Reading the Word

Mark 5:21–43 (ESV)

21 And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea. 22 Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet 23 and implored him earnestly, saying, “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.” 24 And he went with him.
And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. 25 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, 26 and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. 27 She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. 28 For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” 29 And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 30 And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” 31 And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’ ” 32 And he looked around to see who had done it. 33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. 34 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

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?” 36 But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” 37 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. 39 And when he had entered, he said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.” 40 And they laughed at him. But 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. 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.

Parallel Texts: Matthew 9:18-26; Luke 8:40-56

Understanding and Applying the Word

In these verses, we find the healing of two people. The first was a woman who had a “discharge of blood” for twelve years. The phrase “discharge of blood” was a euphemism for vaginal bleeding. Not only would this have been a medical issue for the woman, but a religious one as well. Such bleeding would have made her ceremonially unclean and a source of uncleanness for others. She sought Jesus so she could touch him and find healing, which is exactly what she received. Jesus’ words to her were, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

A twelve-year-old girl was the second healing. When Jesus went to her, she was already dead. The people were ready to let Jesus go on his way because it was too late for him to do anything, but Jesus told the girl to “arise.” Immediately, the girl got up and walked!

The past three days, we have looked at four miracles of Jesus: the calming of the storm, the casting out of demons, the healing of the woman with a discharge of blood, and the raising of Jairus’ daughter from the dead. Through these miracles, we have seen that Jesus has power over creation, the spirit world, disease, and even death! He is the source of all power, which is why the power went out “from him” when the woman touched him. Have you placed your faith in the one who exercises power and authority over all things?

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