The Subplot is Part of the Plot
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Kip:
A story twelve years in the making.
In this story, we go from our last lesson, in which the Garasene people want Jesus to leave after he cast the demons out and they went into the pigs
We see humility in two people seeking help from Jesus
One had a twelve year old daughter
One had a twelve year old affliction
Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him.
And there came a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue. And falling at Jesus’ feet, he implored him to come to his house,
for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. As Jesus went, the people pressed around him.
And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone.
She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased.
And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!”
But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.”
And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed.
And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”
While he was still speaking, someone from the ruler’s house came and said, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more.”
But Jesus on hearing this answered him, “Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well.”
And when he came to the house, he allowed no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child.
And all were weeping and mourning for her, but he said, “Do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping.”
And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead.
But taking her by the hand he called, saying, “Child, arise.”
And her spirit returned, and she got up at once. And he directed that something should be given her to eat.
And her parents were amazed, but he charged them to tell no one what had happened.
Big Idea: Jesus responds to faith that is weak and desperate
Big Idea: Jesus responds to faith that is weak and desperate
Jesus allows for interruptions
Jesus has compassion
Jesus cares for practical needs
A story within a story, a story twelve years in the making. But really a story that was written before time itself. God had planned this story well ahead of time.
An Author writes a subplot to keep the reader engaged and create interest. A great author will tie in the subplots to the main plot. God has written all, so his subplot ties into the main plot. The main story is the Salvation Arc, but ultimately all the characters Jesus touches are part of his main story, in which he is glorified through healings, and more so from salvation.
Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him.
And there came a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue. And falling at Jesus’ feet, he implored him to come to his house,
for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. As Jesus went, the people pressed around him.
This crowd welcomed Jesus. A contrast to those in the previous passage who wanted him to go away.
The ruler of the synagogue: The one who coordinated Synagogue activities. He would have scheduled the service so to speak
Falling at Jesus’ feet: A sign of humility. He implored him to come
An only daughter, 12 years of age, and she was dying.
What joy to have a daughter! For 12 years, she had his affection, and likely demonstrated a lot of love to him
Now he is on the brink of losing her. God gives parents a love for their children, such that we are desperate to care for them.
But God:
Big Idea: Jesus responds to faith that is weak and desperate
Big Idea: Jesus responds to faith that is weak and desperate
He did not have faith like the centurion, who said Jesus did not need to come. Maybe it didn’t occur to him that Jesus could command the healing from afar as he did for the Centurion. Maybe his faith was just weaker. Yet Christ responds! Thank God we have a Savior that loves to respond to weak faith and to broken hearts. He responds to the fearful, the anxious, the tentative, all who come in sincerity. He does not require perfect faith to act, only a submitted faith, a humble faith.
a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.
For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.
In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.
I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.
This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.
The people press in. Jesus is being crowded as he is going to see the man’s daughter. And then…
And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone.
The constant bleeding had many devastating effects:
Loss of blood means loss of strength and energy (anemia)
She was unclean Leviticus 15:25 ““If a woman has a discharge of blood for many days, not at the time of her menstrual impurity, or if she has a discharge beyond the time of her impurity, all the days of the discharge she shall continue in uncleanness. As in the days of her impurity, she shall be unclean.”
Could not be with a husband
If she had a husband, he probably divorced her, because he could not have children with her
Could not go to the temple
Could not touch anyone or be in their house to sit down
She is cut off from family life, religious life, and community life
She had spent all she had on doctors.
Matthew implies the doctors had made her worse (She suffered under them)
This is one very sad and miserable case.
What could she do? What did she have left?
All she had left was weak and desperate faith
She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased.
She touches the fringe, this could be the tassels Jews wore on their clothes.
Her condition did not improve gradually, it was immediate.
Big Idea: Jesus responds to faith that is weak and desperate
Big Idea: Jesus responds to faith that is weak and desperate
We have seen the desperate father, the leader of the synagogue, whose 12 years of his daughter is threatening to come to and end. In weakness and desperation, he falls before Christ. And we have this woman, who had suffered for the same twelve years of this man’s joy for having a daughter. Both come weak and desperate to Jesus. And he responds.
And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!”
An interesting question.
To Peter, a sort of silly question
Who touched you? A bunch of us. What do you mean?
Do not take Jesus’ question to mean he was unaware. There is always a reason when Jesus asks a question of someone.
Did he want the woman to testify?
Did he want the public to know she was now clean?
But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.”
In other words, this isn’t a normal touch. It wasn’t someone brushing against him, it wasn’t someone pushing him. He perceived, or discerned that power had gone from him. This was no mere touch of normal crowd conditions. This was a touch of weak, desperate faith.
So what should this woman do? She realizes that she cannot hide what has happened.
And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed.
She testifies to her desperate need, she confesses all. And she testifies to being healed
And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”
Remember that this has happened while Jesus was going with the synagogue ruler to his house, but now we have a little plot twist:
While he was still speaking, someone from the ruler’s house came and said, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more.”
