Mark Study Notes

CHAPTER 2, 13-17

13: Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them.

  • common practice to teach while walking
  • Jesus banned from synigogs
    • shunned by his own house

14: As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," Jesus told him, and Levi got up and follwed him.

  • tax collectors despised
    • levi worked for Herod Antipas in Galilee, not the Romans in Judea
    • disliked today, but hated then.
    • nobody would consider them friend or company
  • think about how people treated levi
    • how he felt - acted
    • ache in his heart?
    • saw Jesus around? stood around at his teachings?
    • had no way out of bad society, religious leaders shuned him
    • knew knew he was a sinner, but was no place a sinner could go
    • world was lacking a savior for the lost. had a way for the 'right'
  • Jesus attitude as he walked along
    • ever walked along and looked for needy people
    • Jesus never saw people and shunned them
    • pray for people you see that are needy, anoy you, whatever
  • called Levi to follow as he walked by
    • Levi didn't hesitate
    • left his job, getting up and leaving meant giving up his work
    • could not go back, like the fishermen
    • staked everything, why
    • knew something was different about christ
    • desperate for a way out of the hole society had him in
  • called Levi to give up the most to follow
    • you give up anything?
    • I did, story of drafting, software design/architecture
    • accepted christ at seven, ten years sought my own way
    • gave up to him, seek him
    • sent me a new direction, missions and AE, programming
  • Levi wrote journaled what he say
    • served as a reference for the gospel of Mathew

15: While Jesus was having dinner at Levi's house, many tax collectors and 'sinners' were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many whol followed him.

  • who were sinners
    • commonly those not pharasies.
    • not just those who had done wrong
    • scribal law, not moral law
    • outcasts today?
  • people that had followed him durring the day
    • riff-raff of the day if they would hang out with Levi

16: When the teachers of the law who were Parisees saw him eating with the "sinners" and dax collectors, they asked his disciples: "Why does he eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?"

  • in the orthadox tradition
    • not good to be with this class of society
    • would not eat, do buisness, or say hi to on the street
    • Jesus flew in the face of all of that

17: On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healty who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteus, but sinners."

  • not saying Jesus did not come for the 'good'
    • all are sick, but only some realize they need it
    • phrarisees didn't think they needed help
    • sinners longed for a cure
    • you can try to get to heaven on your own
    • if you know you need help, Jesus came to offer it
  • sinners know they cannot fix themselves
    • Romans 5:6 +< -- You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.

CHAPTER 2, 18-20

18: Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus, "How is it that John's disciples and the disciples of the Parisees are fasting, but yoours are not?"

  • John still around
    • voice of one crying in the wilderness
    • job to prepare the way
    • tradition to fast twice a week for the religious, mo & th
    • once a year required - day of atonement
  • Reasons to fast
    • remind us how much we have
    • reminder to concentrate on what's really important
    • remind us that we are master over our flesh
    • lean to value what we have
  • Pharisees again
    • nit-picking religious busy bodies
    • whining -- johns are fasting and yours aren't so why not?

19: Jesus answered, "How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them.

  • Jewish wedding
    • no honeymoon, week long feasting
    • special guests stayed all week
    • excempted from all fasting rules
  • Life with Christ is characterized by joy
    • joy not happyness
    • seeing realy joy in people even through persecution

20: But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast.

  • Jesus was going to leave
    • warning those around him
    • predicting his death
    • knew about the cross early on
    • still willing to take that road

QUR'AN

  • reasoned from last week
    • sins can only be forgiven by those they were committed to
    • only God could forgive all sins
    • Jesus claimed to forgive all the paralitics sins
    • Jesus proved he could do that by also healing the physical
    • Jesus made claim to be God, and added proof
  • Mohhamed supposed to be prophet, along with Jesus
    • All mixed up with who Jesus was
    • Mohamed sinned, had to be forgiven,
    • Jesus sinless
    • no explanation of purpose of Jesus

35.18: PICKTHAL: And no burdened soul can bear another's burden,

19:19: PICKTHAL: ...send to you a fautless son

48:2: PICKTHAL: That Allah may forgive thee of thy sin that which is past and that which is to come, and may perfect His favour unto thee, and may guide thee on a right path.

