“A tale of two”

By Rev. Michael Stonhouse

Meditation – Friday, July 28, 2023

Mark 5:21-43 (Forward, p. 91) CEV p. 1032

Just a coincidence? Or, a deliberate and somewhat artificial creation of the evangelist? It does seem odd that the number 12, 12 years, shows up in both stories, a woman hemorrhaging for twelve long years and a young woman who was twelve years old. Bible commentators have long debated this seemingly odd similarity. I believe, however, that this is actually what happened, such that the evangelist thought that it was well worth relating to his readers.

However, I don’t think that a mention of this oddity is actually the point of either narrative. I think that its main point of the narrative is twofold. One point is the role of faith in these healings and the second is Jesus’ ability to deal with seemingly ‘impossible’ situations.

Jairus, the leader of the local synagogue, came to Jesus and implored Him to come and help his daughter. This, in spite of the fact that his twelve-year old daughter was on the verge of dying, and in spite of the fact that Jesus’ relationship with many of the local synagogues was certainly less than harmonious. (In fact, He had been turned away, turfed, by at least one of them). So, Jairus might well have expected that Jesus might turn him down in his request. But, he came to Jesus, in person, came to Jesus with his request, anyway. Such was his faith.

And then there was the unfortunate woman. By rights, that is, according to normal cultural or societal norms, she should not have been out in public with this affliction as it was considered defiling to anyone that she was in close contact with. By rights, she should have stayed home, sequestered there. And, not only that, she should not have touched an esteemed teacher or rabbi like Jesus, no, not even His clothes. That, too, was culturally inappropriate. But she reached out anyway, even though she only touched the hem of His clothes. In her profound faith, she figured that this would be enough.

But those acts of faith are only part of the story. The other part of the story is Jesus’ ability to deal with seemingly impossible situations. According to Luke’s version of these events (Luke 8:43), the woman had resorted to

numerous medical interventions but totally without relief. It would therefore have seemed impossible. And, with the young woman of twelve years, it was also seemingly ‘impossible’ seeing as she had actually died prior to Jesus’ arrival at her home. And yet, Jesus was fully able to deal with both of them.

And so it is for us. Jesus is fully able to handle anything that we ‘throw at Him’, and so, we, like these two individuals need also to have faith in Jesus and be willing to come to Him with our requests, even in seemingly ‘impossible’ situations.

Forward notes: “And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement” (verse 42).

“Jairus’s daughter is thought to be dead, but Jesus performs a miracle. He heals her so she can stand and walk.

“We are often dead inside, without God in our hearts. When we find God, we come back to life and begin to walk.

“Sometimes we suffer diseases that consume and embitter our lives on this earth. I met a young girl who at age 14 was in a wheelchair due to an incurable disease. The doctors had said she would not live to be 18. Her parents, who were atheists, spent all they had on treatments. Then one day they took her to church and prayed. The young girl got up from her wheelchair and walked.

“She lived for more than 30 years. She never went back to the wheelchair. She married, served the Lord, and had a happy life until she completed her time in this world.”

Moving Forward: “Do you believe in miracles? Have you experienced one in your life or the lives of loved ones?”