Mark 5:21-43

Jesus Restores Life and Heals the Bleeding Woman

"Only Believe"

22 One of the synagogue officials named Jairus came up, and on seeing Him, fell at His feet

23 and implored Him earnestly, saying, "My little daughter is at the point of death; please come and lay Your hands on her, so that she will get well and live."

24 And He went off with him; and a large crowd was following Him and pressing in on Him.

25 A woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years,

26 and had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but rather had grown worse--

27 after hearing about Jesus, she came up in the crowd behind Him and touched His cloak.

28 For she thought, "If I just touch His garments, I will get well."

29 Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.

30 Immediately Jesus, perceiving in Himself that the power proceeding from Him had gone forth, turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched My garments?"

31 And His disciples said to Him, "You see the crowd pressing in on You, and You say, 'Who touched Me?'"

32 And He looked around to see the woman who had done this.

33 But the woman fearing and trembling, aware of what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth.

34 And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your affliction."

35 While He was still speaking, they came from the house of the synagogue official, saying, "Your daughter has died; why trouble the Teacher anymore?"

36 But Jesus, overhearing what was being spoken, said to the synagogue official, "Do not be afraid any longer, only believe."

37 And He allowed no one to accompany Him, except Peter and James and John the brother of James.

38 They came to the house of the synagogue official; and He saw a commotion, and people loudly weeping and wailing.

39 And entering in, He said to them, "Why make a commotion and weep? The child has not died, but is asleep."

40 They began laughing at Him. But putting them all out, He took along the child's father and mother and His own companions, and entered the room where the child was.

41 Taking the child by the hand, He said to her, "Talitha kum!" (which translated means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!").

42 Immediately the girl got up and began to walk, for she was twelve years old. And immediately they were completely astounded.

43 And He gave them strict orders that no one should know about this, and He said that something should be given her to eat.

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This is the Word of the Lord ... It is meant to change the way that we think, and the way that we live.

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Commentary by Bob Pardue

"Only Believe"

There are several lessons to be learned here but all come down to "Only Believe". This is what Christians have always known but still find hard to do in many cases.

About Jairus

This is a man who was a synagogue ruler whose duties included taking charge of the school and overseeing the worship services, etc. So, being in this position would cause Jairus to be very cautious about kneeling down to Jesus, whom the Pharisees were resisting.

But, like many of us, the fact that he was in dire need of help, he came to Jesus with "hat in hand" so to speak. Even though he held a high position in the synagogue, he had undoubtedly heard of the tremendous miracles Jesus was performing throughout the region.

Only Believe

Even in a hopeless situation, Jesus asks Jairus to believe and not be afraid as He had told so many others who needed help. Well, you've read the story above and know how it ends. The same is true of the bleeding woman who had enough faith to touch His garment to be healed.

How Does "Only Believe" Apply to Us?

Have you ever been in a situation so great that you felt completely helpless? If you haven't , don't worry, the day will come. We all experience a tremendous bump in the road at one or more times in our lives.

This is when we can call on Jesus and His words of hope and compassion. We may not experience a miracle in the sense Dairus or the bleeding woman did but we will find comfort through prayer, and the prayers of God's people all around us.

Ask God today to help with your situation, no matter how great or small and, "only believe".

Love in Christ

- Bob

Mark 4:35-41 - Jesus Calms the Storm