Mark 5.5-7: Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. (6) And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. (7) And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?” I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” (ESV)
The demon possessed man was so severely controlled by demonic forces that he had virtually no decision making authority over his actions. With just the few words Mark’s account gives us about this man’s actions, we can observe complete irrationality and self destructive behavior.
This man was unhinged to the extent that he was not in control of even the words that came out of his mouth. This is a difficult text to understand “just who says what” coming forth from this demon possessed man. But I believe this is a case where the man’s body was doing the action, but the actions were controlled by the demonic powers. This man in his natural human condition and understanding would not reflexively know that Jesus is someone he should bow down to.
Likewise, the specific knowledge of Jesus’ name, that He is the Son of the Most High God, and his plea for mercy not to be tormented, are beyond the natural understanding of a man living outside the geographic locale of Jesus’ ministry prior to this moment. Luke’s parallel account further indicates to me that it was a demon doing the speaking through this man, because Luke tells us that Jesus had given a command to the demon and the demon’s response to the command was to address Jesus as: “Jesus, Son of the Most High God.” All of this took place through the man.
The man and the demons bowed down to Jesus and the demon made an earnest request of Jesus not to torment it, which probably is best understood as requesting Jesus not to send it off to its coming, eternal punishment. Jesus was in control and exercising authority over this meeting.