Posts
So it was, when Jesus returned, that the multitude welcomed Him. And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell down at Jesus' feet and begged Him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him.
Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped. And Jesus said, "Who touched Me?" When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, "Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, 'Who touched Me?'" When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, "Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, 'Who touched Me?'" But Jesus said, "Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me." Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately. And He said to her, "Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace."
While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, "Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher." But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, "Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well." When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl. Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, "Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping." And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead. But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, "Little girl, arise." Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat. And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened.
- Luke 8:40-56
In yesterday's reading, we read that Jesus and the disciples sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee. (This comes just after they were on the stormy seas and the disciples felt they were perishing while Jesus slept. See Wednesday's reading.) And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time. And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!" For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles, and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness. Jesus asked him, saying, "What is your name?" And he said, "Legion," because many demons had entered him. And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss. Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain. So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them. And He permitted them. Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned. When those who feed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed. Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. And He got into the boat and returned. Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you." And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.
So it was, when Jesus returned, that the multitude welcomed Him. And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell down at Jesus' feet and begged Him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him. We note the facts here: it is the ruler of the synagogue who has called on Jesus, and we are back in Jewish territory, home ground for Jesus and His ministry. The multitudes throng Him everywhere He goes. Today's "double miracle" (as we shall read in subsequent verses) is reported in Matthew and Mark's Gospels as well.
Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, came from behind and touched the border of His garment. Let's examine the facts again, and contrast them to one another. Jairus' daughter is twelve years old, and this woman has had a blood flow for twelve years. This blood flow likely makes her ritually unclean, while the girl is the daughter of the ruler of the synagogue. The young girl is the daughter in a prominent family, but this woman with the blood flow has not only despaired of hope for healing, she has become destitute spending money for physicians. Jairus approaches Jesus for his daughter, falling at Jesus' feet to ask, and they walk through the crowds, as all know what is happening and others will come from his house to give the news of the girl. But this woman with the blood flow feels only the courage to approach Jesus from behind and touch the border of His garment. Jairus' daughter is in the beginning of a promising life, just entering maturity -- while the woman is destitute and devoid of hope for means of support.
And immediately her flow of blood stopped. And Jesus said, "Who touched Me?" When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, "Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, 'Who touched Me?'" When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, "Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, 'Who touched Me?'" But Jesus said, "Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me." My study bible has an interesting note: "Healing power comes from Christ. That which Jesus touches or which touches Him, is sanctified. . . . Jesus taught that one thing sanctifies another: 'Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold?' (Matt. 23:17). Therefore, to trustingly touch the border of His garment was to touch Him. Others may have touched Christ, but this woman's faith draws His power as well."
When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, "Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, 'Who touched Me?'" But Jesus said, "Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me." Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately. And He said to her, "Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace." Let us observe what it is that Jesus takes time for. It is another one of His "family" -- as we recall that Jesus taught that those who hear the word of God and do it (again in Wednesday's reading) are also His mother and brothers. In this case, this woman is "Daughter." She is included in His family. "Go in peace" is once again (as He said to another woman, in an earlier reading) the sign of reconciliation.
While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, "Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher." But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, "Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well." A note here reads, "Jesus exhorts the parents, only believe. We are to believe God, even when it appears there is no hope. These parents do keep believing, and their daughter is made well."
When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl. Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, "Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping." And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead. But He put them all outside . . Here is a kind of protection of faith. Only His inner circle is invited in, and the father and mother of the girl. This is in the face of those who "know" otherwise and ridicule, all of whom are put outside by Jesus.
. . . took her by the hand and called, saying, "Little girl, arise." Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat. And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened. My study bible says, "Christ's divinity works together with His humanity to accomplish His miracles. Here, taking the child by the hand and calling her to arise is an action of His humanity. Her being restored to life is an action of His divinity. These two operations, however, are inseparable because He is One undivided Person.
To understand Christ is to take His actions and look at them in many different ways. Often we are astounded or made to take note of His use of time, space, the realities of physics and the elements of the earth. Here, through touch, power is transmitted via the border of His garment. Through faith, a connection is made. Jesus also knows time, knows what is happening at Jairus' house, knows that He can take His time for a "daughter" who is also a part of His family, the one who is destitute, an outcast, and "unclean" by the laws of ritual purity. And yet, there is time. There is time to walk, still, to Jairus' house. There is time to put the mourners and the naysayers and ridiculers out of the room. There is time to greet His daughter in the crowd before walking to Jairus' house. He takes the young girl by the hand, and tells her simply to arise. Jesus has time, and care, and solicitude. He has time to express His love and care which are a part of the healing that He generates. Let us remember that healing can take many forms, but faith and love can't be far apart. We may not have the prescience and knowledge that Jesus has, and we may not be able to work miracles of healing, defying the elements of the world and the laws of physics. But we can be like Him in taking our time for what is necessary, where love and care are necessary, where recognition is necessary, where a kind word is necessary. Let us remember His time and how He uses it, and let us take our time for the things that really count: a kind word, a loving gesture, and even the power of touch.
