{"id":2719,"date":"2015-06-27T12:09:21","date_gmt":"2015-06-27T12:09:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/?p=2719"},"modified":"2015-06-27T12:12:11","modified_gmt":"2015-06-27T12:12:11","slug":"commentary-on-the-13-sunday-28-june-2015","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/commentary-on-the-13-sunday-28-june-2015\/","title":{"rendered":"Commentary on the 13th Sunday of the year (B) 28th June 2015"},"content":{"rendered":"

TEA: T<\/strong>ext, E<\/strong>xplanation, A<\/strong>pplication<\/h3>\n

TEXT\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Mark 5: 21\u201343<\/em><\/h4>\n

Setting<\/strong><\/p>\n

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.<\/em><\/p>\n

Daughter of Jairus<\/strong><\/p>\n

22 Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Ja\u2019irus by name; and seeing him, he fell at his feet, 23 and besought him, saying, \u201cMy little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well <\/em>[Literally, \u201cshe may be saved\u201d], and live.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

24 And he went with him. And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him.<\/em><\/p>\n

Woman Suffering from an Irregular Haemorrhage<\/strong><\/p>\n

25 And there was a woman who had had a flow of blood for twelve years, 26 and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. 27 She had heard the reports about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. 28 For she said, \u201cIf I touch even his garments, I shall be made well <\/em>[Literally, \u201cI shall be saved\u201d].\u201d 29 And immediately the hemorrhage ceased; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.<\/em><\/p>\n

30 And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone forth from him, immediately turned about in the crowd, and said, \u201cWho touched my garments?\u201d 31 And his disciples said to him, \u201cYou see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, \u2018Who touched me?\u2019\u201d 32 And he looked around to see who had done it.<\/em><\/p>\n

33 But the woman, knowing what had been done to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. 34 And he said to her, \u201cDaughter, your faith has made you well <\/em>[Literally, \u201cyour faith has saved you]; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n

Daughter of Jairus Dies<\/strong><\/p>\n

35 While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler\u2019s house some who said, \u201cYour daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?\u201d 36 But ignoring what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, \u201cDo not fear, only believe.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Jesus Raises Dead Girl<\/p>\n

37 And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. 38 When they came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, he saw a tumult, and people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 And when he had entered, he said to them, \u201cWhy do you make a tumult and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.\u201d 40 And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside, and took the child\u2019s father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was.<\/em><\/p>\n

41 Taking her by the hand he said to her, \u201cTal\u2019itha cu\u2019mi\u201d; which means, \u201cLittle girl I say to you, arise.\u201d 42 And immediately the girl got up and walked (she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement.<\/em><\/p>\n

43 And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

EXPLANATION<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Introduction<\/strong><\/p>\n

Today\u2019s Gospel passage is the third section in a series of miracles that show the power of Jesus: over the sea (Mk. 4: 35\u201341), over demons (Mk. 5: 1\u201320) and over sickness and death (Mk. 5: 21\u201343).<\/p>\n

In this third section there are two women who require miracles of physical healing with several other points in common: the two women are ritually impure and no one should touch them, the number 12 occurs in both as the age of one and the length of years the other was afflicted, certain words such as life, death, faith, heal, fear, daughter, etc. are repeated. One miracle is placed between two parts of the other, a technique of insertion Mark regularly uses, (Mk. 1: 21\u201328; 2; 1\u201312; 3: 19\u201335; 6: 7\u201330; 11: 12\u201321). The girl\u2019s father is encouraged to have faith, and the older woman is praised for her faith. The two stories illustrate Jesus\u2019 power over both chronic illness and death.<\/p>\n

These miracles would have been of wonderful comfort and support for Mark\u2019s readers and still are for us. They are prototypes of the resurrection which Jesus came to offer to those who believed in and followed him.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

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.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/em><\/strong>When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Mk. 4: 35 on the occasion of the storm, Jesus had gone to the eastern or pagan side of the Sea of Galilee. Here he returns to the western or Jewish side.<\/p>\n

