The Healing of Jairus' Daughter

[face2face]

Hi all,

I've got a presentation coming up shortly, so I thought I would put down some notes regarding this section in Mark 5:21-43.

Happy for you to contribute, however please dont be offended if I fail to respond to all of your comments, as I'm using this as a means of preping for a study to 30 youth.

In the masters service
F2F

 

[face2face]

Previous to this event we have Jesus down in that South Eastern corner of the Lake of Galilee and we knelt (Mark 5:6) with the healing of Legion.

Now Mark records in Mark 5:21;

When Jesus had crossed again in a boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him, and he was by the sea.

He is now in the North Western corner at the city of Capernaum.

Capernaum means the "City of Comfort".

(as a side note Nahum's name is in there as his name means "comfort" and also lived at Capernaum)

We know from Matt 9:1; that Jesus called it his OWN city (interesting!).

Very significant that he should make his headquarters in a place whose name means "City of Comfort". Many miracles were done there.

So Jesus is here and Mark says "many people were gathered to him".

Contrast this with the Gadarenes who were hostile to Jesus because of the incident with the pigs, and they wanted him out of their coasts!

So back in Capernaum many waited for his return and Luke says 8:40 "they received him gladly ".

Many of those people must have wondered how he had survived that storm. They would have been observers of course that a very strange thing had happened as they on land cowered before the force of that storm, only to find it STOP in a moment!

(Note: we often focus on the stilling of the storm from the Disciples and "other boats" perspective but those on land must have thought it odd!)

How they would have marveled when told HOW it was stopped!

They were there in a joyous group and it was now when Jairus arrived.

Not all miracles are given for the same purpose.

- To show an expression of the Lords compassion
- To seal that he was Messiah
- To reveal powerful spiritual lesson

For me this section of Scripture is incredibly insightful into the Work of God through Christ.

The story of Jairus and the woman with the issue of blood - beautifully interwoven!

The overarching theme is how the Lord dramatically revealed he was the Word of Life - the Lord of Life and he was above the Law. He was doing what the Law could not do through the weakness of the flesh (Rom 8:3)

For God achieved what the law could not do because it was weakened through the flesh. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and concerning sin, he condemned sin in the flesh.

A weakness we share with him

For he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but in dealing with you we will live with him by the power of God.

Take for example this simple thing that Mark is telling us, that here is a man whose name was "Jairus" (Mark 5:22). He was one of the rulers of the synagogue. And we don't here his name again!

Mark.5:35; Look how the record keeps presenting Jairus:

"the ruler of the Synagogue" Verse 36
"the ruler of the Synagogue". Verse 38
"And he comes to the house of the ruler of the Synagogue.."

It would have been much simpler to say "Jairus"? Of course it would, wouldn't it?!

In the "ruler of the Synagogue" lies part of the story.

We keep being reminded that this man is "the ruler of the Synagogue! Well what did the Ruler of the Synagogue do?

He had to supervise the maintenance of the Synagogue and organise the religious meetings. We know this from the Book of Acts where the Ruler of the Synagogue got up and said "If any man hath any exhortation to the people, let him speak on." (Acts.13:15). He might be what we call a Chairman and Caretaker. He was the RULER of the Synagogue. He represented the Law that was taught there.

"Jairus is the Grk. form of "jair" and means “he will give light” or “may he enlighten,” and in that man's house, the darkness of death was settling in!

Really, the Synagogue system illuminated nobody.

 

[Nancy]

This was the first thing that came to mind. Not that they didn't just say Jarious which yes, would have been easier, yet they kept referring to "The ruler of the Synagogue" did catch my attention at first read. Awesome study for the class, I hope those kids will walk away from your class with more wisdom and understanding than when they first arrived. Interesting choice of study too!

"The overarching theme is how the Lord dramatically revealed he was the Word of Life - the Lord of Life and he was above the Law. He was doing what the Law could not do through the weakness of the flesh (Rom 8:3)"

Amen! He was fulfilling the law, the only man who could.

"For God achieved what the law could not do because it was weakened through the flesh. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and concerning sin, he condemned sin in the flesh."

Thank you for that priceless gift, gracious heavenly Father!
Others, I hope will chime in here..

