"A Reasonable Delay" (Luke 8:40-56)

In Luke 8 we’ve seen Jesus’ authority over the ‘wind and waves’ and over the ‘unseen spiritual forces’. In this story we see the authority of Jesus over ‘sickness and death’. See Luke 8:40–56. 

 In this story, Jairus, the synagogue ruler is desperate. He comes to Jesus, not to find fault as many religious leaders did, but heart-broken over his dying daughter. The girl is twelve years old and she’s Jairus’ only daughter. Jairus seeks out Jesus and falls at Jesus' feet pleading for Jesus to heal his dying daughter. That Jairus humbles himself before Jesus is remarkable considering that Jewish leaders where often opposed to Jesus. Jairus pleads with Jesus demonstrating both a sense of dependency and a sense of urgency.

Jesus heads out towards Jairus’ house, and as he went the crowd was pressing in him. Among the crowd was a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. No one could heal her and her bleeding made her unclean. This meant that she was forced to live an isolated life separated from community. Seeking to be anonymous she comes up behind Jesus and touches his cloak. Instantly, her bleeding stopped and Jesus asks, “Who touched me?” Everyone denied it and Peter said incredulously, “Master, the crowd is pressing against you.”  But Jesus insisted that he’d been touched for power had gone out from him. Realizing she was detected, she falls trembling at Jesus’ feet unaware of how Jesus would react. She tells everyone why she had touched Jesus and how she was instantly healed. Then Jesus calling her ‘Daughter’, that her faith had healed her and to go in peace (8:43-48).  

Before Jesus finished talking a messenger from Jarius’ house arrives and tells Jairus that his daughter has died. Now his daughter is dead, and this woman whose condition was serious but not urgent had delayed Jesus. Surely Jairus would have been tempted to question Jesus and to resent the woman. Jairus had been trusting Jesus to heal his dying daughter, but now Jesus challenges him 'not to fear' but to believe that Jesus could 'raise her from the dead’. The incident delayed Jesus, but it also was a testimony to Jairus of a faith that touches Jesus and his restorative power. Now, Jairus needs to tell himself that if this woman was healed by touching Jesus’ cloak, what could happen if Jesus voluntarily goes to Jairus' house to touch the dead girl? Jairus would have known that God had enabled Elijah and Elisha to restore the lives of two young boys (1 Kings 17:17–24; 2 Kings 4:18–37). Could Jesus do the same thing for Jairus?

Luke highlights Jesus’ care for a woman who most people overlooked. Her condition rendered her culturally and religiously excluded from community for twelve years. Jesus was as concerned for her as he was for ruler of the synagogue. This woman had physically suffered and lived in isolation for twelve years. Yet, Jesus stops and rewards her faith. She sought to remain anonymous, but by bringing the event out into the open Jesus made it possible for her to reconnect with the local community. Jesus shows no favouritism here. The synagogue ruler would need exercise the kind of faith that the woman had demonstrated. Jesus called the woman ‘daughter’ and if Jairus would believe Jesus his own daughter would be healed as well.

When they arrive at Jairus’ house, Jesus only allows Peter, John and James, and the child’s parents inside. Jesus tells the mourners to stop wailing because the girl is not dead but asleep. But they laugh because they know that she is dead (8:51-54). When inside the house Jesus touches the girl telling her to get up like a parent might wake a child from sleep. The girl’s spirit returns to her body, she stands up, and Jesus tells them to give her something to eat. Then Jesus ‘orders’ the astonished parents not to tell anyone what had happened. Remember that between the crowds and the growing opposition from the political and religious leaders it was getting increasingly difficult for Jesus to move around.

In the story the Jesus calls he woman ‘daughter’ and commends her for her faith. Then Jesus challenges Jairus to believe that Jesus can restore Jairus’ daughter even from death. The healing of Jairus’ daughter was delayed, but the healing of the woman was to be an aid to Jarius. If just touching Jesus could heal the woman, than what could happen if Jesus himself touches Jairus’ dead little girl? Note that touching the bleeding woman would have made Jesus ‘unclean’, which is likely why the woman sought to remain hidden. Touching the dead girl, would have also made Jesus unclean, but Jesus went against the taboo in order to impart life and restoration.

Luke’s gospel and this story in particular demonstrate the ‘love and compassion of Jesus’ for women. Here Jesus takes their ritual pollution upon himself in order to enable them to overcome sickness and death. Jesus values them and reaches out bringing life to an otherwise hopeless situation. Even today, Jesus reaches out to us with all our ills and problems encouraging us to not be afraid. Into an otherwise hopeless situation our Lord Jesus exercises his authority over ‘sickness and death’ and both the twelve year old girl and the woman who suffered for twelve years receive Jesus’ health and wholeness.