Restores
Notes
Transcript
Context
Context
Wherever Jesus goes, he is met with hostile forces. He has demonstrated his power over sickness, forces of nature, demons, etc.
Wherever Jesus goes hostile forces wait to test and tempt him—even in the natural world (4:35–41). From the press of the crowds who see him as a spectacular Messiah he withdraws offshore to teach them (4:1
This is an important episode that sheds light on the ironic theme of Mark’s Gospel by which he rebukes those, as did Jesus, who are enervated by fear and self-concern when the Son of God is standing by their side and calling them to faith. Like Jesus, Mark calls for fearless trust in the Lord in spite of terrorizing circumstances, for by his powerful presence Jesus “rebukes and silences” demons both in persons and in the hostile wilderness (the same two verbs are used in 1:25 and 4:39). (For other rebukes of his disciples see 7:18; 8:17–18, 21, 32–33; 9:19, 33–37; 10:13–14, 35–45; 14:30, 37–38.)
Jesus and the disciples sail to the eastern shore of the lake to the predominantly Gentile territory of the Decapolis
Not even chains and irons can subdue his demonic destructiveness. Mark graphically describes (from Peter’s eyewitness account) a scene of total desolation and loss of the divine image in the man.
It is this demonic realm that Jesus invades yet again as he parries the attempt of the demon to get control of him by using his divine name, for the demon recognizes Jesus as the Son of the Most High God who threatens his existence. When Jesus exorcises the evil spirit, the demon’s shriek reveals the terror of impending judgment under which the demonic realm lies (cf. Jude 6; Rev. 20:10). The demon’s warped plea for exemption from torture when it is itself the source of torture is heavy with irony. The demonic possession of the man is so complete that Jesus’ conversation is at first deflected to addressing the demon, for the man’s personality has been totally eclipsed; but Jesus has already taught (3:27) that one cannot enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man: “Then he can rob his house.”
Jesus now proceeds to rob Satan’s house. Gaining control of the evil spirit’s name (which is fittingly “Legion” for the many demons that actually inhabit the man) Jesus accedes to Legion’s plea to be sent into the herd of swine. This is not a favor but an acted parable that will dramatically demonstrate two facts: (1) the aim of the demonic realm is to totally destroy its hosts; (2) the material cost of bringing the possessed back to life and fellowship summons the townspeople to decision: will they rejoice in the man’s healing in spite of the cost, or will they resent Jesus’ expensive exorcism and reject him for economic reasons? By his request Legion seeks to embarrass Jesus in front of the townspeople and destroy his further witness in that region. Jesus uses the occasion to challenge the Gentiles of the region with a call to commitment, but they reject him and ask him to leave even though they have seen a man restored to wholeness, sitting quietly, dressed, and in his right mind.ction of Mark’s gospel that illustrates the constant rejection of Jesus’ authority. see outline
We have studied Jesus’ authority over; sin, sickness, demons, weather
Today we continue to see crowds pressing Jesus wherever He goes.
When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea. Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet and begged him repeatedly, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.” So he went with him.
And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him.
In the first two episodes only one person, the healed demoniac, expresses faith in Jesus, while both disciples and Gentile townspeople fail the test. Now two Jewish individuals, a man and a woman, display the faith requisite for true healing. As a result, two women are healed, the one a mature woman who cannot contain her menstruation, the other a young girl of twelve who is about to begin her menstruation and enter into womanhood (5:21–43). Jesus invades the domain of demonic destruction and restores both women as he had the Gerasene demoniac, who together represent ritual uncleanness (graves, blood, and death). In each case Jesus ravages the domain of death and releases the goods held captive by the strong man Satan.
Observations:
How did the crowd know that it was Jesus? Did the style of boat give it away?
Just before this, Jesus had calmed a storm, disciples revealed their lack of faith, Jesus demostrated His supreme power over nature.
Leader of the synagogue Jairus.
named, he was a well respected leader in the Synagogue, going against the cultural norm and stepping out in faith.
Jairus was in charge of the order of service for the Sabbath, oversight of the Synagogue and its contents
“falls at the feet” of Jesus.
begged Jesus to come and heal his daughter
Jesus went without words or at lease Mark did not record them
Jesus is not among a Jewish community
On a scale of 1-10 how confident was Jairus that Jesus had the power to heal his daughter?
