Day 36, Mark 5
We said we would return to the account of the demonized man and the herd of pigs one more time. Mark supplies us with a poignant addition to the story: after he is set free, this man (remember there were two according to Matthew’s account of this episode) asks to go with Jesus. Clearly, he sees that his life will be transformed from this moment forward, and he wants to follow the man who made it possible. It is also possible that he doesn’t want to stay in the place where so many will recall his past behavior: lurking naked in the graveyard, shrieking and cutting himself! Shame can often exercise a powerful influence on us.
But Jesus is confident of the transformation in the man. He doesn’t need to stay with Jesus to stay free; instead he can travel freely around that region and testify to the transformation one encounter with God can bring. As a result, all the people in ten cities marvel at the power of God to set free a man who had previously been famous for all the wrong reasons! Don’t doubt the possibility of total, redemptive transformation!
Mark also records his perspective on two further miracles we have already discussed. Again we see life-giving and faith-strengthening details in Mark’s fast-paced account. The woman with the continuous bleeding slipped through the crowds to touch the tassels on the fringe of Jesus’ tallit: the prayer shawl worn by observant Jews, especially rabbis. That faith - to believe God would heal her with just a touch of His garment, was impressive to Jesus. He gave her peace and freedom from suffering along with the physical healing. Implied in that is release from the religious rejection that came with the bleeding. This woman had been excluded from worship for twelve years as a result of her condition!
And that was the same length of time that the daughter of Jairus, the synagogue leader, lived before she died. As Jesus brought an end to the woman’s exclusion, the little girl lost her life. But Jesus does not measure in wins and losses: everyone benefits from the life of God when Jesus is here. He says to the dead girl ‘Talitha koum’ which is Aramaic for ‘wake up sweetheart.’ But in Hebrew, talitha is the same root as tallit - the prayer shawl the woman had touched to receive her healing. Maybe Jesus laid that same tallit over the girl’s dead body?
Either way, there is no room for death when the Prince of Life comes to you. Tell someone that good news today!
Have a great day!
Mark.