Umm Qais - The Gospel 'Country of The Gadarenes'

The Gospel 'Country of The Gadarenes'

No town of Gadara is named in the Gospels, but a territory is described as χώρα τῶν Γαδαρηνῶν, chō̇ra tō̇n Gadarēnō̇n, “country of the Gadarenes” (Matthew 8:28). In the parallel passages (Mark 5:1; Luke 8:26, 37) is written: χώρα τῶν Γερασηνῶν, chō̇ra tō̇n Gerasēnō̇n ("country of the Gerasenes”). Ancient Greek manuscripts show variant readings (or harmonisations) in all three Gospels (Gadarenes, Gerasenes and Gergesenes), but modern textual critics agree that the original Greek text at Matthew 8 was 'chora ton Gadarenon', i.e. "the country of the Gadarenes", and the original text at Mark 5 and Luke 8 was 'chora ton Gerasenon', i.e. “the country of the Gerasenes”. In fact these two Gospel place-names probably refer to the same region. The Greek city of Gadara was considered to belong to the larger region of Gerasa, though it still retained some local autonomy (Weber 1989: 9). The jurisdiction of Gadara, as the chief town in the region, may well have extended over the country east of the Sea of Galilee, including the lands of the lesser town, Gerasa.

Neither Gadara nor Gerasa is on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. But that Gadara's territory extended to the Sea of Galilee is clearly indicated by the fact that a ship is frequently an emblem on its coins. Josephus, too, makes reference to the territory of Gadara "which lay on the frontiers of Tiberias and formed the eastern boundary of Galilee", thus placing the region of Gadara along the coast of the Sea of Galilee (Laney 1977: 134).