Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

What does Mark Chapter 5 mean?

The last story included in chapter 4 combines with all of Mark chapter 5 to reveal that Jesus is even more powerful than the twelve imagined. They have reached the other side of the Sea of Galilee, after Jesus displayed His authority over a fierce storm which threatened to capsize the boat. The twelve are so amazed they ask, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (Mark 4:41). In Mark 5, they will learn more about His power as He performs familiar miracles with an even greater scope.

The first miracle recorded by Mark was the release of a man possessed by a demon (Mark 1:21–27). Since that time, Jesus has performed many exorcisms around Capernaum (Mark 1:32–34). As Jesus and the twelve arrive on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, they are met by a man possessed not by one demon, but by a “legion.” In the Roman army, a legion consisted of 5120 soldiers; although we don’t know the exact number of demons, it is considerable (Mark 5:1–9).

Jesus expels the demons and allows them to enter a herd of pigs, which promptly run into the sea and drown. The nearby townspeople are so distraught they beg Jesus to leave immediately. Although the recently-rescued man wishes to travel with Jesus, Jesus tells him to stay and explain to his friends what has happened. This acts as a kind of target-softening; the next time Mark records Jesus in the area, the people welcome Him and His miracles (Mark 7:31–37). The testimony of the freed man, it seems, will go a long way to making his neighbors receptive to the gospel (Mark 5:11–20).

The most common type of miracle Jesus performed, however, was healing. From Peter’s mother-in-law (Mark 1:30–31) to the paralytic (Mark 2:1–12), to a couple of different crowds (Mark 1:32–34; Mark 3:7–12), Jesus healed many in the area around Capernaum. Here, however, the healings are unique.

Although Jesus frequently sparred with the Pharisees and their scribes, needs often outweigh pride. Back on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus meets one of the rulers of the synagogue whose daughter lies dying. The man begs Jesus to come to his house to heal the girl, and Jesus obliges (Mark 5:21–24).

Before Jesus gets far, however, He feels power going out of Him. He discovers that a woman who suffers from chronic bleeding has had the courage to touch His robe in faith, hoping she will be healed. When she realizes Jesus knows what she did, she is understandably frightened. A woman—a woman with an issue of blood who was therefore considered unclean—touching a rabbi was unheard of. She rightly expects Jesus to be angry despite the deliverance she senses she has received. To her surprise, He calls her “daughter,” praises her faith, and blesses her. For the first noted time, Jesus heals with no overt intent; the woman and her faith call on His power and she is healed (Mark 5:25–34).

At this moment, word reaches the synagogue leader that his daughter has died. Jesus assures the man that she has merely fallen asleep, and continues on to the mourning father’s house. There, all indications are that she has really passed away. Jesus takes the girl’s parents and three of His followers to the girl’s bed and brings her back to life. Not only has Jesus healed, He has brought life where there had been none (Mark 5:35–43).

Chapter Context
Mark 4:35—5:43 sees an increase in the scope of Jesus’ miracles. He has just calmed a violent storm on the Sea of Galilee. Now, He expels a legion of demons, heals a woman without overtly acting, and brings a girl back to life. All three situations—related to tombs, blood, and death—show Jesus bringing healing to unclean circumstances. In chapter 6, the tone of His ministry will develop. He will be rejected by those who should know Him best, He will send out His followers to do His work, and His direct link to the Old Testament prophets will be explained.

Verse by Verse

Verse 1. They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes.

Jesus and the disciples have escaped the crowd on the western side of the Sea of Galilee and arrived on the eastern shore. The area in general is known as Decapolis—meaning “ten cities”—although throughout history the precise names and numbers of the cities have varied. The exact location of this event varies by account. Matthew 8:28 says “the country of the Gadarenes.” Mark and Luke 8:26 both say “Gerasenes.” The King James Version uses “Gergesenes” in Matthew and “Gadarenes” in Mark and Luke. Gergesa was a small town by the eastern shore of the sea; Gergesenes was its country and Gerasa was the capital. Gergesa was similar to a state or district to the larger country of Gadarenes (with the capital Gadara). At the time of Christ, the Jews, whom Matthew wrote to, were more familiar with the country of Gadarenes, while the Romans, whom Mark and Luke wrote to, knew the city of Gerasa. This is somewhat similar to how modern people sometimes refer the same city or region using different names, per local custom.

Since Gerasa was about thirty miles southeast of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus and the disciples probably landed near Gergesa, closer to the shore. The people mentioned in Mark 5:14 likely lived in this town. Gergesa is probably equal to the modern-day town of Kursi, or “Gersa,” in the Golan Heights. There are still tombs in the area where the poorest people lived, and two miles away is a steep slope about 120 feet from the shore where the pigs might have met their death.

We are not told why Jesus came to this area. He may have just been seeking respite from the crowds and a quiet space to teach the disciples (Mark 3:12; 4:10). Or He may have deliberately come to a Gentile country to begin to show His salvation is for people all over the world, not just Jews.

Context Summary
Mark 5:1–13 describes Jesus’ encounter with a man possessed by a vast number of demonic spirits. Jesus has shown His authority over storms during the turbulent crossing of the Sea of Galilee. In a cemetery on the eastern shore of the lake, He and the twelve meet a wild, dangerous man controlled by a ”legion” of demons. Jesus allows the fleeing evil spirits to enter a herd of pigs which promptly run into the sea and drown. The man is grateful. The locals, either startled by Jesus’ power or afraid for their livestock, promptly ask Jesus to leave. This account is also found in Luke 8:26–33 and possibly Matthew 8:28–32 which mentions two possessed men.

Verse 2. And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit.

Mark 5:2 is a bit of a preview for verses 6–8. In Mark 3:9, Jesus had begun the habit of keeping a boat nearby when preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. This allowed Him to teach without being mobbed by the horde of people seeking healing. We aren’t told who owns the boat, but it is presumably the same in which Jesus napped during the storm (Mark 4:36–38) and from which He taught the parable of the sower on the western shore of the Sea (Mark 4:1).

“Unclean” is taken from the Greek root word akathartos which describes something as morally stained or not fit for ceremonial use. “Spirit” is from the Greek root word pneuma, which refers to a singular being which has independent agency but no physical form. When used together, they merely mean a demon. The demon-possessed man met Jesus immediately after running some distance (Mark 5:6). It’s possible he saw Jesus before the boat had landed. Again, a demon is compelled to approach Jesus despite the danger it may face (Mark 1:23–24; 3:11).

The word “tombs” comes from the Greek root word mnemeion, from which we get the English word “monument.” Specifically, it refers to a sepulcher or a sepulchral monument. Burial practices at that time involved laying the body in a larger cave until nothing remained but the bones. The bones were then placed in a stone box called an ossuary for permanent storage. Some of the larger caves would have been big enough for a person to find shelter.

Verse 3. He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain,

Jesus and the disciples have escaped the crowds on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee and landed their boat on the southeast area of modern-day Golan Heights. Immediately, they are met by a naked man possessed by a “legion” of demons. If Matthew 8:28 records the same event, then there were actually two men present at this incident. The tombs this man lives in are sepulchers: caves, either natural or manmade, carved out of the rocky hills in which the dead are kept until the flesh has rotted away. Sometimes the poorest of the poor lived in sepulchers like these.

The man was known to the residents living in the nearby town of Gergesa who had tried to bind him and keep him under guard (Luke 8:29). The word “bind” is from the Greek root word deo and means to tie someone up. It also means to be controlled by an evil spirit or to be obligated to a law or duty. Although the people could not bind the demon-possessed man, Jesus will soon bind the demons to His authority.

This is something we need to be mindful of. When someone is controlled by sin—whether by demons or through their own choices—we cannot bind them, spiritually speaking. That is, we cannot control them and force them to be free from evil. Though it’s fine to try to restrain them from physical harm, we are often not capable of keeping them from harming themselves (Mark 5:5) or others. We can’t even free ourselves, as Paul expressed in Romans 7:14–20. Although we may be able to temporarily change our behavior, only Jesus can free us from the power of sin.

Verse 4. for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him.

We tend to think of demon possession manifesting as mental disorders or blasphemous speech, but the Bible shows it often has a physical aspect. In Acts 19:13–16, demon-possessed men attack a group of charlatan exorcists, beat them, strip their clothes, and run them out of a house. In Mark 9:14–29, Jesus frees a boy possessed by a demon that regularly throws him into fire or water, attempting to kill him. In this case, a “legion” (Mark 5:9) of demons has given a man supernatural strength.

The life of this man is desperate and violent. “Shackles” is from the Greek root word pede, which refers to a fetter for one’s feet. A chain is as we would imagine—metal links that no mortal should be able to break. Diaspao, the Greek root for “wrenched” doesn’t just mean break, it means to tear into pieces.

The demon-possessed man’s supernatural strength shows the true nature of sin and evil. Despite whatever self-help books or diets or 12-step programs we enroll in, these are merely external controls that mitigate behavior. They don’t heal our root issues. Rules and standards are necessary for a decent society, but they don’t save. This was the entire point of the Old Testament era—the time of an independent Israel governed by the law God revealed to Moses. Even though the people knew exactly how to act to please God, they weren’t capable of carrying out the requirements. The demoniac is a vibrant illustration of the heart of anyone who tries to find salvation in rules—it is chaotic, lonely, and ready to break its bonds at any moment.

Verse 5. Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones.

