Matthew 9:18-26
The Great Physician
“18 While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live.” 19 So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples. 20 And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. 21 For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.” 22 But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour. 23 When Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, 24 He said to them, “Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping.” And they ridiculed Him. 25 But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 26 And the report of this went out into all that land.
There are two other Gospels that speak of this incident. The Apostle Peter gave Mark his review and the disciple Luke also recorded this same situation. So, let’s see what they say and then compare all three to gather more information.
Luke 8: 40 – 56, “40 So it was, when Jesus returned, that the multitude welcomed Him, for they were all waiting for Him. 41 And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell down at Jesus’ feet and begged Him to come to his house, 42 for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him. 43 Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, 44 came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped. 45 And Jesus said, “Who touched Me?” When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’” 46 But Jesus said, “Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.” 47 Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately. 48 And He said to her, “Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace.” 49 While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, “Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher.” 50 But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well.” 51 When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl. 52 Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, “Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.” 53 And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, “Little girl, arise.” 55 Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat. 56 And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened.
Mark 5:21-43, ““21 Now when Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a great multitude gathered to Him; and He was by the sea. 22 And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name. And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet 23 and begged Him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live.” 24 So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him. 25 Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, 26 and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. 28 For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.” 29 Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. 30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?” 31 But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’” 32 And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. 33 But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. 34 And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.” 35 While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” 36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid; only believe.” 37 And He permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James. 38 Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly. 39 When He came in, He said to them, “Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping.” 40 And they ridiculed Him. But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying. 41 Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, “Talitha, cumi,” which is translated, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” 42 Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were overcome with great amazement. 43 But He commanded them strictly that no one should know it, and said that something should be given her to eat.
When you put all three Gospel versions together the picture of what happened becomes clearer. Does it not?
Our Lord Jesus was in great demand by all those who needed Him to heal their physical problems. So, when He crossed over the Sea again, the crowd was waiting anxiously for Him.
The Gospel of Mark let’s us know this, “ 21 Now when Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a great multitude gathered to Him; and He was by the sea.
For those of you who are just now joining us in our studies of the Gospel, I want to repeat something to you that I have shared previously. It is this. I have observed that all the situations that come into our Lord Jesus’ life are planned out by the Holy Spirit. You see our Lord Jesus Is God’s Anointed – The Messiah. While our Lord Jesus travels from place to place our Wonderful Holy Spirit arranges situations which will show everyone a particular aspect of how our Magnificent Wonderful Master fulfills all.
Today we are going to see two women, one young and one old. Some might say, ‘Isn’t one a twelve year old girl?’ Yes, a twelve year old girl is recognized as a woman in Israelite customs.
Both these woman will fulfill what the Lord prophesized through the prophet Ezekiel chapter 16.
As we look at Ezekiel’s message please notice that it deals with God’s love for the people. He will compare the Israelites to a baby girl He found thrown away on the roadside and how He gave her back her life. You will also note how He cleaned up the blood that was all over her.
Since we have already read the passages we see right away the connection between the bringing the young girl back to life and stopping the blood flow of the woman.
The people should have begun, that is, if they were studying their Scriptures to begin to question, ‘Hey, this all sounds like the things the Messiah would be doing.’ Well, duh..that is exactly what our Blessed Holy Ghost was doing in arranging each event.
