Wednesday Evening Bible Study

January 3, 2001

Introduction

Last week we saw the story of Jesus confronting the man called “Legion”, who had many demons. Jesus cast the demons out and allowed the demons to go into a herd of pigs. The pigs went wild and threw themselves into the sea, drowning. When the people who lived in the area found out what happened, they begged Jesus to leave. They were afraid of Jesus. Their unclean, illegal herd of pigs were worth more to them than Jesus.

(Luke 8:37 KJV) Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them; for they were taken with great fear: and he went up into the ship, and returned back again.

Jesus didn’t force Himself on them. He didn’t stay and say, “Now wait a minute! I’m your Savior! You better change your tune!” Instead, He did what they said, He left.

Same today — if people really don’t want Jesus in their life, He’ll oblige.

In contrast, some people want Jesus. Some people want what Jesus has to offer ...

:40 And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people 2Iadly received him: for they were all waitin2 for him.

returned — hupostrepho — to turn back; to turn about; to return

received — apodechomai — to accept from, receive; to accept what is offered from without. To receive with pleasure.

waiting — prosdokao (“toward” + “watch”) — to expect (whether in thought, in hope, or in fear); to look for, wait for

Lesson

Attitude at church

What kind of attitude do you come to church with? Are you coming with a waiting and expectancy, wanting to see Jesus?

The Gaderenes didn’t want Jesus. He left.

The people in Capernaum wanted Jesus. He’ll do some pretty neat things here.

:41 And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus’ feet, and besought him that he would come into his house:

Jairus — Jaeiros — “whom God enlightens”; a ruler of a synagogue, probably near the western shore of the Sea of Galilee

ruler — archon — a ruler, commander, chief, leader

The ruler of a synagogue was the elder in charge of the public services and the care of the facilities. He saw to it that people were appointed to pray, read the Scriptures, and give the sermon. He presided over the elders of the synagogue and was usually a man of reputation and wealth.

We often think that the religious leaders rejected Jesus. But not all.

Jairus would have been the leader at the synagogue in Capernaum, the same synagogue where Jesus cast a demon out of a man (Luke 4:3 3), the same synagogue that had been built by the centurion who asked Jesus to heal his servant (Luke 7:5).

fell down —pipbo — to descend from a higher place to a lower; to descend from an erect to a prostrate position; to fall down

besought —parakaleo — to call to one’s side, call for, summon; to address, speak to, (call to, call upon), which may be done in the way of exhortation, entreaty, comfort, instruction, etc.; to admonish, exhort; to beg, entreat, beseech

:42 For he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went the people thronged him.

one only — nionogenes — single of its kind, only; used of only sons or daughters (viewed in relation to their parents); used of Christ, denotes the only begotten son of God. The idea is that this girl is a treasure to her parents.

twelve — dodeka — twelve

thronged— sumpnigo — to choke utterly; inetaph. the seed of the divine word sown in the mind; to press round or throng one so as almost to suffocate him

This was a desperate father.

When you’re desperate, you’ll do things you might not normally do, like falling on your face and begging.

:43 And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years. which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,

issue — rhusis — a flowing issue

A person who was constantly bleeding would be considered “unclean”:

(Lev 15:19 KJV) And if a woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even.

(Lev 15:25-27 KJV) And if a woman have an issue of her blood many days out of the time of her separation, or if it run beyond the time of her separation; all the days of the issue of her uncleanness shall be as the days of her separation: she shall be unclean. {26} Every bed whereon she lieth all the days of her issue shall be unto her as the bed of her separation: and whatsoever she sitteth upon shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her separation. {27} And whosoever toucheth those things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.

The idea is that this woman’s relationships had been disrupted for twelve years. For twelve years she couldn’t go to the synagogue or the temple. For twelve years she was an outcast.

twelve — dodeka — twelve

What’s the connection with the “twelve years”?

There must be something here, because both Matthew and Luke make a point of showing that there was something similar with the woman and Jairus’ daughter.

They both had the twelve years in common, but they were two different periods of twelve years.

Jairus’ daughter had no doubt been his pride and joy for twelve years. Jairus was a leading citizen, probably a well-to-do citizen.

