And when he crossed to the other side, to the land of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men met him as they were coming out of the tombs. They were so violent that no one could pass along that road.
In this passage Jesus goes into the region of the Gadarenes, where he is met by two demon-possessed men. The demon-possessed are presented as dangerous people who lived among the tombs and inspired fear in passersby, so that because of them no one dared to travel that road. This picture shows how strong the evil spirits were that held power over those men, and how afraid ordinary people were to pass through that area. Yet the coming of Jesus indicates that he has authority not only over diseases, but also over evil spirits. The demon-possessed cannot stand before him, and as we will see next, this episode paves the way for another miracle, revealing Jesus’ power and supremacy in every situation.