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dreamer59
dreamer59
Student
College - Sophomore

What does the phrase "I am Legion, for we are many" mean?

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Posted by dreamer59 on Thursday January 8, 2009 at 7:31 PM and tagged with allusion, history, legion, quote.


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  1. parkerlee
    parkerlee Teacher

    eNotes Editor

    This is a Biblical allusion to an incident where Jesus healed a maniac who ranted and raved as an animal, cut himself with stones and lived among tombs. When Jesus asked "Who are you?", he was not speaking to the man but to the demons which possessed him. Through the man they replied," I am Legion (meaning 'many'), for we are many." The evil spirits leaving the man went into a herd of pigs which in turn went wild, plunging themselves into the Sea of Galilee and drowning there. Because of "collateral damage" having been done, Jesus was asked by the local authorities to leave the area. So He did.

    Three of the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke but not John) give variable accounts of this. The Gospels were first person testimonials of Jesus' life and ministry as they were written by the disciples bearing those names. They are the first four books of the New Testament.

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    Posted by parkerlee on Friday January 9, 2009 at 7:09 AM