Month: February 2023

Health and Healing #11

Eleventh in a series of posts highlighting how much the Bible has to say about healing.

21 And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea. 22 And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet, 23 And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live. 24 And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.

35 While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? 36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. 37 And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. 38 And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly. 39 And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. 40 And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying. 41 And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. 42 And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment. 43 And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.

Mark Chapter Five

Last time we contemplated together a woman healed from chronic blood loss. Her story was inserted amid this one in Mark chapter five because it took place on the way to Jairus’ house. Since I put published that post, I read David Ettinger’s post about this woman, which is well worth a visit. I follow David on WordPress but had not discovered his excellent and thought-provoking work back in 2021. Perhaps WordPress pulled it out of the archives and put it in my feed in response to my post. By whatever means it came to my attention this week, I am grateful!

Jairus (Jā·ī·res) is identified as a ruler of the synagogue. He arrives with the throng to petition Jesus to come and heal his daughter, whom he attests is at the brink of death. Jesus had already gained a lot of attention in the area by various miracles. As evidence, just look at the crowd that met Him as He and His disciples got out of the boat. Jairus could scarcely have been unaware. Very likely the members of his village had looked to him for guidance and had been asking his opinion of Jesus. What should they believe about Him? Neither would he have been blind to the condemning attitude toward Jesus held by his leaders in Jerusalem. The Pharisees’ rejection of Jesus is a stance they would have expected all synagogue leaders to follow unquestioningly. It is unknown what Jairus may have previously answered the members of the synagogue regarding Jesus. Had he publicly regurgitated the narrative of the Pharisees? Had he been openly questioning and undecided? We might well assume that Jairus was at the end of himself, to publicly come to Jesus asking for His help. He had clearly decided his daughter meant more to him than his religious position.  Jairus knew of several healings performed by Jesus, and he did not hold back. His confession of faith in Jesus’ ability to heal his daughter was quite public (v23).

This account is also recorded in Matthew 9 and Luke 8.  Matthew’s account is more compressed, omitting the person who appeared to inform Jairus that his daughter was, in fact, already dead (v35). This omission by Matthew is certainly understandable, as we see here that the news came during the initial conversation with Jesus. Note Jesus’ immediate response to Jairus, “Be not afraid, only believe.” This word could be construed as intending to comfort, and it is. But it is more than that. There are many episodes where those who came to Jesus for healing were told, “Be it unto you as you have believed.” (Matthew 8:13) Also, remember He had just told the woman who (previously!) had the issue of blood, that her faith had made her well. Mark 9:23-24 gives us another example of a parent dealing with unbelief. Jesus Himself “could not” to do all the works that He wanted to do in his hometown because of unbelief (Mark 6:5-6). Do not think doubt in Nazareth somehow robbed Jesus of the power to heal − the truth is that Jesus always respects the will of those He deals with. More important than simply comforting Jairus was Jesus’ helping him combat the temptation to entertain fear and unbelief. That we walk by faith (in Jesus) is foundational to Christianity (Hebrews 11). We see that Jesus prevented the crowd from following further. The passage says in King James English He “suffered” no one to follow (or did not allow). This dismissal may have required some minor confrontation of the crowd. How would you set about sending people following you away without offending? Further, at Jairus’ home, He puts out the ones who have come to engage in mourning for Jairus’ now-dead daughter. Likely, these were members of Jairus’ synagogue. I believe both of these exclusions of the unbelieving crowd are intended to help Jairus by reducing the contrary messages he would have to deal with.

Jesus, in putting out the mourners, told them she was not dead but only sleeping, which brought ridicule from the group. Jesus was not in denial about the situation. His perspective in that moment is based in faith for the (near) future state of the girl, rather than her current state. We are unable to see into existence beyond death except by faith. God does not look at physical death in the same way men do. He is not limited by our material perception. We should take heed, for Jesus came to release us from bondage to the fear of death (Hebrews 2:15). The first report need not be the final word.

With the atmosphere of faith in the room improved, what did Jesus do? He opened His mouth and told the twelve-year-old what He wanted her to do, even as He extended His hand to help. “Talitha, cumi!”

Wow! Breath returned to her. Her pulse resumed. Consciousness flared. Up she came off her mat! Verse 42 says they were greatly amazed. The fact exceeded even the expectation they needed to see her resurrected. [There are four accounts of Jesus resurrecting the dead, if He is Himself included. I believe this twelve-year-old girl is the second (Luke 7:11-17).]

