First, we discuss the miracle about a woman who had a hemorrhage. She touched the fringe of the cloak of Jesus and got healed due to her faith. Then, we mention in passing where the fringe of the cloak came from along with its meaning. Verses tell us clearly that He didn’t use His Godhead during the period of the Word becoming flesh. The power coming out of Him really came from the Holy Spirit with Him. Secondly, we talk about the resurrection of the twelve years old daughter of Jairus. According to the verses, when a person dies, the spirit leaves first, then the soul. After the soul leaves, the person dies. We see that the Greek word G5053 has two meanings, ‘is dying’ and ‘is dead.’ Thirdly, we see the duties of the twelve apostles who were sent by Jesus and we see that preaching Gospels deserves a wage. We also mention that those who don’t have faith have been judged already, and the Gospel indeed propagates from Israel to all nations. Please be aware, the words said in Matthew 10:16 regarding “…as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents …” are when they were sent to unbelievers. To brothers and sisters in Christ, we should behave like what said in John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
1. A woman who had a hemorrhage
This event is recorded in all first three Gospels, which apparently happened on His way to the home of Jairus, who was an official of the synagogue. And as He went, the crowds were pressing against Him. Let us first take a look at the Gospel of Luke, “And as Jesus returned, the people welcomed Him, for they had all been waiting for Him. And there came a man named Jairus, and he was an official of the synagogue; and he fell at Jesus’ feet, and began to implore Him to come to his house; for he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, and she was dying(G599). But as He went, the crowds were pressing against Him. And a woman who had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and could not be healed by anyone, came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak, and immediately her hemorrhage stopped. And Jesus said, “Who is the one who touched Me?” And while they were all denying it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing in on You.” But Jesus said, “Someone did touch Me, for I was aware that power had gone out of Me.” When the woman saw that she had not escaped notice, she came trembling and fell down before Him, and declared in the presence of all the people the reason why she had touched Him, and how she had been immediately healed. And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.””(Luke 8:40-48)
We see that his daughter was about 12 years old. He was a Jew since he was an official of the synagogue. Now talking about the woman having a hemorrhage, she wanted to touch Him, but only touched the fringe of His cloak. Then, the healing was done. Her twelve years old hemorrhage was immediately healed. And she did testimony on the spot by telling everyone what happened to her. Regarding her healing immediately, no wonder the others were all denying it, since it didn’t have anything happened to them.
The same event is recorded briefly in Matthew 9:18-22 and also gives the reason why she wanted to touch the fringe of His cloak in Matthew 9:21 “for she was saying to herself, “If I only touch His garment, I will get well.”” The detail is also recorded similarly in Mark 5:21-34, and in Mark 5:27-30, it is said, “after hearing about Jesus, she came up in the crowd behind Him and touched His cloak. …Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. Immediately Jesus, perceiving in Himself that the power proceeding from Him had gone forth, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My garments?”” We can see how crowded at that time, and she had to come from behind. She didn’t touch His cloth, but only the fringe of it. She indeed came from behind, since Jesus had to turn and “…looked around to see the woman who had done this. But the woman fearing and trembling, aware of what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth.”(Mark 5:32-33) She indeed had faith, since she only heard about what Jesus did and believed that all she had to do was to touch His cloak. Indeed, her faith had made her well.
We mention in passing that the cloak at that time had tassels, since it was the command from God and had its meaning. In Numbers 15:37-41, it says, “The Lord also spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel, and tell them that they shall make for themselves tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and that they shall put on the tassel of each corner a cord of blue. It shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the Lord, so as to do them and not follow after your own heart and your own eyes, after which you played the harlot, so that you may remember to do all My commandments and be holy to your God. I am the Lord your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt to be your God; I am the Lord your God.”” Therefore, the tassels with a cord of blue were there throughout their generations. We also see them that they were at the bottom of a cloak. We wonder if the woman touched the cord of blue only, since it was at the fringe.
In the era of the Old Testament, we had to live a life of consecration. In other words, one needed to separate oneself to sanctification. As an example, in the high priest Aaron forehead, it was carried in his turban the words as described in Exodus 28:36-38, “You shall also make a plate of pure gold and shall engrave on it, like the engravings of a seal, ‘Holy to the Lord.’ …It shall be on Aaron’s forehead, …” In the era of the New Testament, we should behave the same, since it is said in 1 Peter 1:16, “because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”” We need to have a prayer life with faith, hope, and love to have a life of consecration.