 

[face2face]

This was the first thing that came to mind. Not that they didn't just say Jarious which yes, would have been easier, yet they kept referring to "The ruler of the Synagogue" did catch my attention at first read. Awesome study for the class, I hope those kids will walk away from your class with more wisdom and understanding than when they first arrived. Interesting choice of study too!

Hi Nancy, what we are saying is the Word is written with inspiration and if we read the Word with care that inspiration can teach! We only need allow it and not force our views on it. F2F

 

[face2face]

So in Mark 5:22

Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet

Matthews Gospel acct says "and worshiping him" (Matt 9-18-26)

This was not an attitude of desperation only (though possible). He came to learn something and he WORSHIPPED him. Born out of great need this man is not acting out of desperation! Its a dramatic picture as this RULER of the Synagogue worships Jesus as the Lord of Life. That man's days in the Synagogue were big time OVER!

As Ruler he would have been a very capable and well spoken man, well versed in the Law and carrying significant respect in the community. Well, there he was at the Lord's feet (dont forget that scene! It's vitally important to the greater story), declaring that there was no life for his daughter in that Synagogue. (There is a modern day example! though not for this post.)

F2F

 

[face2face]

So in Mark 5:22

Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet

Matthews Gospel acct says "and worshiping him" (Matt 9-18-26)

This was not an attitude of desperation only (though possible). He came to learn something and he WORSHIPPED him. Born out of great need this man is not acting out of desperation! Its a dramatic picture as this RULER of the Synagogue worships Jesus as the Lord of Life. That man's days in the Synagogue were big time OVER!

As Ruler he would have been a very capable and well spoken man, well versed in the Law and carrying significant respect in the community. Well, there he was at the Lord's feet (dont forget that scene! It's vitally important to the greater story), declaring that there was no life for his daughter in that Synagogue. (There is a modern day example! though not for this post.)

F2F

Points to discuss:

Why do we come to the Lord?
Do we fall at his feet in our daily living?
What degree of self-interest do we have in coming to him? Precisely what is our need?
What signs would reveal "our synagogue" has no Life in it?
Many churches have well spoken leaders but is this a sign of Life? or potentially something else?

What is the Spirit Word wanting us to learn from this exchange?
If the man was acting out of desperation (only) how would this change what happened?

 

[face2face]

Mark 5:23; "and implored him earnestly"

You have cultural context going on here! Can you see the portrait being painted before us? It's ever so easy to overlook it with a casual reading of the Word.

The Ruler of the Synagogue were renowned for a cold and correct formality. The attire combined with an intellectual aloofness was required to exercise control, as is the case in some religous bodies in the world today. It takes a personal TRAGEDY to soften that! Not all tragedies in life have negative outcomes. This man had been CRUSHED, really CRUSHED!

Notice something here that is typical of the little details that can often be missed. Jairus calls the girl "My little daughter." Notice what Luke says in Luke 8:42; "his only daughter". In the Grk. this is "monogenes" which means "his only begotten."

A classic piece of information in what we are going to learn.

The very same term used of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I know right!

 

[face2face]

Mark 5:23; "and implored him earnestly"

You have cultural context going on here! Can you see the portrait being painted before us? It's ever so easy to overlook it with a casual reading of the Word.

The Ruler of the Synagogue were renowned for a cold and correct formality. The attire combined with an intellectual aloofness was required to exercise control, as is the case in some religous bodies in the world today. It takes a personal TRAGEDY to soften that! Not all tragedies in life have negative outcomes. This man had been CRUSHED, really CRUSHED!

Notice something here that is typical of the little details that can often be missed. Jairus calls the girl "My little daughter." Notice what Luke says in Luke 8:42; "his only daughter". In the Grk. this is "monogenes" which means "his only begotten."

A classic piece of information in what we are going to learn.

The very same term used of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I know right!

If we had such knowledge of our sin and how it brings about death, would we come with such earnest?
Is God wanting us to remove formality if it gains Him access to the "inner man?" How do we do this? How do we encourage others to do this?
Can we see how great suffering leads to obedience & praise?
For such an austere man why did it take such a tragedy as this to make him vulnerable?
Ritualistic faith vs. Experiential faith

 

[face2face]

Coming back to Mark 5:23.

“My little daughter is at the point of death"

Matt 9 records with his abbreviated record says that the father cries in verse 18:

knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died"

It's a tragic picture! This little girl in awful pain, struggling to take each breath...