Ezekiel 16, “16 Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations, 3 and say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD to Jerusalem: “Your birth and your nativity are from the land of Canaan; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. 4 As for your nativity, on the day you were born your navel cord was not cut, nor were you washed in water to cleanse you; you were not rubbed with salt nor wrapped in swaddling cloths. 5 No eye pitied you, to do any of these things for you, to have compassion on you; but you were thrown out into the open field, when you yourself were loathed on the day you were born. 6 “And when I passed by you and saw you struggling in your own blood, I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’ Yes, I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’ 7 I made you thrive like a plant in the field; and you grew, matured, and became very beautiful. Your breasts were formed, your hair grew, but you were naked and bare. 8 “When I passed by you again and looked upon you, indeed your time was the time of love; so I spread My wing over you and covered your nakedness. Yes, I swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you, and you became Mine,” says the Lord GOD. 9 “Then I washed you in water; yes, I thoroughly washed off your blood, and I anointed you with oil. 10 I clothed you in embroidered cloth and gave you sandals of badger skin; I clothed you with fine linen and covered you with silk. 11 I adorned you with ornaments, put bracelets on your wrists, and a chain on your neck. 12 And I put a jewel in your nose, earrings in your ears, and a beautiful crown on your head. 13 Thus you were adorned with gold and silver, and your clothing was of fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth. You ate pastry of fine flour, honey, and oil. You were exceedingly beautiful, and succeeded to royalty. 14 Your fame went out among the nations because of your beauty, for it was perfect through My splendor which I had bestowed on you,” says the Lord GOD. 15 “But you trusted in your own beauty, played the harlot because of your fame, and poured out your harlotry on everyone passing by who would have it. 16 You took some of your garments and adorned multicolored high places for yourself, and played the harlot on them. Such things should not happen, nor be. 17 You have also taken your beautiful jewelry from My gold and My silver, which I had given you, and made for yourself male images and played the harlot with them. 18 You took your embroidered garments and covered them, and you set My oil and My incense before them. 19 Also My food which I gave you—the pastry of fine flour, oil, and honey which I fed you—you set it before them as sweet incense; and so it was,” says the Lord GOD. 20 “Moreover you took your sons and your daughters, whom you bore to Me, and these you sacrificed to them to be devoured. Were your acts of harlotry a small matter, 21 that you have slain My children and offered them up to them by causing them to pass through the fire? 22 And in all your abominations and acts of harlotry you did not remember the days of your youth, when you were naked and bare, struggling in your blood. 23 “Then it was so, after all your wickedness—‘Woe, woe to you!’ says the Lord GOD— 24 that you also built for yourself a shrine, and made a high place for yourself in every street. 25 You built your high places at the head of every road, and made your beauty to be abhorred. You offered yourself to everyone who passed by, and multiplied your acts of harlotry. 26 You also committed harlotry with the Egyptians, your very fleshly neighbors, and increased your acts of harlotry to provoke Me to anger. 27 “Behold, therefore, I stretched out My hand against you, diminished your allotment, and gave you up to the will of those who hate you, the daughters of the Philistines, who were ashamed of your lewd behavior. 28 You also played the harlot with the Assyrians, because you were insatiable; indeed you played the harlot with them and still were not satisfied. 29 Moreover you multiplied your acts of harlotry as far as the land of the trader, Chaldea; and even then you were not satisfied. 30 “How degenerate is your heart!” says the Lord GOD, “seeing you do all these things, the deeds of a brazen harlot. 31 “You erected your shrine at the head of every road, and built your high place in every street. Yet you were not like a harlot, because you scorned payment. 32 You are an adulterous wife, who takes strangers instead of her husband. 33 Men make payment to all harlots, but you made your payments to all your lovers, and hired them to come to you from all around for your harlotry. 34 You are the opposite of other women in your harlotry, because no one solicited you to be a harlot. In that you gave payment but no payment was given you, therefore you are the opposite.” 35 ‘Now then, O harlot, hear the word of the LORD! 36 Thus says the Lord GOD: “Because your filthiness was poured out and your nakedness uncovered in your harlotry with your lovers, and with all your abominable idols, and because of the blood of your children which you gave to them, 37 surely, therefore, I will gather all your lovers with whom you took pleasure, all those you loved, and all those you hated; I will gather them from all around against you and will uncover your nakedness to them, that they may see all your nakedness. 