My Corner Online

 

Reading through the Gospels #90

 

JESUS RAISES A DEAD GIRL AND HEALS A SICK WOMAN

Mark 5:21-43; Matthew 9:18-26; Luke 8:40-56

 

Jesus crossed by boat to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (he did that a lot!) probably landing in Capernaum where he lived and a crowd gathered. Jairus was a ruler in the synagogue who saw Jesus and fell to his feet. (I would love to physically fall at the feet of Jesus and worship Him!) Jarius begged Jesus to come and heal his daughter who was near death. In Luke 8:41 we learn that this was Jarius's only daughter. As a ruler of the synagogue, Jarius would have been going against the pressures of the Pharisees.

 

Jesus went and a great crowd followed Him. Jesus could have healed Jarius's daughter from where He stood as He did the Roman Centurion in Luke 7:1-10.

 

Along the way was a women who had blead from 12 years, suffered under the physicians, and spent all her money, but was worse, not better.  This sounds much like what happens in today's world and it was going on way back then too. Not only that, but in Bible times, this would have made her to be declared unclean. To be declared unclean would have separated her from society and from the people she loved. Unclean people were not allowed to touch other people as that might pass on their disease. How she must have been afraid to approach Jesus, yet her braveness and determination to be healed prevailed.

 

The woman had heard about Jesus and reached out and touched Jesus's garment, saying aloud her belief that even touching His garment, she will be healed. In Matthew 9:20 and Luke 8:44 it adds that she only touched the fringe of His garment.  Jesus perceived power leaving His body and turned around to ask "who" touched Him. Jesus already knew who touched  Him as He knows everything. The women fell down before Him, confessing what she had done.  In the same way, Jesus already knows everything that I have done, but He wants me to come before Him and confess.

 

Jesus said, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease." He called her "daughter!" I can hear Jesus calling me "daughter!" This is the only time in the Bible Jesus calls someone daughter. Praise God, I'm His daughter! Jesus points out that the women's faith was what healed her. Surely many people were touching Jesus because they were all crowded around Him, but this women purposefully reaching out to Him in faith.  I can reach out to Jesus today in prayer.  A causal relationship with Jesus merely following Him is good, but a TOUCH OF FAITH can work miracles. It was not the touch of the hand to Jesus that healed, but rather the touch of faith that healed.  He tells her to go in peace and I feel like that is something I can tell others after I forgive them.

 

Someone from Jairus's house came and informed that his daughter was dead. Jairus's heart must have sank. I can see him having been anxious to move along while Jesus paused with the women, but now feeling all hope was lost. Jesus said, "Do not fear, only believe." Oh, Jesus gives Jarius hope! I love when there is red in my Bible because it feels like Jesus is speaking directly to me in my moment today, jumping off the pages. How many times do I fear this or that during a crisis in life when all I need to do is just believe that Jesus's has got this!

 

Only Peter and James and John the brother of James were allowed to follow Him. Why? When they got to the house, there was a commotion of mourning people. Jesus said, "Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping." They laughed at Jesus!  Oh my!  May I never laugh at Jesus.  He's serious business! In Bible times it was customary to weep loudly over a body because not doing so was a disgrace.  There were even people who were paid to mourn loudly and did so as a profession. How crazy is that! How fake is that! In Matthew 9:23 it adds that there was a flute player. Were they people being fake that they could so quickly turn their weeping eyes to laughing? He made them all leave. Yep, He wanted nothing to do with these non-believing fake people.

 

Jarius, his wife, and the disciples entered the room with Jesus. Jesus took her hand and said, "Talitha cumi," which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise." This 12 year old girl, with Jesus's touch and words, just like that got up and walked. She not only opened her eyes, but she got up and walked!

 

Why did Jesus tell them that no one should know? He wanted people to see the girl walking and let that be testimony and witness enough.  Plus, there was enough accusations by the Pharisees against Jesus, so maybe He did not want to stir the pot any more. He had more work to do first.  He also told them to feed her.

 

These two intertwined stories have some interesting differences that show us we cannot put Jesus into our mold, but rather He does things according to His will.

Jarius was a man of importance in the synagogue; we do not even know the woman's name.

Jarius would have had money because of his position; the woman had no money

Jarius came publicly; the woman came in secret.

Jarius wanted Jesus to come to his house; the woman merely thought she needed to touch.

Jarius' daughter had delayed healing; the woman was healed immediately

Jarius' daughter was healed secretly; The woman was healed publicly