Jesus’ Twofold Command: “Do not be afraid; only believe.” (Lk. 8:50)

Jesus’ Twofold Command:

“Do not be afraid; only believe.” (Lk. 8:50)

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed Him, for they had all been waiting for Him.  And behold, a man named Jairus came; he was a ruler of the synagogue. And falling down at Jesus’ feet, he begged Him to come to his house, because he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, and she was dying.  But as He went, the crowds pressed in on Him.  And a woman who had had a flow of blood for twelve years, and who could not be healed by anyone, came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His garment, and immediately her flow of blood stopped.  And Jesus said, ‘Who was it who touched Me?’  When all denied it, Peter said, ‘Master, the crowds surround You and are pressing in on You.’  But Jesus said, ‘Someone touched Me, for I know that power has gone out from Me.’  And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before Him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched Him, and how she had been immediately healed.  And He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has saved you; go in peace.’  While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying, ‘Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more.’  But Jesus, on hearing this, answered him, ‘Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be saved.’  And when He came to the house, He allowed no one to enter with Him except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child.  And all were weeping and mourning for her, but He said, ‘Do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping.’ And they laughed at Him, knowing that she was dead.  But taking her by the hand He called, saying, ‘Child, arise.’ And her spirit returned, and she got up at once.  And He directed that something should be given her to eat.  And her parents were amazed, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened” (Luke 8:40–56).

 

 

 

(1)   Today, I wish to receive the lessons given through meditating on today’s main passage, Luke 8:40–56, in connection with Matthew 9:18–22 and Mark 5:21–43. I intend to divide today’s meditation largely into two parts: The woman with the issue of blood, and Jairus’s daughter.

 

(a)    The Woman with the Issue of Blood:

 

(i)               Here, the term “issue of blood” refers to a gynecological disease involving uterine bleeding or bleeding from the genital area apart from normal menstruation (Internet).  A certain woman who had been suffering from this condition for as long as twelve years had sought treatment from “many physicians” and endured “much suffering,” and had also spent all that she had; yet “there was no benefit” [“rather than getting better” (Korean Modern Bible)], and instead her condition only worsened, and she was not healed by anyone (Lk. 8:43; Mk. 5:26).

 

·          Here, I find myself reflecting on the statement that the woman with the issue of blood “suffered much under many physicians” (Mk. 5:26).  Clearly, because she had been suffering from this disease for twelve long years, she must have earnestly desired to be healed of it, and therefore went around seeking out “many physicians” (v. 26).

 

-      However, instead of receiving “much comfort” from these “many physicians,” she rather received “much suffering” [“she suffered greatly” (Korean Modern Bible)], and she spent all that she had (v. 26).  Though she earnestly desired to be healed of her disease even to the point of exhausting all her possessions, there was no one who could cure her illness (Lk. 8:43), and the fact that her condition did not improve but instead grew worse (Mk. 5:26) must have been utterly despairing for her.

 

n  The situation faced by this woman, who had suffered from the disease for twelve years, depicts: ① the incurability of the illness, ② the powerlessness of medical skill, ③ a desperate description in which all human effort has come to nothing, and ④ an implication that the pain she was enduring placed her in a dire situation with no way forward or backward.  Having spent all her property on medical treatment, all that remained was her sick body, and even that body only grew worse.  Because of the uncleanness of her disease, she was marginalized and alienated from people and society (Lev. 15:25–28).  This woman had reached one of the worst limit situations of human existence.  The image of this woman, feeling a crisis in which the very foundation of her life and existence was being completely lost, was truly one of utter desperation (Hochma).

 

(ii)             At that very moment of despair, she heard the reports about Jesus.  As she made her way through the crowd, she thought that if she could just touch His clothes, her disease would be healed, and so she came up behind Him and touched the hem of His garment (Mk. 5:27–28).

 

·        As I meditate on this portion of the passage, the lesson that comes to my mind again is that when we are in despair, it is precisely then that we are given a good opportunity to long for and hope in the Lord alone.