\u201cA great crowd gathered about him<\/em>\u201d \u2014 This will be repeated in verse 24, thus forming an \u2018inclusion\u2019, a technique emphasising that what is between is important.<\/p>\n

\u201cand he was beside the sea<\/em>\u201d \u2014Mark links many events with the Lake of Tiberius also called the Sea of Galilee. See 1: 16\u201320 (call of Simon Peter and Andrew, James and John); 2:13\u201315 (call of Levi); 3: 7 (teaching a large crowd); 4: 1\u201341 (parables and storm crossing the lake); 5: 21 (two miracles); 6: 32, 45\u201352; 8: 13 (instruction for disciples). We are being alerted that something important is about to take place.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

22 Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Ja\u2019irus by name; and seeing him, he fell at his feet, 23 and besought him, saying, \u201cMy little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.\u201d 24 And he went with him. And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThen came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Ja\u2019irus by name;<\/em>\u201d A synagogue was a place where every Sabbath the scriptures (Old Testament) were read and prayers offered. There was only one Temple for sacrifice and it was in Jerusalem. Synagogues were plentiful with several in large towns and cities and at least one in villages and small towns. Attached to the synagogue there was frequently a school and meeting\u2013room.<\/p>\n

\u201cJairus by name<\/em>\u201d \u2014 The name \u201cJairus<\/em>\u201d means \u2018God will enlighten\u2019 or \u2018God will awaken\u2019 which is most suitable! This is one of the two occasions when Mark uses a proper name for a person in a miracle story. The other such name is Bartimaeus (Mk. 10: 46).<\/p>\n

\u201cHe fell at his feet, and besought him<\/em>\u201d \u2014 This was an unusual posture for a Jewish official most of whom were generally hostile to Jesus (Mk. 2: 6, 16, 24; 3: 6, 22). It could be considered more a posture of petition and respect than an act of worship.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy little daughter is at the point of death<\/em>\u201d \u2014 All human attempts to cure her are exhausted and all failed to restore her to health. His request will not be for a cure but for deliverance from the power of death.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome and lay your hands on her<\/em>\u201d \u2014 The situation is desperate. However, Jairus believes that Jesus has the power to help.<\/p>\n

Miracles were often accompanied by the laying on of hands or by taking the hand of the sick person: Mk. 1: 31; 5: 41; 6: 5; 7: 32; 8: 23\u201325; 9: 29; 16: 18;<\/p>\n

\u201cSo that she may be made well, and live.<\/em>\u201d \u2014 The words \u201cmade well<\/em>\u201d and \u201clive<\/em>\u201d were special or \u2018technical\u2019 words in the early Church for salvation and resurrection. Jairus would not have known these meanings but Mark used these words in the Christian sense knowing that this was the real purpose of Jesus\u2019 healings.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd a great crowd followed him and thronged about him<\/em>\u201d \u2014 This is the second element which forms an \u2018inclusion\u2019. What is contained between the two references indicates Mark\u2019s intention to highlight salvation and resurrection by the use of \u201cpoint of death<\/em>\u201d, \u201cthat she may be made well<\/em>\u201d, and \u201clive<\/em>\u201d. This becomes clearer as we read further.<\/p>\n

The size of the crowd thronging about him prepares for the next miracle (see v. 31).<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

25 And there was a woman who had had a flow of blood for twelve years, 26 and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. 27 She had heard the reports about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. 28 For she said, \u201cIf I touch even his garments, I shall be made well.\u201d 29 And immediately the hemorrhage ceased; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd there was a woman who had had a flow of blood for twelve years and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse<\/em>\u201d \u2014 The medical condition may have been menorrhagia or fibroids causing vaginal bleeding.<\/p>\n

The flow of blood for twelve years has no special significance. \u201cTwelve years<\/em>\u201d will occur in verse 42 also with reference to the young daughter of Jairus. There will be a short comment there explaining the two references to \u201ctwelve years<\/em>\u201d.<\/p>\n