The mountains here are the range of the Golan Heights that run along the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee. They reach 2,500 feet (760 meters) in height and have a role in directing the winds that caused the storm recorded in Mark 4:35–41. The man possessed by a “legion” of demons (Mark 5:9) lives here in sepulchers: caves carved out of the rock for the bodies of the dead.

The way the man lives isn’t even human. “Crying out” is from the Greek root word krazo and means to croak like a raven. The Greek root word for “cutting” is katakopto and means to beat, bruise, gash, and mangle.

Whether in the ancient practice of mediums, or modern books about gothic romance, demons are often portrayed as useful or even sympathetic and redeemable. Nothing could be further from the truth. Self-harm was well established as a rite in the worship of demons (1 Kings 18:28). And demons have no problem harming those they control (Mark 9:14–29). They are neither tamable nor benevolent. They wish to destroy us physically and spiritually.

It’s not clear that the demoniac cut himself in worship of the demons. It’s more likely he used the pain in an attempt to relieve the psychological agony he felt, similar to those who self-harm today. Those who self-harm often do so because they are lonely, misunderstood, can’t express their feelings, or feel over-stimulated. Or because they feel empty and numb emotionally and wish to feel something strong. The demoniac could certainly have experienced any of these things.

As the people of the nearby village found out, the impulse to self-harm can’t be healed by shackles and chains (Mark 5:4). Only Jesus can heal the broken pieces of our hearts and free us from evil.

Verse 6. And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him.

Upon meeting Jesus, demons seem to have two compulsions: to approach Him and to show submission (Mark 1:23–24; 3:11). When these demons sense Jesus’ presence, probably before the disciples had landed the boat since they greet Jesus “immediately” (Mark 5:2), they impel the possessed man to run to Him, despite the fear of real danger to themselves (Mark 5:7).

“Fell down before” comes from the Greek root word proskuneo, which means to revere, often by kneeling or prostrating oneself in respect or supplication. This is not necessarily a positive act, but one that recognizes someone in a superior position. The same word is used of the mocking guards who struck Jesus before the crucifixion (Mark 15:19). It is taken from the image of a dog licking its master’s hand. In contrast, the synagogue leader (Mark 5:22) and the woman with the issue of blood (Mark 5:33) will respectfully and willingly fall before Jesus, even without knowing His identity as the Son of God.

There is no reason to think the man, himself, knows Jesus’ true identity. It is the demons who control his body, telling him to run and fall. Evil spirits can control movements and speech, but they have no power over God, whether the Father, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit. This means that born-again, saved Christians can’t be possessed. Evil spirits lack the authority or desire to be where Jesus is. They may still seek to attack and cause problems for believers (Ephesians 6:12) and tempt believers, just as Satan tempted Jesus (Matthew 4:1–10). However, evil spirits must submit to God. If we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, we cannot be possessed by demons.

Verse 7. And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.”

The Bible does not give the reason that Jesus wanted to cross the Sea of Galilee other than to escape the crowds on the western shore. The legion of demons (Mark 5:9) assume Jesus is there for them. “Adjure” is from the Greek root word harkizo which means to implore or beg. Although demons had revealed Jesus’ identity before (Mark 1:24), by using Jesus’ name and the phrase “by God,” the demons here are attempting much more than just asking a favor. There is a pagan belief that if you know someone’s name you can control them. The demons aren’t just requesting Jesus leave them alone; they are trying to magically force Him to make an oath in God’s name.

Of course, as God, Jesus is not bound by any demonic attempts, despite the fact He does not torture the demons. The Greek root word from which “torment” is derived is basanizo and means to determine something’s purity or to use torture to get information. God is omniscient; He has no need of information from demons and He’s well aware of their unrighteous state. In all Jesus’ encounters with demons, He never tormented them. He just told them to leave.

Interestingly, this statement may give us insight into the question of why Satan thought he could defeat God (Isaiah 14:12–15) and why one-third of the angels in heaven followed him (Revelation 12:3-4). If these demons thought they could control Jesus, or influence His actions in any way, they don’t fully understand the power of God. We make the same mistake when we try to manipulate God to do what we want, rather than relying on His will.

Verse 8. For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”

Ancient literature was mostly concerned with providing important details, not describing a story in a direct narrative. In that style, Mark doesn’t necessarily give complete conversations. He concentrates on the action and records dialogue when it applies to the topic at hand. So, this story of Jesus and the legion of demons is not kept in a neat-and-clean order. It’s riddled with pauses for back-story and asides, as in this case. The demons’ attempts to keep Jesus from hurting them (Mark 5:7) was actually given in response to His command to leave.

An “unclean spirit” is a demon—an angel that followed Satan in his rebellion against God. “Unclean spirit” is taken from two Greek root words: akarthartos, which refers to something that is ethically wrong and not set aside for holy use, and pneuma, which can mean breath or wind, but here means a being with thoughts and desires who does not have a physical body. Neither demons nor angels naturally have a solid form, although God may allow them to use one for His purposes.

In some cases, Jesus’ commands to demons are immediately obeyed (Mark 1:25–26). In others, it takes more effort. The disciples, who had seen great success in expelling demons, cannot free the young boy described in Mark 9:17–29. When Jesus arrives, He explains how “this kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.” In Daniel 10:10–14, an angel comes to Daniel, explaining that he did not respond to Daniel’s questions right away because he was delayed by the demon that had authority over Persia. A stronger angel, Michael, had to fight off the demon so the messenger could get through. Although we’re not told a lot about demons in the Bible, apparently there are some that are more powerful than others.

We often want God to answer our prayers instantly and completely, but sometimes the work takes time and effort. God often works with us through the context of our own story. This is a good example. If the legion of demons had immediately fled, the pigs wouldn’t have drowned, the herders wouldn’t have told the nearby people of Jesus’ power, and it’s very possible that Jesus’ next visit to Decapolis wouldn’t have been as successful (Mark 7:31–37).

Verse 9. And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.”

In this verse, most of the attention is usually placed on the name of the demon: Legion. In the Roman army, a legion was a unit of soldiers. At the time of Augustus, this included 6100 foot soldiers and 726 horsemen. The exact quantity of demons is unknown; the name simply indicates a large number working in concert. Typically, less emphasis is placed on the fact that Jesus actually asks the demons for their name. According to ancient pagan beliefs, one’s true name represents one’s true nature and essence. If that name is used malignantly, it can cause harm. The demons tried to use this supposed power to trap Jesus in a vow in Mark 5:7 when they identified Jesus as “Jesus, Son of the Most High God.”

This belief in the power of a name has even led to false teachings about God from those who follow Him. The Jews were so afraid of taking God’s name in vain, they relegated it to the tetragrammaton, YHWH, and refused to say it out loud. Today, people in the “Sacred Name” movement believe that using only “Yahweh” for God and “Yahshua” for Jesus shows proper respect. This is problematic, considering that we don’t know exactly how “YHWH” is supposed to be pronounced.

Giving someone a name or a new name brings a weight of authority in the Bible. God placed the animals under Adam’s dominion (Genesis 1:28) and then told him to name them (Genesis 2:18–20). God changed the names of Abram, Sarai, and Jacob, to Abraham, Sarah, and Israel, respectively. Jesus changed Peter’s name, from Simon. All of these reflected their new identities in God’s plan. In addition, believers will be given “a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it” (Revelation 2:17). Whether that name will be literal or a metaphor for our complete sanctification is unknown.

Some think that Jesus cannot expel the legion of demons until He knows their name. This is incorrect for several reasons. First, there is no indication in other accounts, including Matthew 8:28–34 and Luke 8:26–33, of Jesus using their name, and the demons voluntarily left. In addition, God is omniscient enough to know their name and His omnipotence means He can control them without it. It was more likely a show of force by Jesus who made them reveal what they thought was a hidden vulnerability.

Verse 10. And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country.

Jesus and the disciples have crossed the Sea of Galilee to the eastern shore, near the southern portion of our modern-day Golan Heights. As soon as Jesus steps out of the boat, a man possessed by a “legion” of demons meets Him and tries to manipulate Him into swearing He will not hurt them (Mark 5:7).

It’s not exactly clear why the demons don’t want to be sent out of the country. In Daniel 10, an angel mentions a battle with the Prince of Persia—presumably a demon who had some authority over Persia in the time of King Cyrus. And Satan has been called the “ruler of this world” (John 12:31). Matthew 12:43–45 suggests that demons don’t like to live in uninhabited places. But the Bible doesn’t specifically say that human-occupied areas are sectioned off to be harassed by specific demons.

The parallel passages in Matthew and Luke shed light on the demon’s meaning. In Matthew 8:29, the demons ask Jesus, “Have you come here to torment us before the time?” Luke 8:31 says, “And they begged [Jesus] not to command them to depart into the abyss.” The abyss is a place of torment currently dedicated to demons, imprisoned for their crimes. Jude 1:6 says, “And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day.” These “angels” are thought to be the demons who mated with human women to create the Nephilim in Genesis 6:1–4. During the Tribulation, these demons—described as a kind of locust— will be released to torture the Antichrist’s followers for five months (Revelation 9:16). During the Millennial Kingdom, Satan, and presumably all the demons, will be confined to the Abyss for a thousand years (Revelation 20:1–3).

It appears that the legion of demons knows they will one day be sent to torment in the Abyss and are pleading with Jesus that they not be sent early. Comparatively, possessing and drowning a herd of pigs is a good option.

