THE RESURRECTIONS BEFORE THE RESURRECTION (part four)
Mark 5:21-43
1) Jairus' problem (21-23)
"When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. Then one of the synagogue rulers, named Jairus, came there. Seeing Jesus, he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.”
We see that Jairus was a synagogue ruler yet we see him falling at Jesus' feet. For a synagogue ruler to bow at the feet of a 'commoner' would've been unheard of. But when the need arises and the heart is touched, pride goes out the window. When it came to the fate of his child begging for help was not beneath him. He recognized that although he was a ruler; he was in the presence of the ruler.
Sometimes we can be too proud to ask for help. Sometimes there may be things we are called on to do that would seem beneath us or undignified. Can we be humble like this synagogue ruler and do what needs to be done for the greater good? Jesus was the ruler yet he was willing to become 'undignified' many times for the sake of serving God's will, like when he washed his disciples' feet-which he said was an example for them to do likewise.
2) The interruption (24-29)
Vs. 26-26, "So Jesus went with him. A large crowd followed and pressed around him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse."
So, not only was she not being helped; her condition was worsening. Interestingly, it's understood that much of the medicine of that day was not a science but more along the lines of someone like a medicine-man using charms and similar unconventional methods to 'heal'.
So, here she was, suffering and in a desperate situation. I'm sure she thought her situation was hopeless and that she would be bound to suffer in this embarrassing agony for the rest of her life. And Because her issue was menstrual it put her in a perpetual state of uncleanness (both literally and religiously) and therefore ostracized from society.
How embarrassing; how demoralizing. No wonder she had spent all she had, she wanted nothing more than to be rid of this condition so she could gain her dignity and quality of life back. Perhaps you or someone you know have had something happen where it has dramatically changed your quality of life. Maybe your condition has made you feel embarrassed or 'unclean'. [psoriasis]
Vs. 27-29, "When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering."
So, this woman felt she was at the end of hope. But she had heard about Jesus. She had faith to believe that if she just touched his clothes she would be healed. This is pretty remarkable. We have no evidence to support whether or not she had actually seen Jesus do any miracles but she obviously knew who Jesus was and at least knew that he had healed people. but up until this point we don't have any record of him healing through his clothing so her faith was unprecedented. To believe in the power of Jesus to such a degree was amazing.
It's like the encounter between Jesus and the Centurion. He told Jesus that he didn't need him to be there to hear his servant that if he would just speak healing he believed it would come to pass. Jesus responded to this declaration by saying he had not found such great faith even in Israel. I put this woman's level of faith in the same category.
And we see the effect from her touching his clothes was immediate; and she could sense it. There was a sensation throughout her body that convinced her that the power of Jesus had entered her and healed her. What amazement must have swept over her.
Have you ever been in a situation where you actually felt the Holy Spirit? Some describe it as a warming sensation. I've experienced it as a tingling sensation. It's brought me to tears. You can't deny it and you can't help but be affected by it.
This woman not only felt the sensation of power she experienced the release of her 12 year ailment. Can you imagine-suffering from some debilitating ailment for 12 years and then, in an instant you become free? What joy; what elation. You feel like your floating; like you could hardly contain yourself. However, in this case, she did her best to contain it. But, it was not to be. She was about to become exposed for what she did.
3) The healing touch (30-34)
"At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ” But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”
She didn't want it to become public but God did. She didn't want to expose herself for fear she would have to reveal publically the embarrassing reason why she needed help and also because Jesus might be upset at her for making him religiously unclean by contact. But we see that he had compassion on her and called her, daughter, which is a very intimate, endearing term. Then he gives her confidence , telling her to go in peace.
Notice it was her faith that healed her. There were plenty of people pressing up against Jesus and yet no power was going out from him. It wasn't until this woman came along with a serious problem and in her faith she reaches out, believing that Jesus had that much power. And we see that her faith moved her to step out and act; even though she was afraid.
James 2:17 says that faith without action is dead. Her faith was active; it caused her to reach out and touch Jesus. And she got results. Does our faith cause us to reach out and act? Does our faith cause us to take risks? Does our faith cause us to do something despite our fears? This woman experienced Christ's power when she acted out in faith. When we step out in faith we will see the power of Jesus in action.
4) It's too late (35-40)
Vs. 35, "While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher any more?”
Put yourself in Jairus' shoes right about now. First, you have this desperate situation. And in your sense of urgency you have this crowd of people slowing Jesus down. It would be like if you had an emergency situation and you're driving to the hospital and you get stuck in a traffic jam. How frustrated and worried might you be at that moment? If I had been Jairus I'd probably be yelling at these people to step aside and let Jesus through. Keep it moving; we're in a hurry.
