Bible Figure
Legion
biblical term for a demon or group of demons said to be exorcised by Jesus
Legion is the name used by the demons possessing a man whom Jesus encountered in the region east of the Sea of Galilee. When Jesus asked the possessing spirit its name, the reply was, "My name is Legion, for we are many." Jesus expelled the demons, demonstrating His authority over even a large and destructive demonic presence.
Biography
The Synoptic Gospels recount Jesus' encounter with a severely tormented man living among the tombs in Gentile territory, identified in the manuscripts and Gospel accounts with the region of the Gerasenes, Gadarenes, or Gergesenes. The man was violent, isolated, and so strong that restraints could not hold him. When he saw Jesus, the unclean spirits recognized Jesus' authority and begged not to be tormented. Asked for a name, the answer came, "Legion," because many demons had entered the man. At their request Jesus permitted them to enter a nearby herd of pigs, which rushed down a steep bank into the water and drowned. The formerly possessed man was then found clothed and in his right mind. He wanted to accompany Jesus, but Jesus sent him home to tell what God had done for him. Mark says he proclaimed the event throughout the Decapolis. The biblical text treats Legion as a collective designation for the demons rather than as the personal name of a single demon.
Biblical Significance
The Legion account is one of the Gospels' strongest demonstrations of Christ's authority over the demonic realm. The contrast between the man's helpless bondage before Jesus' arrival and his restored condition afterward displays both the destructive character of evil and the liberating power of Christ. The healed man's commission also anticipates witness to God's work in predominantly Gentile territory.