Friday 05 November 2021
- Bible Book:
- Mark
...they were overcome with amazement. (v. 42)
Background
Today’s passage is the third of three incidents recorded by Mark that occurred around the Sea of Galilee, in the north of Israel. In each one, Jesus reveals a new aspect of his divine personality and authority to those around him. In the calming of the storm (Mark 4:35-41), he demonstrates his power over the natural elements. In the healing of the man possessed by a demon (5:1-20), he shows his authority over evil and the spiritual realm. In today’s text, he shows his ability to heal and even to restore the dead to life. In each case, the text tells us more and more about Jesus’ identity.
The account contains two distinct narratives that have been related in one episode. This interweaving of stories is often described as a ‘Markan sandwich’ and is found elsewhere in Mark's Gospel (eg Mark 2:1-12). The two incidents seemingly have little in common at first glance beyond their location and the healing. Jairus is a prominent and important person in his community. He was not a priest or rabbi, but rather a lay member of the community, who was entrusted with ensuring orderly worship and the maintenance of the building. (A role not wholly dissimilar to senior church stewards in Methodism!) He comes publicly and openly to Jesus, whose fame by this time has clearly spread widely across his home region of Galilee.
By contrast, the woman is unnamed in the narrative and approaches Jesus with the greatest secrecy. We do not fully understand the nature of her medical complaint, but it clearly involved a dangerous and unnatural flow of blood. The text is clear that she was suffering and in pain, and that the fruitless search for a cure had cost her a great deal financially and emotionally.
What unites both stories and individuals is their desperation. Jairus and the woman are both willing to risk their public reputation for the sake of healing, and neither has anywhere else to turn. Both recognise Jesus as someone sent by God, and kneel before him (vs 22, 33). Wonderfully, both ultimately find healing and restoration in the touch of Christ.
To Ponder:
- What does this narrative tell us about Jesus?
- Do you see any other similarities between the two stories?
- Where do we go when we are desperate?
Prayer
Loving God, may all those desperate for healing and wholeness this day find their peace in you. Amen.