Mark 5: 1-5 HCSB
1 Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the region of the Gerasenes. 2 As soon as He got out of the boat, a man with an unclean spirit came out of the tombs and met Him. 3 He lived in the tombs. No one was able to restrain him any more—even with chains — 4 because he often had been bound with shackles and chains, but had snapped off the chains and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 And always, night and day, he was crying out among the tombs and in the mountains and cutting himself with stones.
On the location of where they are there is some debate. Some manuscripts say "region of the Gerasenes" while some others say "region of the Gadarenes". Both cities are part of the Decapolis that is mentioned in verse 20, so what would be considered the "region" of each probably overlaps. The sheer physical power that the demon possessed man shows would indicate a supernatural cause rather than just one of mental issues thought of as demon possession because the people "didn't know any better".
Mark 5: 6-10 HCSB
6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and knelt down before Him. 7 And he cried out with a loud voice, "What do You have to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You before God, don't torment me!" 8 For He had told him, "Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!" 9 "What is your name?" He asked him. "My name is Legion," he answered Him, "because we are many." 10 And he kept begging Him not to send them out of the region.
Once again, Evil spirits recognize Jesus instantly and have a clear understanding of who he is.
Mark 5: 11-17 HCSB
11 Now a large herd of pigs was there, feeding on the hillside. 12 The demons [e] begged Him, "Send us to the pigs, so we may enter them." 13 And He gave them permission. Then the unclean (T) spirits (U) came out and entered the pigs, and the herd of about 2,000 rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned there. 14 The men who tended them [f] ran off (V) and reported it in the town and the countryside, and people went to see what had happened. 15 They came to Jesus and saw the man who had been demon-possessed (W) by the legion, (X) sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; (Y) and they were afraid. (Z) 16 The eyewitnesses described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed (AA) man and [told] about the pigs. 17 Then they began to beg Him to leave their region.
The Decapolis was primarily a gentile region, which would explain why they are raising pigs. Many well respected commentaries I consulted on this passage, Including Matthew Henry and Adam Clarke, explain the reason for Jesus allowing the demons to enter the swine as an example he was showing the people of the region of what they were really dealing with and what happens when you compromise with evil spiritual forces. The destruction of the pigs may also be a warning to the supernatural agents in the area of what will happen when they mess with Jesus. Unfortunately the people are more afraid of Jesus than the demonic forces in the area. There is no record of Jesus ever returning to this region in his ministry.
Mark 5: 18-20 HCSB
18 As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed kept begging Him to be with Him. 19 But He would not let him; instead, He told him, "Go back home to your own people, and report to them how much the Lord has done for you and how He has had mercy on you." 20 So he went out and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and they were all amazed.
Jesus never comes back here that we know of, but he leaves a dedicated missionary behind in the form of the formerly demon possessed man.
Mark 5: 21 HCSB
21 When Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around Him while He was by the sea. 22 One of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at His feet 23 and kept begging Him, "My little daughter is at death's door. Come and lay Your hands on her so she can get well and live."
We see here and in John Chapter 3 that not all of the religious leaders were against Jesus. Even if Jarius had reservations about him, the desperate situation over rides those concerns.
Mark 5:24-34 HCSB
24 So Jesus went with him, and a large crowd was following and pressing against Him. 25 A woman suffering from bleeding for 12 years 26 had endured much under many doctors. She had spent everything she had and was not helped at all. On the contrary, she became worse. 27 Having heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His robe. 28 For she said, "If I can just touch His robes, I'll be made well!" 29 Instantly her flow of blood ceased, and she sensed in her body that she was cured of her affliction.
30 At once Jesus realized in Himself that power had gone out from Him. He turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched My robes?" 31 His disciples said to Him, "You see the crowd pressing against You, and You say, 'Who touched Me?' " 32 So He was looking around to see who had done this. 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came with fear and trembling, fell down before Him, and told Him the whole truth. 34 "Daughter," He said to her, "your faith has made you well. Go in peace and be free from your affliction."
The courage that this woman had is remarkable. This is an affliction with would have made her unclean by Jewish law, and though not as bad as leprosy, also would have made her somewhat of a pariah. Jesus calls her out, not because he did not know who she was, but to give her affirmation and show his love and concern for her.
Mark 5: 35-43
35 While He was still speaking, people came from the synagogue leader's house and said, "Your daughter is dead. Why bother the Teacherany more?" 36 But when Jesus overheard what was said, He told the synagogue leader, "Don't be afraid.Only believe." 37 He did not let anyone accompany Him except Peter, James, and John, James' brother. 38 They came to the leader's house, and He saw a commotion—people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 He went in and said to them, "Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep." 40 They started laughing at Him, but He put them all outside. He took the child's father, mother, and those who were with Him, and entered the place where the child was. 41 Then He took the child by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum!" (which is translated, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!" ). 42 Immediately the girl got up and began to walk. (She was 12 years old.) At this they were utterly astounded. 43 Then He gave them strict orders that no one should know about this and said that she should be given something to eat.
It is clear based on the response to Jesus in verse 40 that the girl was truly dead and everyone their knew it. It is also clear how phony the "mourners" are based on how quickly they go from weeping to derisive laughter. This is probably why Jesus makes the statement about her being asleep, to goad the mourners into revealing their true nature. Once again Jesus tries to keep the issue quiet after the fact.
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