The mother would be there wringing her hands, all their friends and neighbours watching this pale little girl struggle for life. It wasn't that Jairus did not believe. He obviously accepted that even if his daughter had died, Jesus was capable of bringing her back! He is a man with faith and trust in the Lord. Again, it is Mark, and Mark only who selects another word for us which is a wonderful pointer to the lessons of this story.

In Marks's record the word in verse 23 "healed" σῴζω does not mean "healed" at all...its the word "SAVED"!

Now why would Mark use that?

Come back with me to Mark Ch 3 and here is the reason why Mark uses the word "saved"

In Mark 2:1; "And again Jesus entered into Capernaum".
In Mark 3; we read of him going into "the SYNAGOGUE!"

That's the Synagogue of Jairus!

And there is a man there that has a withered hand!

"And they watched him to see if Jesus had the AUDACITY to heal him on the Sabbath Day!

These were those who were concerned with maintaining the LEGALITY of the Synagogue. And WHO MORE than the Ruler of the Synagogue! Jesus said on that occasion Mark 3:4; "is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days...to SAVE life, or to kill?"

But they held their peace.

And we know that Jesus was GRIEVED because of the hardness of their hearts. Mark 3:5: As Jesus looked around that meeting with burning eyes, one of the people he would have looked THROUGH would have been JAIRUS!

So that when Jairus came to Jesus and says "put your hands on my little girl, and she shall be SAVED!" he was using the terminology that he had SEEN for himself! I wonder whether Jairus now thought is was "very lawful" to heal on the sabbath, seeing it was his own daughter!

 

[face2face]

For Jairus, a few weeks before it wasn't legal to save in his synagogue! A great lesson for us!

- Can older believers be more prone to legalism / conservatism?
- NT examples of "laws / commandments" poorly understood (like the Sabbath) which stand in the way of mercy?
- Church traditions and customs restricting good works?
- Get out of the buildings made with hands and allow him who was made without hands work through you!
- Christ is a mobile temple!

James 2:13 For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

F2F

 

[face2face]

The story of the woman with an issue of blood is interwoven beautifully with Jairus' daughter (and for good reason!), however I will leave this account for a later study.

 

[face2face]

Cont…news came to the RULER OF THE SYNAGOGUE that his daughter is dead. They spoke in these terms..

Mark 5:35; 35 While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler’s house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?”

The word for "trouble" is a strong word in the Grk. and means to "strip or flay".

Some indication of how hard Jairus was urging Jesus on. The RSV says "why annoy him".

Mark 5:36; But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.”

Here was a critical moment in Jairus life. So Jesus said "Be not afraid, only believe."

A change had occurred that we may have missed. Jairus was now unclean..a social and religious outcast!

He has a dead body in his house! Num 19 says that to come anywhere near a dead body would make them unclean.

Not only that, but his public profession to Jesus would have cut his ties to the Synagogue like a sharp knife!

But the key to BOTH problems was this woman with the issue of blood!!!!

She was no longer unclean!!! Jesus had healed her! Perhaps he could do the same for his house? He called that woman DAUGHTER! He MUST know what it means to have a daughter!

Mark.5:37-38

And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. 38 They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly

Jesus goes off with Jairus with that soothing phrase ..just go on believing..and when they got their the Jewish mourning was in full swing. Matthew says that there were "minstrels there" (Matt 9:20). They were professionals hired to engender a greater sense of intensity in the mourning. The word "wailed is only used twice in the whole of the NT.

The other occurrence is in 1 Cor 13; as a "tinkling cymbal" Doesn't mean a thing!

 

[face2face]

Just to show how artificial these people were just look at Mark 5:40;

These mourners "laughed him to scorn!"

When Jesus comes to the girl at the end of verse 40 the word "damsel" is used. Again in V41.
Is Grk. "Paidion" Lit. "Half grown".

41 Taking her by the hand he said to her, “Talitha cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” 42 And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement. 43 And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

But the words Jesus speaks are Hebrew "Talitha cumi" referring to the girl as "FULLY GROWN", He said to her "damsel, awake."

Jesus had another daughter!

For a boy, adulthood or Bar-Mitzvah was at age 13 years and 1 day..but for a girl it was TWELVE YEARS and one day!

Now Jesus had two daughters, both women!

This story should hold great meaning for the woman in this forum as it shows the Lord desire that he should be given woman for daughters.

F2F