The Gospel Project

The Gospel Project

Power of Healing                       UNIT 25: Truth of His Power                          Session4   27 SEP 26

LUKE 8:40 (Luk 8:40 RSV) “Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him.”

While Luke is the most accurate of the Gospel writers, he is not always the most detailed. To have a fuller narrative we should add Mark’s account.

MARK 5:21 Dr. Herschel H. Hobbs in his book an exposition of the gospel of Mark, Baker Books, 1970, page 32 notes “No sooner had Jesus returned to Galilee than He was again thronged by the multitudes (v.21). And there He was confronted by another crisis.”

LUKE 8:41-42 (Luk 8:41 RSV) “And there came a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue; and falling at Jesus' feet he besought him to come to his house.” (Jairus was one of the several rulers of the synagogue who were charged with proper conduct of the meetings.) (Luk 8:42 RSV) “for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. As he went, the people pressed round him.” The people pressed around Jesus and it was hard to get to Him.

MARK 5:22-24 Jairus expressed significant faith in the ability of Jesus. A.T. Robinson in his Word Pictures in the New Testament, Vol. 1 wrote “My little daughter (to thugatrion mou). Diminutive of thugateôr (Matthew 9:18). “This little endearing touch in the use of the diminutive is peculiar to Mark” Vincent). “Is at the point of death” (eschatoôs echei) as it in the last stages. Matthew 9:18 has: “has just died” (arti eteleusen). [Matthew was relaying what had happen but this was yet not known by Jairus.] Luke “she lay a dying” (apethneôsken, imperfect, she was dying). It was a tragic moment for Jairus.” What normal father would not try every possible way to get a cure for his child? Even to the extent of going to someone he would never address under routine circumstances?

Dr. Hobbs, page 85 wrote, “Jesus started immediately to go to Jairus’ home (v. 24). The immediacy of His response is seen in the use of the aorist tense. And as He went the people “kept following him and thronging him” (both verbs are imperfect). The word rendered “thronged” means to press in on all sides. Wuest translates this “they kept on pressing upon Him almost to the point of suffocation.”

MARK 5:25-28 It is important to include the woman who had been ill for some twelve years. It was an illness that no doctor of that day could cure. In fact, Dr. Hobbs noted, “This is typical layman’s language. But Luke 8:43 in the neat language of a physician says that she had an incurable disease. Nevertheless, she had exhausted her resources with doctors, to no avail. But she had faith to believe that Jesus could heal her (v. 27). She felt that if only she could touch His clothes she would be healed (v. 28). Hers was a superstitious faith. But she did have faith.” We cannot define what quality of faith is acceptable to God.

MARK 5:28 Robinson: “If I touch but his garments Ean hapsoômai kan toôn himatioôn autou).  She was timid and shy from her disease and did not wish to attract attention. So she crept up in the crowd and touched the hem or border of his garment (kraspedon) according to Matthew 9:20 and Luke 8:44.”

MARK 5:29-34 She was finally able to do so. Usually we do not appreciate Jesus sudden realization that some different happened. “Who touched my clothes?” The Greeks shows he was being touched all the time with the press of the crowd. Robinson: “She felt in her body (egnoô toôi soômati). She knew, that is what the verb means. She said to herself, I am healed (iaômai). Iaôtai retains the perfect passive in the indirect discourse. It was a vivid moment of joy for her. The plague (mastigos) or scourge was a whip used in flagellations as on Paul to find out his guilt (Acts 22:24, cf. Hebrews 11:26). It is an old word that was used for afflictions regarded as a scourge from God.” The disciples were surprised at Jesus’ statement, for they saw how the crowd continually presses on Jesus. Dr. Hobbs, page 86 “But this touch of the woman was more than this. It was a deliberate purposeful touch of faith. Therefore, Jesus "looked round about to see her that had done this thing" (v. 32). The imperfect form of the verb shows that He kept on looking around as His eyes searched the crowd near Him. And He was looking for a woman. This is evident in the feminine gender of the definitive article and the participle "doing." Did Jesus know this by divine knowledge? Did Mark use these feminine forms in retrospect of the event? Or is there another possible explanation? It could be that Jesus knew by the nature of the touch that it was a woman. A man probably would have grasped His garment. According to the Mosaic law a woman in this diseased condition was forbidden to touch Him at all. But so desperate was her condition that she dared to ignore it. Yet in her timidity she just barely touched Jesus' garment. But it was enough. However, as Jesus swept the crowd with His eyes, the woman felt that she was discovered. So "fearing and trembling, knowing what was done to her, [she] came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth" (v. 33). The verb "done" is a perfect tense, denoting a complete cure. But why did she fear and tremble? A woman's position in society could explain it. But probably Bruce is right in his explanation. The woman was forbidden by law to touch Jesus. In a sense she had violated His rights, if He should have chosen to see it thus. Would He resent her action, and, perhaps, recall His healing power? These things could well have been in her mind as she fell at Jesus' feet.”

LUKE 8:49 (Luk 8:49 RSV) “While he was still speaking, a man from the ruler's house came and said, "Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher anymore."”