We discussed before of the similar verse as in Mark 5:30, “Immediately Jesus, perceiving in Himself that the power proceeding from Him had gone forth, …” The power came from the Holy Spirit since He was a complete man. When it happens, He knows. We as human at most can be a channel. When such a power passes us, we should know too. He in the period of Word becoming flesh, He never used His Godhead. This can be seen from the same two verses in Matthew 24:36 and Mark 13:32, “But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.” In that period, even the Holy Spirit doesn’t know that date. Only the Father knows. Yes, that period is very special and requires a certain order. Father sent the Son, and the Holy Spirit won’t come unless the Son went first. (Ref. Matthew 15:24, John 14:16) If Jesus used His Godhead, the Holy Trinity, how could he not know? Because there is only a united one, three are in one. So, He is a complete man. That is why it is said in John 5:27, “and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man.” Although Jesus is a complete man, He is also a complete God. Someone gave the latter a very good analogy. If a prince for whatever reasons has to live like a beggar life temporarily, we cannot say that his status isn’t a prince just because he lives like a beggar temporarily. He never loses his status as a prince since he was born that way. So, even Jesus emptied Himself, He still is a complete God.
Since Satan can do supernatural things (Ref. Job 1:16, 4:12-21) as well, it is clear that supernatural things are not all from God. We need to discern. Bible says so for this matter in 1 John 4:1-3, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.”
2. The resurrection of the daughter of Jairus
In Luke 8:49-56, it says, “While He was still speaking, someone came from the house of the synagogue official, saying, “Your daughter has died (G2348, verb); do not trouble the Teacher anymore.” But when Jesus heard this, He answered him, “Do not be afraid any longer; only believe, and she will be made well.” When He came to the house, He did not allow anyone to enter with Him, except Peter and John and James, and the girl’s father and mother. Now they were all weeping and lamenting for her; but He said, “Stop weeping, for she has not died (G599, verb), but is asleep(G2518).” And they began laughing at Him, knowing that she had died. He, however, took her by the hand and called, saying, “Child, arise!” And her spirit (G4151) returned, and she got up immediately; and He gave orders for something to be given her to eat. Her parents were amazed; but He instructed them to tell no one what had happened.”
We can see again that He kept a low profile before His time came up. Not because that He did this for his reputation sake, He is just like this no matter what, as described in Matthew 11:29, “for I am gentle and humble in heart, …” We can see that Jesus also brought only three of His twelve disciples, namely Peter, John, and James, in the Mount of Transfiguration. Among His twelve disciples, Peter was the leading one. John lived longest, and James was the first martyr.
The same event is also recorded in Mark 5:35-43, which says, “They came to the house of the synagogue official; and He saw a commotion, and people loudly weeping and wailing. And entering in, He said to them, “Why make a commotion and weep? The child has not died, but is asleep.” They began laughing at Him. But putting them all out, He took along the child’s father and mother and His own companions, and entered the room where the child was. Taking the child by the hand, He said to her, “Talitha kum!” (which translated means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). Immediately the girl got up and began to walk, for she was twelve years old. And immediately they were completely astounded. And He gave them strict orders that no one should know about this, and He said that something should be given her to eat.” The same event is also recorded in Matthew 9:18-26. We can see that although Jesus took a low profile at that time in front of Jews, but in Matthew 9:26, it says, “This news spread throughout all that land.” We can see that even though He could command demons through the Holy Spirit and thus had showed that He had authority over demons, but He had no authority to ask people to obey Him.
Humans consist of spirit, soul, and body as the verse in 1 Thessalonians 5:23, “…may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, …” According to verses in the Bible, the order of death is that the spirit leaves first, then soul. When the soul departs, the body is dead. Why do we say so? Let us start with the command from God in Genesis 2:16-17, “The Lord God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.”” That day means the same day. When Adam and Eve ate that fruit, they died at the same day since they were chased out and couldn’t in any way actively communicate with God anymore. But it is said in Genesis 5:5, “So all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years, and he died.” Apparently, his soul was still in his body or he would die for sure since in Genesis 35:18, it is clearly said, “It came about as her (Rachel’s) soul was departing (for she died), …” Spirit is the instrument for people to communicate with God. From logic, the spirit was dead in that day. God didn’t cheat them at all.
We are born to inherit the dead old spirit, which is still in our body, but we know “…the spirit will return to God who gave it.”(Ecclesiastes 12:7) In our death, it is still so. We look at the verse in Luke 8:52, “…but He said, “Stop weeping, for she has not died, but is asleep.”” Then, “…her spirit returned, and she got up immediately; …”(Luke 8:55) Please notice that the word ‘spirit’ is used. The old spirit returns to the body so that one can keep alive. Since the soul is still inside the body, so Jesus said that she was asleep. Isn’t this the same as what described in the verse in Acts 20:10? There, it says, “But Paul went down and fell upon him (Eutychus), and after embracing him, he said, “Do not be troubled, for his life is in him.”” Thus, we can see that the order of death is that the spirit leaves first, then soul. When the soul departs, the body is dead. Here, it is verified again that spirit and soul can be separated. Didn’t “…Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” …”(Luke 23:46) We are glad that He committed His spirit.