The Greek has one long sentence with seven participles to describe this woman. She had suffered for twelve years with a flow of blood. She was a wealthy woman who could afford to visit physicians but in spite of many visits and spending all her money, she was no better; indeed she was approaching death as a pauper. She would not have had children and was probably divorced or dismissed by her husband (childlessness was a ground for divorce). In addition to all of these, she was ritually unclean, could not associate with others and, as a result, probably had no friends.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe had heard the reports about Jesus,<\/strong> and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment.<\/em>\u201d \u2014 It was by hearing reports about Jesus that people came to him (Mk. 3: 8 [the crowds]; 7: 25 [Syro\u2013phoenician woman]).<\/p>\n

\u201ctouched his garment<\/em>\u201d \u2014 It was assumed at the time that healing came through touch.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor she said, \u2018If I touch even his garments, I shall be made well.<\/em>\u2019\u201d \u2014 A more faithful rending of the Greek text would be, \u201cFor she kept saying\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI shall be made well\u201d<\/em> \u2014 Here again is the technical term for \u201cI shall be saved\u201d, though the woman would not have understood that term at that time.<\/p>\n

This is the only miracle in the Gospels where Jesus does not initiate the healing and cure.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd immediately the hemorrhage ceased; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Her cure was immediate and total.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

30 And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone forth from him, immediately turned about in the crowd, and said, \u201cWho touched my garments?\u201d 31 And his disciples said to him, \u201cYou see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, \u2018Who touched me?\u2019\u201d 32 And he looked around to see who had done it.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone forth from him, immediately turned about in the crowd, and said, \u201cWho touched my garments?<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Jesus wished to have personal contact with the woman who had been cured. He wanted to clarify for her that the miracle was not the result of magic but of faith. He also wished to assure her that she had been permanently cured.<\/p>\n

\u201cGarments<\/em>\u201d \u2014 We are accustomed to seeing pictures of Jesus dressed in Arab garments. The Greek word used for \u201cgarments<\/em>\u201d refers to Jewish dress.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis disciples said to him, \u201cYou see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, \u2018Who touched me?\u2019<\/em>\u201d \u2014 The way the disciples spoke to Jesus is quite rude in tone. Their attitude, here and elsewhere, indicates that they were no different from the thinking of the crowd.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd he looked around to see who had done it<\/em>.\u201d \u2014 Jesus wished to make contact with the woman.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

33 But the woman, knowing what had been done to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. 34 And he said to her, \u201cDaughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cBut the woman, knowing what had been done to her<\/em>\u201d \u2014 The woman knew that she had been cured. She also knew the Law (Lv. 15: 19\u201330) which said that as she had contaminated both Jesus and those she had touched in the crowd, she was to be stoned to death. Her strong faith gave her the courage to touch not Jesus but just his garments.<\/p>\n

\u201cin fear and trembling<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Her \u201cfear and trembling<\/em>\u201d was not because she might be punished and even stoned to death for contaminating Jesus and others. She was aware that it was divine power that had passed from Jesus to her. She was filled with religious awe, a common re\u2013action of people on witnessing miraculous power in Jesus. For example, Mk 4: 41 (\u201cAnd they were filled with awe, and said to one another, \u2018Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?<\/em>\u2019\u201d; 5: 15 (\u201cAnd they came to Jesus, and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the man who had had the legion; and they were afraid<\/em>\u201d).<\/p>\n

\u201cand fell down before him<\/em>\u201d \u2014 This was what Jairus also did when he approached Jesus (Mk. 5: 22). Mark teaches his readers that acknowledging the divine in Jesus is a necessary stage in obtaining a cure. The power, which Jesus perceived had left him when the woman touched his clothing, was not magical; it was the result of faith. This faith she expressed in coming forward \u201cin fear and trembling<\/em>\u201d and in falling down before him.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut the woman\u2026 told him the whole truth<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Part of the \u201cwhole truth<\/em>\u201d which she related would have been that she believed that he had the power to cure her.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd he said to her<\/em>\u201d \u2014 It would have been regarded as strange that he spoke to a woman in public as men did not to do that. Secondly, by contact with her he too could become ritually impure and unworthy to worship. He says four things to her:<\/p>\n