38 And I will judge you as women who break wedlock or shed blood are judged; I will bring blood upon you in fury and jealousy. 39 I will also give you into their hand, and they shall throw down your shrines and break down your high places. They shall also strip you of your clothes, take your beautiful jewelry, and leave you naked and bare. 40 “They shall also bring up an assembly against you, and they shall stone you with stones and thrust you through with their swords. 41 They shall burn your houses with fire, and execute judgments on you in the sight of many women; and I will make you cease playing the harlot, and you shall no longer hire lovers. 42 So I will lay to rest My fury toward you, and My jealousy shall depart from you. I will be quiet, and be angry no more. 43 Because you did not remember the days of your youth, but agitated Me with all these things, surely I will also recompense your deeds on your own head,” says the Lord GOD. “And you shall not commit lewdness in addition to all your abominations. 44 “Indeed everyone who quotes proverbs will use this proverb against you: ‘Like mother, like daughter!’ 45 You are your mother’s daughter, loathing husband and children; and you are the sister of your sisters, who loathed their husbands and children; your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite. 46 “Your elder sister is Samaria, who dwells with her daughters to the north of you; and your younger sister, who dwells to the south of you, is Sodom and her daughters. 47 You did not walk in their ways nor act according to their abominations; but, as if that were too little, you became more corrupt than they in all your ways. 48 “As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “neither your sister Sodom nor her daughters have done as you and your daughters have done. 49 Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. 50 And they were haughty and committed abomination before Me; therefore I took them away as I saw fit. 51 “Samaria did not commit half of your sins; but you have multiplied your abominations more than they, and have justified your sisters by all the abominations which you have done. 52 You who judged your sisters, bear your own shame also, because the sins which you committed were more abominable than theirs; they are more righteous than you. Yes, be disgraced also, and bear your own shame, because you justified your sisters. 53 “When I bring back their captives, the captives of Sodom and her daughters, and the captives of Samaria and her daughters, then I will also bring back the captives of your captivity among them, 54 that you may bear your own shame and be disgraced by all that you did when you comforted them. 55 When your sisters, Sodom and her daughters, return to their former state, and Samaria and her daughters return to their former state, then you and your daughters will return to your former state. 56 For your sister Sodom was not a byword in your mouth in the days of your pride, 57 before your wickedness was uncovered. It was like the time of the reproach of the daughters of Syria and all those around her, and of the daughters of the Philistines, who despise you everywhere. 58 You have paid for your lewdness and your abominations,” says the LORD. 59 For thus says the Lord GOD: “I will deal with you as you have done, who despised the oath by breaking the covenant. 60 “Nevertheless I will remember My covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you. 61 Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed, when you receive your older and your younger sisters; for I will give them to you for daughters, but not because of My covenant with you. 62 And I will establish My covenant with you. Then you shall know that I am the LORD, 63 that you may remember and be ashamed, and never open your mouth anymore because of your shame, when I provide you an atonement for all you have done,” says the Lord GOD.’”
Please also note that the woman with the blood flow issue, didn’t open her mouth until the Lord spoke.
18 While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live.” 19 So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples.
I find in the Gospel of Matthew a startling statement from Jarius. Now, remember, Matthew was standing right there with our Lord. Look at what he says Jarius said, “18 While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live.”
Matthew says that the Ruler of the Synagogue knew his daughter had already died. Peter verbalized to Mark the information, that when the Lord traveled with the Ruler of the Synagogue, a man came up and informed the leader of the Synagogue that his daughter was dead.
So, the Scripture must be wrong, right? No, I believe this is what happened. The father, Jarius, so heart broken, had come to the conclusion that his daughter is good as dead. This fact sadly was reiterated by a member of his household confirming to the man what was already on his mind and heart.
All three Gospels relate the Synagogue Ruler’s faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. But please notice the limits of his understanding of The Messiah’s ability. He felt our Lord had to physically come and touch his daughter to bring her back to life. That idea will not suffice for our Amazing Holy Creator. He Is going to prove that He does not have to be physically present in order for a miracle to occur. Now how does this speak to your understanding of prayer for healing and such?