MARK 5:35 This momentary delay was still in progress when some people from Jairus’ house to tell him his daughter had died. This must have been a shock for him, and one must wonder if he felt any anger at Jesus.

MARK 5:36 Dr. Hobbs, page 87, “This beautiful and merciful interruption was ended as one came from Jairus' house with the sad news, "Thy daughter is (dead: why troublest thou the Master further?" (v. 35). The aorist tense should read, "Your daughter died." All hope was gone, so there was no further need to bother Jesus with the matter. There was nothing left but a funeral and grief.”

LUKE 8:50 (Luk 8:50 RSV) “But Jesus on hearing this answered him, "Do not fear; only believe, and she shall be well."”

Jesus overheard the bad news. But He did not merely shake His head and turn away in resignation. Rather, He spoke re­assuring words to the already grieving father. "Stop fearing, only keep on believing" (v. 36). This was a tremendous challenge to Jairus. Fear already gripped his heart and threatened­ to shake his faith. But Jesus told him to put aside his fear and to hold on to his faith even in the presence of death.

MARK 5:37-38 Dr. Hobbs, page 87, “Having spoken this, Jesus told the crowd to cease following Him (v. 37). Peter, James, and John were the exception. The definitive article before "Peter" shows that these were selected as a group. This is the first of three instances when they were permitted to be an inner circle of the Twelve on an auspicious occasion (cf. Transfiguration and Gethsemane). Perhaps the home of Jairus was too small to include more. But, further, these three disciples were chosen to witness a great miracle.

Arriving at the house Jesus was greeted with a pitiful scene. The place was literally in an uproar (thorubos). There was much weeping and wailing. No doubt the grief of the family was genu­ine. But much of this turmoil was caused by paid mourners who had crowded into the home.”

LUKE 8:51-53 (Luk 8:51 RSV) “And when he came to the house, he permitted no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child. {52} And all were weeping and bewailing her; but he said, "Do not weep; for she is not dead but sleeping." {53} And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead.”

Paid mourners were the custom of the day in order to hold a proper wake. These may have done many wakes and never had seen anyone come back to life.

                MARK 5:39-40a Jesus then said a strange thing. He said the girl was only sleeping. The Greek is 2518. katheudo, kath-yoo'-do; from G2596 and  heudo (to sleep); to lie down to rest, i.e. (by impl.) to fall asleep (lit. or fig.):--(be a-) sleep. From this Greek indicates she in a deep comma that only looked like death to the inexperienced. Occasionally today there area stories of people who has been taken to the morgue but suddenly come back to life after the experts all declared the person dead. Was this such a case? Dr. Hobbs, page 88. “Some would suppose that "sleep­eth" means that the girl had not died but was in a coma. But the entire scene speaks of death itself. Sleep was used in the sense of rest. This does not mean that souls exist in an unconscious state until the resurrection (cf. Luke 16:19ff.) . In this particular case Jesus meant that the child was not dead to remain so. "And they laughed him to scorn" (v. 40). "Laughed" renders the verb "to laugh at" with the prefix "down" (katagelao); thus "to ridicule… They began to laugh at Jesus and kept on doing so.”

LUKE 8:54-56 (Luk 8:54 RSV) “But taking her by the hand he called, saying, "Child, arise." {55} And her spirit returned, and she got up at once; and he directed that something should be given her to eat. {56} And her parents were amazed; but he charged them to tell no one what had happened.

                MARK 5:40b-43 Mark again gives more detail. The laughter didn’t deter Jesus. He had the people leave. Dr. Hobbs, page 88, “But Jesus took charge of the situation. He cleared the house of all save the parents and the three disciples. Then they entered the room where the dead girl lay. What a prophetic picture. The Lord of life entered into the chamber where death reigned for the moment. But it was only for a moment. For Jesus took the little girl by the hand and spoke to her. Here was the touch of life and the voice of authority over death. Though she was dead Jesus knew that she would hear His voice and live. "Talitha cumi" (v. 41). Though Jesus doubtless spoke Greek, He employed the native language of Himself and the damsel. Such would be natural in so tender a scene… But for his Roman readers Mark translated them. "Little girl, I say unto thee, arise." And she responded immediately. She "arose, and walked" (v. 42). Weak in death, and yet she immedi­ately "arose" (aorist) and "kept on walking about" (imperfect).…Naturally those who witnessed this were greatly amazed. "They were astonished with great astonishment" (v. 42).”

Jesus ordered no one to tell the crowd that He had done this. Why? The crowd was already inhibiting his ministry and this would make things even worse. Why? Because Jesus came as the Suffering Servant Messiah and not as a Political-Military Messiah. He was already known as a miracle worker and this would add negatively to it. Jesus did need people to come to realize He was Divine, but they were not ready to believe it. In fact this proved to always be a problem, and one the Temple leaders finally used against Him to be able to have the Romans kill Him.

Then why heal the girl? To bolster the faith of Jairus. Jesus told him to put aside his fear and to hold on to his faith even in the presence of death.

Then Jesus said to feed her. No matter the situation, the physical must be a part of the solution. Dr. Hobbs “So the Great Physician employed divine powers to raise the dead. But He also relied upon natural means to sustain the living.”

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