Having returned to Capernaum from the village of Bethsaida, Jesus was approached by a leader of the Synagogue. Jairus had a twelve-year-old daughter on the verge of dying. He knew a lot about Jesus and believed that Jesus could heal his daughter. But time was critical. The doctor felt she could die at any moment.
Jairus knelt in front of Jesus and made his request. ‘Please come now. I believe that if you lay hands on her she will recover’, said Jairus. So Jesus immediately followed. And so did the curious crowd. Many in this small town knew what was happening. Jesus was becoming quite well known.
Yet in the crowd was a woman who had spent the last twelve years with a hemorrhage of blood that had made her a virtual outcast. She had tried every possible “cure” recommended by her neighbors and the doctors, but despite the cost, she was no better off.
She also had heard of Jesus. She also believed that he was the conduit of God’s power, but this was the first time that she had been this close to him. ‘If I touch him, then God will heal me’, she thought. So just as Jesus passed her, she got in behind him, reached out, and touched the tassel of his cloak. Then she stopped. The crowd flowed around her and moved between her and Jesus. But she could sense a change in her body, and she knew that something had happened. She believed that she had been cured.
Jesus took a few more steps. But he also sensed a change. Jesus stopped, and then turned around. Looking around at the people Jesus asked, ‘Who touched me?’
Peter did not understand. ‘In this crowd?’ he asked. ‘You must be joking’. But Jesus was serious, as his face made clear. He wanted to find the person who had the faith to draw on God’s healing power.
Jairus immediately became nervous. This delay was not good. Time was critical.
The disciples, as usual, had no idea what was going on. They had not sensed the power of the woman’s faith in God.
The woman came forward, fell to her knees in front of Jesus, and then told him what she had done, and why. Jesus was impressed by her faith in the word of God, and let her know that her cure was made possible because she believed that Jesus had God’s power and because she had acted on that faith. Then Jesus turned and followed Jairus.
Moments later some folks from Jairus’ home met them in the street. On seeing them fear clutched at Jairus’ throat and tightened his belly. When they spoke, they regretted to inform him that his daughter had just died minutes ago. Jairus couldn’t speak.
Jesus encouraged Jairus to continue to believe despite appearances, and they continued on to the house where the family was mourning her passing. Jesus put everyone out of the house and took the parents and three disciples (Peter, James and John) inside with him. Jesus then took the girl’s hand and he commanded that her spirit return. Her eyelids fluttered open and Jesus helped her to sit up. Jesus then suggested that she be given something to eat [it would prove to her parents that she was not just a spirit]. Then Jesus and the disciples left the house.
Jesus went back to his home. There the people again gathered, and Jesus healed and taught. Jesus gave sight to two blind men based on their belief that Jesus could heal them. Then Jesus gave speech to a mute. The day had been such a display of the healing power of God that everyone was amazed (though the poison of Basara was still spread by the Pharisees).
DAB