Jesus, as He often did, strictly charged them not to tell others. Many opinions have been expressed why He gave this instruction. All the members of the village would have heard already the girl was dead. Wouldn’t it be obvious something unusual had happened? My own opinion (you knew I had one) is that Jesus wanted to shield the family from a flood of vocalizations of unbelief until their faith was firmed up by their experience. Often in the time immediately following a miraculous healing, the healed one will be presented with a symptomatic recurrence. The temptation is to accept one or more of several common lies. Those who hold on to their healing are those who have learned put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6), to resist the enemy (James 4:7) by holding fast to their faith, even to speaking that resistance out loud (Romans 10:17) and fixing our (spiritual) eyes on the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).

The Raising of the Daughter of Jairus by Gabriel Max (German, 1840-1915) is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0

Health and Healing #10

A continuing series considering what the Scripture has to say about healing.

21 And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea. 22 And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet, 23 And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.

24 And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him. 25 And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, 26 And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, 27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. 28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. 29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. 30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? 31 And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
32 And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. 33 But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. 34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.

from the Gospel of Mark, Chapter 5

I hope our attention was focused last time on the beginning verses in Mark chapter 5, in which Jesus delivered a man seriously beset by demons. Crossing back across the Sea of Galilee to “the other side” a crowd soon gathered, presumably alerted to Jesus’ presence by word of mouth. No larger than the lake is, the sail would have been visible for a most or all the distance of the trip.

Note: On 2/17/2023 a postscript was added to the previous post concerning the location named in Mark compared to the other Gospel accounts.

We aren’t told exactly where this return landing on the Sea of Galilee occurred, though in Mark chapter six we are told that Jesus proceeded from his encounters recorded Mark 5 to “His own country”. I presume that He was bound for Nazareth, where His family still lived. A major road in that direction ran southwest from Magdala on the western shore. In Mark 6 we have an account of the town folk taking up an offense at Jesus because they had seen him grow up in their midst, which they assumed made Him just like them and unqualified to make the claims He was making. Some think this landing was at Capernaum on the North end of the Sea. Jesus did adopt Capernaum as home base after the religious officials drove Him from Nazareth (Matthew 13, Mark 6, Luke 4).

In the crowd that came to meet Jesus was Jairus, a synagogue official who had a very sick daughter. He told Jesus that the girl was at the point of death. But the next words that crossed Jairus’ lips were words of faith in the ability of Jesus to heal the girl. We need to remember how Jairus’ used his mouth. He did not deny the situation, but neither did he pronounce that the current state was the last word.

Today, however, we are going to look at a parenthetical (!) healing – a healing on the way to a healing. Even as Jesus agreed to go to Jairus’ house and the crowd came along, a woman in the crowd approached Jesus for healing (Vv24-34).

We see this woman had an issue of blood twelve years. There are known maladies which might cause such, but no effort to diagnose is made here, as the cause is not relevant (other than it was not from above), and I am not qualified to do more than speculate as to cause. There were, however, strict laws concerning such issue of bodily fluids (Leviticus 15) and this woman would have been shunned in Jewish society. She would not have been allowed to be in the press of this crowd. Anyone she touched would have been considered “unclean” according to those laws. We are also told the woman had already spent all her substance seeking a cure of physicians and was only worse. Isn’t the situation largely the same today, for those afflicted with any chronic condition?

Note the faith expressed by the woman to press into the crowd to carry out her mission to merely touch Jesus’ hem! Also, interesting that she immediately felt different. Whether this was a change in physical sensation or satisfaction of belief might not be clear. Jesus felt it too, though she likely did not touch His person. When He asked, “Who touched My clothes?”, the disciples chided Jesus for even asking, since many were obviously touching Him in the throng. She trembled with fear to make a public admission of her healing, likely due to long years of suffering public disdain in addition to her physical symptoms. Perhaps part of her trembling was at the recognition that she was clearly in the presence of God. Remember those under the old Covenant had not the familiarity of adoption as we have now (Galatians 4:6, Hebrews 4:16).

I believe there were multiple reasons that Jesus called her out. Foremost is that physical healing isn’t all she needed. Jesus called her “daughter”. How high a leap from “untouchable outcast”! How near the new Covenant! He declared peace over her. How long since she had known it! He publicly commended her faith and pronounced her healed.

Some might think Jesus’ question rhetorical. I believe it was an honest question. He did not know at first who had drawn power from Him. Though He could have sought the answer in the Spirit. Had Jesus not made an issue of addressing the woman, we would not have this miraculous account to inform us of the importance of faith and of persistence in it.

A third reason for Jesus making this public is that the woman’s vocalization of her healing served to cement its manifestation in her experience, ensuring she could hold on to it. Chronic illnesses are troublesome in that they are so… familiar to us. Their continual presence tends to foment unbelief that anything else is possible. Praise the Lord that though with men things are impossible, with God all things are possible! (Matthew 19:26)

After the cross, we benefit from the fulfilment of the prophecy of Isaiah: By His stripes we are healed (v53:5). But Jesus had not yet gone to the cross, though the time was near. Were these healings demonstrations that Jesus is not constrained by time? Hmmmm… certainly something to muse about! There were obviously healing episodes in the Old Testament, usually involving one of the prophets. Those were clearly foreshadowing the loving work of Jesus, purchasing us back from the bondage to sin and its consequence.

