Mark 5:21-43
The 6th Sunday after Pentecost B (Lectionary 13B) | June 30, 2024 | Mark 5:21-43 | Luther H. Thoresen |
Text English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles
Mark 5:21-43
21 And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea. 22 Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet 23 and implored him earnestly, 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.” 24 And he went with him.
And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. 25 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, 26 and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. 27 She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. 28 For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” 29 And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 30 And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” 31 And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” 32 And he looked around to see who had done it. 33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling 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 disease.”
35 While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler’s house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” 36 But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” 37 And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. 38 They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 And when he had entered, he said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.” 40 And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. 41 Taking her by the hand he said to her, “Talitha cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” 42 And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement. 43 And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.
Note: The initial paragraphs in italics of this sermon might be used as the basis for a Children’s message. If not used that way, one might adapt it as the beginning of the “usual” sermon, or insert part of it later in the sermon… or later in the service.
Good morning. Hans Christian Anderson was a Danish writer in the 1800’s. He collected and edited many traditional folk tales. They were published and you may have heard some read from books. One is called “Leapfrog” and I would share it with you.1 (The pastor or another leader would tell the tale in their own words… these words are my adaptation of Anderson’s.)
Once a flea, a grasshopper and a frog wanted to have a contest to see who could jump the highest. They invited the whole world to witness the contest! Even the king came. When everyone was gathered, the king announced, “I will give my daughter to the one who jumps the highest, for it is not so amusing when there is no prize to jump for.” By the way, we know that fathers don’t own their daughters and give them away; but there was a time when people thought like that.
Anyway, the flea stepped forward. He had excellent manners, so he bowed to everyone on every side. Next the grasshopper came forward. He was much heavier than the flea. But he too had good manners, and wore a green uniform, his right by family. He announced that he belonged to an ancient Egyptian family and the house where he lived was looked upon with wonder. The truth was that he had been caught in the fields and placed in a box made of something like playing cards. Yet that house was three stories high, and the door and window were made by cutting holes in a card like the Queen of Hearts. He bragged, “I knew 16 other grasshoppers that chirped a long time and never got a house like mine… and they just grew thinner when they heard me sing.” The frog came forward, and he was mmmmuch much heavier than the others. He looked around and said… nothing. This made people think he was thoughtful. The housedog came up, sniffed the frog, and affirmed that he was from a good family. Another gentleman stepped forward and looked at the frog’s back. Though the frog whispered for him to be quiet, the gentleman declared him to be a prophet since the marks on his back would predict how long or cold the next winter would be.
Well, it was time for the contest. The flea came forward and jumped so high, no one could see where he went. Some declared that he never jumped at all and that was dishonorable. He was disqualified, out. Next it was the grasshopper’s turn. He jumped only half as high as the flea, but into the king’s face! The grasshopper was disqualified, thrown for bad manners after the king swiped him off his face. The leapfrog stepped forward and thought for a long time. Some thought he wouldn’t jump at all. “I hope he is not unwell said the housedog.” Then, pop, the frog jumped… into the lap of the king’s daughter who sat nearby on a golden chair. The king announced, “There is nothing above my daughter. To bound up to her is the highest jump possible. For this, someone must have understanding. The frog is brave and smart.” So, the frog won the princess. The flea and the grasshopper complained, “It’s not fair,” and left alone.
Daughters are special, right? In the Gospel story today, Jairus pleads for his daughter who is ill. Also, after a woman who had been sick for a long time was healed, Jesus said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.” I’ll talk more about that story in the regular sermon, but for now, would you pray with me? God, daughters are special; sons are special… whether they are 3 or 33 or 103. Thank you for being a heavenly parent that treats us special. Amen
Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
What is your favorite sandwich? Cheeseburger? Reuben on rye? Fish? Ham and cheese? Where do you get your favorite sandwich? McDonalds? Burger King? Subway? The hometown café? At Home?
