Jesus Heals a Woman and Jairus’s Daughter
40 Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. 41 And there came a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue. And falling at Jesus’ feet, he implored him to come to his house, 42 for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying.
As Jesus went, the people pressed around him. 43 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone. 44 She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. 45 And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!” 46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” 47 And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. 48 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”
49 While he was still speaking, someone from the ruler’s house came and said, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more.” 50 But Jesus on hearing this answered him, “Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well.” 51 And when he came to the house, he allowed no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child. 52 And all were weeping and mourning for her, but he said, “Do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping.” 53 And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But taking her by the hand he called, saying, “Child, arise.” 55 And her spirit returned, and she got up at once. And he directed that something should be given her to eat. 56 And her parents were amazed, but he charged them to tell no one what had happened. Luke 8:40-56
I often find the people in the gospels fascinating. For example, in this passage we see many different people with many different desires, wishes, and drives. When the story opens, Jesus is met by a group of people who are waiting for him, and once he is on his way to help them, the crowd starts pressing around him.
But the two that take center stage in this passage are a father and a woman: a woman in need and a father at his lowest. Doesn’t that sound so normal? Don’ t we all know people that are in those situations right now?
I have to wonder if they should have even been seeking Jesus. I mean shouldn’t they have been those on the outside? Jarius was the ruler at the synagogue, and we know Jesus was not the most popular person within those walls. In fact when Nicodemus (another ruler) comes to see Jesus, he comes at night. Here, Jarius is coming in front of the entire crowd seeking Jesus.
Then we have a lady who has been on the outside of society for 12 straight years. If she was a daughter of Israel, she would have been alone for 12 years and, according to the law, shouldn’t have been touching anyone (Lev. 15); yet here she is touching everyone to get through the crowd to try to touch Jesus. If she wasn’t of the tribes of Israel, then she shouldn’t have been seeking Jesus to begin with.
In short, we have two people who shouldn’t have been seeking Jesus, but that is exactly what they are doing. Here is the question that rolls around in my mind: how often do we look at someone and say to ourselves, “They won’t want Jesus.”? Then, maybe subconsciously, we don’t even offer them Jesus.
We decide for them that they won’t seek or accept Jesus, and we disregard what the Lord is doing in their hearts and lives.
The lady had to push and shove her way through the crowd, and even after she is healed, she trembles with the fear of being in trouble for what she has done. When they first asked who did it, she wouldn’t even admit it. But when she comes forward, Luke tells us that she was trembling.
And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed.
I almost see this as what we call “verbal vomiting.” She was so scared that she told everything in front of everyone. I can’t imagine what she was feeling in that moment, being stared at by the crowd, the disciples, and Jesus as she revealed her personal shame, hurt, and struggle.
After Jarius’ daughter has died, someone from his own home tells him not to bother Jesus anymore.“Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more. They thought Jesus couldn’t do anything now, so there was no use continuing down this road of seeking his help. Can you see Jarius’s countenance fall? The tears begin to well up, and maybe he begins to turn and leave. He shouldn’t be there anyway.
But Jesus. Those sweet words, “BUT JESUS.” When Jesus sees these people, he doesn’t see them as people who shouldn’t be there; he sees them as exactly who they are: people in need of a Savior. He offers his immediate help to them. The lady is healed, and Jairus’s daughter is raised from the dead.
But Jesus goes further than offering immediate healing: he offers a changed life here and an eternal life with him. To the lady he says:
“Daughter, your faith has made you well; ygo in peace.”
To Jarius he says:
“Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well.”
The lady gained peace, and Jarius learned not to fear but to believe in Jesus. Not all healing will take place while we dwell on this side of earth. Thankfully Jesus offers more than once-in-a-lifetime immediate help. He offers himself, and through that offer, we have access to the mercy seat of God. We should take courage in that truth of the gospels.
We must approach Jesus as those in true need of his healing and grace. And we must not decide for others whether they would want Jesus or not. For he is the hope that they are in need of just as he is for us. Maybe they accept his truth; maybe they reject it, but Jesus is the same to all people in all places. Who He is and what His salvation does doesn’t change based on the person.
Jesus knew it was scary for them to be in that crowd. Maybe someone is sitting at North Wake on Sunday morning feeling the same way and wondering if it is okay for them to be here and if Jesus will really enter into their pain with them. Let us pray for the eyes of Jesus to see those that are seeking, to see those that are in pain, and to see those that might feel out of place on Sunday mornings. Then let us respond to them the same way Jesus responded to those he saw.
