XIV. Events Preceding the Crisis at Capernaum

52. On the Way to Jairus’ House

        ²¹And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side (from Gerasa back to Capernaum), a great crowd gathered about him; and he was beside the sea. ²²Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and seeing him, he fell at his feet, ²³and besought him, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.” ²⁴And he went with him.
        And a great crowd followed and thronged about him. ²⁵There was a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years, ²⁶and who had suffered much under many physicians. She had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. ²⁷She had heard the reports about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. ²⁸For she said, “If I touch even the hem of his garment, I shall be made whole.” ²⁹And immediately the hemorrhage ceased; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.
        ³⁰And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone forth from him, immediately turned about in the crowd, and said, “Who touched my garments?”
        ³¹And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, 'Who touched me?'”
        ³²And he looked around to see who had done it. ³³But the woman, knowing what had been done to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. ³⁴And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you whole;^a go in peace.”
        (Mk. 5:21–34)

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a   “your faith has made you whole”—This incident is a very clear example of the healing power of living faith. It required only the contact of the woman's faith with the person of Jesus and a miraculous healing was effected. Jesus was not even aware of the healing, nor did he consciously will it; creative power went out from him in response to the woman's faith. Jesus uses this incident to emphasize that faith had wrought the cure; he did not want others to think that her superstition in associating the cure with the touching of his garment had been effective. He announces to the woman and the great crowd that thronged about him, “your faith has made you whole.”

Mk. 5:21  side (from Geresa back to Capernaum), a (See Ch. 51) / side, a (RSV) Mk. 5:25  There / And there (RSV)
Mk. 5:26  physicians. She / physicians and she (KJV)
Mk. 5:28  even the hem of his garment, I / even his garments, I (RSV) • made whole (KJV) / made well (RSV)
Mk. 5:34  you whole; (KJV) / you well; (RSV) • peace." / peace, and be healed of your disease." (RSV)   (152:0/1698)

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