 

-           And it is precisely when we are in despair that we are given a truly precious and good opportunity to hear the words of Jesus.  The reason is that when we are in despair, the Lord gives us the words of God’s promise, causes us to believe and hope in those words, and restores and revives our despairing souls.

 

·        When she was in despair, the woman with the issue of blood appears to have heard in detail the reports about the miracles by which Jesus healed diseases.  Therefore, she thought that if she could just touch Jesus’ clothes, her disease would be healed (Mk. 5:28).  And she did not merely think this; she actually came up from behind and touched the hem of Jesus’ garment (v. 28).  The reason was that her faith was such that she believed that even touching Jesus’ clothes alone would heal her disease (Lk. 8:48; cf. Hochma).

 

-        As a result, it happened exactly according to her faith: “She came up behind Jesus and touched the edge of His garment, and immediately the flow of her blood stopped” [“The woman went up behind Jesus and touched the hem of His robe, and the bleeding immediately stopped” (Korean Modern Bible)] (v. 44).  Mark 5:29 states it this way: “And immediately the source of her bleeding dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease” [“The moment she touched Jesus’ garment, the bleeding stopped at once, and she felt that she had been healed” (Korean Modern Bible)].

 

n  As I meditate on this passage, I think that the very moment the woman with the issue of blood—who had been suffering and bleeding for twelve years—touched the hem of Jesus’ garment in faith, the bleeding stopped immediately, and she must have felt that her disease had been healed.  I find myself wondering what her heart and inner feelings were like at that very moment when she realized that she had been healed.  Although she had sought treatment from many physicians and suffered much, and there was no one who could heal her, when she heard the reports about Jesus and came to believe that Jesus could heal her disease, she came up behind Him and touched the hem of His garment, and the bleeding immediately stopped (Lk. 8:44).  What great joy must she have felt upon receiving healing!

 

(iii)           When this woman with the issue of blood felt that she had been healed (Mk. 5:29), Jesus immediately knew that power had gone out from Him.  Turning around in the midst of the crowd, He asked, “Who touched My clothes?” (v. 30; Lk. 8:45).

·        Then Peter (and the other disciples) replied, “Lord, when You see how the people (the crowd) are pressing in on You, how can You ask, ‘Who touched Me?’ How could we possibly know?” (v. 45; Mk. 5:31).  However, Jesus said, “Someone touched Me, for I know that power has gone out from Me” (Lk. 8:46), and after saying this, He looked around to see who had touched His clothes (Mk. 5:32).

 

-        The woman, realizing that she could no longer remain hidden, came trembling and afraid, fell down before Jesus, and told the whole truth in front of all the people—why she had touched Him and how she had been immediately healed (Lk. 8:47; Mk. 5:33).

 

·        As I meditate on the statement that when the woman with the issue of blood felt that she had been healed, Jesus immediately knew that power had gone out from Him (Mk. 5:29–30), I regard this as evidence that her disease was healed by the power of Jesus.

 

-        However, a question arises in my mind: “Why did Jesus look around to see who had touched His clothes?” (Mk. 5:32).  As the disciples said, Jesus Himself must have seen that “the crowd was pressing in and pushing against Him” (v. 31).  In such a situation, how could He possibly identify who had come up behind Him and touched the hem of His garment?

 

n  The reason Jesus searched for her may be because He had the following ministerial and spiritual purposes (Internet):

 

Public confirmation of faith: The woman who had suffered from the issue of blood for twelve years tried to be healed secretly and leave because of the social stigma of being considered unclean.  By calling her forward and publicly declaring that her faith had saved her, Jesus restored not only her physical health but also her social standing and honor.

 

A personal encounter and relationship: Jesus did not want the healing to end as a mechanical release of power; rather, He desired to meet the one who had been healed face to face and to establish a personal relationship.  By calling her “Daughter,” He sought to give her peace of soul as well.

 

Instruction for the disciples and the crowd: Although many people surrounded and pressed against Jesus, only one woman reached out in faith and experienced His power.  Through this, He taught the difference between a mere onlooker and one who possesses genuine faith.

