The Reach Of Faith Series

MATTHEW 9: 18-26 [THE MESSIAH REVEALED SERIES]

THE REACH OF FAITH [THE INTERRUPTIONS OF LIFE ]

[1 Thess. 4:13-18/ Mark 5:21-43/ Luke 8:40-56]

After three non-miracle events Matthew returns with a flurry of miracle activity [in verses 18-34]. The raising of the dead and the healing of the issue of blood mark the first instance in a third triplet of Jesus' miracles. The previous triplet of miracle took place by the Word of Christ, this triplet occurs by Christ's hand or touch.

What brings people to Jesus? What caused you to come to Jesus? People came to Jesus because He was involved in ministry. Jesus was exercising authority and compassion that brought healing and life to people (CIT). Here we find the story of parental grief and personal shame and suffering which brought people to Jesus.

While Jesus was about His daily work of the kingdom He was continually interrupted. Jesus saw these interruptions as God sent opportunities for Him to minister to the needs that brought people to Him so that He might prove God's love for the people and authenticate Himself as God's hand of love.

I. THE DEAD DAUGHTER, 9:18-19.

II. THE HEMORRHAGING WOMAN, 9:20-22.

III. THE RAISED GIRL, 9:23-26.

The totally of Jesus’s authority will be revealed as a father comes to Jesus for the life of his daughter in verse 18. “While He was saying these things to them, a synagogue ruler came and bowed down before Him, and said, "My daughter has just died; but come and lay Your hand on her, and she will live.”

“An official of the synagogue” would be a well-known and important person in a community held together by the rituals of religion. He was one of several rulers over the synagogue who led in public worship (Acts 13:15). Mark and Luke say this man's name was Jairus (Mark 5:22; Luke 8:41). As ruler of the synagogue, Jairus was responsible for administration- looking after the building, supervising worship, running the school on weekdays, and finding rabbis to teach on the Sabbath.

[Before the year 586 B.C., virtually all Jews lived within one hundred miles of the temple, so they all worshiped there. But in 586 B.C., the Jews were carried away into Babylon and held hostage for seventy years. No longer able to worship in the temple, they established synagogues in every neighborhood with ten or more Jewish men. The synagogue then became the place of assembly for the Jews where they would worship and study the Scriptures. Each synagogue had ten leaders, called elders. Of those ten, one was elected by the other nine to be the ruler. The ruler of the synagogue was a man of tremendous importance. Not only was he in charge of the synagogue, but he would also settle civic disputes within the neighborhood.[Courson, Jon: Jon Courson's Application Commentary. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2003, S. 66.]

So synagogue rulers had power and influence. Jairus was such a man. Yet he was willing to risk it all and come to Jesus because death had crept into his family. This loving father had probably exhausted all efforts to heal his daughter girl and was now in need of what only God could do, so he comes to Jesus. Despite being a worshiper of the One true God he bows down, prostrates himself at Jesus' feet and worships. Desperation should put us on our knees before God. May the sickness and death of our relations should brings us to Christ, who is life. If it doesn’t, what would?

The ruler’s exceptional faith in Jesus is shown not only by his worshipful posture before Jesus but also in His plea “come and lay Your hand on her, and she will live.” This request reveals great faith in Jesus. Although his daughter has just died, he believes Jesus can nevertheless revive her. To this point Jesus had performed all His healing miracles on people who were still living. The official’s faith in God is evident in his bold assertion that the touch of Jesus would return her to this life.

[Touching a dead body was considered the most defiling kind of uncleanness (Num. 19:11-22). Most religious leaders and teachers would have refused to come anywhere near the dead.]

Jesus' response to the expressed faith and hope is seen in verse 19. “Jesus got up and began to follow him, and so did His disciples.”

In response, Jesus said nothing but acted by rising and following the official, accompanied by His disciples. There was no question on the part of Jesus that the Father had given Him authority to minister to this need.

A legend is told about A RABBI from a small Jewish town. The people had gathered in the synagogue on the eve of Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), but when the time came for the most important service of the Jewish year to begin, the rabbi was nowhere to be found.