Read Mark 5 first: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+5&version=NIV
Finally Mark starts to tell a few less stories in one chapter. This time it’s three stories and two of them are directly connected! Mark is starting to tie things together and go a little deeper. We get details about Jesus driving out the demons that possessed a man and sends them out into pigs. Then he tells that man to “Go home and tell your family how much God has done for you.” Then he goes into detail about the healing of Jairus daughter but then says to her- don’t tell anyone. Why the change of heart?
My understanding is it’s based on the messianic secret. The demon possess man lived away from the Jews in a gentile part of the world with thousands of pigs. No Jewish farmer would do such a thing. So Jesus encourages the gentiles to share all about who he was, but not the Jewish leader- Jairus. It was in some sense for Jesus safety and so that he would come to trial and death at the appointed time. But it wasn’t just for his own safety and timing. It was for Jairus. He was a synagogue leader as well. By telling Jairus not to share this- Jesus was keeping him safe from scrutiny and hardship. The point is not keep Jesus to yourselves- that was a Jewish problem. The bacon eating Gentiles were supposed to tell everyone about Jesus.
But in between these two stories we have the random story of a woman with a health problem simply be reaching out and touching his cloak- she is healed. The words for the day are, “Go in peace and be healed from your suffering” That contrasts with the men who say to Jesus- “hey Jairus’s daughter is dead- don’t even deal with her” They clearly have no faith. Yet Jesus still heals. Faith can move mountains. I don’t know how often when I pray I believe that God will bring physical healing. I want him to but I rarely have faith that he will. I do when it comes to spiritual things- especially youth who have walked away from the faith where I’ve heard God’s voice in their life and watched their faith grow before me. I suppose that faith is more important. Not for fixing problems like bleedings or sprains but having faith that God will move someone’s soul back to Him.
But it’s amazing that Jesus says he will take away suffering today. Bethlehem’s worship service is up and theme is facing suffering-you can watch here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRMf37A2ZQg The service was already posted before I read today and now I have to say- the proper way to face suffering is with faith. Faith that suffering is temporary. Demons are no match for God. Sickness and pain are temporary ailments Jesus can solve with a touch. Death is just sleep. So like Jairus’s daughter rise, walk, and eat. Knowing that your God cares for you!
Marking It Up 