Photo by Daniel Reche on Pexels.com

Health and Healing #9

Nineth in a series about what the Bible says about health and healing.

This post is unchanged from my journal, with the exception of formatting and an added afterword. Also, some might wonder what the first part of Mark chapter five has to do with healing. Please bear with me, as I want us to look at the entirety of the chapter, for it is a treasure trove of revelation concerning healing from the beginning to the end.

I am grateful You have given us these detailed accounts of deliverance and healing!

And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. 2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, 3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: 4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. 5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones. 6 But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, 7 And cried with a loud voice, and said, “What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.” 8 For he said unto him, “Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.” 9 And he asked him, “What is thy name?” And he answered, saying, “My name is Legion: for we are many.” 10 And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. 11 Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. 12 And all the devils besought him, saying, “Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.” 13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea. 14 And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done. 15 And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. 16 And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine. 17 And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts. 18 And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him. 19 Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, “Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.” 20 And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.

from Mark 5

Me: Good afternoon, Jesus!

Jesus: Good afternoon, Jon!

Me: The secular culture dismisses these accounts of deliverance from demons as myth.

Jesus: Much of your culture – and not just the secular culture – dismisses Me.

Me: That doesn’t say much for our effectiveness as ambassadors for You.

Jesus: It has been that way from the beginning. I did give you free will. And I will remind you of Gideon. I had him reduce the many he had with him from his tribe down to three hundred to defeat the Midianites who were oppressing them. I wanted it to be clear that victory is Mine and it does not depend on the might of men.

Me: As I read Judges, it seems like Gideon started with 32,000.

Jesus: Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit. (Zechariah 4:6) Through Me, you can do all things. (Philippians 4:13) This is even as all I did as I walked the earth; what I did, I did only through the Father (John 5:30). Nevertheless, the way to life in Me is narrow, and there are few who find it (Matthew 7:14). I sent prophets to Israel, whom most ignored. They served other gods; they followed their own counsel. Today, is the same. I am not excusing those who do not attempt to carry My message. I am saying to you that is not all there is to it. Who carries My message more ably than I? How many cried, “Crucify him!” before Pilate? I tell you some among them listened to my teaching and ate of the bread that I provided.

Even those who saw the loosing of the demon-possessed man in the passage you included above from Mark 5 asked me to leave. Look what it says in verse 15. They saw what I did, and they were afraid. What do you think they were afraid of?

Me: I’m not sure, Jesus. I expect You allowed the demons to destroy the pigs that those people were not supposed to be eating anyway.

Jesus: Yes, that was a little unspoken commentary on their rebellious enterprise. Today is no different. Many who reject me do so on the fear that I will ask them to stop engaging in their own particular rebellion. Others reject me because some who imagine they represent Me do not know me (Matthew 7:23).

Me: I mentioned earlier that many discount these deliverance accounts and put the troubles of the man in the tombs under the heading of ill “mental health”. They will argue vociferously that mental health problems do not equate to demonic activity. I have certainly heard voices not normally belonging to the speaker, when they were “themselves”. I reckon we all have mental issues that need reconciliation, else we would not be told of the importance of “renewing our minds” (Romans 12:2).

Jesus: No health problems are of My making. Rather, the works of the devil. I came, in fact, to destroy those 1 John 3:8.

Me: Thank you Jesus! Thank You for talking with me about these things! I love You!

Jesus: You are welcome! I love you!

Afterword: The death of the pigs in the sea may have had more to do with the demons making them insane than the sea itself. Here is a link to an interesting youtube video about swimming pigs in the Bahamas. Sans demons, they seem to like it. This one has a different type of hitchhiker.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Featured photo of tombstones also from Pexels by KoolShooters.

Postscript 02/17/2023

Mark 5:1 mentioned the land of the Gadarenes (the land east of the Jordan and south of the Sea of Galilee given to the tribe of Gad – see Deuteronomy 3) and the Decapolis (a group of ten Hellenistic cities spread out on the eastern frontier of the Roman empire). Apparently in relation to this same episode with the demon-possessed man, Matthew mentioned the “Gergesenes”. Gergesa was further north on the eastern shore of the sea. This area is the only place on that side of the lake where a steep spur of the mountains thrust out near the water. The city of Gadara, on the other hand is about sixteen miles to the southeast. It may be that the word “Gadarenes” in Mark 5:1 is due to a transcription error in the text. Parallel Gospel study reference: Jesus Heals Two Gergesene Demoniacs. (biblehub.com)