Mark 5:21-43
A Dead Girl and a Sick Woman
21When 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. 22Then one of the synagogue rulers, named Jairus, came there. Seeing Jesus, he fell at his feet 23and 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." 24So Jesus went with him.
A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26She 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. 27When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28because she thought, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed." 29Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.
30At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?"
31"You see the people crowding against you," his disciples answered, "and yet you can ask, 'Who touched me?' "
32But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."
35While 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?"
36Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, "Don't be afraid; just believe."
37He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. 38When they came to the home of the synagogue ruler, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. 39He went in and said to them, "Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep." 40But 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. 41He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum!" (which means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!" ). 42Immediately the girl stood up and walked around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. 43He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.
St. Mark tells us that Jesus was followed by a crowd or large crowds throughout his gospel...So we can determine at the very least, He is well known in Jerusalem and the region...He had followers in these crowds as well as opposition...I suppose He also had people who just were occupied by curiosity and neither believed or didn't believe in Him...But His name would have gotten around Israel, because of these crowds and large crowds...
St. Mark gives tells us about two healings in this section...One is the story of Jairus' daughter, who is dying...The other is a woman who has been bleeding for twelve years...Both cases are advanced or a lengthy illness, which needs the Great Physician...One might wonder, as we often due and put off prayer, if Jairus and the sick woman have tried traditional healing methods and other things, and now both illnesses are advanced and we turn to Him...
St. Mark in this section tells us about a synagogue ruler, named Jairus has a daughter very sick and dying...Jairus would do what many fathers would do and is seeking help to heal his daughter...Jairus finds Jesus and falls at His feet and ask Him to put His hands on her, so that she will be healed and live...Jairus knew somehow, if Jesus would touch his daughter, she would live...What Jairus felt and knew was his faith...So Jesus went with him....
The arrive at the house of Jairus and find his daughter dead...Some in the crowd, frankly say, "why bother the teacher anymore"... After all his daughter is dead...But Jesus with all the power and confidence that the Father has given Him, tells Jairus, "Don't be afraid; just believe...Who else could had said this, after one is dead or when a family member has passed on???...Only the Father or Son could say this and we still hold that glimmer of light and hope...I am sure Jairus is praying and just thinking "maybe He can, maybe it is not too late"...Jesus wants only Peter, John, and James to see the daughter...This would not be the only time He calls these three aside, by themselves...There is much commotion in the house, with a lot of grieving...A young girl has just died... Bereavement and grieving has just started...But Jesus tells those around the girl is just asleep and not dead...But the grief we are told turns into a laugh (at Him)...Who could even say something like this, this girl has died???...
Jesus touches the girl and takes her by the hand...He says to the girl, "Little girl get up, I say to you, get up"...Immediately the little girl stands up and walks around...At the sight of this the people are astonished...The Great Physician has healed the dead, if that is even possible...He told the people not to tell anybody...Then He tells them to give the little girl something to eat...
The answer who can say that the child is not dead, but asleep, is Jesus...He has the power over death, when we believe in the Father...He would tell the people not to tell anyone...Secrets like these pass to others so quickly...Jesus popularity and notoriety would continue to increase...
It is the will of Jesus to help and comfort people...He even wanted the little girl to eat to comfort her and show the people she is alive and doing living type things...She was maybe hungry and weak after this illness...She would eat now and would eat again...He is the bread of life...It is His Father who gives the true bread of life...For the bread of God has came down from heaven and gives life to this world (John 6:32-33)...