Now, it goes without saying the Lord was mobbed. He was having a hard time traveling to the Ruler of the Synagogue’s home. People were firing petitions and trying to talk with Him.
Now the procession is going to be halted by someone’s direct action with our Lord.
20 And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. 21 For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.”
Remember, the point of the Ruler thinking our Lord had to physically be at a location in order to perform a miracle. You see, the woman didn’t have this same problem. In fact her faith was so strong in recognizing the unique Holiness of our Lord Jesus Christ, that she was convinced that she could be healed by just touching the hem of His garment.
Now, we can’t just continue on without mentioning the reference to the Lord’s hem. You see on the bottom of the Lord’s robe was most likely a blue hem. How does one come up and touch a hem. You have to picture this to understand the humble beauty of this woman. Picture the crowd walking by. They pass this woman on her knees worshiping the Holy One walking by. She has to be on her knees in order to reach out and touch His hem.
Our Pure and Holy Lord isn’t going to just let this issue pass. For this poor woman has been an outcast from the Israelite society. No one has had any physical contact with her for over 12 years. The great medical practitioners not only took all her money but as Mark reports, ‘and had suffered many things from many physicians.’ – they tortured her.
22 But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour.
Do you see the compassion and love our Lord displays to this woman? In front of all He restores this woman to society. I am sure there were some people in the crowd who had known this woman and how she had been put aside by all her family and friends. Again in front of all, our Wonderful King complements this woman about her faith.
I wish the Gospel writers would have commented about the woman and the people’s reaction to her healing but is interrupted by a messenger from the Ruler’s house. The joy and excitement of the moment is shattered by the sudden horrible news of the young girls death.
Again let us look at what Mark wrote, “35 While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” 36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid; only believe.”
Here is a question that we all need to consider, ‘why did our Lord instruct the man to not be ‘afraid’. Stop and think, ‘what would the Ruler be afraid of?’
I believe that the man would be afraid of all the people. Remember, the man had come up to the Lord and commented that his daughter was dead. He wanted the Lord to come to his house and touch her and that she would be okay.
This is why I believed that in his broken heart, the ruler knew that his daughter was still alive but was near death. When he spoke to the Lord he was losing his faith. Yet, he knew if the Lord could get there in time, He could heal his daughter and stop her from dying.
When the messenger came and informed all the indeed the girl was dead, the man had lost his faith in the possibility of saving his daughter.
Our Lord instructed the man to not be afraid of any of the things that will transpire from the point of where they stood until the Lord got to the man’s house.
Do you notice the words of our Lord? The Ruler just received the word that indeed his daughter was dead. Our Lord says that He will make her well. In the man’s mind he thinks perhaps this messenger is not correct in his facts, perhaps his daughter is still alive. Wouldn’t you think the same?
23 When Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, 24 He said to them, “Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping.” And they ridiculed Him.
Don’t get in the Lord’s way when He Is on a mission. Can you see His reason in encouraging the Ruler not to be afraid? Look at the people’s reaction to our Lord - 51 When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl. 52 Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, “Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.” 53 And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead.’
25 But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 26 And the report of this went out into all that land.
I like to think that our Lord threw the whole negative bunch out of the house. You can just imagine the crowd outside wining and griping. ‘Who does that guy think he is, throwing us out? We’re here for the family?’ I would have loved to be in the crowd when the news came that the little girl was alive? I wonder what their reactions were. Were they happy? I think they all just stood there with their mouths open. I can picture our Precious Holy Lord walking out of the house with His three disciples. The parent’s are crying and smiling at the same time as they wave goodbye. I am sure they can’t wait to get back to their daughter. I can just picture our Great God walking through the crowd as they parted to let Him and Peter, James and John walk by. Not a word is spoken by anyone but only the confused stare of all.
Let us all take to our heart what we have learned about our Great Lord and Savior today.
