Epaggelia

Key Texts: Matthew 9:18‑26, Mark 5:21-43, Luke 8:40‑56
 

Jairus was a religious leader, high in his social order, managing the Synagogue at Capernaum.  Since many of God’s miracles had been shown through Jesus in Galilee, his identity was now getting wider acceptance. For a Jewish Ruler of a Synagogue to bow and give adoration to Jesus is shocking, Mt. 9:18. Why? Because Jairus would have read, lived and taught the shema (Dt. 6:4), repeatedly, there is only one God. How could Jairus believe his monotheistic worship was now towards a mere man in Jesus and simultaneously be in the Temple at Jerusalem, as well as enthroned in Heaven? Isaiah 40:21-22. Did Jairus have an inkling of the trinity? Genesis 1 does, Gen. 1:1-3, 26, Jn. 1:9, 8:12. It is curious that the whole event circles around Jairus and not his daughter. We do not even know the little 12 year old’s name, but only her Dad’s name, Jairus. It means ‘enlightener’, therefore even he had been enlightened by God. The light of the world had revealed exactly who God was to Jairus, and he was convinced there was power for mercy on his daughter.  Are we not to be lights in this world? Mat. 5:14.  He began to worship Jesus  because his needs were greater than his pride. When we realize we have more needs than we have resources, we can then be open–hearted enough to accept the truth of God’s light when we see it.  The good father that Jairus was, had a love greater for his daughter than for himself, and when he couldn’t help her, he knew a man who could.  It is our responsibility to realize that our needs are bigger than our pride, many times it takes a great crisis to wake us up to that fact, but it shouldn’t ever be ignored.  In this event,  Jairus shows us clear steps in trusting Jesus.

First we must humble our self.  We can not have Jesus physically here overcoming death for every ones dying  loved one, but we can submit to Him in order to attain eternal life for ourself, James 4:7‑10.  What are some ways we can submit to Him?

Secondly we must request help.  Jairus is making intercession, and this is the duty of a royal priesthood, 1Peter 2:9.  Jesus  teaches us in Matthew 6:11, to make a daily request for daily needs.  Asking, makes us aware of what we need and who the giver is.  Keeping our minds in the correct place.  How often do we give thanks for healing, for gifts, for even food? But do we first make request when we immediately see the need.  When Jesus hears the bad news of the little girl being dead, he “immediately” saw the need in Jairus’ heart for reassurance, and Jesus pronounced the truth quickly, Lk. 8:49-50.  

Thirdly, be patient and ever mindful of His power.  Jairus did this when he stayed in the crowd excited in seeing the woman healed, but when the men  came and confirmed that his daughter died, did he give up?  No, against the  odds, against the laughing people at Jesus’ remark, he patiently kept believing.  Trials are an  opportunity for us to exercise our faith. We can not afford to give up on God,  James 1:2‑4.

The woman who was healed had persevered in believing in the power of God in Jesus by using every ounce of her strength that was left, to just touch the hem of his garment. Numbers 15:37-41 shows how faithful Jews were all commanded to remind themselves of their duty to keep God’s law and share in His holiness by having this blue trimmed and tasselled hem on their garment. It was somehow a channel of faith and power from her to Jesus, because through it, He felt the power to heal her flow. The power was so effective that it caused her blood to immediately stop, after having haemorrhaged for too long.