(i) \u201cDaughter<\/em>\u201d \u2014 He calls her \u201cdaughter\u201d: she is now one of his extended family of faith (Mk. 3: 33\u201335).<\/p>\n

(ii) \u201cYour faith has made you well<\/em>\u201d \u2014 It was her faith in the divine power of Jesus to restore health, not the touching of his garments that brought about the cure.<\/p>\n

(iii) \u201cGo in peace<\/em>\u201d \u2014 This was the customary farewell, a blessing and a prayer. The word \u201cpeace<\/em>\u201d had a deeper meaning in the Bible, referring to salvation most frequently.<\/p>\n

(iv) \u201cand be healed of your disease<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Jesus assures her that her cure was permanent.<\/p>\n

This is the only Gospel cure which Jesus confirms rather than performs by his word.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

35 While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler\u2019s house some who said, \u201cYour daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?\u201d 36 But ignoring what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, \u201cDo not fear, only believe.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWhile he was still speaking, there came from the ruler\u2019s house some who said, Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Those who came with the message that the girl was dead had no faith or hope.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Teacher<\/em>\u201d as presented here is one with power, an important theme in the Gospels. Mark records the apostles in the storm\u2013tossed boat addressing Jesus as \u201cTeacher<\/em>\u201d. They witnessed him calming the sea by which he demonstrated his divine power (Mk. 4: 38).<\/p>\n

\u201cBut ignoring what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, \u2018Do not fear, only believe.\u2019<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Jesus rushes in to assure \u201cthe ruler of the synagogue<\/em>\u201d that he is not to lose hope but to believe in the power of God exercised through Jesus. The text shows that the ruler remained with Jesus during the miracle of the flow of blood and so he would have seen the power of Jesus in curing the woman.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018Do not fear, only believe.\u2019<\/em>\u201d \u2014 This means, do not lack trust in me; keep believing. In the boat during the storm, Jesus said to his apostles, \u201cWhy are you afraid? Have you no faith?<\/em>\u201d (Mk. 4: 40). When Jesus walked on the water during another storm the apostles were terrified but he said to them \u201cTake heart, it is I; have no fear<\/em>\u201d (6: 50).<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

37 And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. 38 When they came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, he saw a tumult, and people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 And when he had entered, he said to them, \u201cWhy do you make a tumult and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.\u201d 40 And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside, and took the child\u2019s father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James<\/em>\u201d \u2014 When Jairus came to Jesus for help and Jesus agreed to visit his daughter, he made little progress because of the crowd thronging around him and then the episode with the woman whom he cured from an issue or flow of blood delayed him. Jairus would have been most upset at the delay, knowing that his daughter was dying. Now, to move with speed for Jairus\u2019 sake, Jesus left behind the other nine apostles and the large crowd and took only three of the apostles.<\/p>\n

These three were an inner core with whom he shared more than with the others. They were the first three called (Mk. 1: 16\u201320); they appear as the first three in the list of apostles (Mk. 3: 16\u201317); they would be with him on the Mount of Transfiguration (Mk. 9: 2) and at the Agony in the Garden (Mk. 14: 33). Together with Andrew, they were recipients of his farewell discourse when he instructed them to be on the alert for the destruction of Jerusalem and the coming of the Son of Man (Mk. 13).<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen they came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, he saw a tumult, and people weeping and wailing loudly<\/em>\u201d \u2014 At the time of death and burial in many societies it was customary to stage an official mourning. That this was underway when Jesus arrived showed that the family and others believed that the girl was dead.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd when he had entered, he said to them,<\/em> \u2018<\/em><\/strong>Why do you make a tumult and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.\u2019 40 And they laughed at him<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Jesus suggested that the girl might be unconscious or in a coma. He was testing the people.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey laughed at him<\/em>\u201d \u2014 They were scornful; they knew better; she was certainly dead. There was no doubt in the minds of those present that what Jesus might attempt would be on a dead girl. The fact that they \u201claughed at him<\/em>\u201d almost immediately after their \u201cweeping and wailing<\/em>\u201d shows how artificial their mourning was.<\/p>\n

