Friday 12 June 2020

Reflecting on Mark's Gospel - Mark 5:21-24


The latter part of what we have as Mark 5 tells two stories of healing, one of a little girl, identified only as the daughter of Jairus, and the other of an unnamed woman with a long-term medical problem, probably gynaecological. The latter effectively interrupts the former, and the former is, of course, really rather more than a healing, as the little girl is raised from death.

But that is all still to come. Here, as these two encounters begin to unfold, Jesus, having re-crossed the lake by boat, is met by a great crowd. His reputation as a preacher, a healer, and one who can cast out unclean spirits is building. Among this particular crowd is one of the leaders of the local synagogue, a man named Jairus. Jairus has come to Jesus because he is desperate. It is interesting that folk often only think of turning to God when they are desperate. If that were us, we would probably be annoyed and frustrated, but I am not sure that it bothers God. God’s love is so overwhelming that we are welcomed as we are and whenever we come to God.

I think that there are two interesting thing here. One is the identity question. In the patriarchal society in which Jesus lived, women are often unnamed. It is significant that Jesus often pays attention to the anonymous members of society. We know that this little girl’s daddy was called Jairus, but we have no idea as to her name. The second thing is that Jairus himself came to Jesus. He was an important person at a difficult moment.  As William Barclay (Daily Study Bible – The Gospel of Mark) points out – “it is rather strange that he came himself and did not send a messenger. It seems unlikely that he would consent to leave his  daughter when she was on the point of death. Maybe he came because no one else would go.”

I wonder who are the anonymous and marginalised members of our society who we should be looking out for, and even getting to know. I wonder whether we truly recognise our need of God or whether we need to get a bit more desperate first.

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