ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that a Jewish audience living around the first century in Eretz Israel have noticed Mark's liberation theme in the story of the Gerasene demoniac. Most Bible dictionaries emphasize the Decapolis as a Gentile region. Few scholars factor in that a significant Jewish population lived in the Decapolis and surrounding regions. The Decapolis at the time of Jesus was an independent Roman region, but generally, Jewish kings attempted to Judaize the region since Alexander Yannai and in some cases, Gentiles were exiled for not converting to Judaism. The reason there is no evidence of Gentiles converting in Mark's Gospel, was that Mark is not instigating a separate Gentile mission and 'everyone was amazed' is not a confession of faith, but of unbelief. There are a number of scholars who disagree and they do so because Mk 5.1920 is part of the messianic secret motif or narrative of misunderstanding.
