How horrible it feels to
be in absolute need… or desperate beyond imagination… or at your wit’s end… or
when you don’t know where or to whom to turn!
We have all of this and
more in this next section of verses – Mark 5:21-43 – which reminds me in a way
of writing. With plays or films, you have the main plot as well as a subplot
or… a story “a” and a story “b”. Which “story” is more important? Both are,
but… the subplot provides something significant to carry forward – giving
further weight to the main plot.
Story “a” focuses on the
ruler of a synagogue; story “b” focuses on an “unclean” woman. The through-line
involves Jesus.
If you read these first six
verses, they may seem straightforward. There’s not really much to consider from
the surface. But… if you dig, you realize there’s much more, there’s a lot at
stake, what the cost has been, is and could be.
First – Story “A”.
Jesus is back in town and
a large crowd gathers around him. His words and actions are touching lives;
people want to be near this guy. That’s fairly cut-and-dry. It’s the depth of verse
22 that can easily be overlooked.
The ruler of a synagogue,
Jairus, comes before Jesus. And…? What’s the big deal? Add verse 23 about the
dying little girl, and one can understand the desperation behind his begging,
but….
What do you think it took
for Jairus to reach this point… to find and plead to Jesus for his help? As Pat
from the study group mentioned, “He had to humble himself in his desperation
because his belief system isn’t working.”
Why didn’t the ruler send a
messenger to approach Jesus? Why didn’t any of the Jairus’ friends go on his
behalf? Why did Jairus leave his daughter when she’s so ill? What did it take
for Jairus to actually locate Jesus and then squeeze his way past the throng of
people?
The man is desperate.
Barbara from the study group said, “Nothing is hidden.” Indeed. Nothing is
hidden. This ruler puts it all on the line – any prejudices that may have
existed, his dignity, his position (with close ties to the Pharisees), his
pride, his relationships – all so his daughter may be healed / saved. He fell
to his knees – not only to plead – but as a sign of respect for Jesus. Take a
moment to really comprehend this act and what Jairus was doing.
Jesus is moved by Jairus’ plea,
and chooses to go with him. And so does the crowd. They press around him like a
rock star. It makes me almost claustrophobic thinking about it.
Now – Story “B”.
Without exploring what
will happen beyond verse 26, what is the background of the “unclean” woman who
is in the mass of folks surrounding Jesus?
It was very interesting to
see the reactions of the study group when I wrote “Unclean Woman” on the white
board. It comes off derogatory, awful, hateful, judgmental. Guess what?!? It is
meant that way – because that’s how she was viewed.
What are the facts and
what can we glean from verses 25 and 26 about this woman?
·
Bleeding / hemorrhaging;
·
Health condition
has existed for 12 years;
·
Under Jewish law,
“unclean” (like a leper);
·
Her “sin” has
caused her impurity (a "belief"');
·
Shunned by all,
including her family (because of her “impure” state);
·
Excluded from
worship and temple;
·
Previously had
money (plenty of it) – thereby was respected;
·
Living in poverty
(having spent everything she had) – thereby no longer respected;
·
Suffering
tremendously.
Consider if this person
lived in today’s world. If medical doctors couldn’t cure her, do you think
she’d willingly accept her fate to suffer the rest of her days? Given her
wealth (because she did have money and spent it over this long period of time),
she probably would’ve done about anything – seen psychics, healers, snake
charmers, tarot card readers,… anyone and everyone for any price.
Putting it another way,
and taking us back to that time, the Talmud (a central text of Rabbinic
Judaism, considered second to the Torah [i]) states “no fewer than 11
cures for such a trouble. Some of them are tonics and astringents; but some of
them were sheer superstitions like carrying the ashes of an ostrich-egg in a
linen rag in summer and a cotton rag in winter….” [ii]
She’s in a desperate state
– just like Jairus.
Desperate times call for
desperate measures.
NEXT…
At what cost; maintaining
faith through adversity; new life
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