 

Encouragement for Jairus: Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue, could have fallen into despair upon hearing that his daughter was dying.  By showing him this woman’s immediate healing, Jesus intended to give him assurance of the words, “Do not fear; only believe.”

 

Ultimately, Jesus sought the woman not to let her remain healed in hiding, but to enable her to stand boldly in the world as a true child of God.

 

(iv)            Jesus said to the woman, “Daughter, your faith has made you well (has saved you). Now go in peace, and be freed from your disease and be healthy” (Lk. 8:48; Mk. 5:34).

 

·        The woman who had suffered from the issue of blood for twelve years tried to be healed secretly and then leave because of the social stigma of being considered unclean.  However, Jesus not only sought to give her peace of soul by calling her “Daughter,” but also declared, “Your faith has made you well (has saved you).”  By proclaiming that it was her faith that had saved her, He restored not only her physical illness but also her social status and honor (Internet).

 

-        The woman’s faith consisted in her firm conviction that Jesus was filled with the power to heal (Mk. 5:27–28).  And when she put that faith into action, the issue of blood—which had been her most desperate problem—was completely healed.

 

n  Here, the expression “has saved you” (sesōken) is in the perfect tense, indicating that salvation had already been definitively granted to her.  Moreover, this salvation is described phenomenologically as one in which physical salvation and spiritual salvation are closely intertwined (2:1–12).  Therefore, this experience of healing signifies liberation from all physical suffering caused by the disease, as well as from the mental and spiritual bondage of believing herself to be an unclean sinner (v. 25).  By publicly declaring this salvation before the crowd, Jesus was proclaiming that this woman was no longer a sinner.  At the same time, He was restoring her to the society from which she had been excluded.  Jesus searched for her precisely in order to grant such freedom and restoration.  She was no longer a sinner, nor was she an unclean woman.  The salvation of one person includes not only release from guilt, but also the enjoyment of a happy life through restored health and reintegration into a peaceful social community (Hochma).

 

(2)   Jairus’s Daughter:

 

(a)    Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue, had an only daughter who was twelve years old and was dying.  Because of this, he fell at Jesus’ feet and earnestly begged Him to come to his house, lay His hands on her, and bring her back to life (Lk. 8:41–42; Mk. 5:22–23).  [Luke and Mark explain that Jairus’s daughter was on the verge of death, and afterward people sent from the ruler’s house came to report that she had died.  Matthew, however, records: “My daughter has just died; but come and lay Your hand on her, and she will live” (Mt. 9:18).  Here, Matthew combines the account of the daughter dying (as recorded by Luke and Mark) with his own statement that she had just died, omitting the detailed process and instead focusing on how Jesus handled the situation (Broadus).  Furthermore, the Greek phrase corresponding to “has just died” (Mt. 9:18), arti eteleutēsen (ἄρτι ἐτελεύτησεν), does not necessarily indicate only that she is already dead, but can also mean “is dying” or “is about to die.”  Therefore, we may understand that Jairus came to Jesus and confessed, “My daughter is so gravely ill that she must have died by now” (Hochma).]

 

(i)               Here, the term “ruler of the synagogue” refers to the head of the synagogue, who not only led the assembly and was responsible for the maintenance, preservation, and operation of the synagogue building, but also bore responsibility for maintaining the order and sanctity of worship.  In addition, he had the authority to select the person who would read the Torah (the Law) or deliver the sermon.  From this, we can see that the ruler of the synagogue was a member of the highest social class at the local level, possessing significant social status and respect (Hochma)—in stark contrast to the woman with the issue of blood.

 

·        The fact that the synagogue ruler’s only daughter was twelve years old carries special meaning in Jewish society, as this age marked the time when a girl had reached the stage of being eligible for marriage and had come into womanhood.  That the life of a young woman who was just beginning to blossom should come to an end at this point was truly tragic.  The anguished heart of Jairus, a father who could do nothing but watch his only daughter die, is clearly revealed in his act of setting aside all dignity and falling at Jesus’ feet to beg Him (Hochma).

