JESUS DEMONSTRATES HIS POWER AND AUTHORITY OVER A REGIMENT OF EVIL SPIRITS (5:1-20). The incident we are now about to examine raises the question as to the existence of evil spirits. But this is something never doubted anywhere in the Bible. It is not constantly stressed, but there is the clear indi... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And they came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gerasenes.' ‘The country of the Gerasenes.' Differing manuscripts and versions have different names for the area in mind, probably mainly because of the later difficulty of identification - Gerasenes, Gergesenes, Gadarenes, Gergust... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when he was come out of the boat immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling among the tombs, and no man could any more bind him, no, not with a chain. For he had often been bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by hi... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when he saw Jesus from afar he ran and fell on his knees before Him.' This amplifies ‘met Him' in Mark 5:2 (after the diversion in Mark 5:3). Compare on this Mark 3:11. It may be that his original intention was to attack the party, but that when they did not turn and flee as other men did, he... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And crying out with a loud voice, he says, “What have I to do with you, Jesus, you Son of the Most High God. I adjure you by God do not torment me”, for he was saying to him, “come forth, you unclean spirit out of the man”.' The order of the words illustrates Mark's emphasis. This man had almost c... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he asked him, “What is your name?” ' By now Jesus had recognised that He was dealing with an unusual situation of a plurality of evil spirits and His request was therefore in order to discover exactly with whom or what He was dealing. He directed His question to the man but it was essentially... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.' Once they had admitted that there were many of them they recognised that Jesus did not require their names in order to cast them out. He could command them all at a word. So the man, still controlled by the evil spirits... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Now there was there on the mountainside a great herd of pigs feeding, and they begged him, saying, “Send us into the pigs that we may enter them.” And he gave them permission.' This was their last desperate throw. Surely He would not mind them entering into the pigs? After all the God of the Jews... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And the unclean spirits came out and entered into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the slope into the sea, in number about two thousand. And they were choked in the sea.' The number of pigs confirmed the multiplicity of the evil spirits, and their behaviour confirmed to the watchers, including t... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And they that fed them fled and told it in the city and in the country, and they came to see what it was that had happened. And they come to Jesus and see the one who was possessed with devils sitting, clothed and in his right mind, even he who had the legion, and they were afraid. And those who sa... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And as he was entering the boat he who had been possessed with devils begged him that he might be with him. But he did not allow him, but says to him, “Go to your house, to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how he had mercy on you.” The healed man wished... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when Jesus had crossed over again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd was gathered to him, and he was by the sea, and there comes one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him he falls at his feet, and pleads with him, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS DEMONSTRATES HIS POWER AND AUTHORITY OVER LIFE AND DEATH (5:21-43). Having demonstrated His power over nature, and then over the world of evil spirits, Jesus will now demonstrate His power over life and death by the raising of Jairus' daughter. That she was truly dead is quite clear, and she... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he went with him, and a great crowd followed him, and they pressed in on him.' Jesus responded to his request, and the crowd naturally followed in order to see another miracle. Indeed He was surrounded by them as they moved along with Him, and they were pressing in close on Him not wanting to... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And a woman who had had emissions of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things under many doctors, and had spent all that she had, and was not any better but rather grew worse, having heard things about Jesus, came in the crowd behind and touched his clothing, for she said, “If I touch b... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And immediately the gushing of blood dried up and she felt in her body that she was healed of her curse.' The unbelievable happened. After all those long years she was healed. She knew it instantly. Who better than her? And she knew that the long years of torment were over. She was whole. She was... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And Jesus, immediately perceiving in himself that power had left him, turned himself about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my clothes?” ' Jesus knew instantly what had happened. Someone had come to Him in their need and had touched Him for healing. And He could not leave it at that. We learn h... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing in on you. Do you ask, ‘who touched me?' ” The disciples wondered what He was talking about. The crowds were constantly touching them, and pressing in on them. He had been touched a hundred times and more. The whole world was touching Him.... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he looked around to see her who had done this thing. And the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had been done to her, came and fell down before him and told him all the truth.' Jesus ignored their facile comment and continued to look searchingly, and the woman knew that she had no choi... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you whole. Go in peace and be whole from your curse”.' But Jesus was not angry. He wanted to help her. He did not want to leave her with some superstitious beliefs about His clothing. He wanted her to know that she had been healed, not just becaus... [ Continue Reading ]
‘While he yet spoke they come from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying, “Your daughter is dead. Why do you trouble the Master any further?” ' Jairus' feelings at the delay were probably indescribable. He knew how vital every second was. But now, impatiently restraining himself, what he feare... [ Continue Reading ]
ANALYSIS OF 5:35-43. a While He yet spoke they come from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying, “Your daughter is dead. Why do you trouble the Master any further?” (Mark 5:35). b But Jesus, overhearing the word spoken, says to the ruler of the synagogue, “Don't be afraid. Just go on believing... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But Jesus, overhearing the word spoken, says to the ruler of the synagogue, “Don't be afraid. Just go on believing.' Jesus overhears what is said. The verb parakousas means ‘to hear beside' and so could mean overhear or hear carelessly (and thus to disregard). The former is more likely here, altho... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he allowed no one to follow with him except Peter, and James and John, the brother of James.' The crowds were dismissed, and no doubt departed willingly. They recognised the respect due to the dead and it was now clear that there would be no miracle. But Jesus also left most of His disciples b... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And they come to the house of the ruler of the synagogue and he sees a tumult, and great weeping and wailing.' The funeral preparations had already begun, and that required loud and public mourning. This would include the presence of paid professional mourners to ensure that the dead were mourned... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when he was entered in he says to them, “Why do you make a tumult and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping.” And they laughed him to scorn.' ‘When He was entered in.' He said nothing to those who wept outside. They were just doing their job. But He wanted to give assurance to the family a... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But he, having put them all out, takes the father of the child, and her mother, and those who were with him, and goes in where the child was. And taking the child by the hand he says to her “Talitha cumi”, which is being interpreted, ‘Young woman, I say to you, arise'. And immediately the young wom... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And they were immediately filled with great amazement (amazed with a great amazement), and He gave them strict instructions (charged them much) that no man should know this.' This counters all arguments that Jesus knew that the girl had not really been dead. Jesus did not try to explain to them th... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he commanded that something should be given her to eat.' Almost an anticlimax. Ever thoughtful and compassionate Jesus suggested that she might be hungry and needed food. She had been ill for some time. This was a practical detail which stuck in the mind of an eyewitness. It adds nothing to th... [ Continue Reading ]