Lastly in this section, we’ll discuss a seemly contradictory question. Let us first take a look at the verse in Luke 8:42, “for he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, and she was dying. …” Then the verse in Mark 5:23 consistently says, “and implored Him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death; please come and lay Your hands on her, so that she will get well and live.”” But if you look at this verse in Matthew 9:18, “While He was saying these things to them, a synagogue official came and bowed down before Him, and said, “My daughter has just died (G5053); but come and lay Your hand on her, and she will live.”” If you compare these three places, and the reaction after Jesus’s arrival at the home of Jairus, we know that they didn’t know ahead of time that Jesus could resurrect his daughter. If his daughter was dead already, they wouldn’t ask Jesus to come. In other words, if one considers the consistency of the Bible, it is likely that he wouldn’t translate as “My daughter has just died (G5053).” In the Gospel of Matthew, the word G5030 should be ‘is dying.’ However, in Matthew 2:19, it says, “But when Herod died (G5053), behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, …” Herod was indeed dead. Thus, the word G5053 has two meanings, ‘is dying’ and ‘is dead.’
3. Jesus sent the twelve apostles
In Luke 9:1-6,it says, “And He called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to perform healing. And He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, neither a staff, nor a bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not even have two tunics apiece. Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that city. And as for those who do not receive you, as you go out from that city, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” Departing, they began going throughout the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.”
We first see that doing their duties and preaching the Gospel is worthy of wages. It says clearly for the latter when the seventy were sent in Luke 10:7, “Stay in that house, eating and drinking what they give you; for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not keep moving from house to house.” In terms of what said in Luke 9:5, “And as for those who do not receive you, as you go out from that city, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” Isn’t the same as what said in Matthew 12:30, “He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters.” In the aspect of human, it looks unreasonable. Isn’t it asked that the others have to behave the same? Not really. We have to look at things in the aspect of God for this issue as said in John 3:18, “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” Like what said in Matthew 10:15, “Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.”
We have to see things in the right aspects. Only by doing so, one has a chance not to misunderstand the Bible. Sometimes, we do have to view things in both aspects. For example, seeing things in the aspect of God, we are saints already after becoming righteousness in faith. That is why Paul in Colossians 1:2 said, “To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are at Colossae: …” From seeing things in the aspect of human, we have to walk in the way of sanctification for a very long time, just like what Abraham did. After he passed the test of offering Isaac, the Bible has no record that he was tested again by God. Similarly, in the cases of Job and of David’s counting people, they both died full of days. Jacob last trial was that he thought Joseph was dead when he was sold in Egypt. In his final years, he was able to bless Pharaoh. (Ref. Genesis 47:10) And “…without any dispute the lesser is blessed by the greater.”(Hebrews 7:7)
The same event is also recorded in Matthew 10:5-16 and Mark 6:7-13. In the Gospel of Mark, what was recorded is similar. In Matthew 10:5-16, it is said, “These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them: “Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give. Do not acquire gold, or silver, or copper for your money belts, or a bag for your journey, or even two coats, or sandals, or a staff; for the worker is worthy of his support. And whatever city or village you enter, inquire who is worthy in it, and stay at his house until you leave that city. As you enter the house, give it your greeting. If the house is worthy, give it your blessing of peace. But if it is not worthy, take back your blessing of peace. Whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet. Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city. “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.””
We can also see that the Gospel indeed propagates from Israel to all nations. Jesus said the same in Matthew 15:24, “…I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Only after He resurrected, we have the great mission in Matthew 28:19, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” Thus, the great mission is not only turning unbelievers to believers, but also makes them disciples towards the way of sanctification. Please notice what Jesus said about in Matthew 10:16, “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.” It was when they were sent to unbelievers. Towards brothers and sisters in Christ, we should behave like what said in John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” Otherwise, one may be accustomed to be a snake and may become a snake without knowing by himself. We need a wisdom of hearts, and is innocent as doves to obey the leading of the Holy Spirit. Let us emphasize again, we need to discern; otherwise, we may follow the leading of evil spirits without knowing. It is because one can cheat himself as said in Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?”
(Verses refer to those in NASB unless otherwise specified.)
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