking with the Father, performing Miracles and all that...He knew already. He always knew what was in peoples hearts and minds around Him, so this was something else and for a calculated reason I'm sure...but why?

That was my guess, Lol.
I think Jesus taught us to walk as He walked, showing us examples.
Even taught us how to pray etc..
 
I believe Jesus did a lot of things for our SAKE.

Example:
Speaking of Jesus raising Lazarus..
John 11: 41,42
Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said,
Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard Me.
And I knew that thou hearest Me always;

But because of the people which stand by I said it,

That they may believe that Thou hast sent Me.
 
Been researching this and this is the only thing I have found. The reason Jesus asked its name was probably so we would know the full extent of the problem, knowing that the man was filled with many demons, which is what Legion means as being many. It could be a teaching that a person can be possessed by more than one demon, but yet no mater how many they are subjected to the power and authority of Jesus as demons tremble at His name.
 
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