Καὶ ἦλθον εἰς τὸ πέραν τῆς θαλάσσης εἰς τὴν χώραν τῶν Γεργεσηνῶν. (Mark 5:1)
And they came to the other side of the sea, to the region of the Gergesenes.
The Role of Transition in Mark’s Narrative
Mark 5:1 introduces one of the most memorable episodes in the Gospel: the healing of the Gerasene demoniac. The verse is a short transitional sentence: Καὶ ἦλθον εἰς τὸ πέραν τῆς θαλάσσης εἰς τὴν χώραν τῶν Γεργεσηνῶν — “And they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes/Gergesenes.” Although it looks simple, its grammar and vocabulary set the stage for a dramatic confrontation. Mark’s use of geographical markers grounds the narrative in physical space while signaling theological movement: Jesus crosses boundaries into Gentile or semi-Gentile territory.
The Aorist of Motion
- ἦλθον — aorist active indicative, 3rd plural of ἔρχομαι. Translation: “they came.” The aorist depicts the action as a single, completed event. The plural subject points to Jesus and his disciples together, as the narrative has carried them across the lake from the storm scene in Mark 4.
The choice of aorist here matches Mark’s rapid, event-driven style. Arrival is reported in a “snapshot” form, moving the story immediately from the crossing to the encounter that follows.
Parsing Table
| Greek Form | Parsing | Aspect | Function | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἦλθον | Aorist act. ind., 3rd pl. of ἔρχομαι | Perfective | Main narrative verb, reporting a completed arrival | “they came” |
Lexical and Geographical Details
The prepositional phrase εἰς τὸ πέραν τῆς θαλάσσης — “to the other side of the sea” — continues the travel motif begun in Mark 4:35. It indicates movement from the Jewish side of the Sea of Galilee to the eastern shore. The following phrase εἰς τὴν χώραν τῶν Γεργεσηνῶν (variants: “Gerasenes” or “Gadarenes”) refers to the region southeast of the lake. This boundary-crossing signals entry into Gentile territory, preparing the reader for a narrative that challenges purity boundaries and highlights Jesus’ authority beyond Israel.
Syntactic Flow
The sentence structure is straightforward but effective:
- Καὶ ἦλθον — the main verb of arrival.
- εἰς τὸ πέραν τῆς θαλάσσης — locative direction, specifying destination across the sea.
- εἰς τὴν χώραν τῶν Γεργεσηνῶν — further specification of location, identifying the cultural and geographical setting.
This layering of prepositional phrases slows the pace slightly, giving weight to the significance of the destination.
Theological Implications
Mark 5:1 does more than report geography. By bringing Jesus into “the country of the Gerasenes,” the evangelist underscores the universal scope of Jesus’ authority. The sea often symbolizes chaos and opposition; crossing it into Gentile territory dramatizes the expansion of the kingdom of God beyond Jewish borders. The grammar of motion — aorist verb plus directional prepositional phrases — encodes theological motion: the gospel moving outward, the Messiah confronting unclean powers on their own ground.
Grammar as Geography of Grace
This verse exemplifies how Mark uses concise grammar to transition narratives and deepen meaning. The aorist ἦλθον brings closure to the crossing, while the prepositional phrases anchor the story in both physical and theological geography. In one sentence, Mark shows movement, sets location, and hints at significance. Grammar and geography converge to display a kingdom that crosses boundaries. The text teaches us that in Mark’s Gospel, even a simple verb of motion can carry the weight of mission.