Verse 11. Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside,

Jesus and His disciples are on the shore of the hill country on the east side of the Sea of Galilee. They are near the town of Gergesa which is in the region of Decapolis. Decapolis was a group of ten cities to the east and southeast of the Sea of Galilee, all but one on the east side of the Jordan River. At that time, the area west of the Sea of Galilee was known as Galilee and was home to much of the Jewish population. South of Nazareth was Samaria, home to many different ethnicities, but particularly the descendants of the Jews from the Northern Kingdom of Israel who intermarried with the foreigners their Assyrian conquerors settled in the area. Below Samaria was Judea, where the bulk of the Jews lived.

All of this land was controlled by the Roman Empire, and Decapolis, in particular, was inhabited by Gentiles. So, although it may feel jarring to learn about a herd of pigs in a Bible passage, they are neither banned nor out of place in this region. And they are very practical for the rough terrain. They can forage for their own food, they aren’t as foolish as sheep, and they can swim. As with the sheep that are more commonly mentioned in the Bible, their herders are probably not their owners. The herders would be sons or hired hands who work for the owners who may very well live in a city or town.

While God had given Jews strict laws against eating pork (Leviticus 11:7), Gentiles had no such laws. In just a few short years from this story, God will reveal to Peter that even the Jews’ restriction against eating pork will be removed, as such laws are fulfilled under the grace of Christ (Acts 11:1–10; 15:1–29; Mark 7:19).

Verse 12. and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.”

Jesus is expelling a legion of demons from an afflicted man, but before the demons leave, they would like clarification as to where they should go. They beg Jesus not to send them to the Abyss—to the bottomless pit of torment for demons with particularly grievous sins—before their time (Matthew 8:29; Luke 8:31). So, they present a counter-offer of entering into a herd of pigs on a nearby mountainside.

The act of demons leaving a human and entering a pig had cultural precedence. In the Babylonian rite of exorcism, the demon was supposed to be transferred to a lamb, a pig, or a bird which was then destroyed in an attempt to keep the gods’ attention on the demon and off the victim.

Neither is this the first occurrence of an evil force working in concert with an animal. We still don’t know the exact relationship between Satan and the serpent in the garden of Eden, whether Satan took the form of the serpent or used a snake as a ventriloquist’s dummy, but Mark 5:13 shows that it’s very possible Satan actually possessed the animal.

The question as to why the demons considered moving on to the pigs a good idea has never been answered. It may be that their long-running destructive force needed a powerful outlet before they could move on to different things.

Verse 13. So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea.

In order to save a man tormented by demons, Jesus allows the demons to enter a herd of pigs. Note that He neither suggests, orders, nor even indicates that He anticipates the imminent destruction of the pigs. Despite being a Jew under the Mosaic Law, He is not on a personal crusade to save foreign Gentiles from pigs. Jesus’ entire purpose here is to save a man. While He undoubtedly knows the demons will kill the pigs, He is not responsible for those actions. He is aware that homeless demons feel unsettled (Matthew 12:43–44) and that people are far more important than animals (Matthew 6:26; 12:12). He would also know that under normal circumstances, pigs don’t have a herd instinct that would lend them to stampeding down a hill to their doom. When frightened, a group of pigs scatter. And pigs can swim.

So this verse says very little about Jesus’ character—or that of the pigs—and much about the nature of demons. Throughout history, demons have been worshiped by dark occultists who wish to tap into their ungodly spiritual power. Lately, however, demons have increasingly been portrayed in popular fiction as sympathetic characters wronged by their Creator-tyrant and denied the opportunity for forgiveness. Alternatively, they are used as monsters that a human foe, with or without the use of magic, can defeat.

These portrayals are wrong and dangerous. Demons live in a state of total rebellion against God. They are compelled to subjugate themselves to Him (Mark 5:6), but they do not worship Him as their Lord. Although they pretend to be our allies, they wish nothing more than our destruction. And we do not have the spiritual power to defeat them; even Michael the archangel would not rebuke Satan in his own authority (Jude 1:9). The pigs, stampeding against their instincts and drowning despite their abilities, serve as a vivid illustration for us of the treacherous and destructive force of demons.

Verse 14. The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened.

Jesus and the disciples have traveled across the Sea of Galilee to the eastern shore—the southwest portion of our modern-day Golan Heights. Jesus has expelled a legion of demons from a tormented man who lives in the tombs in the hillside. The demons enter a large herd of pigs and incite them to run down the hill to the sea, where they drown. The herdsmen are shocked: pigs don’t naturally stampede, and they can swim.

The city the herdsmen flee to is probably the village of Gergesa, the capital of Gerasenes in the area of Decapolis. The larger city of Gadara is about seven to fifteen miles away, depending on where exactly the event occurs. It’s likely that the herdsmen don’t own the pigs, and part of their urgency is to notify the pigs’ owners and bring them to Jesus as proof they aren’t negligent.

In accounts of other miracles, the news of Jesus’ ability to heal and expel demons quickly spreads despite His requests the events remain quiet (Mark 1:43–45; 5:43). Here, in a Gentile land that has no concept of the expected Messiah, the witnesses are more alarmed than pleased. Instead of swarming Jesus, seeking His teaching or healing, (Mark 3:7–10; 4:1; 5:21), they drive Him out in fear (Mark 5:17).

We see those same two reactions among the ways in which people respond to God in the modern world. Some are primarily concerned with worldly or material things, or entertainment, or want to use God for their own purposes, and some want Him to leave them alone, afraid of what He will do next. Those who sincerely seek God, or have been healed (Mark 5:18) know to trust God and yearn to be in His presence.

Context Summary
Mark 5:14–20 details the aftermath of Jesus freeing a possessed man from a legion of demons. The released demons entered into a herd of pigs, which ran into the Sea of Galilee and drowned. In response, the local villagers beg Jesus to leave, and Jesus obliges. The man, however, wants to follow. Jesus tells him to stay and spread the word of what he’s experienced. When Jesus next travels through the area, the man’s message leads to a much warmer welcome (Mark 7:31–37). You can also read this account in Luke 8:34–39 and possibly Matthew 8:33–34, although Matthew’s story records two possessed men.

Verse 15. And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid.

Unlike the pig-herders, the people who come from the towns and countryside are more amazed by the freed demoniac than concerned over the fate of the pigs. The man has been a well-known figure in the area. Luke 8:29 explains that he had often been set under guard, but he would break his shackles and chains so often the people drove him into the wilderness.

Now they see this man sitting in his right mind, fully dressed, and they are afraid. “Afraid” is from the Greek root word phobeo and means to be terrified to the point of flight. They aren’t afraid that the man will revert to his former behavior; they’re afraid of the awesome power it took to free him—as the disciples were when Jesus calmed the storm (Mark 4:35–41).

Although the man’s previous behavior gives them an exceptional example with which to compare the man’s current condition, the crowd’s behavior serves as a reminder to us. Human shackles and chains and guards cannot contain the destructive forces inside us. Our sin nature condemns us as wholly as any demon possession, and there is nothing in the human realm that can free us. Only the power of Jesus can set us right, put us in our right mind spiritually, and clothe us in righteousness (Isaiah 61:10). That awesome power is fearsome, but we can trust that the One who wields it works ever only for our good (Romans 8:28).

Verse 16. And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs.

The herdsmen are not mentioned in the primary account of Jesus freeing the demon-possessed man, but this isn’t surprising for Mark. He values action over detail, and the herdsmen aren’t necessary until this point. But witnessing the local mountain madman brought to his senses and then their livelihood stampede into the sea within a matter of minutes must have been unsettling. It is natural for them to spread the word throughout the town and countryside—both because the story is so fantastical and because they probably didn’t own the pigs (Mark 5:14).

Both the release of the man and the destruction of the pigs are compelling, and the situation serves as a chance for us to consider our own priorities. The situation is more challenging than we may like to admit: the owners of the pigs lost a great deal of capital, in order to heal a man they had come to fear and despise. Did they think it a fair trade? Would we? Would we be willing to risk our livelihood if it meant a celebrity or politician or local personality we loathed came to Christ?

When Jesus told the rich young ruler to sell everything he had and give to the poor, He was actually pointing out that the man valued his earthly possessions even more than the God he so devoutly obeyed (Mark 10:17–22). When we read the story of the legion of demons, we tend to see it from the viewpoint of the disciples who have a vested interest in what Jesus does—and who don’t value pigs. When we find ourselves in the place of the pig herders or the townspeople, we need to remember to value what God calls important and hold loosely to the things of this world.

Verse 17. And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region.

Townspeople and farmers from the Gentile side of the Sea of Galilee have rushed to the water’s edge on the word of some pig herders who report miraculous things. They arrive to find the local madman clothed and in his right mind and a herd of two thousand pigs lost to the sea. Instead of standing in awe at the transformation of their countryman, they find the source of power of these miracles and beg that He leave (Mark 5:1–16).

The word “beg” is taken from the Greek root word parakaleo which is often used in people’s encounters with Jesus. The leper begged Jesus to heal him (Mark 1:40). The legion of demons begged Jesus to allow them to enter the swine and not to send them to the abyss (Mark 5:10–12). Soon, the formerly-possessed man will beg Jesus to stay with Him (Mark 5:18), and a synagogue leader will beg Jesus to heal his daughter (Mark 5:23).