CHAPTER 2, 18-20

18: Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus, "How is it that John's disciples and the disciples of the Parisees are fasting, but yoours are not?"

  • John still around
    • voice of one crying in the wilderness
    • job to prepare the way
    • tradition to fast twice a week for the religious, mo & th
    • once a year required - day of atonement
  • Reasons to fast
    • remind us how much we have
    • reminder to concentrate on what's really important
    • remind us that we are master over our flesh
    • lean to value what we have
  • Pharisees again
    • nit-picking religious busy bodies
    • whining -- johns are fasting and yours aren't so why not?

19: Jesus answered, "How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them.

  • Jewish wedding
    • no honeymoon, week long feasting
    • special guests stayed all week
    • excempted from all fasting rules
  • Life with Christ is characterized by joy
    • joy not happyness
    • seeing realy joy in people even through persecution

20: But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast.

  • Jesus was going to leave
    • warning those around him
    • predicting his death
    • knew about the cross early on
    • still willing to take that road

21: No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the new piece will pull away from the old, makeing the tear worse.
22: And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, he pours new wine into new wineskins.

  • hard analogy
    • what do you think?
  • Jesus came with a revolutionary message
    • we cannot take pieces of it
    • keep what we like and toss the rest
    • creates bigger holes than before
    • religions that have done that
      • grocery store religion
      • islam

Chapter 2:23 - 3:6

23: One sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain.

  • walking everywhere
    • walking and teaching as usuall
  • legal
    • no sythe or syclke, but could pick and eat

24: The Pharisees said to him, "Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the sabath?"

  • sabbath regulations
    • no work, eat but not prepare, etc
    • watching Jesus contantly

25: He answered, "Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need?

  • Pharisees were schollars of the OT
    • must have known about this
    • understood only rules, not hearts

26: In the days of Abiathar the high priest, the entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he gave some to his companions"

  • 1 Samuel 21:1-6
    • David, king of Isriel
      • running for his life from Saul
    • priest made sacrafices, handled bread
      • replaced weekly
      • not allowed to be touched, eaten, anything
    • david needed refuge and nurishment
      • desparate?
    • Jesus cared for physical needs
      • put well being ahead of regulation

27: Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath."

  • Purpose of the Sabbath
    • day of rest
    • refocus on important things
    • what do we do with our sundays?
  • created with a reason
    • ten commandment to honor it
    • for our good
    • not a regulation, a spirit

28: So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath

  • Son of Man/Son of God
  • not contradictiory because he was both
  • both statements refer to deity
    • Jesus said only God can forgive sins and the son of man can
    • asked if SOG, answered yes, SOM (mt 26:63)

1: Another time he went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there.

  • not born with
    • caused by injury or disease
    • Luke says right hand
    • picture it

2: Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal im on the Sabbath

  • they referes to Pharisees
    • tense shows they were continually doing this
    • looking for traps, nagging on Jesus
  • sat in the back and watched
    • not their job to come and learn but to police
    • specifically thought they could catch him on sabbath rules

3: Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, "Stand up in front of everyone."
4: Then Jesus asked them, "Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they remained silent.

  • Jesus trying to show
    • grace vs. law
    • freedom vs. regulations
    • sillyness vs. care
  • Pharisees don't take the bait, look in silence

5: He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored.

  • anger, not hate
    • three words
      • ...
      • ..., exaspiration
      • orge, used here, permited but not to be mixed with sin
  • a time to be angry
    • calculated, against sin
    • not at the sinner, o
    • perfect God, cannot tollerate sin
  • healed the guy
    • what would you think of Jesus at this point?