By definition, what is a sandwich? It is a food with three layers; two layers of bread, and between the bread something like meat and/or vegetables. Top and bottom layers could be white, wheat, pita, rye or another bread. The middle filling might be some meat like ham or beef or bacon; or some kind of fish; and maybe some vegetable like lettuce and tomato. Are you hungry yet?
I learned a few years ago that sandwiches first became popular in England beginning in 1762. John Montague was the 4th Earl of Sandwich… and he liked to gamble. He did not want to stop playing cards to eat, so he called upon the cook to fix something he could eat with his hands and still play cards. Thus, the “sandwich” was born in 1762. By only 14 years later, in 1776 when the Declaration of Independence was formulated, eating sandwiches was popular throughout England and the Colonies in the New World. While it is true that people in Greece and Turkey had eaten food like sandwiches long before 1762. However, most of us eat sandwiches… all because of a gambler, John Montague, the 4th Earl of Sandwich.
Anyway, why all of this about sandwiches? The Gospel text is somewhat like a sandwich. Two layers with Jairus and his 12 year old daughter at the beginning and end of the reading, and a middle layer with the woman who had been ill for 12 years. Mark as a gospel writer does this several times… more frequently than the other gospel writers. For example, three weeks ago some of you probably heard the reading from Mark 3. In this Jesus’ family comes to restrain him because of what people are saying (the first layer), then we hear Jesus conflict with the Scribes from Jerusalem who said, “He has Beelzebul. By the ruler of demons he casts out demons” (the middle layer). Then, finally Jesus’ family is outside calling to him and Jesus says (among other things), “Who are my mother and my brothers?” That would be the third layer… like another slice of bread. Some commentators call these stories “Marcan sandwiches.”
A food sandwich is to be eaten altogether, just like the sandwiched stories in Mark… all 5 or 6 of them. The layers of the stories are to be tasted together; and today, in some way all the parts of the story are about daughters.
Looking at the 1st slice of bread, we hear of the daughter of Jairus first. She is ill and at the point of death. Jairus is a leader of the synagogue, yet he sets aside his own power, sets aside his own pride and kneels at Jesus’ feet. He pleads again and again for his daughter (based on the verb tenses in the story). “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.” Jesus agrees and goes with him. But on the way to the house, Jesus is surrounded by a crowd and we meet the second daughter. Jesus almost forgets about the 1st daughter. This brings us to the “filling”.
A woman without a name in the text makes her way through the crowd and thinks, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” BAM! Power goes out of Jesus. She feels something deep within. “Who touched my garments?” Jesus asks. The disciples are confused! Jesus surveys the crowd… looking. Trembling, the woman comes forward. At Jesus’ feet she falls and tells all. What is the first word from Jesus’ mouth? “Daughter.” This is a term of endearment… more than “sister”. “Daughter,” Jesus says to this woman excluded 12 years from community life, by the Law of Moses, because of her illness. “Daughter,” Jesus says to this woman alone 12 years separated from family gatherings. “Daughter,” Jesus says to this woman not allowed for 12 years to attend worship at the synagogue where Jairus was a leader. To this woman Jesus speaks tender words, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”
Just then messengers arrive with word about the daughter of Jairus. We’re now in the last layer of the sandwich, the 2nd layer of bread. “Your daughter is dead.” Such terrible words to speak. Such horrible words to hear. “Why trouble the Teacher any further?” It is as if the disciples say, “She’s dead. Why bother?” What is Jesus’ response? “Do not fear, only believe.” They go to the house. Jesus announces, “The child is not dead but sleeping.” When the professional mourners laugh and ridicule him, Jesus puts the professional mourners out. With only Peter, James, John and the girl’s parents, Jesus goes inside. Jesus takes her by the hand, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” And. She. Got. Up. She began to walk around.
Let’s note a few connections between the two parts of the sandwich… two parts of the story.
First of all, people are kneeling before Jesus; Jairus and the woman. Jairus kneels, pleading for his daughter; the woman kneels, trembling to “tell the whole truth.” Both characters are in a position of respect.