Jesus will be mocked by the soldiers (Mk. 14: 65; 15: 16\u201320) and the crowd (Mk. 15: 29\u201332) during his passion and death.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut he put them all outside<\/em>\u201d \u2014 This may be a lesson that Mark is giving to indicate that these pagan mourning practices should be abolished.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd took the child\u2019s father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was<\/em>\u201d \u2014 There were to be only five witnesses to the miracle.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

41 Taking her by the hand he said to her, \u201cTal\u2019itha cu\u2019mi\u201d; which means, \u201cLittle girl, I say to you, arise.\u201d 42 And immediately the girl got up and walked (she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cTaking her by the hand<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Touching a corpse was the most serious taboo that brought about ritual defilement. Jesus shows that he is placing the raising to life of a dead girl as more important than observing a human law.<\/p>\n

\u201che said to her, \u2018Tal\u2019itha cu\u2019mi which means,<\/em> \u201cLittle girl<\/em>, I say to you, arise<\/em>\u2019\u201d \u2014 This is Aramaic, the language spoken at the time. It is used here to indicate the girl\u2019s age as the literary meaning is \u201cyoung lady\u201d, that is a female of marriageable age which was twelve years in Jewish law. Her age is given in the following verse (v. 42).<\/p>\n

It is by his word and not by his touch that he raises her to life. The Greek word used here for \u201carise<\/em>\u201d is one frequently used for resurrection.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd immediately the girl got up and walked (she was twelve years of age),<\/em>\u201d \u2014 That she walked \u201cimmediately<\/em>\u201d testifies to the validity of the complete raising to life. The fact that she was \u201ctwelve years of age<\/em>\u201d indicated that she was old enough to walk.<\/p>\n

The Greek word used here for \u201cgot up<\/em>\u201d is another also frequently used for resurrection.<\/p>\n

Many writers try to link verse 25 where \u201ctwelve<\/em>\u201d is mentioned as the number of years the woman suffered from \u201ca flow of blood<\/em>\u201d. \u201cTwelve<\/em>\u201d is used as an \u2018inclusio\u2019 to show that both miracles are linked. The young woman was dead and restored to life. She will begin her menstrual cycles, signs of life, and she will be of marriageable .age. She will now be able to bear children. The older woman has been cured of her menstrual problem, a pathological condition that prevented her from having children. Now both of them can be life\u2013giving with children. The Jews saw giving birth as reflecting God\u2019s life\u2013giving power and fulfilling the command: \u201cIncrease and multiply and fill the earth<\/em>\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey were immediately overcome with amazement<\/em>\u201d \u2014 \u201cThey<\/em>\u201d could refer to the five in the room or to the crowd that he had put \u201coutside<\/em>\u201d; it is not specified.<\/p>\n

Mark regularly uses \u201camazement<\/em>\u201d to describe the reaction to miracles. The fact that they were \u201covercome with amazement<\/em>\u201d indicates that the nature of this miracle is extremely important for Mark. Why? Because in the use of so many terms that refer to the death and resurrection there is a reference that this miracle foreshadows Jesus\u2019 own death and resurrection.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

43 And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd he strictly charged them that no one should know this<\/em>\u201d \u2014 As already stated, it is not clear exactly who Jesus had in mind by \u201cthem<\/em>\u201d, the five witnesses in the room or the crowd.<\/p>\n