Now, the people beg Jesus to leave. They had driven the possessed man out of the town, forcing him to live among tombs, but they are more comfortable with the evil they know than the power they can’t control. This will soon change. In Mark 7:31–37, Jesus returns to the Decapolis area, after having told the demoniac to spread the news of God’s gracious healing (Mark 5:19). This time, the people will beg Jesus for His healing touch.

If the demons had left right away without arguing about where they were to go, and if they had not entered the pigs and impelled them to mass suicide (Mark 5:1–13), the man probably would have continued on with his life with much thankfulness but likely little fanfare. Although the people are afraid of Jesus, what they witness seems to nestle into their hearts, slowly developing into acceptance and then a warm reception. This is the prevenient grace of God that works in all our rebellious hearts before we accept Him.

Verse 18. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him.

The once-possessed man wants to follow Jesus, as one might expect. If we can understand men like the apostles wanting to follow Christ, based only on His teachings, how much more would someone be willing to follow Him after being so miraculously rescued? Jesus has another plan in mind, for this man. This plan does, in fact, allow him to spread the good news of Christ’s message, but to a different audience than the one Jesus will be seeing in the near future (Mark 5:19).

The Bible doesn’t explain why Jesus took the disciples across the Sea of Galilee to the Gentile region of Decapolis. Although He was trying to get away from the crowds on the Jewish side, a boat trip all night through a violent storm seems excessive. And unlike in Capernaum, where crowds mobbed Him, looking for healing or gathering around listening to His teaching, Jesus only heals one man and doesn’t seem to teach at all.

But this account is consistent with God’s heart. In Luke 15, Jesus tells three parables that express the love God has for the lost. The first is of a shepherd who leaves ninety-nine sheep to find the one who is lost. The second is of a woman who loses one of her ten silver coins and scours the house until she finds it. The third is the familiar story of the Prodigal Son. The father has property, wealth, and a responsible, obedient heir, but when his errant younger son returns, he abandons decorum, runs to him, and welcomes him home.

Jesus is both strategic and extravagant in His ministry. He lives on next to nothing, but graciously accepts Mary’s gift of expensive perfume poured on His feet (John 12:3). He stops a mob and a synagogue official to address an unclean woman (Mark 5:24–34). And He gladly takes time from the important work of training the future church leaders to bless children (Mark 10:13–16).

To Jesus, there is nothing more natural than traveling all night, healing one man, and getting right back in the boat. He suffered on the cross for our sins, and He has all the time in the world for us. We should respond like this man—being willing to sacrifice everything to follow Him.

Verse 19. And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”

This is not the only time a recipient of Jesus’ kindness wishes to stay with Him. In Luke 17:11–19, Jesus heals ten men with infectious skin diseases, and one returns to thank Him. Some women whom Jesus had healed support Him when He comes through their towns, most notably Mary Magdalene (Luke 8:1–3). Peter follows Jesus after the healing of his mother-in-law (Mark 1:29–31).

Many others offer to follow Jesus but are rejected, for various reasons. Jesus tells the rich young ruler to sell all his possessions as proof he values God more than wealth, and the man declines (Mark 10:17–22). In Matthew 8:18–22, Jesus discourages a scribe and a casual disciple from following Him, telling them they will have to abandon both comforts and family.

The incident recorded here may be the first time Jesus leaves a prospective follower behind, not because he was unworthy, but because God has prepared a greater purpose for him. The man certainly would have benefitted from traveling with Jesus and learning from Him. But the Kingdom of God is better served by his witness to his friends and family. Jesus not only heals him, He allows the man to return and reconcile with his family. And as a Gentile with no pre-conceived notions about the Messiah, he can spread the pure news that God has shown mercy and saved him.

Jesus doesn’t need all of us to go to Bible college, or to become missionaries and pastors. Some Christians can have a greater impact bearing witness to Christ by evangelizing right where we are. This man’s witness had a part in paving the way for the gospel of salvation that spread through Gentile communities after Jesus’ ascension.

Verse 20. And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.

The man whom Jesus saved from the legion of demons had lived in a graveyard in the hills above the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee. The larger area, east and south, was known as “Decapolis” or “ten cities.” To us, the area is the Golan Heights, northwest Jordan, and southwest Syria.

This is the first time in Mark that Jesus has told someone to spread news of what He has done, and it’s in a Gentile area. Ironically, the Gentiles are able to see Jesus as He is, without the weight of the prophecies of the Jewish Messiah. The Jews of Jesus’ time anxiously await the coming of their savior, as they should, but they don’t understand what the Messiah will save them from. Much of the Messianic prophecies in the Old Testament focus on God’s restoration of Israel as a strong, respected, independent nation. Nations will bring them riches, and a king from the line of David will sit on the throne.

When the Jews begin to understand Jesus is the Messiah, they expect Him to make all these prophecies come true in their lifetime. They don’t understand that God’s promises won’t completely come to fruition until the Millennial Kingdom, far in the future. The Gentile view of Jesus is simpler. Instead of facing the Messianic expectation as a roadblock for understanding, the gospel can work in Gentile hearts by introducing a Man who heals injuries and illnesses and saves people from demons, and explaining that He also heals our relationship with God and saves us from sin.

This is the message that the man from the tombs begins to spread around Decapolis. Despite the people’s initial misgivings (Mark 5:15–17), they will soon welcome Jesus (Mark 7:31–37). And in the time of the apostles, Christianity will spread.

Verse 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.

Jesus and the disciples had escaped the crowd on the western, Jewish side of the Sea of Galilee and were met by a man possessed by a legion of demons on the eastern, Gentile side. After Jesus healed the man, the people from the surrounding area, terrified by His power, begged Him to leave (Mark 5:1–20).

One of the reasons Jesus had left previously faces Him once again: a crowd that threatens to mob Him or push Him into the Sea (Mark 3:7–10; 4:1, 4:35–36). Although some want to gather around quietly and listen to His teaching (Mark 3:31–35), most want relief from their physical and spiritual ailments.

In the Bible, God powers His prophets to perform miracles to validate their status as His spokesmen. We see this with Elisha, when he raises the Shunammite woman’s son (2 Kings 4:18–37), with Peter when he heals a lame beggar (Acts 3:1–10), and with Paul on several occasions (for example, Acts 14:8–18; 16:16–18; 19:11–12). But while healing provided by God is meant as a loving, merciful blessing, it is always meant to be a means of supporting His message, not healing for the sake of healing.

The Jews understand this to some extent, but they misunderstand the message that the miracles authenticate. Jesus is the Jewish Messiah, come to restore Israel and bring them back to God. But not yet. First He must do the hard work—the crucifixion and resurrection—of providing the means of restoration. Then the news of that work must spread throughout the world. Only after that can the Jews see the great prophecies of the Old Testament come to life.

We need this reminder as well. The miracle is not the message. Healing is a gift, but healing on earth is not the point. God wants our hearts turned to Him. He wants us to turn our attention to Jesus’ teaching. Only then can we be fully healed.

Context Summary
Mark 5:21–24 describes a synagogue leader, Jairus, asking Jesus to heal his daughter. After freeing a man who is possessed by a legion of demons, Jesus and the disciples return to the Jewish side of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus is again met by a mob seeking healing. The story of Jesus resurrecting this synagogue leader’s daughter is divided by the account of the healing of a woman with an issue of blood (Mark 5:25–34). This literary device leads us to compare the honorable leader and his beloved daughter to the unclean, destitute, and most likely abandoned woman. It also shows us that to Jesus, there is no difference. This incident is also described in Matthew 9:18–19 and Luke 8:40–42.

Verse 22. Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet

This is likely in or near Capernaum, where Jesus is familiar with the synagogue (Mark 1:21–28). It’s even possible that this leader was there when Jesus freed a man possessed by a demon.

The ruler of the synagogue, a word taken from the Greek root archisunagogos, does not always teach, but he is one of the supervisors who chooses the readers and teachers. It is his responsibility to make sure the teaching is accurate and in accordance with tradition. He very well may have been the one who allowed Jesus to teach in Mark 1:21–28.

Where the legion of demons prostrate themselves in recognition of Jesus’ rank (Mark 5:6) and the woman with an issue of blood will fall in fear and homage, the synagogue leader falls at Jesus’ feet in a more calculated but still sincere manner. From the Greek root word pipto, the man voluntarily lowers himself from a position of authority to one of submission, not necessarily because he believes Jesus to be higher than him, but because he believes Jesus can do something for him.

God often uses great need to get us past our prejudices and pride so that we will come to Him. The Pharisees from Galilee had joined with the Herodians to destroy Jesus (Mark 3:1–6) and the Pharisees from Jerusalem had condemned Jesus (Mark 3:22–30). This synagogue leader might have held the same attitude in the past—we don’t know for sure—but right now he just wants his daughter to be healed.

Jairus is one of the few people named outside the disciples in Mark. His name means “one whom God enlightens.”

Verse 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.”

In Matthew’s parallel passage, the synagogue leader tells Jesus that the girl is dead (Matthew 9:18). It isn’t clear why there is a discrepancy. It may be that Matthew heard only the updated information Jairus is given in Mark 5:35. Or it could be that Peter—who is generally thought to have provided Mark’s information for his gospel—is taking Jesus’ lead. When arriving at the house and raising the girl, Jesus downplays the girl’s condition to try to manage the sensationalism (Mark 5:36–43). Peter will be directly with Jesus at that time, Matthew will not, so Peter may alter the words slightly to align with Jesus’ intent in the situation.

