Mark - Chapter 5
5:1-20
The Gadarene Demoniac:
This story appears at first to be about one tormented individual but quickly turns to include a large number of demons. One way to approach this message is to view the amazing power of Jesus. This passage is the longest and most detailed of the exorcism stories in this gospel. It tells us how Jesus healed a demon possessed man in the country of the Gadarenes. We see that His authority extends over the realm of the unclean hostile spirits and he brings healing to people troubled by their evil work.
The first voice heard in the story is that of the unclean spirit, speaking through the man, addressing Jesus as “Son of the Most High God”. The demon's confession is the main message of the passage and it is that Jesus can heal because He is the Son of God. In verses 10-13 Jesus seems to bargain with the demons, but regardless of the conversation, His power prevails.
A new element is introduced in this passage for the gospel, which is that this healing is in gentile country. In gentile areas, nothing is kosher, and everything is unclean here: the spirits, the tombs, the pigs, and the territory. But in this alien place, Jesus' authority and healing power is just as great as in a Jewish synagogue. His power knows no bounds and His exercise of His power belongs only to His own choice on when to use it. We see in this passage that no one asked Jesus to heal the man possessed.
As a matter of fact, the man simply wants to be left alone, as do those watching. Jesus takes all the initiative as He shows His sovereign power over all areas of life. The people in His day, nor the people in our day, have no control over His use of His great power. Just as the Father told Moses that he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy, so does the Son act in the very same way.
An added element to the passage is that the demons ask to be sent into swine and Jesus so commands, and when the people all heard what had happened they beg Jesus to leave the area. They value the pigs more than their neighbor. Jesus prepares to leave as requested, but the man healed wanted to stay with the Lord. Jesus, however, instructs him to go home and tell how much the Lord has done for you and how mercy has been given to you. He obeys. His assignment is difficult as proven by the fact that his neighbors want nothing more to do with Jesus or the healing. The call of this man is the first gentile call to service in Mark. His assignment shows that the work and witness of the Lord is not limited to Israel or Judea.
The contrast between the man possessed and the man healed is sharp. Freed of his demons, the man sits quietly, fully clothed, and in his right mind. In the middle of a disorderly world in this area, alienated from God, Jesus bring order and peace to a tormented individual. His work through His Holy Spirit still brings the same today.
5:21-43
The Daughter of Jarius and the Woman With a Hemorrhage:
The setting is now Jewish, on the other side of the sea and contains a request from the synagogue leader named Jarius.
A request is made for Jesus to come and heal the daughter of Jarius, who is said to be very ill. With many people in the surrounding crowd, Jesus begins to make His way to the home of Jarius. Along the way, a woman with a many year affliction of bleeding approaches and wants simply to touch Jesus, knowing in absolute faith that to do so will bring healing. Her affliction is described as beyond human help. In faith she presses forward into the crowd and does touch the garment of the Lord and is immediately healed. Jesus felt her touch by virtue leaving Him and he insists on finding out who touched Him. The woman, who had been considered unclean because of her issue of blood, shows courage and comes forward trembling to confess her touching. He gives her His saving word, both for her health and for her to now know peace. The healing is complete and her faith had made her whole.
Jesus now returns to His way toward the house of Jarius to confront death itself. A messenger arrives to announce the girl has now died and there is no reason to further trouble Jesus to come. But Jesus has a different idea and says that the people in need should “only believe”. In this account in the other gospels, there is no mention of the girl dying, only being very ill. He takes Peter, James, and John into the home and tells all there the girl is only sleeping and is met with scorn from those in the house who know she is dead. Jesus heals the girl, returning her to life and her family by speaking the Aramaic words, “Talitha Cumi”, which means girl arise.
He asks that she be helped by being given something to eat and then commands all there to say nothing of the matter
We must remember that the crowd (and the disciples) heard the plea of Jarius, and knew the illness was severe and that Jarius was most anxious but still Jesus permits an interruption along the way which surely took valuable time as he healed the woman with blood. All there were likely worried about the time used being taken from the young girl's need. But Jesus showed no worry. All time is His time and all power is His. His sensitivity to both needs should help us to be more patient and to do what he commanded, “... do not fear, only believe...”.