6: Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus

  • these guys got what they wanted
    • dirt on Jesus
    • hated Him, why?
  • herodians were also normally enemies
    • separation of religious and political leadership
    • joined forced because both hated Jesus
    • spent three years plotting to kill this Jesus

Disciples picking grain
Defenition of work
Pharisees, Jesus, Ours
Purpose of the Sabbath
Serve man, not burden him
Rest from toil, not service
Son of Man claim to be God
What He says Goes

Went into synagoge
not shying away from trouble
the picture of meekness didn't come from here
Angry - but not rage or exasperation
Controled disklike of mistreatment of truth
Deeply distressed
Who are we deeply distressed for?
Confronted Pharisees head on
Not in hate or laying a trap
A chance to see the truth, reason
You wuole think anybody could see truth
Presented as clear choice between good adn bad
Law to do good or law to do bad
This is good, is this against the law
Save life or to kill
Pharissees chose to kill
Plotted to kill Jesus

23: One Savvath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain.
24: The Pharisees said to him, "Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?"
25: He answered, "Have you never read what David did when he and his companions where hungry and in need?
26: In the days of Abithar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate teh consecrated brea, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions."
27: Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.
28: So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath."

  • walking everywhere as usual
    • was legal on most days, just not the Sabbath
    • anything considered work was banned
    • legalistic idea of work
  • purpose of sunday rest?
    • rejuvinate man, not burden him
    • rest from toil, not ignore needs of people
  • Jesus reason over regulation
    • since the purpose is to serve, then any service is lawfull
    • to not heal when he could would have been a disservice, or evil
  • claim to be God
    • Son of Man, Son of God, both used to proclaim deity
      • Jesus said only God can forigive sins, and the SoM can
      • Asked if God, said yes, SOM (mt 26:63)

Religion is not supposed to be about rules and regulations, as many people make it out to be, but about a relationship and reason and freedom and joy in serving others. It's not a moral code we make or break by following the letter. It's a spirit, not a rule set.

1: Another time he went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there.
2: Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath.
3: Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, "Stand up in front of everyone."

  • didn't shying away from trouble, but meeting it head on
    • temple a dangerous place for him already
    • not well received by the leaders
    • went back in, but wasn't forcefully
    • made effort for all to see what He did and hear his reasoning

4: Then Jesus asked them, "Which is lawful on teh Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they remained silent.

  • question directly at the Pharisees
    • silent becaues they could not answer without convicting themselves.
  • is the answer obvious
    • what would you choose?
    • pharisess choose to kill

5: He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored.

  • Jesus angry!
    • three types of anger
      • rage, never permitted
      • exasperation, never permitted
      • controled dislike of bad things. permitted but not to be mixed with sin.
  • perfect God, cannot tollerate sin
    • deeply distressed at stuborn hearts
      • very frustrating to have truth so obvious and have people not see it
      • never mistreated anybody in his anger
  • what should we be angry at?
    • how should we treat people in our anger
    • what are you deeply distressed over?
      • how do you treat people in anger or distress?
  • healed the guy
    • display of power, isn't it obvious He is God?

6: Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.

  • obvious choice
    • choose the stupid answer
  • hypocyptes
    • had to break their own law even to talk to herodians
    • hate in their hearts?
    • blind to truth
  • are we being blinded by anything in the way of seeing truth?

Attributes of Jesus:

  1. Cared for people individually.
  2. Cared more about peoples needs and doing the right thing than regulations.
  3. Distressed over those who didn't follow truth.
  4. Angry but never sinned, tempered his behavior.
  5. Proclaimed to be God.
  6. Backed up the claim with power.

CHAPTER 4, 21-29

These saying probably not in sequence with the book or even together - just things that Jessus said a lot that didn't fit in elsewhere.
Flag the current issues in the church and among the earlier followers of Jesus

21: He said to them, "Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don't you put it on it's stand?

  • what is the light?
    • the truth of Jesus
    • our aligience to Him
      • early church believers often persecuted, it was death to show aligience to Jesus
      • required to worship the current emporor
        • required to go to palace and worship and sacrafice and got signed certificate that they had done so
        • easy to do but not really mean it and use it as a cover up
  • truth is meant to be seen
    • world is full of stuff
      • everybody has their own opinion
      • on every corner there is another religion
      • gossip is everywhere
    • we have the truth in our hearts
      • the truth about Jesus, heaven, salvation, how to live, hope
        • John 8:31-32, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
      • hidding the truth makes it useless
        • the truth will set you free, but not if it's kept under lock and key
        • just as a bowl hides the light, if we discuise the truth we have found we make it useless to others
        • what else happens under the bowl? the light smothers
        • light grows brighter in our hearts as we exercise it
      • example of Luther's thesis, objection to indulgances, had found the truth about grace and not works, proclaimed it on all saints day

22: For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concelaed is meant to be brought out into the open.