The word for “implore” is the Greek root word parakaleo. It means to beg or entreat with emotion. In comparison, the demons Legion “adjured” Jesus by solemnly trying to get Him to take an oath not to banish them. Both parties are sincere and have great need, but the demons are defensive, knowing that Jesus is more likely to punish them, while Jairus humbly asks for a blessing.

This gives us insight into why God identifies His word-givers with miracles, particularly healing miracles. God is holy beyond measure. His messengers, who reflect His holiness, are regularly met with fear (Ezekiel 1:28; Daniel 10:7–8; Luke 2:10–11). And God wants us to know His holiness and respond with appropriate fear (Deuteronomy 10:12, 20–21). But He also wants us to understand that He is our loving Father (1 John 3:1) who sees to our needs (Philippians 4:19).

Unlike the demons, who will never know God’s mercy, or the synagogue leader, who does not yet understand that Jesus is God, we are called to hold both fear and childlike affection when we think of God. He is holy. He demands obedience. And He loves us so much He provides a covering for our disobedience so that we can spend eternity with Him.

We come to Jesus for mercy, which the demons tried to trap Jesus into giving, but we also come for blessing. In both, we are in voluntary submission, acknowledging that He is superior, and also worshiping Him.

We need to trust Him. Sometimes we get hung up on whether it is God’s will for something to happen. We must assuredly understand that His will is preeminent, but we should also approach Him with our needs like this father—with humble faith that He can give us what we need. If we have faith that He can meet our needs and trust that He will do what is best (even if what is best is not what our limited knowledge would think), we can rest in His power and provision.

Verse 24. And he went with him. And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him.

“Thronged about,” or “pressed around,” is taken from the Greek root word suntlibo, which means “to press in on all sides.” Jesus has had to manage crowds for some time, now (Mark 3:7–9) and at one point sails across the Sea of Galilee just to get away from the crush of people (Mark 4:1, 35). Even when teaching and not actively healing, He is often crowded (Mark 2:1–2; 3:31–32). Still, there are doubtless many sick and injured people who don’t receive healing and many curious who can’t hear His teaching.

Many people wonder why Jesus had to leave earth after His resurrection. These situations give us a good idea. In John 16:7–11, as the crucifixion nears, Jesus tells His disciples that He must leave, but He will send a Helper, the Holy Spirit, who will “convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.” Romans 12:6–8, 1 Corinthians 12:4–11, and 1 Peter 4:10–11 explain some different ways the Holy Spirit equips members of the church to support each other. And in John 14:12, Jesus says that His followers’ works will be greater in extent than those that He accomplished in His three years of ministry.

Jesus on earth is a powerful but single point of God on earth. Both His miracles and His message are unsurpassable, and His crucifixion and resurrection are completely unique. The time for His personal presence is paused, however. The Holy Spirit is here to work in each individual Christ-follower, each Bible-teaching church, and each true seeker. As great as the crowds Jesus taught may have been (Mark 6:44), the Holy Spirit personally works with every single person who came after.

Verse 25. And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years,

The Bible is not specific about the woman’s ailment, but based on the Greek wording it is generally thought to be menorrhagia: a heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding often caused by issues such as uterine cysts. The word “discharge” is from the Greek root word rhusis which indicates flowing blood. Though it does not mean a traumatic, “pouring” bleeding, women who have experienced extremely heavy menstruation know that it can be both uncomfortable and unsettling. In this woman’s case, her condition is likely heavy enough to cause chronic anemia and severe pain.

In Judaism, menstrual blood and unused semen were seen as life lost, akin to death. Socially, the woman’s bleeding causes her to be treated very like the leper in Mark 1:40–42. She is perpetually ceremonially unclean. Everything and everyone she touches is unclean. Even if she stops bleeding, she will have to wait seven days to be ritually clean again (Leviticus 15:19–23), which for this poor woman might never have happened. Josephus recorded that menstruating women weren’t allowed in the temple.

This woman has had this issue for twelve years—the same amount of time the synagogue’s daughter has been alive (Mark 5:42). But her life has been very different. Instead of being the beloved daughter of a respected official, she is destitute (Mark 5:26) and most likely a social pariah, even within her own family, thanks to her illness.

Even today, some medical conditions are seen as more honorable than others. A broken arm is less socially embarrassing than hemorrhoids, for instance. In the same vein, women are taught from a very early age to hide any hint of menstruation. Once again, Jesus shows that He doesn’t care about social convention. He doesn’t care if it’s an injury, an illness, something we’re born with, or even something that would make us ritually unclean if we were still under the Mosaic Law. In fact, sometimes God will even use the ignoble physical conditions to bring us closer to Him—to help us in our journey toward spiritual maturity.

When faced with a debilitating, embarrassing disease, we should remember we can always take it to God. He may not heal our physical condition, but the spiritual blessing He will give us will outweigh any pain or discomfort.

Context Summary
Mark 5:25–34 interrupts a depiction of Jesus healing a synagogue leader’s daughter. Before He can get through the crowd, He feels power flowing out of Him. A woman who has been hemorrhaging for twelve years touches His robe and God heals her. This passage shows that God is sovereign over our distractions; He will sometimes give us important work in the midst of other tasks. It also shows that we are not a nuisance to Him. He always has time for us. This account is also found in Matthew 9:20–22 and Luke 8:43–48.

Verse 26. and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse.

Jesus is about to encounter a woman who has spent twelve years plagued by a debilitating form of bleeding. Most likely, hers is a prolonged or perpetual menstrual bleeding, possibly due to cysts or other issues.

These “physicians” may have been religious leaders who had very little knowledge of biology. While the Old Testament itself does not suggest a treatment for hemorrhaging, the Talmud does. The Talmud is an extra-biblical compilation of commentaries on Jewish history, the Mosaic Law, and the application of the law. The Babylonian Talmud, in the Tractrate Shabbath (treatise on the laws regarding the Sabbath), Folio 110a-b, lists eleven treatments for excessive menstrual bleeding.

Most of these treatments involve boiling various things in wine, such as Persian onions, cumin, saffron, fenugreek, or a fern, having the woman hold it and declaring to her, “Cease your discharge.” She may be told to sit at a cross-roads, holding a cup of wine, while a man comes from behind and frightens her, shouting, “Cease your discharge!” One “cure” calls her to rub flour on the lower half of her body. She may be told to burn thistles or an ostrich egg and wrap it in cloth. The strangest is the last: to fetch barley grain found in the dung of a white mule and hold it in her hand. If she holds it for one day, her bleeding will cease for one day. If she holds it for three days, the bleeding will cease forever.

It’s unknown where these cures came from and why anyone thought they would work. They do serve to prove that pseudo-science, particularly that which promises healing for a hefty price, has been with us for a long time.

Verse 27. She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment.

The woman who approaches Jesus has been suffering twelve years from a severe hemorrhage (Mark 5:25–26). “Garment” or “cloak” is from the Greek root word himation and means an outer garment. Some have suggested the woman attempted to touch the tassels on the corners of Jesus’ cloak, which God commanded the Israelites to wear as reminders of their responsibility to obey His law (Numbers 15:37–40), but the text doesn’t specify here, although Matthew 9:20 and Luke 8:44 describe her touching the “fringe” of Jesus’ garment.

This happens in the midst of a pushy, rowdy crowd of people (Mark 5:21). The woman means for her surreptitious act to go unnoticed. Unlike the bold leper (Mark 1:40–45), the paralytic’s friends (Mark 2:1–12), and even Jairus the synagogue leader (Mark 5:22–23), the woman intends to remain unknown. Her condition makes everything and everyone she touches unclean (Leviticus 15:19–24), and a chronic condition would leave her forever outcast. Josephus writes that menstruating women are not allowed in the Temple. In that way, her condition leaves her much like a leper: socially and religiously removed. Although she understands Jesus’ power, and even perhaps His willingness to heal, she does not understand His heart toward her. By sneaking in, she is avoiding humiliation. She does not want to besmirch the reputation of a rabbi, nor be known as the woman with the gall to do so. She is soon to learn that Jesus values her far more than ceremonial constraints.

Mark, uncharacteristically, goes into quite a bit of detail so that we feel empathy for the desperate woman (Mark 5:25–26). Modern eyes see a woman with an unfortunate medical problem that doctors today have some success in treating. Mark’s intent, however, is to encourage understanding for a disgraced, destitute woman in need of Jesus’ healing and our loving attention. We meet many similar people today, and we are reminded to see them as Jesus does.

Verse 28. For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.”

The woman’s belief that she will be healed by touching Jesus’ cloak is consistent with Greco-Roman magic beliefs, but it also has parallels elsewhere in Scripture. People are healed by touching Jesus’ cloak in Gennesaret (Matthew 14:34–36) and other places (Luke 6:17–19). After Jesus’ ascension and Pentecost, people are apparently healed by merely being in Peter’s shadow (Acts 5:12–16). And handkerchiefs that Paul touches serve as vessels to heal the sick and free people from demonic possession (Acts 19:11–12).

There is much debate as to whether the woman touches Jesus’ robe out of informed faith, or mere superstition. The story of the faith of the centurion shows it may have been both. The centurion not only has faith that Jesus can heal his servant, he has an understanding that Jesus’ authority and power is such that He can do so at a distance with only a word (Matthew 8:5–13). Where the centurion sees Jesus’ word as an expression of His authority, the woman sees His cloak as a conduit for His power. This emphasizes a point explored elsewhere in the Bible: faith is valid only when it’s placed in something trustworthy. Faith in God is effective because it’s trust in something real and true. Even if the exact reasoning behind this woman’s faith was less-than-perfect, she was trusting in something legitimate, and that’s why she found healing.

