In the Roman world, those with authority knew they had it. While the world offered plenty who made too much of that, those with true power and authority never surrendered to panic when things seemed to fail. The low-keyed self-assurance Jesus projected to the world around Him spoke volumes.
Even more, His sinless perfection screamed at demons. After Jesus stilling the storm, the disciples found themselves on the eastern shore of Galilee. Near as we can tell, the only place which best matches the description is a village today called Kursi, which would be right on the border between the Decapolis and the Tetrarchy of Philip just to the north. The area is quite hilly and rugged, with a steep slope dropping into the sea. In such a land, it would be common to find tombs, as there were many recesses and small caves. Here dwelt a demonized man, and under the influence of that demon, was compelled to worship Jesus.
While no one feels blessed at recognition by the piteous wailing of a scarred and naked tomb-dweller, it was the filthy spirit which was most unfit to call Him Lord. Nonetheless, it is quite obviously meaningful when the powers of Darkness fear Him. Those powers having impelled this man to break all efforts to bind him, and every imaginable means of self abuse, we can't imagine how the man himself would be able to avoid clinging to Jesus, even as the demons cried out in fear. Upon questioning, we find the demon was actually a legion of demons. It does no good to build a theology of demons on this short narrative, except to note the obvious authority of Jesus over them.
While Romans were no doubt aware of the Jewish attitude about swine, they provide an important element in the story. There were approximately 2000 of them. There were enough demons to drive the whole herd into the sea. While curious and envious of each other, pigs are hardly like lemmings or sheep. They are more intelligent than most animals domesticated by men, so knew the dangers of the sea. Yet every one of them perished under the influence of the demons driven out of the man.
We aren't told of their conversation, but the man obviously spent some time cleaning up, getting clothed, and being taught by Jesus. The swine herders had time to run into the nearest town, tell a bunch of people what they saw, and lead a large crowd of them back to the scene. After seeing the tomb dweller a different man, and asking a hundred questions, they finally decided whatever Jesus was doing was a threat to them. Keep in mind, if these are folks from Decapolis, they are pretty much Hellenized and superstitious, though aware of Jewish ways. If Jews from the northern side of the border, they would have stood to suffer much economic loss from Jesus demanding they reform their practices, such as no longer raising hogs for the Decapolis market. The saved man was ready to get away from either mess. Still, with Jesus unwelcome there, the only witness to truth would have been this former tomb dweller. Indeed, what a testimony he had! We are told he was quite effective in his witness in that whole region.
Jesus' authority over Satan was complete. It extended also to authority over the works of the Devil's hands and the consequences, as well. Back on the west shore of Galilee, where we are not told, Jesus was met by a welcoming committee. One of the synagogue bigshots came and fell at His feet, clearly and publicly recognizing His authority. The man, Jairus, had but one child -- a 12-year-old daughter -- who was on the verge of dying from a fever. Jesus willingly complied with the request to come heal the girl. Such hideous and heartless afflictions were a direct result of Satan's leading humanity into the Fall.
As we would expect, the crowd pressed in upon Him the whole way, people wanting to see Jesus, to speak with Him and touch Him. Many of these had been healed or knew someone else who had. Somewhere in this crowd, a single touch out of thousands had far more meaning. A woman suffering from a hemorrhage was hoping to touch Him unnoticed. For twelve years she had suffered from vaginal bleeding. Just about every culture in the Mediterranean Basin would have marked her as loathsome for this. Given what we know of Jewish medicine at the time, no one is surprised it was only getting worse. She took a great risk because no other hope existed, and reached in to touch just the hem of His outer garment.
She knew immediately she was healed. So did Jesus. Make no mistake: Jesus knew who it was. His question was to compel her into a faith building situation, and the crowd to gain some new insight regarding the Kingdom of Heaven. So His question was for the sake of everyone else, especially His disciples. They thought it was silly to ask who had touched Him in that crowd, when everyone was touching Him. He waited. She was healed, touched by God, set free from bondage. Regardless of the cost, she knew she must confess both her action -- a serious breach of etiquette -- and her healing. Blurting out the whole story at His feet, we can see the crowd wondering how she dared to hinder the Master in such a critical moment.
She was a nobody, a repulsive social outcast just a step above lepers, surely a sinner blamed for her own malady. Jesus was on the way to rescue the only child of a very important man. He ignored the tension, and spoke to faith. Her faith was the power to make a desperate choice, to perform such an insignificant act, and obtain what she sought. The faith of everyone else would grow by knowing this is how God operates.
Sadly, it seems this nobody had gained her healing at the cost of death for Jairus's daughter. Messengers came to announce it was too late; she had died. Again, Jesus spoke to their faith. The One who wore the crown of ultimate authority was hardly ready to mourn, nor allow any one else to mourn. He commanded the crowd to stay with nine of His disciples, as they would probably protect the woman who had just been healed from the possible response of an angry mob. Besides, only a few would know what to make of what He was about to do next.
At the residence of Jairus, the official wake had begun. The whole place resounded with loud wailing and crying. Jesus rebuked them for the commotion, saying the girl was merely asleep. In later times, it became a teaching of Christians those physically dead were merely "asleep." This is because the spirit of a person remained under God's control, and this girl's time was not gone. After ejecting the noisy crowd, Jesus led the trio of disciples with the parents into the girl's bed chamber. We can easily see Him in all earnestness and tenderness asserting His full authority over the situation. He called for the girl to arise.
They were stunned, shocked beyond words. Death had no power to deny Jesus. The ultimate consequence of sin on this earth was simply wiped away by the gentle words of this Man. The girl got up and walked around quite restlessly. Such an active child, after such a long time too sick to eat must have been famished. Jairus and his household needed to spend time enjoying their daughter's restoration, and Jesus told them to forget any social obligations they may have felt about giving Him proper credit and fame. Besides, there was no sense aggravating the conflict with the Pharisees already rising. The time for that was later. Apparently they complied with His request, because we hear nothing else about this.
Here we see Mark has portrayed Jesus as holding the ultimate authority over the Spirit Realm. Oh, the things He could have gained from that! No, He was worthy of that authority, more noble than any nobleman. Instead, He patiently set about to show His world how they could claim a piece of that authority, by exercising faith and commitment to His teachings. Neither demons, nor the most repulsive disease, nor death itself, could resist His power. How He wielded it showed it fit Him well, always with the greatest wisdom. Jesus was truly Lord of all.
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By Ed Hurst
08 March 2008
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