By Adam Winn, Ph. D.
Chair and Professor, Department of Biblical and Religious Studies at Samford University
When well-meaning people interrupt your plans
Luke 8:40–50, 54–56
Seize the opportunities God gives you to serve Him by serving others. (40–42)
In these verses, Jesus has returned from the region of the Gerasenes, which would have been largely Gentile territory. Reference to His return implies a return to predominantly Jewish territory. Upon His return, He is greeted by a large crowd that is waiting for Him. In this crowd is a man named Jairus, a leader of the local synagogue.
Such a position means this man has an elevated social status and likely above-average means. That he falls on his knees before Jesus expresses his humility as he recognizes that Jesus possesses a greater status than himself. The man asks Jesus to come to his house to heal his daughter, a 12-year-old girl who is on the verge of death.
See interruptions as opportunities to serve. (43–48)
The Jairus story is quickly interrupted. The text introduces a woman who is described as having suffered from hemorrhages for 12 years. Her condition is best understood in terms of an issue related to menstruation. This condition would make her ritually unclean and prevent her from attending the synagogue or going to the temple. She has sought the help of doctors who have not been able to help her but have instead depleted her of all her resources.
The woman approaches Jesus in the crowd and touches the fringe of his clothing. (See Mark 5 where it clearly communicates that she believes such an action will heal her.) The moment she touches Jesus’ clothing, her hemorrhage stops and she is healed. Jesus feels the healing power leave Him and asks who has touched Him. The woman eventually comes forward and reports what had happened. Jesus then declares that her faith has healed her.
Two important points should be made. First, the cultural expectation is that when the woman touches Jesus, she would make Him ritually unclean. Instead His power, accessed through touching, makes her ritually clean.
Second, it is noteworthy that in this story, Jesus does not make a choice to heal her, but her faith is depicted as the conduit that activates a healing power that resides in Jesus. This does not mean faith guarantees healing, but it does depict faith as a divinely chosen conduit for accessing God’s healing power.
Don’t let interruptions keep you from returning to your original assignment. (49–50, 54–56)
As Jesus continues on His way to heal Jairus’ daughter, a messenger comes to report that the girl has died and there is no need to trouble Jesus any longer. However, Jesus tells Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Only believe, and she will be saved.”
The Greek word translated here as “believe” is the verbal form of the Greek noun for “faith.” Thus, in these two intertwined stories, the theme of faith as a conduit for accessing the divine power of healing is greatly emphasized.
Jairus expresses his faith by bringing Jesus to his daughter. Jesus then takes her by the hand and declares, “Child, get up!” At once the girl comes to life and obeys the command.
Again, we should note that as a corpse, the girl is ritually unclean, and anyone who touches her would become temporarily unclean. Yet again Jesus’ touch does not result in ritual impurity; it results in life and a state of ritual purity. A common theme is seen again in these intertwined stories.
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