This also gives us an interesting insight into how Jesus’ salvation works. We like to make little rituals, such as saying the prayer of salvation or coming forward at an altar call. Jesus is clear that salvation is by grace, through faith (Ephesians 2:8), but although He commends the centurion for relying on a word, He never condemns others for wanting a touch. If our faith is such that we feel more comfortable expressing it through a cultural tradition, He does not allow that belief to nullify the faith itself. We look for acts that provide hard assurances and defining moments of His grace, forgetting the simplicity of the faith of the thief on the cross (Luke 23:39-43). By that same grace, Jesus meets our faith where it stands.

Verse 29. And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.

A woman who has had an issue of blood for twelve years has just touched Jesus’ cloak. She does not want to be noticed, and she certainly doesn’t want Jesus to know that her touch has made Him ceremonially unclean. Still, she has faith that a touch is all it will take for His power and authority to reach her.

The Greek root word for “disease” is mastix. Interestingly, this term literally means “a whipping or scourging.” This reflects the general superstition of that era: disease was a calamity God sent for punishment of sin. The Mosaic Covenant is clear that if the Israelites obey, God will prosper them, and if they disobey, God will punish them. The blessings are outlined in Deuteronomy 28:1–14 and the curses in Deuteronomy 28:15–68Despite the lesson of Job, the Jews believed illness was always a sign of God’s displeasure of an individual.

“Healed” is from the Greek root word iaomai which means physical healing, but the term also has the connotation of “being made whole,” “having one’s sins removed,” or “gaining salvation.” Jesus draws an analogy between physical healing and salvation in Mark 2:1–12, when He declares the paralytic’s sins forgiven on the basis of his faith before He provides physical healing. When the woman realizes she is healed physically, she most likely also takes her miraculous healing to mean she is ceremonially clean and saved in accordance with the requirements of the Mosaic Law.

Verse 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?”

Bible scholars have debated for generations as to how much Jesus “knew” during His time on earth. Did He, being fully God, always have the omniscience of God (Mark 2:8)? Or, as fully man, was He only aware of what His senses determined and what the Holy Spirit inspired Him to know? If Jesus’ knowledge is limited, the question He poses to the crowd is self-explanatory. However, even if He already knows, this is consistent with God’s use of questions throughout Scripture.

In Genesis 3:9, while Adam and Eve are hiding from their sin of eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge, God calls out, “Where are you?” The question isn’t meant to gather information that God doesn’t already have. It is meant to direct the conversation, to allow Adam and Eve to present themselves to God and have an honest discussion. God repeats this strategy with Cain when He asks, “Where is Abel your brother?” (Genesis 4:9). Parents deliberately use such tactics all the time to attempt to draw an honorable truth from their children.

So, whether Jesus knows the woman has touched Him or not, the question has the desired effect. The crowd stops, perhaps even pulling back to give them space. It’s unclear if others in the crowd have received healing as in Matthew 14:34–36 and Luke 6:17–19. It is clear that Jesus feels the need to address this woman specifically.

Although the Bible is hazy regarding Jesus’ source of knowledge, the Gospels do seem to indicate that His miraculous healing power comes from the Holy Spirit. Luke 4:14 says that Jesus started His ministry “in the power of the Spirit,” and the Spirit authorizes His ministry (Luke 4:18). Matthew 12:28 seems to indicate that Jesus’ power to expel demons comes from the Holy Spirit, although He may mean His work is in accordance with the will of the Holy Spirit.

Even so, when we read that Jesus feels power coming out of Him, we need not infer that His power is limited. This incident is more like noticing that water is flowing from a fire hydrant, or a massive lake. The power is moving out of Jesus, but it is not being reduced in Jesus.

Verse 31. And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’”

Jesus and the disciples are trying to follow a synagogue leader so Jesus can heal the man’s young daughter. On the way, they are nearly smothered by a crowd trying to touch Jesus to receive healing. Jesus feels one person experiencing the healing she is looking for, through a touch of His robes, and He wishes to stop and identify that person.

The disciples respond with incredulity that Jesus would bother to try singling out the culprit. This speaks to the size of the crowd, but it also reflects a small part of the disciples’ prejudices against those they consider beneath their notice. A synagogue leader has need of Jesus! Who in this crowd would be worthy enough to justify a delay? This sense of self-importance will grow. The disciples will attempt to “rescue” Jesus from the distraction of children (Matthew 19:13–15) and argue over who is greatest among them (Matthew 18:1–4). John and James will request to sit in places of honor when Jesus comes into His kingdom (Mark 10:35–37). And Peter will struggle for years with the idea that Jesus came for Gentiles as well as Jews (Acts 10:9–33; Galatians 2:11–14).

We are quick to follow the disciples’ example when we use our status as Christ-followers to dismiss those who appear outwardly to be far from Him. God makes it clear that we see the outside, but God knows the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). We don’t know the relationship between Christ and each person. We don’t really know what kind of faith people have. There may be a time, such as here, when we dismiss an entire crowd as being a nuisance not worth our time, but Jesus stops and finds the one lost person (Luke 15:3–10) who is calling to Him in faith.

Jesus’ response to the disciples’ attempt to keep Him on track is eloquent in its simplicity: He ignores them. He responds to faith (Mark 5:34; 14:3–9; Matthew 15:21–28), not worldly status or even human-based common sense.

Verse 32. And he looked around to see who had done it.

The more Jesus heals, the bigger and more dangerous the crowds get whenever He is around. Even when His presence is requested by a respected synagogue leader, the mob still pushes around Him, trying for a healing touch. One person has been successful, but with the chaos, that person is hoping her touch will go unnoticed. Based solely on this verse, we don’t know if Jesus knows the specifics, thanks to His identity as God, or as inspired by the Holy Spirit, or if He truly doesn’t know, but He stops everything to identify the one who touched Him.

Jairus is desperate for Jesus to follow and heal his daughter. The disciples are beginning the heady transformation to celebrities, riding Jesus’ coat tails to what they assume will become fame and power. The crowd is demanding attention. And Jesus stops. He metaphorically leaves the ninety-nine sheep to find the one who is lost (Matthew 18:10–14).

The person who has touched Jesus is a woman whose condition has left her in a state of chronic ritual uncleanness. She is destitute and cut off from worship according to the ceremonial law. She only wants to be healed; she doesn’t want the attention of the God-empowered miracle worker. She doesn’t want Him to know that her touch has made Him unclean.

Jesus doesn’t care. He wants to find the person whose faith is so strong it drew power out of Him without His conscious intent. He is God, and no amount of human uncleanness can taint Him. In a few short years, He will take the weight of the sins of the world on His shoulders, becoming sin so that the Father will turn His face away (Mark 15:34). He wants to meet the person He has come to die for.

Verse 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.

When the legion of demons fell before Jesus (Mark 5:6), it was in acknowledgement of Jesus’ superiority. When Jairus, the synagogue leader fell (Mark 5:22), it was in desperate supplication. The woman who has been healed of her twelve-year issue of blood falls prostrate, in homage, great emotion, and fear. The God-empowered, miracle-working rabbi has discovered that she, an unclean woman, touched His robe. He is now unclean until evening, when He must bathe Himself and His clothes. She has taken terrible liberties and dishonored Him in front of the great crowd.

When God asks Adam and Eve where they were, their response is to mislead. They know God knows their sin, and they immediately set about trying to shift the blame (Genesis 3:8–13). When God asks Cain where Abel is, Cain responds with feigned ignorance (Genesis 4:9–10). This woman shows incredible integrity by stepping forward and telling Jesus the whole truth.

We’re not told why she is afraid. It may be she thinks Jesus will condemn her for her act. Or that, like the disciples in the storm (Mark 4:35–41), she has gained an even greater idea of the power of the man she had faith in. Her bravery, however, serves her well. First, it reveals to the entire crowd that her shameful condition is healed. She is ceremonially clean—or, at the very least, now has regained the ability to become clean, something her condition prevented. Second, it allows Jesus to commend her to the crowd, completely reversing her disgraced social status. Because she is open and honest, she is able to live openly in her newfound freedom.

Verse 34. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

The woman with an issue of blood reached out to Jesus’ cloak for healing, but did so secretly, in fear she would be humiliated and shamed or that she would disgrace Jesus with her touch. He calls her to step forth, anyway, and she responds by telling Him, and the crowd, everything.

“Disease” is from the Greek root word mastix, which gives the idea of being whipped or scourged as a punishment for disobedience. The Jews saw personal tragedy and illness as a reaction from God for personal sinfulness. The woman is destitute and most likely in pain because of her disease (Mark 5:26). But to add insult to injury, she has also spent the last twelve years unclean, unable to go to the temple or even be around other people without passing her uncleanness to them.

Jesus does not shame her. Instead, He gives her more gifts than she could have imagined.

First, Jesus calls her “daughter.” She is the only person in the New Testament to be called daughter by Jesus. Moments before, a respected synagogue leader had prostrated himself before Jesus, begging Him to save his deathly ill daughter. This woman apparently has no champion to speak for her. So, Jesus stops what He is doing and takes the time to make sure she realizes: He is her champion. She is now under His care and protection. He will not cheat her like the “healers” who pointlessly took her money (Mark 5:26). He will not abase her, like she expects. He will claim her as His own.

