COMMENTARY ON MARK
LESSON NUMBER 56
“ Mark 5:35 While He yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? 36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. 37 And He suffered no man to follow Him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.” (Mark 5:35-37; Luke 8:49-51)
JAIRUS AND HIS DAUGHTER, #4
JAIRUS IS TESTED, SOME DISCIPLES PRIVILEGED
INTRODUCTION
Men often philosophize about what Jesus would do under this or that circumstance. In recent years it became fashionable for some to wear a bracelet with the initials “WWJD” – what would Jesus do? It was designed to encourage men to reexamine their conduct in the light of Jesus Christ. While there may be some measured value to such an approach to life, the Gospel record declares what Jesus actually did do. When that record is believed (John 20:31; 1 John 5:10), a certain impression is made by the Holy Spirit upon the heart, soul, and mind, so that the individual begins to think and act differently. John referred to this as having “life through His name.” This circumstance accomplishes what no slogan, philosophy, or discipline can do. When the truth of this registers upon the conscience, it transforms the way in which we view the accounts of Christ’s working among men, as He “went about doing good, and healing all that were possessed of the devil” (Acts 10:38). That is how we want to approach texts like the one we are presently considering. There are nourishing spiritual nougats here that will accomplish two things. First, they will acquaint us with how the Lord thinks, speaks, and acts. We will also become familiar with the way He works, how He approaches our difficulties, and how He brings His people into involvement with Himself.
JAIRUS’ FAITH IS TESTED
“ Mk 5:35 While He yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?”
WHILE HE YET SPAKE. On the way to Jairus’ house, a woman with a twelve-year issue of blood had made her way through the crowd and touched the hem of Jesus’ garment. Jesus sensed someone had touched Him, and that virtue had gone out from Him. Calling out, “Who touched Me,” Jesus has drawn the woman out of the crowd, and she has told Him all the truth concerning her approach to Him and her healing. The Lord is in the process of speaking to her, informing her that he faith has made her whole, and that she can go in peace. Now, while He is speaking to the woman, there is another seeming interruption. First, the cause of Jairus’ was interrupted, and now the dialog with the healed woman is also interrupted. It should be apparent that no single person ever becomes the solitary object of Divine attention. There is a heavenly agenda that is being served, and it is larger than any one of us. Thus Jesus taught us to pray, “THY will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt 6:10).
It is good for each of us to learn to yield to the Lord’s priorities, even if it seems as though His attention is being drawn away from us. Jairus had to yield to the woman with the issue of blood, and now she must yield to the case of Jairus. No one can keep the Master to himself, or constrain Him to conduct the affairs of the Kingdom with him alone in mind.
THERE CAME ONE. The messenger has come from Jairus’ house, a first-hand witness. Mark says “certain” came from Jairus’ house. Luke says “there cometh one” from his house (Lk 8:49). The fact that this person came while Jesus was speaking to the woman is not a coincidence. This messenger did not arrive until a work of mercy had been done in the presence of Jairus, the testimony of the one on whom it was worked has been given, and Jesus has accounted for the work, sending the woman away in peace and with the assurance that all will be well from that time forward.
THY DAUGHTER IS DEAD. What shattering news this was – at least from the human point of view: “Thy daughter is dead!” From an earthly perspective, the news was not good news at all. In fact, if it was delivered in the presence of anyone but Jesus, it would only have been tragic. Further, this news comes after what appeared to be a delay – something like Jesus tarrying for “two days” when He heard of the sickness of Lazarus (John 11:6).
Circumstances tend to blind us. By nature, the mind of man does not process tragedy well. This is one of the liabilities of living at a distance from the Lord, not drawing nigh to Him. Those choosing to live in aloofness from the Lord will generally arrive at the wrong conclusion when they hear distressing news. Judging according to appearance never leads to a right assessment, and thus can never produce a proper conclusion. That is why Jesus said, “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment” (John 7:24).
I do not know how much time was involved in the incident of the woman with the issue of blood. However, I do not doubt that it was long enough to cause “the flesh” to wonder why it had taken place at all. In this case, however, we will find the triumph of mercy, for the flesh never does assert itself in Jairus. By the grace of God, Jairus was willingly with Jesus when he got the news, and thus he will ultimately be able to react to it in a proper manner.
It ought to be said that this is another benefit of walking “in the light as He is in the light.” Not only do we experience fellowship with one another, and the continual cleansing of the blood of Christ (1 John 1:7), there is also the presence of peace, stability, readiness to believe, and an assurance that nothing is “too hard from the Lord” (Gen 18:14). I am persuaded that much, if not all, wayward thinking and erratic behavior is the direct result of ignoring the fellowship of Jesus, and choosing to walk in the darkness. If, on the other hand, we zealously seek to “win Christ,” and be “found in Him” (Phil 3:8-9), troubling news and distressing circumstances will not derail us, even though they are by no means pleasant.
WHY TROUBLEST THOU THE MASTER? Luke has them saying, “Trouble not the Master.” It is as though they said, “The situation now reaches beyond the ability of the Master, so there is no further need to involve Him.” This is how flesh reasons, even though the person may not actually say these words. Perhaps a person has been taught that Jesus simply does not do things like this any longer. It is even possible that the individual has never consciously thought of Christ as resolving the impossible.
