The Gospel of Mark, rightly Divided Mark 5:21-34 | Session 19 | Mark Rightly Divided

A downloadable PDF available here: https://humble-sidecar-837.notion.site/Mark-5-21-34-Session-19-Mark-Rightly-Divided-2ec5f78fbd584c4287d15bb31fd6a34d?pvs=4

Mark 5:21-43 | Faith Interwoven: The Healing of the Bleeding Woman and the Raising of Jairus' Daughter

The Gospel of Mark sometimes employs a literary technique known as "intercalation" or "sandwiching," where one story is inserted into the middle of another. This is evident in Mark 5:21-43. The story begins with Jairus' plea for his daughter (verses 21-24a), is interrupted by the account of the healing of the woman with the issue of blood (verses 24b-34), and then returns to the story of Jairus' daughter (verses 35-43).

We will also encounter this in Mark 11:12-21 (the fig tree and the Temple cleansing) and Mark 14:1-11 (the plot to kill Jesus and the anointing at Bethany).

Mark 5:21-24a | Return of Jesus and Jairus' Plea

Verse 21 -

Jesus’ return to "the other side" refers to his journey from the Gadarene region, as mentioned in the previous verses, presumably back to his original departure point in the region of Capernaum, located on the northwest segment of the Sea of Galilee. Upon his return, a large crowd, which had become typical at this stage in Jesus’ ministry, once again gathered around him (see also 24b). This passage (verses 21-43) showcases not only the size of the crowd but also Jesus' capacity to focus on the individual within the crowd who needed Him.

Verse 22 -

Given the negative perception of Jesus within Rabbinical leadership, it is somewhat surprising that Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, approached Jesus.

In Greek, the term for "rulers of the synagogue" is ἀρχισυνάγωγος [archisunagogos]. This term was used for a prominent lay leader in the synagogue, not for rabbis or members of the official ruling class. Even today, synagogues have a "president" and other lay leaders who manage the assembly's day-to-day affairs.

Jairus was either already a bit of a rebel, ignoring the Jewish leadership's disapproval, or the urgency of his situation drove him to the only remaining option. The text does not specify his exact motive, but it implies a moment of desperation.

Verse 23-24a -

Jairus' plea is clear and unambiguous, reflecting the natural desire of any father in such a situation. The phrase "at the point of death" is a translator's interpretation of a single Greek word, ἐσχάτως [eschatos]. This word is the root of "eschatology", a term referring to the study of last things. The girl was not yet dead, but had reached the end. While the cause of her condition is not specified, it was likely some form of disease.

Jairus makes a specific request, hoping for a specific outcome. He wants Jesus to lay hands on her, believing this will heal the girl. Notably, both this story and the one that interrupts it highlight the physical presence of Jesus. Although there are many miracles where Jesus' touch was not involved, we cannot conclude that His physical body was the source of the healing. However, the frequent occurrence of His touch in these stories should not be dismissed simply as a literary device. We will explore this further in verse 30.

Verse 24 is a narrative bridge. The significance of the crowd in part b relates more to the intervening "sandwiched" story in verses 25-34 than to the Jairus account.

Mark 5:24b-34 | The Woman With The Issue of Blood

Verses 24b-26 -

The text highlights the medical predicament and the frustration stemming from the lack of healing and continued deterioration of the situation. Like Jairus, the woman had exhausted all her options, reflecting not a lack of faith, but the harsh reality.

Besides her condition, which cannot be medically diagnosed without more information, the woman also "suffered" under the treatment of physicians. This negative reference could imply ill-advised, painful, or merely ineffective treatments. She had exhausted all her resources without any improvement, creating a narrative of one misfortune following another.

It is worth noting that such a medical condition would likely render the woman “unclean” under Jewish law, and thus there were many social aspects of her condition in addition to the medical aspects.

Verses 27-29 -

Once again (as in v. 23), we see that the woman placed value in physical contact with Jesus, even if just His garment. And, indeed, the touch did make her whole.

This does allow for the speculation of whether or not the physical body of Jesus did contain a supernatural power or even supra-natural power that a normal body did not have. As mentioned before, not all physical miracles of Jesus involved His physical presence, but these two and many others certainly give emphasis to that presence. Could there be an aspect of the incarnation in which His physical presence included extraordinary applications or manifestations of natural laws? It is speculative, but an interesting philosophical and theological discussion none-the-less.

The woman experienced immediate healing; "she was healed of that plague." I believe the Christian world has done a disservice to itself by labeling so many things as "miraculous." In my opinion, we should reserve the word "miracle" for events that transcend or defy the laws of nature. Even the "supra-natural" would defy the laws of nature since there is no known scientific explanation for such occurrences, thus we would categorize it in the realm of a miracle related to the incarnation.

Verse 30 -

This verse provides intriguing information on the "supra-natural" concept discussed above. Jesus immediately knew that "virtue" had left Him. This translates the word δύναμις [dunamis], which implies inherent power. A battery has energy because it is charged, while a muscle possesses inherent power by nature. Thus a battery does not have dunamis but ἐνέργεια [energea], the Greek word for operative power. Hence, the word 'dunamis' represents a power that is "by nature". Therefore, Jesus felt a power inherent in His nature leave Him.

Note that in the 17th Century, when the King James was translated, the word virtue carried a now archaic meaning outside its moral quality considered today. The Oxford English Dictionary provides this definition a 1.3.a of the noun virtue: “The power or operative influence inherent in a supernatural or divine being”<![if !supportFootnotes]>[1]<![endif]>

Verses 31-34 -

In response to the specific question, "Who touched my clothes?" (v. 30), the disciples implied that it was an absurd question given the surrounding crowd. This highlights that Jesus experienced a distinct physical sensation when the woman touched him. Although the disciples were unaware of the situation, both Jesus and the woman knew exactly what had occurred. She promptly approached him and confessed. Jesus declared that her faith had healed her and dismissed her in peace.

In the dispensation of grace we are saved “by grace through faith.” This woman was healed “by power through faith.” The nature of the power is not fully understood (nor the nature of grace in our dispensation), but faith was certainly the doorway to the woman’s healing as it is to our salvation.

While not directly related, an interesting discussion arises regarding the Reformed (i.e., Calvinist) doctrine which asserts that faith must be gifted to an individual who, due to their perceived Total Depravity, would never choose it. Would this doctrine apply to this woman, or would her circumstances and Jesus' reputation as a healer have influenced her to touch Him? It appears that the woman chose faith of her own free will, and this faith healed her physically. Her act of faith seems to be a personal initiative in response to Jesus' presence and reputation. A Calvinist might argue that the view of faith as a divinely granted gift mainly relates to spiritual salvation rather than physical healing. However, by making such an argument, the Calvinist would be challenging the concept of "total" depravity, advocating instead for "spiritual" depravity, and thus their argument would “prove too much” and negate their foundational assumption.

<![if !supportFootnotes]>

<![endif]>

<![if !supportFootnotes]>[1]<![endif]> Oxford English Dictionary, s.v. “virtue, n.”, September 2023. https://doi.org/10.1093/OED/9519354683 Accessed 15 Nov. 2023.

About this episode