The mystery woman had lived a life of misery for twelve years. We don’t even know her name. She was poor, having spent all her money.

Two different scenarios, but both needing the same thing: Jesus.

physicians — iatros — a physician; “healer”

spent —prosanalisko — to expend besides (i.e. upon physicians)

living — bios — life; that by which life is sustained, resources, wealth, goods

could — ischuo — to be strong; to be strong in body, to be robust, to be in sound health; to have power; to have power as shown by extraordinary deeds; to be able, can

healed — the rapeuo — to serve, do service; to heal, cure, restore to health

Luke was a physician. He knew what it was like to struggle to diagnose and help someone, but never to find a cure.

This woman was desperate.

:44 Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.

came —proserchonzai — to come to, approach; draw near to; to assent to

behind — opisthen — from behind, on the back, behind, after

touched — haptonai — to fasten one’s self to, adhere to, cling to; to touch; of levitical practice of having no fellowship with heathen practices. Things not to be touched appear to be both women and certain kinds of food, so celibacy and abstinence of certain kinds of food and drink are recommended.

border — kraspedon —. the extremity or prominent part of a thing, edge, skirt, margin; the fringe of a garment; in the NT a little appendage hanging down from the edge of the mantle or cloak, made of twisted wool; a tassel, tuft.

God commanded the Jews to put blue “borders” or “tassels” on their garments to be a reminder that they were to obey God and be holy:

(Num 15:37-41 KJV) And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, {38} Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue: {39} And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring: {40} That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God. {41} I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD your God.

There were four tassels on the robe, they were to be blue, and they were to remind the people of the Law of the Lord, every time they got dressed.

As they rapped the robe around them, one of the corners was thrown over the shoulder and the tassel hung down the back, this is evidently the one that the woman grasped.

immediately —parachrema — immediately, forthwith, instantly

stanched — histenii — to cause or make to stand, to place, put, set; to stand

issue — rhusis — a flowing issue

:45 And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?

touched   touched — haptomai — to fasten one’s self to, adhere to, cling to; to touch; of levitieal practice of having no fellowship with heathen practices. Things not to be touched appear to be both women and certain kinds of food, so celibacy and abstinence of certain kinds of food and drink are recommended.

denied — arneomai — to deny

Master — epistates — any sort of superintendent or overseer

throng – sunecho — to hold together; to hold together with constraint, to compress; of a strait, that forces a ship into a narrow channel; of a cattle squeeze, that pushing in on each side, forcing the beast into a position where it cannot move so the farmer can administer medication

press — apothiibo — to press on all sides, squeeze, press hard; of pressing out grapes and olives

Peter is thinking that the Lord is a little “off’ here. Of course somebody “touched” Him!

:46 And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.

touched — haptornaz — to fasten one’s self to, adhere to, cling to; to touch; of levitical practice of having no fellowship with heathen practices. Things not to be touched appear to be both women and certain kinds of food, so celibacy and abstinence of certain kinds of food and drink are recommended.

perceive — gin osko — to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel; know by personal experience

virtue — dunaniis — strength, power, ability

is gone out — exerchoniai — to go or come forth of

To Jesus, there was a difference between someone “touching” Him and someone “touching” Him. He knew that this was a different kind of touch.

It seems that Jesus wants to draw this woman out into the open to tell what happened to her. Perhaps this will be an encouragement to Jairus.

:47 And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately.

hid — lanthano — to be hidden, to be hidden from one, secretly, unawares, without knowing

falling down before —prospipto — to fall forwards, fall down, prostrate one’s self before, in homage or supplication: at one’s feet

healed — iaotnai — to cure, heal; to make whole; to free from errors and sins, to bring about (one’s) salvation

immediately — parachrena — immediately, forthwith, instantly

:48 And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.

be of good comfort — tharseo — to be of good courage, be of good cheer made thee whole — sozo — to save, keep safe amid sound, to rescue from danger or destruction

Lesson

Points of Contact

Matthew records what the woman     had been thinking as she made her way through the pressing crowd:

(Mat 9:21 KJV) For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.

To some, this sounds almost a little superstitious, for the woman to think that she could be healed by simply touching the hem of Jesus’ garment.