Next, He affirms and commends her faith to the crowd. We don’t know how much of her confidence in Jesus’ power was tainted by pagan magical beliefs, but Jesus doesn’t care. Her faith might not have been perfect, but it was aimed at the right target: God and His promises. She sees Jesus, she knows she needs Him, and she has the boldness to claim Him.

Although the woman is healed—she feels it in her body (Mark 5:29)—Jesus relieves her of the burden of having to prove her health. He announces it to the crowd so that everyone will know. He also uses her as an example. Many people are pushing Him, trying to touch Him and receive healing. Jesus clearly states that it is the woman’s faith that healed her, not her touch.

Finally, He gives her peace. The phrase “go in peace” is used often in the Old Testament as a blessing on another’s actions and intent (Exodus 4:18; Judges 18:6; 1 Samuel 1:17; 20:42). Peace is from the Greek root word eirene and means harmony, security, safety, prosperity, and the tranquility of being right with God. He blesses and affirms the action that has left her in fear. Not only is she right that she will be healed, she is right for seeking healing despite her dishonor.

The woman with the issue of blood shows us that no matter what we need healing from, Jesus is not ashamed to respond. The length of our suffering, the social pariah we may have become because of it, the indignity of our physical condition—Jesus doesn’t care. He may not heal us physically, but if we reach out to Him in faith, He is always willing to claim us as His own.

Verse 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?”

Jairus, a synagogue leader, has asked Jesus to heal his deathly-ill daughter. On His way to Jairus’ house, Jesus heals a woman with an issue of blood, stopping the crowd to identify her (Mark 5:21–34). It is while He is speaking to the woman that Jairus learns that his daughter has died.

“Ruler of the synagogue” is taken from the Greek root word archisunagogos. Synagogues did not function like traditional Christian churches. Instead of pastors preaching every week, chosen men stand and read from the Torah, then explain what the passage means. Jairus is one of the supervisors who choose the readers and teachers and make sure the interpretation is accurate and in accordance with tradition. He very well may have been the one who allowed Jesus to teach in Mark 1:21–28.

Jairus shows respect for Jesus. The person from his household calls Jesus “teacher” which comes from the Greek root word diadaskalos. The title can mean any teacher, but usually refers to an instructor of the Jewish religion. It infers the respect of the word “master” and equates to the Hebrew “rabbi.”

There is some confusion regarding when Jairus knows his daughter was dead. In Matthew 9:18, he appears to tell Jesus his daughter had just died, before the woman with an issue of blood had touched Jesus. Here, Jairus doesn’t appear to know until after that interaction. It is possible that Matthew wasn’t close enough to hear when Jairus first approached Jesus, due to the crowd, and inferred what he said by the professional mourners he saw when they reached Jairus’ house.

Another possibility has to do with the fact that biblical scholars suspect Peter gave Mark the information for his Gospel. Unlike Matthew, Peter follows Jesus into Jairus’ house and on to the little girl’s room. He hears Jesus downplay the girl’s condition, treating her death as a temporary condition, and not acknowledging the beliefs of the members of Jairus’ household who are convinced the girl is gone and Jesus is a fraud.

A third possibility is that Jairus first told Jesus his daughter is ill, and then his servant announced she is dead early on in Jesus’ conversation with the woman. Matthew may have attributed the words of the servant to his master, which was common at that time.

Context Summary
Mark 5:35–43 returns to Jesus’ encounter with a synagogue leader and his ailing daughter, after pausing to describe Jesus healing a woman who had suffered for years with a debilitating hemorrhage. The scope of Jesus’ power and authority has built to this moment. He controlled a fierce storm (Mark 4:35–41), expelled a legion of demons (Mark 5:1–13), and healed a chronically ill woman without even trying (Mark 5:25–34). Now He will raise the dead. This is the first of three times Jesus is recorded as raising the dead (John 11:1–44; Luke 7:11–17). Despite this display, Jesus will soon go to His hometown of Nazareth where He will be rejected by the people who have known Him longest. This account can also be found in Matthew 9:23–26 and Luke 8:49–56.

Verse 36. But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.”

The wording indicates that Jesus overhears the person from Jairus’ house while He is speaking to the woman healed from an issue of blood. There is a similarity here between the girl and Lazarus—both times, Jesus waits until the person is identified as dead before He comes to them. In the case of Lazarus, however, Jesus waits a full four days from the moment of death, which is the time the Jews believe it takes for the soul to leave the body, making full restoration is impossible (John 11:6). The scope of Jesus’ miracles builds gradually, and here He merely delays until immediately after the girl has passed.

“Believe” is from the Greek root word pisteuo and basically means “to be persuaded as true.” This is a tall order. People have been raised from the dead before, but the accounts were recorded in the Old Testament, written hundreds of years ago. Even if he is a leader of the Synagogue, Jairus has no particular reason to believe his twelve-year-old daughter is significant enough to be brought back to life by God’s messenger.

In Jesus’ ministry, faith is a conduit that allows the power of God to act. The faith of the woman with an issue of blood is so great she is healed without Jesus taking an active part. Conversely, when Jesus returns to His hometown of Nazareth, their unbelief will keep Jesus from doing the miracles that come so easily in Capernaum (Mark 6:1–6).

Miracles, impelled by faith in Jesus’ ministry, are meant to identify Him as a representative of God. They alert the people to the fact that His teachings are from God and to be heeded. Now that those teachings are gathered in the Bible, God works in a slightly different way.

Our faith is still required for God to work in us. It doesn’t have to be big (Luke 17:6), just pointed in the right direction (Hebrews 11:6) and persistent (1 Thessalonians 5:17). It also needs to have the right intent. It is not biblical to have “faith” that God will give us riches or health (James 4:2–3). Instead, God promises to give us what we need to do His will. If our hearts are aligned with His and we value what He prioritizes, we will be satisfied with what He gives us (John 15:7). It is okay to be disappointed when we don’t receive the blessings we hope for if we also acknowledge that our hope, ultimately, rests in Him (1 Peter 1:3).

Verse 37. And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James.

Peter, James, and John are three of Jesus’ first four disciples, along with Peter’s brother Andrew. These three men are also the followers Jesus spends the most time with. They are the only disciples to see Jesus’ transfiguration (Mark 9:2–9). They are the ones whom Jesus called to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:32–42). And they are the only disciples with nicknames (Mark 3:16–17).

James, the brother of John, is the only one of the Twelve to have his death recorded in the Bible. Acts 12:1–2 says that King Herod had him killed with a sword. This Herod is Herod Agrippa I who ruled a reunited territory once divided into four by the Tetrarchs. He was king in AD 41—44. He was the grandson of Herod the Great, noted for killing the baby boys in Bethlehem after Jesus’ birth. Agrippa I was also the brother of Herodias, who demanded John the Baptist’s head on a platter in Mark 6:21–29. God later struck Herod Agrippa I, who was eaten by worms (Acts 12:23). The Agrippa who met with Paul (Acts 25:13) was Agrippa I’s son.

James had a very short career as an apostle. He died about ten years after Jesus’ death, and there’s no indication he ever left Jerusalem for a missions trip; although some claim he traveled to Spain, there is no hard evidence. Other references to “James” in Acts refer to Jesus’ half-brother, the pastor of the church in Jerusalem and author of the book of James.

Peter and John went on to become two of the most significant figures in the early church. Where once Peter had denied Christ (Matthew 26:70–74), after Jesus’ ascension Peter became a powerful preacher at Pentecost (Acts 2:14–41), later on the temple mount (Acts 3:11–26), and also in front of the Sanhedrin (Acts 4:1–22). He both performed miracles (Acts 3:1–10; 9:36–43) and benefited from them (Acts 5:17–42; 12:6–19). Peter also wrote the letters of 1 and 2 Peter in the New Testament and is believed to be the source for the Gospel of Mark. Peter did struggle in accepting that Gentiles could be saved. Despite receiving both an object lesson and a personal example (Acts 10—11), Paul still had to scold him for clinging to Jewish traditions over Christian brotherhood (Galatians 2:11–14). Even so, Peter is a pillar of the church (Galatians 2:9). Jesus suggested he would die a martyr (John 21:18–19) and church tradition claims he was crucified upside-down, next to his wife.

The apostle John was a prolific New Testament writer, surpassed only by Paul and Luke. He is often confused with Jesus’ cousin, John the Baptist, and the author of the Gospel of Mark, John-Mark. During his time with Jesus, John was known for being somewhat possessive. He criticized a man for casting out demons in Jesus’ name (Mark 9:38–41) and, with his brother James, asked for places of honor in Jesus’ kingdom (Matthew 20:20–24). His Gospel is the most theological of the four. His epistles are a mix of theology and very practical instruction. And his book of Revelation gives detail and context to Daniel’s seventieth week. He was the longest-lived of the apostles. After discipling the early church leader Polycarp, John died of old age in modern-day Turkey.

Jesus allowed only these three and the girl’s parents to see the miraculous healing. Although the quantity may have been limited by the size of the room, Jesus chose the people very specifically. Jesus could have performed the healing with just the parents, but He wanted His future leaders to see. Jesus’ relationship with Peter, James, and John led to the Christian leadership philosophy of teaching many, discipling a few, and mentoring a handful.