And then Jesus stops. You're like, "Jesus what are you doing?" You're looking at this woman with disdain for getting in the way. The crowd is really aggravating you and then you don't know what to think about what Jesus is doing. And then this situation gets broken up when you get the heartbreaking news telling you it's too late-she's dead. You want to scream but the wind has been knocked out of you.
"Why bother". Do you ever feel that way? "Why bother; it's too late now". Perhaps you've prayed for something for a while and it hasn't happened and you conclude, 'why bother? It's not doing any good'. Maybe you encountered a situation like Jairus where you were asking Jesus for something and then the situation became worse and it seemed logical to stop.
Jairus had asked Jesus to heal his daughter and then things took a turn for the worst. Once she died the servant's words were reasonable. "Don't bother, Jairus; it's too late." Maybe you were praying for a healing and then you go to the doctor and you're told there's nothing that can be done. You could conclude, 'well, I guess there's no reason to pray anymore'. That's not the response God would want from you. He would want us to respond with, "Well, that's not the news I wanted to hear but that doesn't mean it's the final answer. I'll wait and see what God says about it."
Paul said in 1st Thess. 5:17, "Pray continually." Incorporated in that verse is the idea of not giving up. When Jesus told the parable of the persistent widow it says in Luke 18:1, "Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up." Unless it's 100% clear that God's answer is 'no' then we shouldn't stop praying. As we're instructed in Rom. 12:12, "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."
Vs. 36, "Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”
I'm sure Jairus had a look of despondency on him. But Jesus locked eyes with Jairus and says ever so soothingly, "Don't be afraid; just believe." Jairus may have been upset that Jesus stopped to help this woman but at the same time he had just witnessed a miracle. This interruption was divine because it showed Jairus and the others that Jesus had unbelievable power. He had the ability to heal without even trying. He dispensed power without it being on purpose.
This would help Jairus to believe in Jesus' ability. He already believed Jesus could heal hi daughter but now she was dead. Jesus challenges Jairus to believe that he could raise the dead. And Jairus' ability to believe in Jesus' ability was helped by witnessing the healing of the bleedy lady. I could see Jairus thinking, "Boy, if he has that much power in his clothes then maybe he can raise the dead."
Vs. 37-40, "He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. When they came to the home of the synagogue ruler, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at him. After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was."
"The child is not dead but asleep". In Jesus saying this he wasn't speaking in the literal sense; although it's obvious the mourners thought he was. Jesus used the same phrase when speaking of Lazarus to his disciples. They thought he was being literal too.
John 11:11-14, "After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.” His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead."
But why would Jesus say sleep if someone is dead? Because the word dead has a final con notation to it but asleep has a temporary connotation to it and therefore isn't a permanent situation. Lazarus was asleep because Jesus was going to raise him up. This girl was asleep because her death would not be final.
The same holds true for us. When we die our death is not final. The first Christian martyr, Stephen, had this description used of him. Acts 7:59-60, "While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep."
1st Cor. 15 and 1st Thess. 4 has repeated references to Christians who have died as having 'fallen asleep'. Doesn't that sound so much better than the word, 'dead'? Dead is so despondent; so final. But 'fallen asleep' has a much more pleasant tone to it; it actually sounds quite peaceful. Isn't it comforting to know that those in Christ don't really die we simply fall asleep? Not that it lessens the reality of the loss but it does soften the blow; for we can know that death for the Christian is really only momentary.
5) Or is it? (41-43)
"He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). Immediately the girl stood up and walked around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat." "He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this."
It's interesting: Jesus wouldn't allow the miracle of healing the bleedy lady to remain private but here he didn't want the private miracle of raising the child to life to be made public. Why the different agendas? In the commentaries I read one reason was because he didn't want the publicity that raising someone from the dead would produce. He didn't want it to get around to the religious leaders and therefore speed the process up of them trying to kill him before he accomplished everything else on the Father's agenda.
But aside from that another reason that was stated ties in with the people's laughter. They were mockers. If they had simply responded with confusion that would've been understood and tolerable but they responded with mocking laughter instead. When Jesus said she was merely asleep he was trying to reveal to them that a miracle was about to take place. So I think one reason Jesus chose to keep the miracle from the others was because of their unbelief, to now allow them the privilege of seeing or being told about the miracle.
But it brings up an interesting point: if you mock you lose out. If you don't believe you deprive yourself of witnessing or receiving a miracle. It happened to Jesus in his hometown.
Matt. 13:53-58, "When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there. Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor.” And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith."
It's not that Jesus couldn't do the miracles; it's that he didn't. Faith precedes the miracle. It's not seeing is believing; it's believing is seeing. The bleedy lady believed so she saw. Jairus believed and he saw. Hopefully we will believe so we can see.