Yet that’s exactly what happened.

Jesus didn’t seem bothered that the woman thought this way, instead He honored her faith by healing her.

We might call the touching of the hem a “point of contact” for this woman’s faith. It’s something that helped her to release her faith, to cause her to trust Jesus to heal her.

God often uses these “points of contact” to help us.

(Acts 19:11-12 KJV) And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: {12} So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.

There was nothing medicinal about Paul’s sweat rags. It was about faith.

(James 5:14-15 KJV) Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: {1 5} And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and it he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

There is nothing magical about olive oil. But it can be a point of contact to release your faith.

Do you need a “point of contact” to be healed? No. But God can honor it if it helps.

:49 While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master.

ruler of the synagogue — archesunagogos — ruler of the synagogue. ft was his duty to select the readers or teachers in the synagogue, to examine the discourses of the public speakers, and to see that all things were done with decency and in accordance with ancestral usage.

is dead — thnesko — to die, to be dead. A perfect tense is used, she had died and was still dead.

trouble — skullo — to skin, flay; to rend, mangle; to vex, trouble, annoy; to give one’s self trouble, trouble one’s self

Master — didaskalos — a teacher

:50 But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not:believe only, and she shall be made whole.

fear —phobeo — to put to flight by terrifying (to scare away); to put to flight, to flee; to fear, be afraid; to be struck with fear, to be seized with alarm

only — rnonon — only, alone, but

believe —pisteuo — to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in. Present active imperative.

shall be made whole — sozo — to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction

Lesson

Believe and be saved.

That’s what Jesus is telling Jairus.

The answer to fear is to trust, to believe.

:51 And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden.

suffered — aphietni — to send away; to permit, allow, not to hinder, to give up a thing to a person

maiden —pais — a child, boy or girl

Jesus is going to do something special, but He’s NOT doing it to draw attention to Himself or do tricks for the crowd.

:52 And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth.

wept — klaio — to mourn, weep, lament; weeping as the sign of pain and grief for the thing signified (i.e. for the pain and grief)

bewailed — kopto — to cut, strike, smite; to cut from, cut off; to beat one’s breast for grief

dead — apothnesko — to die. Aorist active indicative.

sleepeth — katheudo — to fall asleep, drop off to sleep; to sleep

:53 And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.

laughed him to scorn — katagelao — to deride

:54 And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise.

put them ... out — ekballo — to cast out, drive out, to send out; with notion of violence; to drive out (cast out)

The people who are mocking and laughing at Jesus are going to miss out on the big moment.

They’ll see the results, the little girl alive, but they’ll miss watching Jesus do it.

took — krateo — to have power, be powerful; to get possession of; to become master of, to obtain; to take hold of; to take hold of, take, seize; to hold

called —phoneo — to sound, emit a sound, to speak; of a cock: to crow; of men: to cry, cry out, cry aloud, speak with a loud voice; to send for, summon; to address, accost, call by a name

maid —pais — a child, boy or girl

arise — egeiro — to arouse, cause to rise; to arouse from sleep, to awake; to arouse from the sleep of death, to recall the dead to life

Mark give us the exact Aramaic words that Jesus spoke:

Mr 5:41 And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.

:55 And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat.

came again — eptstrepho — to turn to; to cause to return, to bring back; to return, turn back, come back

It seems that Jesus was commanding the girl’s spirit, and it came back into her body. arose — anisteni — to cause to rise up, raise up; raise up from laying down; to raise up from the dead; to rise, stand up

straightway — parachretna — immediately, forthwith, instantly

commanded — diatasso — to arrange, appoint, ordain, prescribe, give order

meat —phago — to eat; to take food, eat a meal

:56 And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done.

astonished — existemi — to throw out of position, displace; to amaze, to astonish, throw into wonderment; to be amazed, astounded; to be out of one’s mind, besides one’s self, insane

charged —paraggello — to transmit a message along from one to another, to declare, announce; to command, order, charge

It would be impossible to hide this miracle from people for too long. Jesus isn’t expecting that the entire thing be kept secret. He’s just giving us an example of the fact that He wasn’t doing this for public show or applause. He was doing it to help this family.