It was quite by accident that my family discovered Bruges, a delightful village in Belgium that still retains the flavor of the 14th century. We were lost, hungry, and somewhat confused, bouncing along in our rented Volkswagon when suddenly we passed a restaurant that looked inviting. After a most delightful meal, the owner suggested that we take time to visit the Venice of Belgium, Bruges.

Much to our delight, we discovered that the owner had been right about the charm and beauty, but the real surprise was a museum of 14th century Flemish art. Here for the first time we experienced art in its natural setting. These delightful impressions of Biblical scenes were painted on oak and had retained their color through the centuries.

The distinguishing characteristic of Flemish art, though, is that it is the first painting in Europe to tell an entire story on one canvas (or piece of oak). Many Biblical stories were presented with all of their movement and flow. The one which caught my imagination was the story of Jesus healing the demoniac of Gadara.

This painting contained actually three pictures of Jesus: one, when the demoniac meets Him; another, when the demoniac was healed; the third, when the citizens requested that he leave their area. In the background were the dead swine, and standing around Jesus, you could see the confused disciples.

The artist was correct in understanding Mark's gospel as a picture approach to presenting Jesus, for this earliest gospel was written to give portraits of Jesus to the Gentile Christians in Rome. This gospel offers us a succession of scenes from the life of Jesus, most likely coming from Peter's preaching as recorded by Mark's pen. The story actually has its prelude in the preceding chapter as the disciple band crosses the lake to Gentile territory in search of rest from their labors, only to be caught in a storm on the lake. Jesus stills the storm. Mark now turns to show us that Jesus can deal not only with the natural evil (the storm) but with the evil that infects man as well. Mark wishes to use these miracle stories as proof of Jesus' Messiahship. Such proof was effective among the Gentiles.

You recall that when Jesus arrived on the other side of the lake and set foot in Gadara, He was met immediately by a raving, demon-possessed man who had been chained by the local community and left to generally inhabit the area of the tombs. When the man saw Jesus, he was immediately tormented by His presence and cried out: "What have I to do with you?" He then turned and worshipped Jesus, and Jesus cast the demons out of him.

These demons, after identifying themselves as Legion, meaning "many," are driven into a herd of swine grazing nearby and this stampedes them over a cliff into the lake. The swine-herds, realizing that they had failed in their responsibility and were accountable to the owners of these swine, run to the nearby village, inform the people of what has happened. The villagers come and, after surveying the economic damage, ask Jesus to leave. The healed demoniac requests permission to go with Jesus and the disciples, but Jesus leaves him as a witness in the Gentile community.