 

-           To fall down at someone’s feet was an expression of the utmost respect.  Given that the ruler of the synagogue held a highly respected social position, this scene represents an act of absolute humility that exalts Jesus to the highest place.  In fact, at that time Jesus was generally regarded as no more than a new rabbi, so it was unimaginable for a leading figure of the Jewish religious establishment to kneel before Him (Hochma).

 

(ii)             As I meditated on this passage, I was reminded of an experience from several years ago.  I was about to leave my house to lead an early morning prayer meeting when I noticed that the light was on in a room near the door.  When I went in, I saw my beloved daughter lying on her bed as if she were a dead body.  I took her hand with my own hands, knelt down on the wooden floor, and tearfully cried out, “Lord, please save my daughter.” 

 

·          Because of this, the words describing how Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue, fell at Jesus’ feet and earnestly pleaded, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and lay Your hands on her so that she may live” (Mk. 5:23), feel very real and tangible to me.

 

-        I was also reminded of Sister Sun-young Park, who is currently earnestly interceding for her critically ill mother in the intensive care unit of a hospital.  A few days ago, Sister Sun-young posted a heartfelt prayer request to fifty-one brothers and sisters in a “Prayer Support for One Another (KakaoTalk)” group.  I share only a portion of what she wrote:

 

“…Please earnestly pray—earnestly and fervently—that my mother’s breathing will stabilize and that she will regain strength and soon be able to breathe on her own; that although the bleeding has somewhat stopped for now, her condition will remain stable enough to resume anticoagulant treatment (the doctors said that bleeding is extremely dangerous for her right now); that treatment for the clots in her lungs, brain, and body will be carried out cleanly and completely; that the Lord will firmly hold onto my mother’s spirit, soul, and body so that she may regain clear consciousness and receive treatment; and that He will grant her new strength and the grace of recovery.  My mother has lived a life of so much hardship. Lord, I earnestly and fervently ask that You would have mercy on my mother. 🙏 Please, I beg You, grant her recovery…”

 

(b)   So, when Jesus rose and went with him, His disciples followed closely, and the crowds were pressing in on Him from all sides (Lk. 8:42).  At that very moment, a woman who had suffered from the issue of blood for twelve years came up behind Jesus and, in faith, touched the hem of His garment, and her disease was healed (Mt. 9:19–22).  As a result, Jesus said to the woman, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be freed from your disease and be healthy.”  While Jesus was still speaking, people came from the house of the ruler of the synagogue and said, “Your daughter has died. Why do you trouble the Teacher any longer?”  Jesus heard this and said to Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue: “Do not be afraid; only believe” (Mk. 5:34–36).  “Then your daughter will be saved” [“Then your daughter will live” (Korean Modern Bible)] (Lk. 8:50).

 

(i)               The statement, “Your daughter has died.  Why do you trouble the Teacher any longer?” (v. 35), strongly portrays a situation in which there is no longer any hope.  That is, the messenger who reported Jairus’s daughter’s death believed that death was the end of everything.  Therefore, from what they considered a polite and reasonable perspective, they urged that Jesus should not be troubled any further (Hochma).

 

·          The original word meaning “to trouble,” skylleis (σκύλλεις), was originally used for the act of stripping the hide from an animal or peeling the bark from a tree, and it conveys the sense of harsh, severe pain or torment (Matthew 9:36). Thus, this expression can be understood as a very firm request meaning, “Do not bother Him any longer” or “Do not place any further burden upon Him” (Hokma).

 

(ii)             Here, Jesus’ twofold command, “Do not be afraid; only believe” (Mk. 5:36), is given entirely in the present tense, constituting a strict command to maintain that state continuously.  In other words, it means: do not let your heart be shaken by the news of death, but continue to hold on to the faith that you have had toward Me (Jesus) up until now (Rom. 4:20–21) (Hochma).