  • what does this apply to, good or bad?
  • applies to the truth
    • the truth is indestructable
      • men can chose not to face it, try to suppress it, try to obliterate it, refuse to accept it the truth will prevail
        • capernicous, galeleo, inquisition
  • applies to our lives
    • done something wrong our first instinct is to hide it
      • Adam in the garden
    • ever done something you would be ashamed to tell me, or your friends, or your family
      • God sees everything you do. fills me with shame
      • who are you when nobody is looking, that is the defenition of integrity
    • truth has a way of eventually surfacing, waste of time and damaging to youself to try to suppress it

23: If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."

hey, if you've got a brain and want to know the truth then listen up because I'm speaking it.

24: "Consider carefully what you hear," he continued. "With the measure you use, it will be measured to you -- and even more.

analigous in a way to "do unto others, but applied to the much wider pool of God's blessings

  • what you get is determined by what you give
    • treasures in heaven - Mathew
  • study
    • you can only be filled with truth if you truthfully seek it
  • worship
    • if you don't poor yourself out as an offering, you cannot be filled with his presence in return
    • glass example from Jim Gunter
  • relationships
    • only built up when you put time and effort into them
    • you can set the mood around other people, you see yourself in the mirror of others

25: Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him."

oposite of comunism!?! some people think life needs to be fair and that fair means everybody should get the same thing.

I think this means more along the lines of "you get what you pay for"

not a verse about telling people not to judge

  • strength
    • you can't go from dead nothing to arnold swartsenhager overnight
    • you have to get some strength first, then you can workout and get more
  • knowledge
    • same goes for knowledge. You cannot go from stupid to brilliant in one step.
    • first you lean a little, then you use that to understand more, and so on.
  • skill
    • if you have a tallent, but don't use it, your liable to loose it.
    • i used to be pretty decent at frisbee, right now I suck because I haven't practiced it
  • responsiblness
    • if you prove yourself faithfull in little things, you will be given more

Chapter 4:26-34

26-28: He also said, "This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain--first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come."

  • The Kingdom of God
    • what is the kingdom?
      • the word is the seed
      • his will in our life is the tree
  • What is our part?
    • we have been chosen to help sow the seed
  • God's part?
    • Everything else. Watering, tending, harvesting
  • The Moral?
    • Patience
      • trademark of the farmer
    • God's timming
      • just not get impatient, think we can do better
      • we may not get to see the fruits born by the seads we plant
      • God can take care of the things we have started but can't finish

30-32: Again he said, "What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade."

  • mustard seed - familer parable
    • smallest possible object
      • can grow to be large and productive
    • represents our faith
      • our faith grows and provides a place for others to perch
    • tree also stands for a nation - birds are tributaries taking refuge

small faith in us grows to be a big thing in the worlds eyes

what evidence does our lives show that our faith in Christ is growing?

33-34: With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.

  • Jesus has blessed us with knowledge, access to the word, etc
  • Has not chosen to directly take the message to everybody
  • Our responsibility to learn and share what we learn with others.
  • unless we spent time close to him, we are not equiped to take our message to the world.

Chapter 4:35-42

35-42: That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"

Humanity of Jesus, he was tired, resting

Escaping the crowds

  • storm built up quickly
    • lake known for this. squalls would come out of nowhere
    • boat and crew in danger
    • had Jesus with them but were afraid
  • sleeping in stern, place of honor - on a cushon
    • sleeping in old testament a picture of trust, faith
    • knew that God had things under control and didn't fear
  • power over nature
    • rebuked the waves
    • be still, same as in Mk 1:25
    • power over human nature, our physical surroundings, everythng
  • squals in life come up quickly
    • smooth sailing, then a mess
    • we have jesus with us, but still fear
  • disciples walked with jesus and talked with jesus
    • nothing magical about being with him in person any more than we have now
    • walking with Jesus, miracle of faith
  • Jesus power applies to our very own situations
    • disciples missed the point of who they were with
    • his intentions were to care for then and offer forgiveness
  • have to ask, get his attention

the God of the OT seemed vengefull and harsh - now he comes as somebody who cares about them and offers forgiveness

terrified of God's power? knew or should have known who he was and were afraid of him? creator of the universe and surprised by controlling the wind?

