A Postcolonial reading of Mark 5:1-16: A response for Mizoram Health Issue

Text: Mark 5:1-16: They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. 2 And when he had stepped out of the boat, immediately a man out of the tombs with an unclean spirit met him. 3 He lived among the tombs; and no one could restrain him anymore, even with a chain; 4 for he had often been restrained with shackles and chains, but the chains he wrenched apart, and the shackles he broke in pieces; and no one had the strength to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always howling and bruising himself with stones. 6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and bowed down before him; 7 and he shouted at the top of his voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” 8 For he had said to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9 Then Jesus[b] asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” 10 He begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. 11 Now there on the hillside a great herd of swine was feeding; 12 and the unclean spirits[c]begged him, “Send us into the swine; let us enter them.” 13 So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine; and the herds, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and were drowned in the sea.

14 The swineherds ran off and told it in the city and in the country. Then people came to see what it was that had happened. 15 They came to Jesus and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the legion; and they were afraid. 16 Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it.

Introduction

The importance of Colonialism/Postcolonialism as a critical reading strategy in literature, cultural and biblical studies needs no apology as we observe more than three-quarters of the population living in the world today whose lives and culture have been shaped by the experience of colonialism. Colonialism in the modern period appears not only to be a political and economic enterprise but also a discursive intrusion into the cultural and perceptual spheres of the colonized peoples.

Meaning of Certain Words

The word ‘colony’ is derived from the Latin word ‘colonia’ which means ‘farm’ or ‘settlement’. It is used to refer the Greek and Roman settlements in other lands. Though historically colonization refers to the practice of farmers (colonis) who settle in new territories for farming (colere), during the imperial Hellenistic and Roman Periods it appears to have assumed a military and political significance. Post-Colonial critics use the word ‘imperialism’ to “refer to the authority assumed by a state over another territory-authority expressed in pageantry and symbolism, as well as military power” and ‘colonialism’ to refer to “the consolidation of imperial power…manifested in the settlement of territory, the exploitation or development of resources, and the attempt to govern the indigenous inhabitants of occupied lands.”    

Current Models of Postcolonial reading of Mark

The existing postcolonial readings of Mark may be classified into many models. We take out one point is-Mark is an essential Postcolonial resistance literature according to Richard Horsley. He proposed postcolonial readings of Mark, though not seen in retrospect to be entirely new to at least a few Markan scholars, in an article in The Postcolonial Bible. He says, “A postcolonial reading of Mark’s narrative, however, makes it appear much like the sort of history that recent subaltern studies are striving to construct of the Indian peasantry”.     

Postcolonial Interpretation of Mark 5:1-16

In recent time, the account of the Gerasene demoniac has proved to be fertile soil for liberation and postcolonial interpretations. Generally speaking, in postcolonial interpretation, a text is studied with a view to challenging hegemonic western perspective, exposing its sponsorship of totalizing agendas and imperialist regimes, identifying hidden protests embedded within a text, and hearing the voices of those marginalized the Gentile man are called ‘legion’, which is the name of a Roman fighting unit comprised of about 6000 soldiers. Interestingly the Roman 10th legion, the Legio X Fretensis, was based in Syro-Palestine and had a wild boar as the insignia on its standard and seal.

Mark’s story cannot be reduced an allegory of Roman occupation, its demonic nature, and the necessity of expelling it. While there is no doubt that Mark could envisage Roman supremacy as an expression of demonic power, he is also interested in the wider cosmic and eschatological struggle that Jesus is engaged as the stronger one. (Mk 1:7), who is able to subdue and ransack the satanic kingdom (Mk 3:27). The story should not be treated as really a veiled narrative protest against Roman power, but neither should we insulate social, political and theological entitles since these were intertwined that Mark shares. It would be a culturally logical step for the audience to link the kingdom of Satan with Rome and the healing activity of Jesus with the restored kingdom of Israel.

A response for Mizoram Health Issue

As we had already known that the Postcolonial interpretation of Mark 5:1-16, we saw the demonic and his name is ‘legion’, is it demonic or malnutrition? The Roman Empire oppressed the poor people at that time. The poor lack a good medicine and a good food.  Their body were too weak and easily to catch the diseases. In Mizoram, the poor people and the villagers had no good hospital, no good doctor at their particular areas. The good doctor and good hospital were there in a city. The government of Mizoram could not transfer the efficient doctor at the village.

Some pregnant women died on their delivery because the lack of good doctor and good hospital. But the government ignores them and she could not provide their needs. Roads are also bad and those who are needed to go to the city Hospital, the way is too far from their place. The disease of Cancer is also very much in Mizoram and many people are dying suffering from cancer disease.

However, Jesus can heal all the diseases and he resisted those who are suffering from any disease because of the colonial power. We can response the health issues of Mizoram from this Bible verses Mark 5:1-16. According to Mark, Jesus did not want to ignore the poor people and the oppressed people and he countered the Roman Empire. Mizoram health problems were also involving the government policy is not sufficient for the poor people. If we are the followers of Jesus Christ, we re-think our political system upon health department. We need to re-think and recreate our political system and change our system of medical department. We shall responses and challenges our government form this Bible passages to solve our health problems and issues.

The Gospels make clear; followers of Jesus Christ are called by God to get involved where others need us even if we don’t want to help them. In today’s reading from Mark 5:1-16 Jesus entered a situation where a man was out of control. As Mark told the story, the man was not what most would consider “normal.” He could not be restrained even by chains. It isn’t stated, but it seems to be implied that the people who lived in the region of the “Gerasenes” ostracized him—drove him out of their towns. He was forced to live amongst the tombs. “Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.” (Mk. 5:5)

What more can we do to bring God’s love to those of us who suffer from mental health problems? We can continue to learn more about mental health issues and needs. We can also read about healing in the Bible. We can read about how Jesus dealt with people labeled as “Demoniacs” as well as those with other conditions. These stories remind us that God is stronger than any force of evil, disease, genetics or any social condition that hinders our growth in grace. We can lay the groundwork by praying in church and privately for those of us living with mental illnesses. If we want to preserve their privacy, we can ask for ongoing prayer without naming the person— just their condition. If we ourselves live with mental illness we might acknowledge that and ask for others we trust to pray for us. If we do nothing, we miss the opportunity to help those of us who feel unwelcome in the Church because of our mental health needs. If we act proactively to welcome mentally ill people, we become a congregation that looks for new ways to affirm and love all of God’s people just as they are. We do this whatever stress it may cause us. But we do it together as a family—the family of God! God’s people deserve no less—regardless of the state of our minds, bodies or spirits.

Bibliography

Ashcorf, Bill et al,. Key Concepts in Post-Colonial Studies. London: Routledge, 1998.

Boehmer, Elleke. Colonial and Postcolonial Literature. Oxford: OUP, 1995.

Dormandy, Richard. The Expulsion of Legion: A Political Reading of Mark 5:1-20. Marynoll, NY: Orbis, 2000.

Horsley, Richard A. Hearing the Whole Story: The Politics of Plot in Mark’s Gospel. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox, 2001.

Horsley, Richard. Submerged Biblical Histories and Imperial Biblical Studies” in The Postcolonial Bible, (ed), R.S. Sugirtharajah.

The Holy Bible, New revised Standard Version Bible, Catholic Edition. Catholic Bible Press: Thomas Nelson Inc, Nasaville,Tennessee, 1993.

Yarbo Collins, Adela. Mark. Hermeneia : Minneapolis: Fortress, 2007.