SEV Biblia, Chapter 5:9
Y le pregunt: ¿Cmo te llamas? Y respondi diciendo: Legin me llamo; porque somos muchos.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Mark 5:9
Verse 9. Legion: for we are many.] Could a disease have spoken so? "No, there was no devil in the case; the man spoke according to the prejudice of his countrymen." And do you think that the Spirit of God could employ himself in retailing such ridiculous and nonsensical prejudices? "But the evangelist gives these as this madman's words, and it was necessary that, as a faithful historian, he should mention these circumstances." But this objection is destroyed by the parallel place in Luke, Luke viii. 30, where the inspired writer himself observes, that the demoniac was called Legion, because many demons had entered into him.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 9. And he asked him, what is thy name ? etc..] Which question Christ put, not for his own sake; for he was not ignorant of his name, nor of the number of the unclean spirits which were in the man; but partly, that it might be known what a miserable condition this poor man was in, being infested, and vexed with such a large company of devils; and partly, that his own pity and power in delivering him, might be more manifest; and he answered, saying, my name is Legion : the Syriac version renders it, our name is Legion; the reason of which name is given, for we are many : as a Roman legion did consist of many, though its number was not always alike: in the time of Romulus, a legion consisted of three thousand foot, and three hundred horse; afterwards, when the city was, increased, of six thousand foot, and six hundred horse; sometimes it was six thousand and two hundred foot, and three hundred horse; sometimes four thousand foot, and three hundred horse; sometimes five thousand foot, and three hundred horse f70 . Some make a legion to consist of six thousand six hundred sixty six; and others make it much larger, even twelve thousand five hundred: however, the number in a legion was many; hence the word is retained among the Jews, and is used for a large number, either of persons or things; as, ytyz l m d j a wygl , a legion of olives f71 : that is, a large number of them; though sometimes it is used of a single person, who has others under him, as the general of an army: thus it is said that one man should say to another, from whence art thou? he replies, from such a legion am I; the man went to the legion the legion heard, and was afraid the man said, woe unto me! now will the legion slay me the legion heard, etc.. And again f73 , a certain legion asked R. Abba, is it not written, etc..
Once more f74 , Lo! such a legion shall go with thee, to keep thee, etc..
Upon which the gloss is, ab x h r , the general of an army; so called, because he had a legion, or a large number of soldiers under his command: and just so this unclean spirit is called by this name, because he had a great many more with him, and under him, in that man; sometimes it is only used of a single person himself, as of a king's servant sent into a foreign country, to collect his tax: a legion was reckoned by the Jews unclean and defiled, whatsoever place they entered into f76 ; how much more unclean must this man be, that had a legion of unclean spirits in him! From hence it appears, that the devils are very numerous; for if there was a legion of them in one man, how many must there be in all the children of disobedience, to maintain their ground, and support their interest among them? As there is an innumerable company of holy angels to encamp about the saints, and do them all the service they can, and axe appointed to; so there is undoubtedly an innumerable company of devils, who do all the hurt they can, or are permitted to do, unto the sons of men: hence they are expressed by words, which signify number as well as power; as principalities and powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world, spiritual wickedness in high places, the power or posse of the air, the angels of Satan, the angels that sinned and left their habitations, etc.. As also that they are in a body, and in the form of an army; with a general at the head of them, the prince of devils, and king of the bottomless pit: there are whole squadrons and regiments of them, yea, even legions; which are formed in battle array, and make war against Christ, the seed of the woman; as they did when he was in the garden, and hung upon the cross, which was the hour and power of darkness; and against his members; as they did in Rome pagan against the Christian church, and in Rome papal, against the same, ( Revelation 12:7,8,17), and what a mercy it is for the saints, that besides twelve legions of good angels and more, which are ready to assist and protect them, they have God on their side, and therefore it signifies not who is against them; and they have Christ with them, who has spoiled principalities and powers; and greater is the Holy Spirit that is in them, than he that is in the world.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-20 - Some openly wilful sinners are like this madman. The commands of the law are as chains and fetters, to restrain sinners from their wicke courses; but they break those bands in sunder; and it is an evidence of the power of the devil in them. A legion of soldiers consisted of sin thousand men, or more. What multitudes of fallen spirits there must be and all enemies to God and man, when here was a legion in one poor wretched creature! Many there are that rise up against us. We are not match for our spiritual enemies, in our own strength; but in the Lord and in the power of his might, we shall be able to stand against them though there are legions of them. When the vilest transgressor i delivered by the power of Jesus from the bondage of Satan, he wil gladly sit at the feet of his Deliverer, and hear his word, wh delivers the wretched slaves of Satan, and numbers them among his saints and servants. When the people found that their swine were lost they had a dislike to Christ. Long-suffering and mercy may be seen even in the corrections by which men lose their property while their lives are saved, and warning given them to seek the salvation of their souls. The man joyfully proclaimed what great things Jesus had done for him. All men marvelled, but few followed him. Many who cannot but wonder at the works of Christ, yet do not, as they ought, wonder afte him.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ επηρωτα 1905 5707 V-IAI-3S αυτον 846 P-ASM τι 5101 I-NSN σοι 4671 P-2DS ονομα 3686 N-NSN και 2532 CONJ απεκριθη 611 5662 V-ADI-3S λεγων 3004 5723 V-PAP-NSM λεγεων 3003 N-NSM ονομα 3686 N-NSN μοι 3427 P-1DS οτι 3754 CONJ πολλοι 4183 A-NPM εσμεν 2070 5748 V-PXI-1P
Robertson's NT Word Studies
5:9 {My name is Legion} (legiwn onoma moi). So #Lu 8:30, but not Matthew. Latin word (_legio_). A full Roman legion had 6,826 men. See on Mt 26:53. this may not have been a full legion, for #Mr 5:13 notes that the number of hogs was "about two thousand." Of course, a stickler for words might say that each hog had several demons.
