In our study of Mark chapter five, we will look at three miracles and how Jesus did them to demonstrate His complete divine authority. We will see how Jesus has been given authority over spiritual things as well as physical, even death.
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Yeshua and his talmidim arrived at the other side of the lake, in the Gerasenes' territory.
Gerasa and Gedara were cities to the southeast between the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea. They were a part of what was known as the Decapolis (ten cities) and this area was on the east side of the Jordan River. Gad (one of the twelve tribes) had chosen the wrong side of the Jordan when God had given His people the promised land.
As soon as he disembarked, a man with an unclean spirit came out of the burial caves to meet him.
Jesus was met by a demon-possessed man when He got out of the boat. In chapter four, He had demonstrated His authority over the earth (nature) when He calmed the storm on the sea. Now, we are introduced to a man that was used to living among the dead. This would have been considered an unclean place by the Jews and yet this man lived there.
He lived in the burial caves; and no one could keep him tied up, not even with a chain. He had often been chained hand and foot, but he would snap the chains and break the irons off his feet, and no one was strong enough to control him. Night and day he wandered among the graves and through the hills, howling and gashing himself with stones.
We see that this man displayed superhuman strength as he would break the chains that were used to bind him. That is a good reminder of the fact that, just because power is demonstrated, it does not mean that it is of God. This is the same thing that happened in the days before the flood as people like this were "the heroes of old, men of renown" (see Genesis 6). We also see two characteristics of a man that is possessed by demons. The first is the fact that he is restless as we see with this man and the fact that he cried out night and day. This restlessness (lack of peace) is not of God. The second characteristic that we see is an attempt to hurt himself and we are reminded that the devil's purpose is to kill and destroy.
Seeing Yeshua from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him and screamed at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Yeshua, Son of God Ha`Elyon? I implore you in God's name! Don't torture me!" For Yeshua had already begun saying to him, "Unclean spirit, come out of this man!"
This man ran to Jesus and worshiped as he fell to his knees and even tried to speak but the demon took over his voice. In this, we once again see Satan trying to imitate the things of God as, in this case, he is imitating the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
Yeshua asked him, "What's your name?" "My name is Legion," he answered, "there are so many of us"; and he kept begging Yeshua not to send them out of that region. Now there was a large herd of pigs feeding near the hill, and the unclean spirits begged him, "Send us to the pigs, so we can go into them." Yeshua gave them permission. They came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering around two thousand, rushed down the hillside into the lake and were drowned.
It seems kind of weird but Jesus has a conversation with the demons that were inside the man. Imagine what was going through the minds of the disciples as they stood there and listened. We notice that they had to ask for permission to do anything and it is a reminder of Jesus' authority over all the spiritual realms as well as nature.
The swineherds fled and told it in the town and in the surrounding country, and the people went to see what had happened. They came to Yeshua and saw the man who had had the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were frightened.
Those that witnessed this ran to spread the news of what had happened and the people gathered to see if it was true.
Those who had seen it told what had happened to the man con trolled by demons and to the pigs; and the people began begging Yeshua to leave their district.
Once again, we see that the people were looking for physical healing but wanted no part of the spiritual.
As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been demonized begged him to be allowed to go with him. But Yeshua would not permit it. Instead, he said to him, "Go home to your people, and tell them how much ADONAI in his mercy has done for you." He went off and began proclaiming in the Ten Towns how much Yeshua had done for him, and everyone was amazed.
Here, we see the effects of being saved. First, we see that the man did not want to be left behind as he wanted to go and be near Jesus. It is the same with us today in that, when we truly come to Christ, there will be a desire to go and walk with him. Next, we see that Jesus told him to go and tell his family and others about what had been done for him. That is what we call a testimony and the man went and did so out of gratitude for what Jesus had done for him. He willing obeyed what Jesus told him to do. Finally, we see that God was glorified and those that heard about what He had done were amazed. There are many, today, that want to take what God is doing and use it for their own glory but that is not the purpose of the miracle or telling others about it.
Yeshua crossed in the boat to the other side of the lake, and a great crowd gathered around him. There came to him a synagogue official, Ya'ir by name, who fell at his feet and pleaded desperately with him, "My little daughter is at the point of death. Please! Come and lay your hands on her, so that she will get well and live!"
We must remember that the religious leaders had opposed Jesus but, now, here comes one of them to see Jesus. Once again, the people were focused on the physical healing as Jairus wanted Jesus to keep her from dying.
He went with him; and a large crowd followed, pressing all around him.