Imagine the sadness and angst of hearing this news! Ask a parent who has received the news of their child dying and they will tell you that not much competition exists for the grief of hearing that.
The second part of the statement drives home the futility, from the human standpoint, of calling in a healer when the patient is dead.
We don’t call doctors when there is a death. We call the coroner, or the mortician. It’s over. Now plan for the mourning and burial.
But God.
But Jesus on hearing this answered him, “Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well.”
Jesus gives an encouragement. In every circumstance in life, when we are fearful or anxious, the scriptures clearly teach us that this is the formula we ought to exercise: Do not fear. Only believe. There is a great hymn “only trust him” Trust him for salvation first and foremost, but only trust him
1. Come, every soul by sin oppressed,
there's mercy with the Lord;
and he will surely give you rest,
by trusting in his Word.
Only trust him, only trust him,
only trust him now.
He will save you, he will save you,
he will save you now.
2. For Jesus shed his precious blood
rich blessings to bestow;
plunge now into the crimson flood
that washes bright as snow.
3. Yes, Jesus is the truth the way
that leads you into rest;
believe in him without delay,
and you are fully blest.
4. Come then and join this holy band,
and on to glory go,
to dwell in that celestial land
where joys immortal flow.
Only trust him, only trust him,
only trust him now.
He will save you, he will save you,
he will save you now.
We have these words from Christ, Do not fear, only believe. This is often easier to say than to do, because we are weak. We need his Word and his Spirit to strengthen us to trust and believe. Never be slow to ask the Spirit for the help. Ask Him to strengthen you for the trusting and believing, the strength to not live in fear.
And now they arrive at the house.
And when he came to the house, he allowed no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child.
It is not always wise to do things publically
Jesus had a reason for doing it this way.
He trusted Peter, John, and James
The father and mother were allowed in
The father would now be rewarded for his weak and desperate faith.
And all were weeping and mourning for her, but he said, “Do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping.”
There are always those who scorn Christ
Sleeping is commonly used as a euphemism. In the new testament, believers who died were referred to as falling asleep.
This shows us that physical death is not the end. In this case, he was reviving her to her earthly existence, but for those in Christ, he will raise us to our eternal, heavenly existence. When we awake from the sleep of death, it will be to a refreshing morning. When have you had a great night of sleep, awoken completely refreshed, and seen the brightness and beauty of the creation? It cannot compare to the awakening in store for you if you trust in Christ.
And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead.
Scoffers
The climax of the story:
But taking her by the hand he called, saying, “Child, arise.”
Who can resist this command to arise?
Lazarus could not
The child could not
And neither can anyone resist the command to believe when the Holy Spirit regenerates a heart and enables it to receive the gospel. This is called irresistible grace! Anthony Hoekema:
Saved by Grace (“Irresistible Grace”)
The term “irresistible grace” conveys an important biblical truth… regeneration is monergistic (a work of one) and not synergistic (a work of two). It is not a work in which God and man cooperate, but it is the work of God alone. All that was said about the natural state of fallen human beings, about effectual calling, and about the way in which God regenerates his people supports the affirmation that the grace which regenerates us is indeed irresistible.
Saved by Grace “Irresistible Grace”
The grace of God may indeed be resisted, but it will not be successfully resisted by those whom God has chosen in Christ to salvation from before the creation of the world. As Cornelius Plantinga aptly says, “Nobody can finally hold out against God’s grace. Nobody can outlast Him. Every elect person comes … to ‘give in and admit that God is God.’ ”28
end quote
In other words, those whom God has chosen from before the beginning of time to be his elect, as scripture teaches clearly, will not fail to respond to the gospel at the time God has determined. The spiritually dead cannot resist that which God has commanded. Those Jesus healed, those he raised from the dead, could not have resisted his power to heal or bring life, even had they somehow wanted to resist. His command to life is an absolute imperative from a sovereign. You cannot resist it. If you are able to resist it, you were never chosen for salvation. Those whom he predestined he also called, and those he called he also justified. You see here from Romans 8 that it does not say that some of those he predestined he also called, and some of those he called, he also justified. No, it says those he predestined. All of them. They were called. All of them. They were justified. All of them. They were glorified. All of them. If you were predestined to salvation, you will be saved, you will not be able to resist this call. Jesus can comand the dead to rise, and they must rise, whether physically dead or spiritually dead, it doesn’t matter, the effectual call of Christ can never be resisted.
And her spirit returned, and she got up at once. And he directed that something should be given her to eat.
And her parents were amazed, but he charged them to tell no one what had happened.
Here is the happy ending.
It is practical to feed the girl, but also the sign of a long sickness being over with is often that the patient is hungry and can eat. An appetite in this case is a thing of beauty!
Big Idea: Jesus responds to faith that is weak and desperate
Big Idea: Jesus responds to faith that is weak and desperate
Jesus allows for interruptions
Jesus has compassion
Jesus cares for practical needs