Mark 5:21-41 Comments by Stephen Ricker
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Jesus Heals Two Women
Comments for Study 9

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Memory Verse: 5:36
Questions
Introduction
Outline
A CHART COMPARING JESUS' PARABLES
A MAP SHOWING JESUS' EARLY MINISTRY TRAVELS
A MAP OF GALILEE.

I. "My Little Daughter is Dying" (21-24)

Jesus' Mid-Ministry Travels

>1. Where was Jesus (5:1,21)?

* Mark 5:1 "They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes."

* Mark 5:21 "When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake."

* They were probably near Capernaum because the synagogue was nearby. However, Magdala and Tiberius also had synagogues.

>What had he and his disciples been doing just before this (5:1-20)?

* Jesus cast demons out of the Gerasenes demoniac.

* A lot of hard work.

>Why do you think this crowd had gathered around Jesus?

* They all liked Jesus much.

* Jesus was a very popular figure.

* Some in the crowd wanted to be healed.

* Some wanted to see him, for they had heard a lot about him.

* Some wanted to see a miracle.

* Some out of excitement or just curious.

* "while he was by the lake" -Perhaps people waited for his return because the crowd gathered quickly, just after Jesus got out of the boat.

* Even though there was a crowd of people only two got Jesus' attention. Why them? Because the came with a clear purpose and strong faith.

>2. What was Jairus' position in the community (22)?

* Mark 5:22 "Then one of the synagogue rulers, named Jairus, came there. Seeing Jesus, he fell at his feet"

* "one of" -The other synagogue rulers did not like Jesus that well. (Mark 3:6) He was obviously under peer pressure to avoid and denounce Jesus.

* "synagogue ruler" -A synagogue ruler is a local leader appointed by the Pharisees. He took care of the synagogue. Sometimes he was a laymen, other times he had a salary.

>Why had he come there (23)?

* Mark 5:23 "and pleaded earnestly with him, "My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live."

* This was an act of faith in Jesus.

>What did he do when he saw Jesus?

* "He fell at his feet" -He asked with a humble mind, while respecting Jesus' power.

* "and pleaded earnestly with him" -He had wholehearted and unfailing humility and need.

>What request did he make of Jesus, and what was Jesus' response (23,24)?

* Mark 5:23-24 "and pleaded earnestly with him, "My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live." So Jesus went with him. A large crowd followed and pressed around him."

* Love for his daughter compelled him to risk everything. He loved and had faith in Jesus.

* I cannot think of any place where Jesus refused to help when others pleaded.

>3. Why do you think Jesus was pleased with Jairus' faith?

* He overcame the opinions of the other religious leaders concerning Jesus and came to Jesus.

* His actions showed his great faith in Jesus.

* He didn't send his men to Jesus, but came himself.

* He had great love for his daughter.

>How can you and I have faith that pleases God?

* Overcome my shyness about Jesus and stand up for what is right. Don't be subjected to peer pressure.

I can:
    1) seek
    2) be humble
    3) plead earnestly (prayer)
    4) expectation in Jesus
    5) believe the result.

II. "If I Just Touch His Clothes" (25-34)

Jesus Heal a Woman wit Bleeding Problem

* See art to the right by Luther, Martin, 1483-1546. The woman with the issue of blood is healed by touching the hem of Jesus' garment as he walks to the house of Jairus. Courtesy of the Digital Image Archive, Pitts Theology Library, Candler School of Theology, Emory University: http://www.pitts.emory.edu.

>4. What was the problem of the woman whom Jesus encountered on the way to Jairus' house? (25)

* Mark 5:25 "And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years."

* Personal, socially, emotional and mentally hard to bear.

* "bleeding" -The bleeding spoken of here is a kind that only woman can have. Her sickness was beyond the normal bleeding that a woman has during her time. Her sickness caused her to be physically weak and emotionally drained.

Not only was this bleeding a physical hindrance and agony, but it also made her ceremonially unclean shutting her out form the courts of the Lord's house. (Lev. 15:25-27.) Yet it did not cut her off from approaching Christ in faith.

This sickness would have made her a social outcast. So she had to do this in secret.

* Great loss in blood makes one sick and weak.

* Jewish books like the Talmud prescribed strange cures for this problem.

>How long had she been sick?

* "twelve years" -The age of the girl. (Luke 8:41-42)

Anyone who has had a sickness for twelve years can identify with the effects of such a problem on ones mental well being. Being a Jew (I only assume this), one of the children of God, at times she must have thought that somehow God cursed her.

>How had her condition and her situation gotten progressively worse (26)?

* Mark 5:26 "She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse."

>Why did her physical problem make it difficult for her to come to Jesus openly?

* This problem is noticeable by smell.

* Those who had this problem was considered unclean by the law of Moses. Lev. 15:25-27.

* It was quit embarrassing to talk about.

* In the past people rejected her when she talked about it.

* It was known as a curse of God because of the law.

* She saw him as a man of God, and herself as an unworthy sinner.