Again, “Daughter” is a precious word on the lips of Jairus, speaking of his biological daughter. “Daughter” is a precious word on the lips of Jesus, speaking of a daughter by faith.
Also, “unclean” are both daughters, according to Moses’ law. The woman is unclean because of her illness, the discharge of blood. The little girl is unclean because by the time Jesus arrives, she has died… a corpse is unclean.
To follow that, in both parts of the story, the expectation in that culture was that Jesus would become unclean if he touches or is touched by another who is unclean. The expectation is like “one bad apple spoils the whole barrel.” The expectation is not, “one good apple saves the whole barrel.” That’s like in my kitchen, in a bag of bread, one slice that gets moldy does not keep the mold to itself. However, in both cases in the text, the usual expectation is not met! Jesus touched by the woman makes her well, she is no longer unclean. Jesus’ touch gives life to the dead; the little girl is no longer unclean. So, there is new life for both daughters. They are no longer unclean.
A final observation. Touch is an essential part of both healings. While it is true that touch is not part of all healings in the gospels, but it is today in this text. For both daughters, their need was great. For one, life being lost; for another life was gone. To think about need, a second little tale. But this one is not from Hans Christian Anderson, but rather from Arabic culture.2
Once there was a beggar who had a begging bowl. She came to the king’s tent and asked for alms; that is for cash, food or whatever. The king motioned and one of his advisors had the bowl filled with grain… but, surprise! No matter how much was put in the bowl, it was still empty. Was it bottomless? The king ordered that the bowl be filled again… and again… and again. Then the advisor called out, “O king, the bowl seems to eat everything we put in it.”
Now, the king looked anew at the beggar, with new eyes he looked. He wanted to understand. The woman only stood there, with her bowl, holding it out for an offering. Looking at each other, eye to eye, eventually the king asked, “Who are you and why have you come to my kingdom?” The beggar simply held out her bowl and said, “This bowl is the bowl of human wants and needs. It is impossible to fill, but it is the work of all who believe in Allah (God) the Compassionate One, to try. Is this the work of your kingdom?” Then, she left the bowl in the middle of the room and left.3
In our Gospel reading today, there are two daughters. Their deep need is for life itself, for connection and for community. Their deep need is met by Jesus. With their empty bowls before us, we hear of Jesus meeting their need.
I am reminded of how much we missed “touch” during the pandemic. People missed shaking hands in person. Waving over “Zoom” is OK… we get to see faces, but it’s not the same. People missed hugging adult children… missed hugging parents… missed hugging grandchildren or grandparents. People missed the tender touch over a table as friends shared coffee or a meal and talked about life’s ups and downs. Over time most of us are re-connecting, touching anew. Some are more cautious with touch since the pandemic. But regardless how much touch is appropriate in your family or among your friends or this congregation,
- within this body, this church, God holds you; God touches you;
- within this bread you may touch Jesus’ body, you may hold onto One who fills your empty bowl;
- within this wine Jesus says, “I give you my life blood that gives you life now and ever;”
- within the waters of baptism Jesus touches you and says, “Daughter/son go in peace and live. Daughter/son your faith makes you well.
All this is so that as part of this church your ears may be touched by the word, your skin may be touched by water, your tongue may be touched by bread and wine. Then, by your touch you may share the touch of life of God with others. By your words, you may let others know that they also are precious daughters and precious sons. By your life itself you may share the life of Jesus with others. For it is only the life of Jesus that will fill the empty bowl of others.
In the name of the Father, and of the +Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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©Pr. Luther H. Thoresen, ELCA, STS, retired
Grundy Center, IA, USA
1 Hans Christian Anderson’s tales are in a number of printed collections. An online source for this tale (among others) is https://brainly.com/question/21555689 .
2 I read this tale in Megan McKenna’s book, Leave Her Alone, Copyright © 2000, Orbis Books, Maryknoll, New York, p. 95. This is my adaptation for the day.
3 With this tale, the preacher might have a wooden bowl on the pulpit, or hold one in hand as it is shared.