What holds people back from confidently approaching Jesus?
“Please come” - a desperate plea
Jairus began this section as the main character - they were on their way to his daughter. Crowds pressing in, yet a woman in particular touched Jesus and He felt power leave Him.
was she the only one that touched Jesus? were the crowds pressing likely touching Jesus? Yet what distinguished the woman from the rest?
Jairus daughter was 12 years old and not well, this woman had been afflicted for 12 years.
vs. 31 Jesus patience and longsuffering with those closest to Him.]
they saw first hand miracles, they just got put in their place for doubting their safety on the sea with Jesus in the boat, yet they respond with sarcasm.
And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, ‘Who touched me?’ ”
The purpose of Jesus asking “who touched my robe?”
The woman responded the same as Jairus in vs. 22 She fell down before Him.
Both Jairus and the Woman had no one to turn to but Jesus.
While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader’s house to say, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?” But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. When he had entered, he said to them, “Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was.
Mark 5:35-40
Imagine how Jairus would have felt when the journey to his daughter was delayed by the woman.
What other observations did you glean about Jairus?
What about Jesus response to Jairus after the news that his daughter had died?
Imagine Jesus telling you directly to not be afraid, and only believe.
“What does it mean to “only believe?” When you are given devasting news and are told to “only believe.”
Nebraska community, Indonesia
What situations might we face and Jesus challenges us to continue to believe? What are the roadblocks that we face that cause us to doubt or want to give up?
What situations
Customs of the day for mourning
Burial Customs During the Time of Christ
S. Safrai, "Home and Family," in The Jewish People in the First Century [1987], p.p. 773-
The following summarizes Jewish sources regarding burial customs at the time of Christ:
Rending the Garment
A death in the family immediately caused grief and lamentation, expressed in numerous forms some of which were required by the Halakah [the authoritative Jewish way of life found in various sources], including the obligations of the husband to his deceased wife. Others were merely customs or even just tolerated practices. Among the first signs of grief and mourning was the obligatory rending of garments by the members of the family, male and female alike; this obligation was particularly grave in the case of mourning for a parent. Those who were present at a death rent their garments even if they were not members of the family, while members of the family rent theirs either at the time of deeath or when they received notification of it.
Lighting Candles; Continuous Attendant
Our literature stressed the fact that it was customary to assign someone to attend the corpse continuously; and candles were lit at the head or feet of the corpse out of respect for the dead.
Must be Buried Same Day as Death
After these first arrangements, the family immeditely began preparations for funeral and burial. The traditions about the customs of Jerusaelm report that 'one should not keep the corpse through the night,' but rather bury it on the very day of death, and outside of Jerusalem efforts were also made to bury the dead as speedily as possible. Leaving a corpse unburied through the night, for any reason, was considered to be sinfully disrespectful, and was permitted only if more time was needed for the preparation of shrouds or a coffin. This haste may also be seen in the New Testament's account of the death of Ananias, the husband of Saphira, who was buried three hours after his death (see ).
Mourners and Pipers
In addition to preparation of shrouds and a coffin, burial arrangements included the acquistion of keeners [mourners] and pipers. A halakah informs us that, as a minimum, a husband was expected to provide on keening woman and two pipers for his wife's funeral, and this was required of even the poorest Jew. In some places pipes, shrouds, coffins and other requisite items were not readily available, and various regulations dealt with problems which arose in connection with the acquistion of such items on the sabbath, to be arranged with the assistances of gentiles, so that everything would be ready for a funeral upon the conclusion of the sabbath; other laws deal with the problems which arose if the pipers had not arrived by the scheduled start of the funeral. ... [The keeners] began their lamentations in the house of the deceased, even sitting upon the bed on which the corpse lay, and continued their wailing all along the route of the funeral procession. ...
He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha cum,” which means, “Little girl, get up!” And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.
Jesus touched the young girl even though she would have been ceremonially unclean. She immediately got up and walked.
How does Jesus bring life to His creation?
What is a proof that Jesus gives life today?
Mark proved Jesus’s authority over many things feared by humans
storms/nature
demons
healing sickness