See the place and hear the moving story about how Christ healed a demon-possessed man and cast the demons into a herd of 2,000 pigs who ran down a steep hill into the Sea of Galilee.
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Location
1. Kursi is the place where two demon-possessed men were healed.
2. The demons who lived in these men were cast into a herd of pigs that ran down a steep bank into the sea.
3. It took place on the east side of the Sea of Galilee in the region of the Gerasenes or Gadarenes. This place was also called Kurshi in Hebrew and Kursy in Arabic.
4. It was in the region of the Decapolis.
5. The Decapolis was made up of 10 Roman cities that functioned like city-states. It was a region outside of Jewish authority and inhabited by Jews and Gentiles.
6. It was an immoral area that represented all that sinful humanity had to offer. Therefore, it was considered unclean to the Jews.
7. The caves where the demon-possessed men lived can be seen on the hillside above Kursi.
8. Today, this site contains the ruins of the largest Byzantine monastery complex in Israel. It dates from the middle of the 5th century and was built to commemorate what took place here.
Historical Background
1. Jesus and His disciples were coming from the Capernaum area, where Jesus had just performed many miracles and preached about the parables of the kingdom.
2. On the boat ride to this area, Jesus performed an astounding miracle of calming the sea and storm.
Matthew 8:23-27: And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, "Save us, Lord; we are perishing." And he said to them, "Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?" Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, "What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?"
3. This event is the most detailed account of an exorcism (casting out demons) in the Bible.
Places of Interest (Please See Maps Above)
1. Capernaum
2. Calming the storm and sea
3. Byzantine Monastery Complex
4. Tombs above Kursi
5. Beach where Jesus and His disciples arrived
6. Steep hill the pigs ran down into the sea
7. Decapolis area