"She had heard much about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, for she said, "If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well." Mark 5:27-28
The scheduled readings omit Mark 5.1-20,the incident where Jesus healed a man possessed by a legion of demons. The incident itself is noteworthy from a number of perspectives - not the least of which is that it occurred on 'the other side of the sea' (5.1), that is to say that the miracle occurred in Gentile (non-Jewish) territory. The previous passage indicates that the disciples had a hard time crossing over as well.
But we move on to more familiar territory with today's passage, only to find some discomfort in our text as well. Two miracles occur, a nested pair if you like, often referred to as a Marcan sandwich. One miracle story begins but before it is completed another begins and ends.
Mark's gospel identifies the man who approaches Jesus as Jairus on of the leaders of the synagogue. So too Luke's account, while Matthew's parallel (Matt 8.15-13) refers to him as a centurion. This is interesting on two counts. Most miracle stories do not name the character(s) involved; yet Mark and Luke do in this incident. Matthew, on the other hand does not name the character, and actually identifies him not as a Jewish synagogue leader, but a gentile centurion who is sympathetic and supportive of the Jews.
But as Jesus made his way towards Jairus' house the touch of one woman from the crowd surrounding him captured his attention. Her touch came out of her need, and drew from him a response of power to meet that need. Her faith brought health and healing. The problem is that the woman should not have even been there. She was unclean, and according to Levitical law so was everyone she had touched as she made here way through the crowd. So was Jesus, for she deliberately reached out and touched him. For twelve years she had suffered from 'the issue of blood'. For twelve years she had endured personal discomfort and public isolation. When she knew Jesus was coming she took a chance, and breached all the protocols that had separated her from others and pushed through the crowd to Jesus. It was an act of desperation.
In that instant something happened. Jesus knew it, but the disciples skeptical response had no idea what he was talking about. The woman did though, and in an act of great courage and humiliation came forward. The Word says she was 'trembling with fear'. I am not surprised! She had taken a great risk by being in the crowd, she had gone out on a limb in hope, and now she was dragged forward before them all, and she poured out her heart to Jesus. His response changed her life. "Daughter, your faith has healed you.". It is worth noting that the word used for healed is exactly the same Greek word that is used for 'saved'. She had been saved by her faith, saved from a life of isolation and humiliation, saved from her suffering and shame. Salvation came to her house that day.
Arriving eventually at Jairus home the news that the sick child was dead greeted the party. Jesus tried to put an end to their grief - and evoked the laughter of derision when he told them she was merely sleeping. He was right of course - and the child rose on his command. What seemed like death for the family was as sleep to Jesus. This daughter was also made well, but here she exercised no faith. It was her father who had the faith. It was he who had sent for Jesus. It was her father who had reached out in hope to one he had only heard about. The girl knew nothing of this for she was ill, gravely ill.
The crowd had no faith either. They told Jesus it was over, he was too late, she was dead. Jesus response was to encourage the man to believe, to hang in their, to hold on to his hope, to have faith. Healing came for this daughter also.
I wonder who needs faith for miracles to occur. Is it the person suffering, or is it just possible that the exercise of faith by others can bring healing and salvation to a sick situation.
Some things to think about....
- Mark's tendency to place events close to the sea
- The naming of Jairus. Characters are not usually named in miracle stories.It may be that the addition of the name Jairus a 'later redaction to original oral story. But this is not necessarily so (e.g. Bartimaeus 10:46)
- The urgency or awe of Jairus throwing himself at feet of Jesus. It was a public act of humiliation and honour by a synagogue leader = and is mirrored in the actions of the woman
- Laying on of hands for healing is not a Hebrew OT practice...and Jesus does not lay hands on her the woman for healing, nor is it the case with the girl. He simply helps her get up.
- Jesus speaks to the girl in Aramaic, and his words would have been understood. Sometimes healers would use incantations in foreign languages believing that there was power in the words. The power here is not in the words, but in the one who spoke them.
- This selection is part of a small miracle collection = not the events in the surrounding text.
- The phrase 'the well of her blood' -equates to Leviticus 12:7 and purification after childbirth.
- Both the young girl and the woman are referred to as 'daughter' by Jesus.
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