Christian Family Services Ministry

10-27-2023 – A Word to the Wise – Jesus Healing

Matthew, Mark, and Luke introduce us to an interesting event in Jesus’ ministry. He has just healed a man possessed by demons. The man Legion, begs to follow Jesus, but Jesus tells him it is more important to testify to his family and friends what had been done for him. Jesus then turns and goes towards home, that is Capernaum.

Once there, He is immediately met by the crowds and is met by a ruler of one of the synagogues, Jarius, who begs Him to come and save his desperately sick daughter. So He goes. On the way, the crowds swarm about Him.

As He goes, his path chances to cross that of another person who has no intention of revealing her presence or intention. Not out of a heart of deceit but rather humility. She had been bleeding vaginally for some twelve years, been too many doctors endure the humiliation of exams and useless treatment, and was at her wit’s end.

She sees Jesus and knows because of what she has heard about Him that this is the solution to her problem. Seeing He is in a hurry, after all the head of the synagogue is asking for His help. She, not wanting to interrupt Jesus, nor draw attention to herself, steps out of the crowd and touches His garment. That is all it takes, and she knows it. Immediately she is healed. She knows it, feels it, and it is time to slip away, in silence.

But it is not to be. “Who touched me,” the Master says. Midst all of these people, Jesus stops and asks this question. Right in the middle of the street. Who touched me? Sure, Jesus could have honored her desire for anonymity, but He does not. Before He left that place, everyone would know what had happened.

You see, Jesus wanted the people to know that secret suffering was just as important to Him as obvious trauma.

The women gave up. anonymity was not possible, so terrified at the public nature of the situation, fearful of what Jesus will say to her, anxious that she may have violated Him in some way, she steps forward.

I did it! And the words just tumbled from her lips. The years of painful humiliation all of it. Jesus knows that the emotional side of problems has to be addressed. He encourages her to empty out all of the fear and bitterness. Having told it all, Jesus replies simply—give up the fear—be at peace … you’re free of the physical and emotional anguish.

But the story does not end here. Jesus interrupted as He was on the way to heal another woman-girl stops to bring attention to everyone the predicament of this one and is now informed that it is too late. Jarius’s daughter is dead. Dead…she is dead. Just leave Him alone. It is too late, your precious daughter is dead.

Jarius is no doubt overwhelmed with the pain of loss, my daughter is dead. My little girl, the apple of my eye, it is too late.

Jesus just ignores it. He says to Jarius, “Just believe.” Jesus sets out with renewed urgency. This time leaving the crowd behind, He takes Peter, James, John, and the father, and they make their way to Jarius’s house. He no more than arrives than is confronted with the ridicule of the crowd at the family home. They laugh at the idea that the daughter will be just fine. Jesus did not even bother to reply just tells them to get out. Taking the parents and His disciples, he enters the room, takes the little girl’s hand, and says gently, “Time to get up,” and she awakes and gets up. They were astonished. How did He do this?

Now the contrast. Jesus heals the demoniac and tells him to tell others. He proceeds to heal a woman, who wants to be secretive in front of the whole world, and now He tells this father and mother whose child is returned to them from the dead—tell no one. Why?

Why, tell the demoniac to speak it abroad, the secretive woman’s suffering revealed to everyone, and now this popular church leader…tell no one?

Let’s see if there is a pattern here. Turn back to the first of his ministry.

Mark 1:21ff Jesus cast out a demon from a man publically on the Sabbath. He then heals Peter’s mother-in-law privately. That same evening when the Sabbath is over, He heals a multitude of people publically. However, He will not allow the demons He cast out to speak.

The next incident is a man with leprosy, who He heals privately and insists that He tell no one. Mark 1:40ff). The man did just the opposite. A few days later (Mark 2), Jesus, in Capernaum preaching publically, heals a paralytic Mark 3 again publically, and on the Sabbath, Jesus restores a shriveled hand, then turns and publically heals many in large crowds.

Mark 4 has Jesus privately calming a storm for his disciples. Chapter 5 tells the story of Legion, who He heals privately and tells him to make it public. The two incidents with the woman that we have recounted occur, and in Mark 6, Jesus goes to His hometown Nazareth where He could only heal a few sick people because of the unbelief of the town.

I wonder what it all means. Do you know?