Mark 5:21-43

Introduction

After Mark 4:20 Jesus goes on to give more parables. In fact Mark 4:33–34 “33 And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it. 34 But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.”

Mark 4:21-29 Not hiding a candle under a bushel (let the light you’ve been given shine by casting seed) and when we do It’s not up to us how it grows (the sower sleeps, and the seed grows from seed to sprout to plant to harvest without the sower doing a thing)

Mark 4:30-32 faith is like a mustard seed that when it’s planted is one of the smallest seeds but when it’s grown is one of the largest herbs

Jesus then goes to Gennesaret on the western side of the Sea of Galilee. The trip over is when Jesus calms the storm and the disciples declare even the wind and the seas obey him!

On the western side they see the miracle of Jesus casting out the demon named Legion from the man to the herd of pigs that ran off the cliff into the sea. The people then tell Jesus to leave, to go back to where he came from.

Jairus tells Jesus about his daughter

Mark 5:21–24 KJV

21 And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea. 22 And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet, 23 And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live. 24 And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.

Back on the eastern side of the sea of Galilee near Capernaum, where the stories of all the miracles has gotten out and the people all run to crowd around him.

Mark 5:22–23 “22 And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet, 23 And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.”

Mark introduces us to Jairus

A synagogue was opened as soon as a place reached 10 men and their families, so they could perform the ceremonial offerings to Yahweh to cover their sins and offer praise and worship to the God of the Jews

The head would have been responsible for general oversight of the synagogue and making sure the teaching was orthodox to Torah. His responsibilities included building maintenance and security, procuring of scrolls for Scripture reading, and arranging of Sabbath worship by designating Scripture readers, prayers, and preachers.

In other words this was a man of importance in the community. He was important enough that he walked up to Jesus face to face.

But as important as Jairus was, he also understood where he was at. His daughter was about dead and he had heard the stories and knew this man Jesus could heal her. He didn’t just see Jesus and ask for help, he “fell at his feet” and begged him!

Jesus hears his plea and goes with Jairus, and the crowd goes too, packing around Jesus.

Jesus heals the woman with the issue of blood

Mark 5:25–34 KJV

25 And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, 26 And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, 27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. 28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. 29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. 30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? 31 And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? 32 And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. 33 But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. 34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.

Jesus, Jairus, and the crowd a going back to Jairus house and his daughter doesn’t have much time. Maybe we can hear her already struggling to breath and her breathing slowing down ad Jairus realized he was out of options. his only hope was this man named Jesus he had heard about.

On their way, Mark introduces to this woman Mark 5:25 “25 And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,” She’s just a “certain woman”. But she’s a woman who has suffered from hemorrhaging blood for 12 years!

This is absolutely a dire health situation, imagine a small cut on your finger, today we say if we can’t get it to stop bleeding 10-20 minutes of applying pressure, we’re supposed to go to a doctor. Any bleeding that wouldn’t stop for 12 years would be terrible to try to live with.

The context here, though, is a woman.

Leviticus 15:19 “19 And if a woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even.”

Leviticus 15:25 “25 And if a woman have an issue of her blood many days out of the time of her separation, or if it run beyond the time of her separation; all the days of the issue of her uncleanness shall be as the days of her separation: she shall be unclean.”

This is Niddah or being ceremonially unclean due to a woman’s issue of blood

Ceremonial uncleanness made a person realize he needed cleansing and purification to approach the Lord. Unclean Israelites were separated from the temple worship for a time, a symbol of their spiritual uncleanness before God. To be clean, they had to wait a period of time, wash, and, most of the time, offer sacrifices (Numbers 19:11–12; Leviticus 14:19).

Not just the temple but separated from everyone. Not allowed to even touch another person because it made the person they touched unclean as well

Mark 5:26 “26 And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,”

This woman had looked for answers from the doctors, and suffered all their treatments and spent all her money and not only didn’t get healed but got worse

Mark 5:27–28 “27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. 28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.”

She knew her place too. Being ceremonially unclean she was separated from God and everyone else. Without sacrifice, covered in her blood and her sin, guilt, and shame and had to approach Jesus from behind. trying to sneak, knowing if she touched even the tassel on the outer garment every Torah-observant Jew wore, it would make Him unclean but heal her

Mark 5:29–31 “29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. 30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? 31 And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?”