Chapter 5:1-20

+the stage+

immidiatly after storm calming
set out the evening before
5 miles or so across
had episode with the torm
arive in the dusk
very rocky shore with limestone cliffs full of holes
this bit of shore with it's cafes were used as a cemetary

spooky place anyway, especially after dark
occupied territory, greek cities, own goverment, but occupied by roman legions

+the cast+

jesus, disciples
lunatic
demons
herd of pigs
as few pig-heards
a nearby town full of people

+beliefs of the day+

deamons (evils spiritual beings) were very real
people feared them
feared to go out at night, go to dark places

not nessesary that we believe the same way
deamons may have physically taken controls of this man
or they may have been in his imagination - damaged psyche

+the main character+

thought he was possessed. may or may not have been, but he totally believed he was
I believe he was, but either way, know that he beleive he was
so totally possed that the demons controled his muscles and voice

+the action+

more than one attempt to cast the deamon out
usually just command 'em to leave and they would tuck tail
this one (or leagions thereof) did not want to leave
deamon proclaimed that jesus was the son of the most high God

man needed mental healing and demonstration that he was free
demons asked to be sent into the nearby herd of 2000 pigs.

jesus allowed this, good riddance of demons, great demonstration of man actually being free
even if the problem was a disordered mind, concrete demonstration of God's ability to free us
bad luck for the pigs, but to God a human soul is infinetly more valuble than any animal

our dude used to run about, screaming and cutting himself, stronger than any man
our dude now sitting, calm and collected, with clothes and talking normally

+audience response+

  1. fear of what had hapened and the power displayed
  2. economic threat

pig-herders fled, spread the news to the town
town came back and saw the lake full of dead pigs and the healed guy

/The wild and naked madman had become a sensible citizen and the towns people were terrified/.

why didn't the people jump for joy?

uncomfortable, people want to be left alone and not have their comfort bubbles poped
ecconomics reign, and because of the pigs this hurt the pocket book
afraid because they refused to understand who jesus was

_Christ and his message are disturbing._ If we are going to accept him and his message we are going to be disturbed. Physically, ecconomically, spiritually. The people of this area banned jesus because they didn't want to be disturbed, just as people still ban him from reigning in their hearts, even today.

+aftermath+

man wanted to come with jesus, but jesus sent him home to tell his own people.
didn't send this man to australia, sent him to his home town.
people there knew who he was and the change in him would be obvious to them
he boldly told of all that God had done for him
living, walking, vivid, unanswerable demonstration of what God can do for man

Our focus should not be on what we can do for God, but what God has done in us.
It is our witness of what God has done for us that directs other people to him.

God has chosen to use man as his tool to reach man. He used this one guy to reach the Ten Cities region. He desires to use us to reach out own circles. It has to begin with something. Will you let it begin with you?

Chapter 5:21-43

+NIV+
When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. Then one of the synagogue rulers, named Jarious, came there. Seeing Jesus, he fell at his feet and pleadd ernestly with him, "My litttle daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live." So Jesus went with him. A large crowd followed and pressed around him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak. Because she thought, If I just touch his clothes, I wil be healed." Immediatly her bleeding stopped and she flet in her body that she was freed from her suffering. At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?" "You see the people crowding around you," his disciples answered, "and yet you can ask, 'Who touched me?'" But Jesus kept on looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feed and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering." Whil Jesus was still speaking, some me came from the house of Jarious, the synagogue ruler. "Your daugter is dead," they said. "Why bother the teacher andy more?" Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the syanagogue ruler, "Dont' be afraid, just believe." He did not let anyone follow him expcept Peter, James and John the brother or James. When they came to the hom of the synagogue ruler, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. He went in and said to th em, "Why all this commotion and wailling? The child is not dead but asleep." But they laughed at him. After he put them all out, he took the child's father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum!" (which means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!"). Immediatly the girl stood up and walked around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.

