Conversations: Jesus and … Jairus

(Matthew 9:18,19, 23–26; Mark 5:21–24, 35–43; Luke 8:40–42, 49–56)

In 2011, St Peter’s Lutheran Church in Loxton staged an Easter play called “Anna’s Hope”, a Little Town Production. Some of you may have even been fortunate to see it! The play was based on the meeting of Jairus and Jesus leading to the healing of Jairus’ daughter whom the writer named Anna. It was exceptionally poignant and left one with the questions: Who is this man Jesus? How does he have the power over death? Why did he not heal the little girl when she was just sick, rather than wait until she had died and was pronounced dead by the family and friends? Following the writer’s storyline with licence taken from the biblical story, each character struggled to understand and the whole story of Jairus was brought to life.

Three of the Gospels record this story… so it must be important!

Read together Luke 8:40–42, 49–56 – The story of the healing of Jairus’ daughter

Now read Luke 8:43–48

Why do you think that all three Gospel writers break up this story with the story of the bleeding woman?

This meeting and miracle of healing the bleeding woman was spoken about in the Bible studies of July in Lutheran Women. Let me just say, the woman had a condition that could not be healed by the physicians of the day, and she had suffered with it for 12 years. But it was by her faith in Jesus that she was pronounced healed.

Talk about how the faith of the woman related to Jairus’ faith? Is it a similar faith?

Did Jairus truly believe Jesus could heal his daughter, or was he just covering all the bases as nothing else worked?

Let’s now go back to the beginning of the story.

Have three people read the following verses one after another:

Matthew 9:18,19

Mark 5:21–24

Luke 8:40–42

What are two things that the Gospel writers have in common?

(a ruler came to Jesus and knelt before him, and Jesus went with him)

Go through each one now and find all the differences. Why do you think there are the differences?

One of the differences that automatically struck me was in the Gospel of Matthew, the little girl had already died. In the other two she was dying. Matthew and Mark also state some of the words of Jairus, sharing the faith he had in Jesus: come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live. (Mark 5:23b) Jairus was faced with the mortality of his daughter. He would believe anything and anyone who said that they could heal his only daughter whom he loved.

Have you been faced with this situation of losing a loved one? Have you pleaded and bargained with Jesus to bring them back to you? Where did you find your peace?

Have three people read each one of these texts one after another:

Matthew 9:23–26

Mark 5:35–43

Luke 8:49–56

Jesus was distracted in his journey to Jairus’ house by the bleeding woman. You can imagine Jairus trying to hurry Jesus knowing that every second counted in his daughter’s life. Even the disciples were getting a little “antsy” with Jesus who kept being deviated from the task at hand. This can be heard in Peter’s response after the woman touched Jesus’ cloak. Finally, when Jesus and company continued on their way, Jairus got the worst news: his daughter had died. (In Matthew 9:23–26 this part of the story was not mentioned as the girl was dead before Jairus came to Jesus).

Which version of the story from Matthew, Mark, or Luke appeals to you most?

Which version is the most impacting?

Jesus’ response to the news of the girl’s death was dismissive (Mark and Luke). “Don’t listen to them. They don’t know what they are talking about?” Jesus also encourages Jairus in his faith to believe in him. That is where Jairus should concentrate – Jesus is coming to the rescue … believe it!

The different Gospels refer several times to Jairus being a “synagogue ruler”.

[Break up into groups of two to three people and answer the following questions, then come back as a large group and discuss them]

Why would they mention Jairus being a synagogue ruler? Why is this important?

Think about and discuss the significance also of Jesus entering a synagogue ruler’s house.

Who did Jesus say he was and why he had come to earth? (Luke 19:10)

Discuss what the Jews believed and what they were waiting for. (John 9:22)

Jesus, even at this stage, didn’t stop on his mission to help Jairus. Also, whenever he spoke to Jairus he spoke personally to him (a grieving father) not to all the others standing around. His focus was entirely on the father of the girl. When he reached the house, he only invited a couple disciples (Peter, James and John) and the parents into the girl’s room. He sent everyone else out of the room. In those days a funeral was a noisy affair – wailing, music, noisy prayers, which continued for seven days. The body was usually buried the same day as death due to the heat and decomposition process, but the grieving continued.

Why do you think Jesus only had a few in the room?

As the child had already died before Jesus entered the room, you can assume that family members were already washing, dressing and anointing the body already for burial. So, she truly was dead. And so, when Jesus said to Jairus and the others that she was only sleeping, you can imagine the scoffing and it says in the passages: “But they laughed at him.” (Mark 5:40a).

Imagine the impact when Jesus spoke with authority and said:

Matthew 9:25

Mark 5:41

Luke 8:54

Imagine you were there in the room with Jesus at this point. What would be the first words you would say? What would you say to Jesus?

In the Gospels of Mark and Luke, Jesus tells the parents to give the little girl something to eat.

He also “ordered” the people not to tell anyone else.

Why did he request food for the girl?

When else did Jesus eat something to prove life? (Read: Luke 24:36–43)

Why do you think he ordered them not to tell others of this miracle?

It is all in God’s timing. I’m sure we have heard it said, “If it is God’s will”. But one thing I always question: “What actually is God’s will?” This sure will be something I ask him when I get to heaven! God’s timing, purpose and plans are often very different from ours, but his purpose is always for his glory (Read: John 11:4; 1 Corinthians 10:31; 2 Corinthians 1:20). God is working for us and in us for his good pleasure (Read: Philippians 2:13), and he often uses time, circumstances, and goes through a process to have us realise that we can’t do things by ourselves, we need to rely and rest on him entirely (Read: 2 Corinthians 3:5; 2 Corinthians 12:9).

So, do not fear, but keep believing!

Prayer: Loving Jesus, you speak to us through the Bible in the stories of your life and how you related to people in your day. We know that you also speak to us today through the miracles and stories. Help us know and understand your love for each of us and your compassion when hard times and even grief enter our lives. Give us faith to believe, for in you all things are made new. In your name, Amen.

Pray the Lord’s Prayer to finish

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