* She felt bad about herself.

>5. What did she believe about Jesus? (28)

* Mark 5:28 "because she thought, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed."

* "touch his clothes" -Matthew 9:20 and Luke 8:44 are more specific saying, "edge of his cloak." The fringes of Jesus' garment (tzitzit in Hebrew) is the tassels that the Lord commanded the Israelites to have at the corners of piece of a rectangle clothe that they would rap around their necks (Num. 15:37-41). Malachi 4:2 says, "But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall." The Sun of Righteousness refers to the Messiah and his wings are the tassels. She touched Jesus' tassels by faith is this verse and him being the Messiah. After this other people began reaching out to touch his tassels (Mark 5:56).

>What did she do (27)?

* Mark 5:27 "When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak,"

* Others touch was out of excitement. Perhaps some also wanted to be healed. but her touch was out of faith.

>What happened when she touched his clothes? (29)

* Mark 5:29 "Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering."

* "Immediately" -The woman's healing did not take weeks, days, hours or even minutes. The woman was healed instantly.

>What can we learn from her faith?

* To have faith that Jesus can do all things and he did these miracles.

* Overcome timidity in approaching Jesus.

* Overcome human thinking.

* She heard about Jesus.

* She didn't give up.

* To go to Jesus. Don't sit around and wait. I need acts of faith.

* Acts 19:11-12, 5:15.

* Come to Jesus no matter how dirty we think we are and feel.

>6. Why did Jesus know that someone had touched him in a different way? (30a)

* Mark 5:30a "At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him."

* "power had gone out from him" -Holy Spirit's power.

>Why did he keep on searching until the woman came out and confessed? (30b-32)

* Mark 5:30b-32 "He turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?" "You see the people crowding against you," his disciples answered, "and yet you can ask, 'Who touched me?' But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it."

* So the women would really know what had happened to her.

* So others would know the work of God.

* Confessions is a part of salvation. (Rom. 10:9) Confession 1) to self, 2) to others, and 3) most importantly to God.

* Similar to Mark 4:9, Genesis 3:9, and Genesis 32:27.

>Why did he give her such a hard time? (33-34)?

* Mark 5:33-34 "Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.""

* He wanted her to overcome fear of telling what God had done for her.

* He wanted her to grow in faith.

* This was part of her healing process.

* Later she might have felt like she stole this, but through this she would know that Jesus accepted her.

* So she would now what really happened.

* Jesus didn't give glory to himself, even though it was done through him.

>7. In what way did Jesus' ministry to this woman plant faith in Jairus?

* Jairus now had visible proof of Jesus' healing power.

* By waiting his faith was strengthened.

III. "Just Believe" (35-43)

>8. In the meantime, what happened at Jairus' house? (35a)

* Mark 5:35a "While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. "Your daughter is dead,""

>What advice did the messengers give Jairus? (35b)

* Mark 5:35b "they said. "Why bother the teacher any more?""

* At times our faith seems to be of no help to us.

* At times like this Satan may send well meaning and sounding people to say, "Give up."

>What was Jesus' word to him? (36)

* Mark 5:36 "Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, "Don't be afraid; just believe.""

* In other words, "Don't listen to these words."

* Jesus didn't explain everything to him. He just planted words of faith.

>What did he fear?

* He would never see his daughter alive again until the resurrection of the dead (if he had resurrection faith).

>What shows that he received Jesus' word? (38a)

* Mark 5:38a "When they came to the home of the synagogue ruler,"

* Kept going.

* No questions asked.

* When we just believe we find peace.

>What can we learn from him about faith?

* To just believe in Jesus even though it seems a lost cause and our faith was not blessed and others tell us to quit.

>9. When they arrived, what was going on at Jairus' house? (38b)

* "Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly."

>What kind of atmosphere did the neighbors and professional mourners make?

* Dark.

* Sad.

* As if death had won.

* No hope.

* Some came with good meaning to support Jairus, but they weren't really helping him from God's point of view.

>How did they respond to Jesus? (39-40a)

* Mark 5:39-40 "He went in and said to them, "Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep." But they laughed at him."

* Their mourning changed quickly.

>10. How did Jesus make an atmosphere of faith, and how did Jairus cooperate? (40b)

* Mark 5:40b "After he put them all out, he took the child's father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was."

* He let Jesus take control, even though it was his house.

* To make an environment is to cast out unbelief.

>What did Jesus do? (41-42)

* Mark 5:41-42 "He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum!" (which means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!"). Immediately the girl stood up and walked around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished."

>What instructions did he give to the parents, and why? (43)

* Mark 5:43 "He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat."

* "He gave strict orders" -This was very important for if the news about him raising from the dead went out his popularity would be such that there would be no place for him to go to teach his disciples.

* "not to let anyone know about this" -it would hinder his ministry. Jesus wanted people to have faith in him for the correct reasons.

* "give her something to eat" -teenagers eat a lot.

>According to the passage, how can we please Jesus?

* To just believe.

* Don't be afraid.