Mark 5:4  “…the chains had been pulled apart by him…”
Would have to be more than simple mental illness.  Wouldn’t have had super strength otherwise.

5  “…cutting himself with stones”
Self mutilation.  One of the things we look for when someone is being influenced by satanic ideas even if there’s not full blown possession.  Can also occur with major depression, but in those cases we look for possible dark influence.  I also wonder if this is part of the need some feel for wanting body piercings.  It’s become something of a fad or fashion statement, but I wonder if its roots are darker.

6  “…he ran and worshiped Him”
One of those spots which I think is referring to the physical disposition as opposed to a heartfelt reaction.  The man must have run up to Jesus and bowed down to Him.  I tend to think of worship as something coming from the heart, and it does, but the scripture will use the term to describe the physical reaction as well.  Roman soldiers mocking Jesus are said to have worshipped Him.  Obviously wasn’t a heartfelt action, but purely a physical one of bowing down.  In this case I also think the demons were showing genuine obeisance as they knew who Jesus was.

10  “…would not send them out of the country”
I think not a geographical country, but a dimensional one.  They didn’t want to be sent to the abyss.

13  “…there were about two thousand…”
Lot of swine.  Question is asked why were there swine in a Jewish area.  Jewish owners shouldn’t have had them while Gentiles would have been insulting Jewish neighbors by having them in this area.  Interesting that nothing along those lines is mentioned in any of the records we have.

13  “…drowned in the sea”
Assuming the spirits left the swine when they died, did they go on to the abyss or did this allow them to go off to possibly torment someone else.

14  “…those who fed the swine fled…”
Doesn’t say the owners, just those who fed them.

17  “…they began to plead with Him to depart from their region”
Couldn’t handle the situation.  Crazy man no longer crazy and a herd of two thousand pigs rushing over a cliff into the sea.  Instead of inquiring more about Jesus, they just wanted Him gone.  Commentary mentioned they didn’t demand or order Jesus to lead, but entreated Him to do so.  They understood the power present even if they wanted no part of it.

20  “…he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him…”
Man wanted to follow Jesus.  Normal reaction for one freed by Him.  But Jesus instructed him to be a witness to those he knew.  Apparently he did so.  Decapolis, the area of the ten cities on eastern side of the Sea of Galilee.  Interesting contrast to other times when Jesus instructs people not to make Him known.  Wonder if it was the location.  Perhaps more Gentile people here so not much chance of people wanting to make Him an earthly king as they would in other areas.  Perhaps it was beyond the point where it mattered.

I hope you enjoy reading and studying His word.  May it accomplish what He desires.  Please feel free to comment or post questions.  Thanks for reading!

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.