 

·          Truly, Jesus was directing them to continue fixing their eyes on His transcendent power that far surpasses death, relying on His divine nature.  Fear and faith are always in a hostile relationship.  Therefore, at the very moment of extreme despair, casting off all negative elements (fear) and placing absolute trust in Jesus, the absolute Being, is true courage and true faith.  This faith—maintaining continual trust in Jesus—is the only key to life (Hochma).

 

-           As I meditate on this twofold command of Jesus, I am reminded of Jesus’ twofold commandment: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind,” and “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Mt. 22:37, 39).  Perhaps the reason is that Jesus’ twofold commandment and His double command are inseparably related, like the two sides of a coin.

 

n  That is, just as Jesus’ twofold commandment—“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (the front side of the coin: the vertical relationship with God) and “Love your neighbor as yourself” (the back side of the coin: the horizontal relationship with others)—cannot be separated, so also Jesus’ twofold command—“Do not be afraid” (the back side of the coin: do not fear that Jairus’s daughter has died) and “Only believe” (the front side of the coin: only believe in Jesus)—cannot be separated.  If one truly believes in the Lord, one will not be afraid.

 

(iii)           After Jesus said to Jairus, the synagogue leader, “Do not fear, only believe” (Mk. 5:36), He added, “Then your daughter will be saved” [“Then your daughter will live” (Korean Modern Bible)] (Lk. 8:50).  At that moment, I remembered that Jesus had already said to the woman with the flow of blood, “Daughter, your faith has saved you; go in peace” [“Daughter, your faith has healed you; now go in peace” (Korean Modern Bible)] (v. 48).

 

·          Clearly, Jairus, the synagogue leader, was walking alongside Jesus (Mk. 5:36), and so he would have heard Jesus’ words to the woman with the flow of blood: “Daughter, your faith has saved you; go in peace” [“Daughter, your faith has healed you; now go in peace” (Korean Modern Bible)] (v. 48).  Therefore, when Jairus heard Jesus say, “Do not fear, only believe, and your daughter will be saved” [“Do not fear; only believe, and she will live” (Korean Modern Bible)] (Lk. 8:50), he could truly believe that if he followed Jesus’ instructions—trusting without fear—his daughter would indeed live.

 

(c)    When Jesus arrived at Jairus’ house, He did not allow anyone inside except Peter, John, James, and the girl’s parents.  Everyone else was mourning and weeping for the girl, but Jesus said, “Do not weep; she is not dead but sleeping.”  Since the people knew that she was already dead, they mocked Jesus (Lk. 8:51-53).

 

(i)               When I meditated on this passage, I became particularly interested in Jesus saying, “Do not weep.”  Perhaps this is because many years ago, at a crematorium in Korea, I once saw a brother in Christ crying over the cremation of his father and told him not to weep.  Later, I deeply regretted saying that.  My perspective has since changed: if someone you love dies, it is natural and proper to grieve to the point of tears.

 

·        Yet, in today’s passage, Luke 8:52, Jesus says, “Do not weep.”  How should we understand this?  The reason Jesus told them not to weep was that Jairus’ daughter was not truly dead but sleeping (v. 52).  When Jesus awakened her from this “sleep,” she would live (v. 50, Korean Modern Bible).

-           Indeed, Jesus took her hand and said, “Talitha kum!” (translated: “I say to you, little girl, arise”) (Mk. 5:41) or “Child, arise” (Lk. 8:54).  At that very moment, her spirit returned, and she immediately got up (v. 55) and walked around (Mk. 5:52).

 

n  Not only were her parents, Jairus and his wife, astonished (Lk. 8:56), but also those who had mocked Jesus were greatly amazed and completely astonished [“They were so amazed that they had no presence of mind” (Korean Modern Bible)] (Mk. 5:42).

 

#    Afterward, Jesus instructed the girl, “Give her something to eat,” and commanded that no one should tell anyone about this miracle (Lk. 8:55-56).  Nevertheless, the news spread throughout that region (Mt. 9:26).