When The Future Seems Over
Introduction
The most obvious and important structural feature of this unit is the intercalation of the two episodes: The narrative of the healing of the woman suffering from a hemorrhage (8:42b-48) has been embedded into the narrative of the raising of Jairus’s daughter (8:40–42a, 49–56). The relationship between these two episodes transcends concerns of structure. They are also tied together by numerous commonalities at the linguistic and topical levels—for example, falling before Jesus (vv 41, 47), daughter (vv 42, 48, 49), twelve years (vv 42, 43), desperate circumstances (vv 42, 43, 49), the fact and immediacy of healing (vv 44, 47, 55), touching (vv 44, 45, 46, 47, 53), impurity (flow of blood—v 43, corpse—vv 53, 54), fear (vv 45, 47, 50), and the inseparable connection between faith and salvation (vv 48, 50).
Luke 8:40-56
a ruler concerned with scriptural exposition and observance
The two scenes recounted in vv 40–56 are correlated by means of the literary device of intercalation, and so are to be interpreted together. But these two episodes are themselves associated with the accounts of the stilling of the storm and the Gerasene demoniac by means of a carefully outlined itinerary: they went across the lake (v 22), they arrived on the other side of the lake (vv 26–27), he (they) returned (vv 37, 40). The episodes of healing and exorcism (vv 26–56) are related further by their common interest in submission to Jesus (vv 28, 35, 41, 47) and in the question of who will be given access to reports of Jesus’ salvific activity (vv 39, 47b, 56a).
A further element characteristic of this narrative unit is the presence of the crowds, who are as ubiquitous as their role is ambiguous. When they first appear they are portrayed positively, awaiting Jesus’ return and welcoming his arrival (v 40). Soon, however, they are described in a way reminiscent of the thorns of the story of the sower, as unwanted foliage growing up alongside sprouting seedlings that will eventually choke the desired vegetation. In the final scene (vv 51–54) unspecified bystanders laugh at Jesus, disbelieving his claims regarding the child, failing to recognize his authority to make such statements (and to make his words effective).
The exact nature of the woman’s condition is unknown, but it would have rendered her unclean according to the law (see
The aim of God, manifest in Jesus’ ministry, is not the only one at work in this narrative. Evil spirits/demons, diseases, diabolic testing, even the agency of the devil himself—these are the various guises through which the presence of evil is evident (cf. vv 2, 11, 13, 24, 26–39, 40–56). The objective of diabolic activity is to keep people from authentic faith and, thus, from the experience of salvation.
Though the names by which he is called—Master (v 24) and Son of the Most High God (v 28)—are not without their significance, even more important are the faith of people (cf. vv 12, 13, 25–48, 50) and their recognition of his redemptive authority (signified by falling down before him/at his feet—cf. vv 28, 35, 41, 47).
The crowds are not portrayed as particularly malicious, nor are they presented as persons of faith, as persons whose faith is manifest in the harvest of perception and obedience. Against this backdrop, the woman with a hemorrhage is revealed as a person with faith that survives the test, and with faith that has human wholeness as its consequence. Similarly, even in the face of those who mock Jesus’ claims, Jairus and his wife are able to put aside their fear and to embrace faith in Jesus’ capacity to bring restoration.