Verse 38. They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly.

Upon His return from freeing a man with a legion of demons, Jesus was approached by Jairus, a leader of the local synagogue, whose daughter was dying. Jairus learned that while he was traveling home, she had passed, but Jesus encouraged him to maintain his faith (Mark 5:36).

Jesus, Peter, James, John, and Jairus arrive to find the house filled with professional mourners (Matthew 9:25). Professional mourning was well-known in Jesus’ day around the Middle East and Asia. Matthew 9:23 mentions flute players and a crowd. Oddly enough, the career is making a comeback in some western nations, where families can hire actors to provide a suitable atmosphere at funerals and memorial services.

Unlike modern professional mourners who study the life of the deceased and make small talk to friends and extended family of the deceased, these mourners are neither somber nor reserved. “Commotion” is from the Greek root word thorubos which means noise, clamor, and public disorder. “Wailing” is from the Greek root word alalazo. It’s the “alala” sound soldiers made when rushing into battle, similar to what is referred to as ululation.

The custom of hired mourners shows how we have always been uncomfortable with our grief. Anger, control, and even detachment are easier places to dwell in than the raw vulnerability of acute loss. But God promises to meet us in grief. He sees our sadness (Psalm 56:8) and promises to turn it into joy if we will trust Him (Psalm 30:11–12).

Verse 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.”

Jesus is at the home of Jairus, the synagogue leader, confronting the professional mourners. Jairus’ daughter is dead. Her death was reported by a servant to Jairus moments before (Mark 5:35). Luke specifically states that when Jesus resurrects her, “her spirit returned” (Luke 8:55). So why does Jesus claim she is just sleeping?

Speakers in the New Testament often used the euphemism of sleep to represent the physical death of believers. Matthew uses it of the believers who come back to life at the crucifixion (Matthew 27:52). Jesus uses it of Lazarus before He raises him (John 11:11). Luke uses it when Stephen is stoned (Acts 7:60). And Paul uses it to describe the premature death of those who take communion unbiblically (1 Corinthians 11:30). But in all those cases, the Greek root word koimao is used.

The Greek root word used here for “asleep” is katheudo, and literally means to be asleep. It means “sleep” in several places in Matthew (Matthew 8:24; 13:25; 25:5; 26:40). And when used as a metaphor, it doesn’t refer to death but to spiritual numbness (Ephesians 5:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:6–7).

Jesus is not lying, and cannot lie, so we need to understand this statement carefully. A special use infers a special meaning; the girl is dead, but Jesus intends her condition to be impermanent like sleep. As creator of the universe and performer of miracles that break the laws of nature, Jesus intends the girl to rise and therefore her condition is like that of sleep. He doesn’t misrepresent reality, He changes it and uses language that reflects the new reality.

This is the story of the gospel. We are born enemies of God (Romans 5:10). Jesus, who defines spiritual reality, broke the laws of nature to call us first servants and then friends (John 15:15). God calls us His children and co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:15–17). God the Father and Jesus are able to speak these words because they change the reality.

Verse 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.

When Jesus insists that Jairus’ daughter is not dead but sleeping, “they” mock Him. Who exactly is meant by “they” is undefined in Mark, but Luke 8:52–53 identifies the individuals as the professional mourners. “Laughed” is from the Greek root word katagelao which means to deride. If the crowd had really cared about the girl, they might be hopeful or even angry, but by treating Jesus like a fool, they show that they see this event as just another day at work.

According to Matthew 9:25, the professional mourners are inside the house. “Putting [them] out” is from the Greek root word ekballo which means to cast someone out forcefully. In Mark 5:36, Jesus tells Jairus, “Do not fear, only believe.” Jesus gives Jairus reason to hope. When faced with a crowd that threatens to kill that hope, Jesus responds by throwing the crowd out.

There is a time to wade into the sea of a faith-testing, hope-squashing, lost world and boldly preach the gospel of Christ. However, when we’re in a spiritually vulnerable frame of mind, that is probably not what we need. The church is designed so that the members can encourage each other (Hebrews 10:25), love each other (1 John 4:12), and show kindness and compassion (Ephesians 4:32). God does not intend us to always be in the thick of spiritual battle. We also need times of rest and encouragement (Mark 6:31; 1 Thessalonians 5:11). If that means avoiding draining people for a time, that is perfectly fine.

Verse 41. Taking her by the hand he said to her, “Talitha cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.”

When Jesus arrives at Jairus’ house, He insists the girl is not dead but only “sleeping.” This is meant for metaphorical intent: she had physically died, but Jesus fully intends for the girl’s death to be temporary, like sleep. His actions now support His decision. He doesn’t lay His hands on her or anoint her with oil and pray. He takes her hand and helps her up, as if she is already on the cusp of waking.

The Greek root word for “taking” is krateo and means to hold securely with power. “Hand” is from the Greek root word cheir which infers a power that is used to help. As casual as Jesus’ words and gestures seem to be, the actual healing does take the power of the Holy Spirit. Changing the nature of this small piece of the universe is hard work.

The phrase talitha cumi is Aramaic and basically means “little girl, get up,” or “child, arise,” as Luke interprets it (Luke 8:54). It is thought that Mark included the literal Aramaic to prove that Jesus uses mere words, not a magical spell.

This inclusion is still relevant two thousand years later. Jesus did not raise the girl by His words but because He is the Word. “Word,” as used in John 1, is from the Greek word logos and means word or principle or thought. It means the divine reason, the mind of God. Words have power and authority when they express the intent of God, not when they repeat particular phrases. “Amen,” the text of the Lord’s prayer, the sinner’s prayer, even baptizing in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit get their significance from the intent of the speaker as they express the will of God, not the sounds made when the words are pronounced.

Our faith is not defined by standard prayers, liturgical readings, or magic words, but by our faith, God’s grace, and Jesus’ work.

Verse 42. And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement.

As with Peter’s mother-in-law (Mark 1:30–31), the girl’s recovery is full and immediate. The reaction of those who witness this event is exactly what one would expect: amazement, astonishment, and surprise. Given the tragic nature of this particular case, it’s also understandable that these people would be “overcome” with emotion.

The girl is first described as Jairus’ “little daughter” (Mark 5:23). “Little daughter” is from the Greek root word thugatrion. In Jewish culture, a girl from birth to age eleven is a child, from eleven to twelve is under-age, and from twelve to twelve-and-a-half is a “young daughter.” Some time during her twelfth year, she becomes a legal adult.

The healing of Jairus’ daughter presents a moral dilemma for the Christian. She is healed as part of God’s plan for Jesus’ ministry, but from a human viewpoint, she is merely in the right place at the right time. If the people of Decapolis hadn’t run Jesus back across the Sea of Galilee, or if He had decided to go to Bethsaida instead of Capernaum, where we assume they were, the girl would have died and no one would have thought anything about it. Without question, there were many other children who died in Israel that year who were not near enough to Jesus to be healed.

The dilemma raised is painful, and challenging. Why does God allow children to die? If life is so precious, why does He let babies die in the womb? Perhaps more troubling, why does He save some and not others?

The day-to-day workings of the world are an opaque mix of human free will and God’s divine work put into play for His glory and our salvation. In the modern world, His primary work is done through His followers in the church. In as much as childhood death bothers us, it is our responsibility to study medicine, feed the hungry, and support research of childhood diseases. God’s love is not shown in His miraculous works so much as it is in the hands of His followers. Children are proved to have value when we do the work that shows we value them.

Verse 43. And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

Jesus comes to raise a dead girl, insists to the professional mourners that she is only sleeping, resurrects the girl, and now tells the parents to keep her resurrection a secret. This turns out to be untenable, and soon the entire district knows of His work (Matthew 9:26). His command may have been realistic, as the professional mourners may not have seen the girl. The parents would not have been lying to repeat the statement that she was asleep, as Jesus used the word (Mark 5:39). But people are drawn to the flashy, not the reasonable, and the beneficiaries of Jesus’ miracles are not good at holding their peace (Mark 1:44–45).

There are several reasons as to why Jesus may have asked the girl’s parents to give her something to eat. They’d had an extremely stressful day, and focusing on the ordinary can go a long way in re-establishing equilibrium in a household. This also puts the parents’ focus on the girl and her needs. Outside the door are several professional mourners suddenly out of a job and a good part of the city waiting for news. The girl needs to be cared for, not made a spectacle of. The act of eating, in and of itself, serves as proof that the girl is alive and able to function.

This is not the last time Jesus will use eating as a proof of life. When He appears to the disciples after the resurrection, they are not convinced that He lives by looking at Him, but by watching Him eat fish (Luke 24:36–43).

The implications of these moments don’t leave out us, the modern readers. In the end times, God will give Christ-followers glorified bodies and invite us to the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:7–10). There we will feast to celebrate our resurrection and new life in the grandest meal in human history. And there will be no need to keep quiet about it.

Chapter Context
Jesus arrives on the other side of the Sea of Galilee and heals a man afflicted by a ”legion” of demons. In the aftermath of this event, Jesus once again crosses the waters within this region, known as the Decapolis. There, He is approached by a synagogue leader, begging Him to come and save a dying girl. In the midst of this trip, Jesus stops the crowd to identify a woman who attempted to covertly touch his robes; her faithful act results in healing. Jesus then continues on to the home of the synagogue leader and resurrects his recently-deceased child.

End.

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