Up to this point, Jesus had only raised the dead son of the widow of Nain (Lk 7:12-15). Following that event, the news of it spread throughout “all Judea, and throughout all the region round about” (Lk 7:17). Perhaps the news had not yet reached Jairus’ house, which was in Galilee. Palestine was divided into three divisions: Galilee, Judea, and Samaria. Perhaps the news had not yet reached Galilee. Hope cannot thrive without a word concerning Jesus!
Note, they referred to Jesus as “Master,” or teacher. They apparently did not associate Him with the miraculous, or with great power, else they would have called Him “Lord.”
ONLY BELIEVE!
“ 36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.”
AS SOON AS JESUS HEARD THE WORD. Luke records, “But when Jesus heard it” (Lk 8:50). The word was not delivered to Jesus, but to Jairus; yet Jesus heard it. Even when He walked among men in the flesh, Jesus was always aware of what was around Him, including what men had to say. Therefore, being with Him brought Divine remedies and assurances closer to those who walked in company with Him.
If there is distressing news that is coming to you, it is best to hear it while you are with Jesus. As simplistic as that may seem, multitudes never think in such a manner. They live as though it was impossible to ever receive any bad news, and thus they are always startled out of their whits when it comes, resorting to murmuring and complaining as soon as they hear morose tidings.
HE SAYS TO THE RULER. Jesus preempts any response by Jairus, at once responding to Jairus himself. The Lord does not respond to the messenger, but to Jairus, the one who had first informed him of the need. Neither, does He wait to see how Jairus will respond, as He did when He looked about for the woman who had just touched Him (Mk 5:32). Instead, He takes control of the situation, injecting Himself into it, even though the messenger appears to have not given a thought to the One who was with Jairus, whom he had referred to as “the Master.” That courier could not apparently associate Jesus with raising the dead, even though he seemed able to relate Him to healing the sick. It ought to be noted that we must wholeheartedly endeavor to think of Jesus as having “all power” (Matt 28:18), and being “over all” (Rom 9:5).
It is quite true that God expects appropriate responses from His people. When He speaks, He expects them to hear (Heb 12:25). When He commands, He expects them to obey (Acts 5:32; Heb 5:9). When He calls, He expects them to answer (2 Thess 2:14). However, it is quite possible for someone else to bring evil tidings to you, and Jesus answer, precluding any response from you. Here is a case in point, so that we need not doubt this to be the case.
BE NOT AFRAID. Mark reads, “Be not afraid.” Luke reads, “Fear not” (Lk 8:50). The phrase “Be not afraid” means to not be frightened away, put to flight, or forced to flee out of a sense of overwhelming alarm. The idea is that Jairus was not to allow fear to cause him to react foolishly, giving up hope, leaving Jesus, speaking rashly, or some other expression of unbelief.
After Jesus walked among men, “be not afraid” or “fear not,” was often addressed to those who were confronting the Lord Himself (Matt 14:27; 17:7; 28:10; Mk 6:50; Lk 5:10; John 6:20). Here, however, it is the circumstance itself that is not to be feared. Prior to Jesus, not fearing was almost always associated with adverse or overwhelming circumstances (Ex 20:10; Deut 1:21; 20:1,3; Josh 1:9; Judges 6:10; 2 Kgs 1:15; 2 Chron 20:15).
Here, the Lord admonishes Jairus not to fear because of the news that he had heard. What is there about such circumstances that can cause fear to rise up within us? It is that there are things we confront that exceed our aptitude, and flesh trembles when that happens. When men are faced with things that transcend their own ability, and they know it, they are not challenged to resist, but moved to “fear.” Now Jesus challenges Jairus by telling him to respond to this news in a way that contradicts and neutralizes fear. You may rest assured that this word is accompanied with Divine power, so that it becomes doable.
ONLY BELIEVE. “Only believe!” Luke reads, “believe only” (Lk 8:50). There are people who cannot say these words: “only believe.” They insist on saying “believe and” in every instance, as though believing must always be coupled with something else. However, God can introduce us to circumstances where believing is all that we can do. This is such an instance.
The word “only” means “alone (without a companion),” THAYER and “without accompaniment,” FRIBERG Other versions read, “only have faith,” BBE “just have faith,” NAB “just trust Me,” NLT and “only keep on believing.” AMPLIFIED This is the only text in all of Scripture where these precise words are found – and they came from the mouth of Jesus Himself. However, when you consider the announcement Jesus has just made to the healed woman – “thy faith hath made thee whole” – this word is seen with refreshing fulness and clarity. In this case, believing is really all that is necessary, or even possible.
A parallel word was spoken by Jesus to the man with a possessed son: “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth” (Mk 9:23). Another example of the absolute uniqueness of believing is found in our father Abraham. “Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness” (Rom 4:3; Gen 15:6). At the time God delivered the promise of multitudinous offspring to Abraham, believing is all that he could do. All other responses were rendered impotent by the greatness of the promise. When James said Abraham was “justified by works,” he referred to an incident that took place more than thirty years after the occasion when Abraham “believed God” and it was counted to him for righteousness (James2:21). That event confirmed Abraham’s faith.
“Only believe” means precisely that! Concentrate on believing! Throw yourself into it! There are truly occasions when that is really all that you can do – yea, must do!