In this, Jesus demonstrates love for your enemy as the religious leaders opposed Him but He still went with the man to help his daughter.
Among them was a woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years and had suffered a great deal under many physicians. She had spent her life savings; yet instead of improving, she had grown worse.
In this crowd was a woman who was suffering from a physical problem. She had been suffering for twelve years and we are reminded that the number twelve is associated with divine authority throughout the Bible. The doctors couldn't help so she came to Jesus out of desperation.
She had heard about Yeshua, so she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his robe; for she said, "If I touch even his clothes, I will be healed." Instantly the hemorrhaging stopped, and she felt in her body that she had been healed from the disease.
Out of faith, the woman simply touched Jesus' cloak and was healed. We notice that there was no big "healing service" or some other scheduled event but simply a woman coming to Jesus by faith. It did not take another person to do something for her or a donation or anything else but faith.
At the same time, Yeshua, aware that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?" His talmidim responded, "You see the people pressing in on you; and still you ask, `Who touched me?'"
When Jesus asked who had touched Him, the disciples did not understand how He knew that one person had when He was in a crowd. They did not understand the power of a touch of faith. It was the faith of the woman that set her touch apart from the rest of the crowd and it is that same faith in Jesus Christ that sets us apart from the rest of the world.
But he kept looking around to see who had done it. The woman, frightened and trembling, because she knew what had happened to her, came and fell down in front of him and told him the whole truth. "Daughter," he said to her, "your trust has healed you. Go in peace, and be healed of your disease."
In this miracle, we see that Jesus not only had authority in the spiritual realm but also in the physical realm. The doctors had tried to free her and she had given all that she had but it was only her touch of faith that could provide the cure. In this, we see that the power of God is unleashed when we step out in faith just as the woman had done.
While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue official's house came, saying, "Your daughter has died. Why bother the rabbi any longer?" Ignoring what they had said, Yeshua told the synagogue official, "Don't be afraid, just keep trusting."
Now, Jairus finds out that his daughter has already died so the men had given up hope. Meanwhile, Jesus simply encouraged him to have the same touch of faith that the woman had demonstrated. Have people given up on you? Have you given up hope for someone else? If so, the words that Jesus shared with Jairus are for you as well. If we trust in Him and understand that He has complete authority, then, it is not too late.
He let no one follow him except Kefa, Ya`akov and Yochanan, Ya`akov's brother. When they came to the synagogue official's house, he found a great commotion, with people weeping and wailing loudly.
Why did Jesus only allow these three to follow Him to the house? We can assume that He wanted them to see and learn more about His authority. When they arrived there was great mourning as it seems that we all cry a little more for the children that pass away.
On entering, he said to them, "Why all this commotion and weeping? The child isn't dead, she's just asleep!" And they jeered at him.
Jesus often taught by asking questions and, here, we see the method again. They laughed at Him when He said that she was sleeping because they did not realize that His authority even extends to life and death. Its not over until Jesus says its over.
But he put them all outside, took the child's father and mother and those with him, and went in where the child was. Taking her by the hand, he said to her, "Talita, kumi!" (which means, "Little girl, I say to you, get up!").
Jesus sent all of the mourners outside and went to the little girl. We notice that Jesus did not put on a big show but simply ordered death to depart and the girl to get up. God is using many signs and wonders in these last days but we must remember that the display of God's power is not to be a big show. That is not how Jesus worked and it is not what He wants from us.
At once the girl got up and began walking around; she was twelve years old. Everybody was utterly amazed.
This third miracle displays Jesus' complete authority as He can even reverse the effects of death. When we realize this fact, we can walk in confidence as we know that Jesus has control of all of our days. We also notice that the girl was twelve years old and we might ask ourselves what the significance of this is. We noticed that Jesus called her a little girl and not a woman and, in Matthew 19:14, He said that the kingdom belonged to them. This is what is commonly called the age of accountability and answers the question of where do little children go who could not confess the name of Jesus.
He gave them strict orders to say nothing about this to anyone, and told them to give her something to eat.
Jesus was already being swamped by crowds looking for physical healing so we can only imagine what the crowds would have been like if this miracle was announced. Jesus knew what would happen and so He told them to keep it to themselves. We also see that Jesus told them to feed her and are reminded of the fact that Jesus gives life but tells us to take care of it. When we are given new life through Him, He expects us to feed ourselves too so that we will be healthy. This speaks of taking care of our physical body until He calls us home as well as taking care of our spiritual health by feeding on God's Word.
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