Mark 5: 21-43

On Mark 5: 21-43

I have read this story, or rather these two intertwined stories, multiple times; but this morning I really read it and the Holy Spirit opened my eyes to not just read it and think that's nice but to truly learn from it. I was reminded of the importance of faith, that there is both a physical and spiritual aspect of faith, and that faith is ultimately what leads to our healing and cleansing. Now this isn't anything "new" or profound per se but regardless here's what was highlighted for me...

First, there is the importance of faith. The woman with the blood discharge first believed, and as a result of her belief that Jesus would heal her, reached out her hand to touch him. She said to herself "If I touch even his garments, I will be made well" not I might be made well.  Jesus commends her for this. He says, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” Your faith has made you well! We see a parallel with Jarius and his daughter. Jesus and Jarius are en route to his home when some came to tell him not to trouble the teacher because his daughter was already died. Jesus responds right away with "Do not fear, only believe." Only believe! Belief is crucial in order for God's power to move. If we read a little bit further down we see that Jesus even went so far as to kick out those who were laughing at the thought that Jarius' daughter was only sleeping. "And when he had entered, he said to them, 'Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.' And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside...".  This needed to happen before Jesus did anything. He needed to remove all sources of unbelief.

 

I love looking at this story in Mark, even though it is repeated in several of the other gospels, because of the contrast one finds in Mark chapter 6. In chapter 6 we see that the next place he visits is his hometown Nazareth. He began to teach there but they took offense with him because they saw him as nothing more than one of them. Who gave him this wisdom? Where is he getting all this power from? It says in verses 5 and 6 that Jesus "could do no mighty work there...because of their unbelief." What a contrast from chapter 5 and the belief that the hemorrhaging woman and Jarius displayed!

 

Secondly, one needs to physically act on their faith. She "touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased" (Luke 8:44). I am using this verse in Luke to emphasize that she was healed instantaneously in the act of just barely touching Him - she touched the fringe. Her physical action came out of and is proof of her true expectation for healing. Once again we see a parallel in the story of Jarius' daughter. Jesus took her by the hand and said wake up. He spoke and touched her. The other thing of interest here is that in both cases being touched or touching either of these women would have made Jesus unclean in the eyes of the Law. But Jesus is the antithesis of the law. He makes them clean with his life giving power instead of them making him unclean. In a sense they both were physically and spiritually "healed". (Another point of interest here, healed in Greek means "saved" - which in a gospel sense does mean being spiritually healed, made clean, and restored). 

So how is this applicable for us? Well, right after reading this chapter in Mark, I read excerpts from "Conversation" by E.Stanley Jones (as found in Foster's "Devotional Classics"). In it Jones says:

"He [Jesus Christ] moves out of the pages of this Book [The Bible, namely the NT] and meets us with the impact of his person on our persons. That impact is cleansing. 'Now you are clean through the words which I have spoken unto you.' When you 'expose your all to his everything,' then you submit yourself to a daily cleansing of the mind, of motive, of emotions."

In other words one could say he "touches" us by his Word and in doing so his word cleanses us, heals us, saves us. Amen! In Mark 5 the living Word (Jesus) healed. Now, in the present time, we have the written Word (Scripture) that heals us. "The Bible vindicates itself because it is an excellent medicine. It has never failed to cure a single patient if only he took his prescription honestly. (Jones)". This could be reworded to say that the Bible has never failed to cure a patient who read it full of faith...Thank you Father for the gift of your Word both living and written.