Jesus immediately knows the healing had taken place. Rather than talk about the humanity of Jesus not knowing, I believe Jesus did know exactly who touched his garment and who was healed!

Mark 5:32 “32 And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.”

Mark 5:33–34 “33 But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. 34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.”

In this one moment she was caught and knew it! She had no idea what would happen from that moment but knew one thing, WHAT WAS DONE IN HER. She knew she was healed!

Jesus, caring as much for this woman we don’t have a name for as he did for Jairus who we know, tells her not only has her faith healed her, but has given her peace with God!

Jesus heals Jairus’ daughter

Mark 5:35–43 KJV

35 While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? 36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. 37 And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. 38 And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly. 39 And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. 40 And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying. 41 And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. 42 And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment. 43 And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.

Mark 5:35 “35 While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?”

The time with he woman was too long and it’s too late. I can’t and don’t want to imagine what it would feel like to be in Jairus’ place in that moment. Hope is gone. In shock barely able to hear for his heart beating in his throat...

but God! Mark 5:36–37 “36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. 37 And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.”

We all want to give ourselves all the credit for having faith…put on Jairus’ shoes. Jesus had already stopped to deal with this woman and now the same Jesus, after hearing of his daughter’s death is telling him to believe. And on top of that telling everyone but Peter, James, and John to not follow them to his house. What for? She’s dead. And yet he had just seen Jesus heal that woman. And make no mistake, as the synagogue ruler, he knew her! He knew how long she had bled. Knew how long she had been separated from worship and sacrifice. Jairus was going either only see his circumstances and all that was happening in the moment or he was going to believe. Seeing the picture of faith in the woman that played out in front of him...HE WENT!

Mark 5:38–39 “38 And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly. 39 And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.”

They got back and saw the mourners

Mourners formed a professional guild in first-century Judaism and were required at funerals; “Even the poorest person in Israel should hire at least two flute players and one wailing woman,” said 2nd century Rabbi Judah.

Mark 5:40 “40 And they laughed him to scorn...

True faith looks silly to a world that’s perishing

Mark 5:40–42 “40 ...But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying. 41 And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi (talithá koúmi) ; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. 42 And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.”

Jesus doesn’t intend for everyone to see or know what happened.

Mark 5:43 “43 And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.”

The total restoration of the little girl is shown by her walking and eating

There is still a veiling. Those who are given knowledge and those who aren’t.

It may be as simple as wanting the little girl to live a normal life or as deep and complex as intended for judgement.

We don’t get to decide and think let alone tell Jesus who to tell what. He’s king not us!

Conclusion

One of the lessons we need to see today is no matter who we are in the world, important or not, rich or poor, Jesus cares enough to give us one of two things if we trust and believe in Him:

#1 Healing in the body in this life, healing isn’t given to men to do, but every time we are healed of anything it is God that does it and not men.

#2 Even if God’s will is not for us to be healed in this life, with faith in Jesus we are promised resurrection in the next!

There’s something else I want everyone to think about this morning.

Jesus turned water into wine at the wedding in Cana of Galilee John 2:1-10. We get caught in in the physical miracle for all kinds of reasons and miss a really import part of what John was saying Jesus was doing.

John 2:3–5 “3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. 4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. 5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.”

John 2:6 “6 And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.”

6 pots, 20-30 gallons each: 120 to 180 gallons of water but not drinking water. This was the water that was to be used in the rituals to wash those ceremonially unclean and make them clean again and restored to fellowship with Yahweh and entrance in the temple for worship and sacrifice

In that moment Jesus was showing everyone there and then and here and now He was bringing a new way. A new way to be cleansed. A new way to be made whole. A new way to be forgiven and restored to fellowship with God. It was not going to take rituals and washing with water in ceremonial baths and basins. And every one of has been unclean in our heart at some time or all the time.

Romans 3:23 “23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”

Titus 3:3 “3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.”

But God! We are given an opportunity to be made clean!

Titus 3:4–7 “4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”