It seems strange that Jesus should tell five people, or much stranger that he should tell a crowd, who were fully aware that a dead girl had been restored to life, that they should say nothing about this. After the transfiguration, Jesus gave the same instruction to the three apostles who had witnessed the miracle. He told them not to tell anyone until after his resurrection (Mk. 9: 9). He is making a theological point about this miracle; he is saying that people will not understand it until after the resurrection. Jesus will not be understood or properly known until he dies and rises again. Therefore, faith in Jesus could not be expected until he rose from the dead.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd told them to give her something to eat<\/em>\u201d \u2014 This would be a sign that she was fully alive. After his resurrection Jesus will eat to prove he is fully alive.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

APPLICATION<\/em><\/h4>\n

Today\u2019s Gospel tells us something extra special about Jesus. It requires very careful attention.<\/p>\n

It is based on a contrast. On one side there were four groups: the apostles, a large crowd by the sea who followed Jesus for what he could do for them, some friends who came to announce the young girl\u2019s death and another crowd in the home of Jairus. These four groups had in common their unbelief, expressed by some in ridiculing Jesus and religion \u2014 a not uncommon attitude in the world around us.<\/p>\n

On the other side of the contrast there were but two people who had faith in Jesus: Jairus and the woman suffering from a haemorrhage. Neither was ashamed to make a public declaration of trust in the face of potential adverse civic and religious opinion.<\/p>\n

Child\u2013bearing was treasured as the greatest privilege of a Jewish woman. These miracles were performed on two women and the number twelve was associated with both. One died aged twelve, the age of marriage for girls; the other was prevented by her illness from child\u2013bearing for twelve years. Only Jesus could give them a meaningful future in spite of ridiculously impossible odds.<\/p>\n

Unshaken by the attitude of those around them, their cases were presented. What is so important for us are the words used. Mark chose these words carefully to teach catechumens.<\/p>\n

The first word with a deeper meaning was \u201cmade well<\/em>\u201d; the request was that both women be made well and Jesus confirmed that they had been (Mk. 5: 23, 28, 34). The deeper, \u2018technical\u2019 meaning was \u201csave\u201d. In the thought of Mark for his readers, they asked for salvation and Jesus granted this.<\/p>\n

The second, really three words, were \u201clive<\/em>\u201d, \u201carise<\/em>\u201d and \u201cget up<\/em>\u201d (vv. 23, 41, 42) which can mean \u201cresurrect\u201d, have eternal life. These were words often used to describe Jesus\u2019 resurrection. Here Jesus gave life and raised up a dead person. He has divine power.<\/p>\n

There are other references to Jesus\u2019 passion, death and resurrection, for example \u201cdisease<\/em>\u201d (vv, 29, 34) based on Is. 53: 4\u20135 and \u201creports<\/em>\u201d (v 27), frequent in the other synoptics. The point is that Mark deliberately chose several words that would let his readers know that they were to understand the deeper meanings.<\/p>\n

The message is simple and so profound. Jesus has full power and authority over death. He can restore life. These miracles foreshadow his death and resurrection. God is the source and giver of life. Jesus is God.<\/p>\n

Jesus is absolutely compassionate. He listens to all in need. He can bestow eternal life. This means that he can raise sinners from the \u2018death\u2019 of sin to everlasting life.<\/p>\n

What he expects from people is faith in him and the proper dispositions of faith. Among these would be personal contact as Jairus and the woman had. For us that contact is by prayer and trust.<\/p>\n

The attitude of those around us should not influence us to follow them. Jesus is our Way. If we wish, and live by faith, we can have eternal life, the resurrected life of Jesus. We are a Resurrected People.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

TEA: Text, Explanation, Application TEXT\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Mark 5: 21\u201343 Setting 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. Daughter of Jairus 22 Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Ja\u2019irus by name; and seeing him, he<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2721,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[45],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2719","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2719","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2719"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2719\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2726,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2719\/revisions\/2726"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2721"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2719"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2719"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2719"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}