+The Message+
After jesus crossed over by boat, a large crowd met him at the seaside. One of the meeting-place leaders named Jarius came. When he saw Jesus, he fell to his kees, beside himself and he begged, "My dear daughter is at teath's door. Come and lay hands on her so that she will get well and live." Jesus went with him, the whole crowd tagging along, pushing and jostling him.
A woman who had suffered a condition of hemorrhaging for twelve years -- a long successsion of physicians had treated her, and treated her badly, taking all her money and leaving her worse off than before-- had heard about Jesus. She slipped in from behind and touched his robe. She was thinking to herself, "if I can put a finger on his rob, I can get well." The moment she did it, the flow of blood dried up. She could feel the change and knew her plague was over and done with.
At the same moment, Jesus felt energy discharging from him. He turned around to the crowd and asked, "Who touched my robe?"
His disciples said, "What are you talking about? With this crowd pushing and jostling you, you're asking, 'Who touched me?' Dozens have touched you!"
But he went on asking, looking around to see who had done it. The woman, knowing what had happened, knowing she was the one, steped up in fear and trembling, knelt before him, and gave him the whole story.
Jesus said to her, "Daughter, you took a risk of faith, and now you're healed and whol. Live well, live blessed! Be healed of your plague."

While he was still talking, some people came from the leader's house and told him, "your daughter is dead. Why bothter the Teacher any ore?"
Jesus overheard what they were talking about and said to the leader, "Don't listen to htem; just trust me." and pushed their way through the gossips looking for a story and neighbors bringing in casseroles. Jesus was abrupt: "Why all this busybody grief and gossip? This child isn't dead; she's sleeping." Provoked to sarcasm, they told him he didn't know what he was tlking about.
But when he had sent them all out, he took the child's father and mother, along with his companions, and entered the child's room. He clasped the girl's hand and said, "Talitha koum," which means, "Little girl, get up." At that, she was up and walking around! This girl was twelve years of age. They, of course, were all beside themselves with joy. He gave them strict orders that no one was to know what had taken place in that room. Then he waid, "Giver her something to heat."

+Jarious+ gave up his prejudice, dignity, pride.

  • leader in society, overseeer in the synagoge
    • Jesus banned from synagoge
  • rumors of his power must have been great
    • knew that this man would be cappable to help when everything else failed

I don't know the effect of this on hi job, but he had to get riducled by the synagoge leaders.

picture -- Jesus, the wandering rogue teacher, and Jarious the synagoge leader on his knees as Jesus feet.

Even with his standingin life, Jarius realized that he could not do this by himeself, that he was incapable of fixing the problem.
Our trust in Christ is really only evident when we come to him with no other place to go.

Jarius's friends and family suspsiciously quick not not call on Jesus and to let him alone.

"Child is just asleep"
Jesus could not lie. Did the child die? I think so. Jesus is God. When God created the earth he spoke it into existence. Saying she was asleep was when the miracle happened? Or perhaps when he told Jarious to trust him. Either way when he said that, she was indead asleep.

Healed on the faith of those around her, intercessors.

Jesus perspective is not the same as ours. We are stuck in a bubble and things that look one way to us are not nessesarily all that way.
There is a reality of a spiritual battle that we hardly pay attention to.

+Woman+ emabarsed to come to jesus publicly with her problem, but still trusts in his power to heal.

Tried all the cures, the superstitous ones (ashes of an ostich egg in a linnen rag, barly corn found in dung of white female donkey)
spent all she had, worse off than before, but trusts completely that Jesus can heal her, even without being asked.

Disciples resort to common sence and it fails them. They think Jesus is full of it because everybody was touching him. They fail to see the whole picture, that somebody touched him who really truly trusted for healing.

Did he know who it was? I'm sure he did, but he wanted her to confess - test her faith.

IveGotToTellSomebody

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