Mark Vol. 1 - Week 15 (5:21-43)
Mark 5:21-43
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Jesus Is Greater
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Mark 5:21-43 〰️ Jesus Is Greater 〰️
This week, we're presented with another story of Jesus' healing. We've encountered the paralyzed man, a man with leprosy, and several people tormented by unclean spirits. Each encounter with Jesus leaves the individuals changed, but for the most part, they're all singular interactions with the individual receiving healing. In Mark 5:21-43 however, we see three figures interacting with Jesus. We have Jairus, the religious leader at the synagogue, his daughter, and the woman suffering from bleeding for twelve years. There are a few things that we can take note of in Jesus' interactions with the individuals in the story here.
The first is that Jairus was a leader at a synagogue. Up to this point, the religious leaders were directly opposing Jesus (Mark 3:6). In ushering in the Kingdom of God, Jesus was actively pushing back against that which the Scribes and Pharisees held so dearly-- the Law. It stands to reason that Jairus exhausted all options and was desperate for the life of his daughter. It's also safe to assume that Jairus wasn't too public with his cohorts at the synagogue about going to Jesus of Nazareth, seeking His aid.
Then, on His way to visit Jairus' daughter, Jesus encounters a woman who has been bleeding for twelve years. It's generally believed that the woman suffered from a chronic menstrual disorder or uterine hemorrhage. [1] Regardless of what it was explicitly, her condition made her ritually unclean and, therefore, an outcast in Jewish society (Leviticus 15:25-27). Because of the length of time she suffered, it was likely that her surrounding community knew of her and her suffering. If we look at Luke's account of this story in 8:43-48, we read that she "had spent all she had on doctors and yet could not be healed by any" (v43). For over a decade, the woman suffered, very likely in isolation, because of her illness. Returning to Mark, we read that the woman believed that if she could touch his clothes, she could be made well (v28). This woman, having suffered for twelve years, believed that this man, claiming to be the Messiah, could heal her. In faith, she reached out and touched His clothing and was immediately healed. When He asked who touched Him and she responded, He affectionately addressed her as "daughter" (v34). Nowhere else does Jesus address someone like this, as He attributes her healing to her faith rather than the touch itself. Not only this, but Jesus said, "your faith has saved you" (v34).
This must have been quite the sight for Jairus and his companions. From the beginning of His public ministry, Jesus encountered anger and opposition from the religious leaders. Jairus likely had presuppositions about Jesus but, out of desperation, sought His aid. Amazingly, the "interruption" by the bleeding woman served as a moment of teaching for those walking with Him and observing. Not only that, but while Jairus' own daughter was certainly on his mind, this man, Jesus, stopped, spoke to, and healed a woman, calling her daughter. This man, the source of so much "chaos," frustration, and strife in the synagogue and among religious leaders, is so gentle and loving with all He meets. What a picture this must be for Jairus. Listening to the man he trusts to cure his daughter, heal a woman who had been sick for over ten years, and refer to her as "daughter." Jairus presumably came to Jesus with significant doubt, but seeing Him heal another woman and address her as "daughter" must have given him great hope and faith.
By the time Jesus makes it to Jairus' home, his daughter is declared dead (v35-36a). All that Jesus says is, "Don't be afraid. Only believe" (v36b). After this, He allows only Jairus, his wife, and three disciples- Peter, James, and John- to see the girl inside the house. In the first century Israel, the Law required two or three witnesses before executing someone. Here, however, Jesus brought three to witness resurrection so there would be no doubt. Jesus spoke to the girl, telling her to rise, and she did. Understandably, Jesus instructs them all to keep this miracle a secret. Jairus witnessed first-hand the power of God, and his telling his companions about it over at the synagogue would certainly have expedited their crusade against Jesus.
How beautiful is it that our Savior loves and cares so deeply for His children that He would stop on His way to heal a dying child to cure a woman of her long-time infirmity? This speaks greater volumes of Jesus' compassion than it does the woman's faith or even the magnitude of her condition. As we enter into discussion with our groups, we'll focus on the unique interactions between Jesus and the bleeding woman. As children in this fallen world, we are more comparable to the bleeding woman than anyone else in this story. We, too, have an incurable ailment, something that separates and makes us unclean: sin. But that's not the end! We have a savior who looks at us, calls us "daughter" and "son," and asks that we believe so that we may be restored.
Discussion Questions
What stood out to you from the passage?
Does anything in this passage remind you of another part of Scripture?
Do you have any questions?
The bleeding woman touching Jesus "interrupted" Him on His way to heal a dying child. How do you tend to respond when being interrupted while doing something important?
What can we learn from Jesus' patience and compassion with the woman in v25-34?
What is the significance of how Jesus addresses the bleeding woman after her healing?
What does Jesus say is the cause of her being healed?
Why do you think the story of the bleeding woman is placed within Jesus' journey to heal Jairus' daughter?
In what way are we like the bleeding woman from this passage?
How does it comfort you to know that Jesus calls you "daughter" or "son"?
1. John D. Grassmick, The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 124.