Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Read Mark 5:21-34

Healing Jairus’ daughter and a woman with a hemorrhage

Background: This passage is the first 2 parts of a Mark’s sandwich, a literary device in 3 parts of the form ABA. Story A begins, is interrupted by story B and then story A is completed. Mark evidently uses this device for comparison and contrast and to convey meaning beyond that of either story separately.

Commentary: As the passage begins Jesus (probably with his disciples) returns to the west side of the Sea of Galilee, the Jewish side. Jairus, a leader of the synagogue, begs Jesus to heal his daughter, who was at the point of death and Jesus goes with him. On the way Jesus feels a touch at his cloak which the disciples find hard to believe because he is surrounded by a crowd. The woman with the hemorrhage finds that she is healed by this touch and confesses. Jesus addresses her as daughter (a comparison with Jairus’ daughter?) and attributes her healing to her faith. The woman’s illness had made her an outcast by purity laws but Jesus addresses her as family. Her social status seems to be Mark’s deliberate contrast with that of Jairus. Is this anticipation that the last in social status will be first in the Kingdom of God?

Reflection for Lent: How do I meet and greet those of obviously lower social status? Do I see Jesus in those I talk with?

Prayer: Lord, thanks for Mark’s word and your gift of Jesus. Help me to know, to realize, and to act as if any I encounter are members of your family.

Amen.

Jim Langworthy