Faith

In Romans Chapter 4, Paul argues that faith is the same today as it was when it was exercised by the Old Testament saints such as Abraham and David. Also, faith has the same result. Abraham and David won forgiveness by faith (Romans 4:1-8), and for us today, forgiveness is also found by faith. We see in Romans Chapter 4 that to believe means simply to count on God’s promises. We accept the Word of God (God spoke) and in doing so, we accept God Himself. Paul shows that The God Who spoke with promise to Abraham is the same God Who, in Jesus, speaks with promise to us. The God in “…whom he (Abraham) believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.” (Romans 4:17) In Romans 4:18-25, Paul further defines faith. Here, he analyzes Abraham’s faith. Abraham faced the fact of his and Sarah’s advanced age. He knew this meant that conceiving a child was impossible, but Abraham “…staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;” Instead, he was “…fully persuaded that, what he (God) had promised, he was able also to perform.” And so Paul concludes, “therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.” (Romans 4:20-22)

The Promise

Abraham heard the promise. He looked beyond the possibility of its fulfillment and considered God. Confident that God would keep His promise, Abraham accepted that what God announced would come to pass. The promise that Abraham believed was the promise that he would father a child. God has delivered Jesus up for our sins and raised Him to life again for our justification. The promise held out today in the Gospel in which we are to believe is the promise that God will save us because of Jesus and His atoning work at The Cross and our faith in that finished work. We look beyond the impossibility that the natural person sees, we consider God, and we, too, are convinced that what God has announced will come to pass. Believing, we receive the gifts of salvation and righteousness.

Maintaining Our Salvation

In Galatians 3, Paul not only proclaims the necessity of faith in Christ for one’s salvation, but he argues that our relationship with The Lord is also maintained by faith. We are not to attempt to live in fellowship with God by trying to keep the law. Paul reminds us, “…The just (righteous) shall live by faith.” (Galatians 3:11) And that refers to faith in Christ and His atoning work on Calvary’s Cross. Law is based on a contrary principle, reliance on human activity and performance. It is not based on promise. Since we must relate to God through His promise rather than through His works, we must continue on by faith in our relationship with The Lord. We must hear the words of Scripture as promise and we must rely on them as promise. In his personal testimony, Paul says, “I am crucified with Christ (as the foundation of all victory. Paul here takes us back to Romans 6:3-5): nevertheless I live (have new life); yet not I (not by my own strength and ability), but Christ liveth in me (by my virtue of dying with Jesus on The Cross and being raised with Him in newness of life): and the life which I now live in the flesh (my daily walk before God) I live by the faith of the Son of God (The Cross is ever the object of my faith), who loved me, and gave himself for me (which is the only way that I could be saved).”

True Faith

The life of faith is ours as we continue to count on God’s Word to us. However, we must remember that the faith which The Holy Spirit addresses is faith in Christ and what Christ did for us at The Cross. This we must ever understand. Faith without The Cross is faith that God will not honor. Faith in The Cross is that which God will always honor, and we must never forget that. We hear God’s promises and believe that God will do in us all that He has spoken. As we live by faith, the righteousness of which the Bible speaks as being ours in God’s sight gradually infuses our life and character, and we become righteous persons in fact and in deed. It is all by faith in Christ. However, we must ever understand that faith in the Word of God, at least for it to be true faith, must be with the understanding that the entirety of the Bible, as stated, points to Christ and Him crucified. So, when we speak of making the Bible the object of our faith, it must be with that in mind. That which says too much concludes by saying nothing, so when we speak of having faith in the Word of God, it must ever be with the understanding that the Word of God, as stated, points strictly to Christ and His atoning work. In a sense, this means that Christ and Him crucified must ever be the object of our faith and is how our salvation is maintained.

It All Comes by Faith

As we’ve already stated, in Romans Chapters 4 and 5, Paul tells us that salvation comes by faith, and as well, victory over sin comes by faith. That speaks of Christ and His atoning work at The Cross. When we come to Romans Chapter 6, this chapter explains to us how we can maintain our salvation and do so by ever understanding that it is The Cross of Christ and faith in that finished work that gives us power through the Holy Spirit to live the life we ought to live. Then and only then, “…sin shall not have dominion over you:…” (Romans 6:14). So, when The Holy Spirit, through Paul, tells us how to successfully live for The Lord (this is what Romans Chapter 6 is all about), He takes us straight to The Cross (Romans 6:3-5). Again, this means that The Cross of Christ must ever be the object of our faith.

Looking Back at Faith

We find, as we study the Word of God, that the object of faith has differed somewhat down through the ages as it regards the culminating effect. While the end result is the same, which is The Cross, the method of getting there, as stated, has somewhat varied. In different ages, God has spoken different words of promise. However, even though the direction, at times, would be somewhat different, the actual object of faith was always Christ and The Cross. At the very dawn of time and at the fall of man, God promised that a Redeemer would come (Genesis 3:15). This set the stage for Christ and His Cross. In keeping with that promise, He promised to Abraham a son and multiply descendants. To those under the law, there was the promise of blessing to accompany obedience. To us, there is the promise of cleansing and acceptance through Christ, to Whom all other promises pointed. In each age, faith is man’s response to promise. In each age, faith is trusting oneself to The God Who has spoken. In each age, faith is accepted by God in place of righteousness that no human being had or could have, at least on his own.

The New Testament

In the New Testament, to which the entirety of the Old pointed, we see, with unmistakable clarity, that it is through faith that God gives salvation and righteousness, faith in Christ and His finished work. It is in the New Testament that we see, with unmistakable clarity, that faith is a personal response to God and a complete commitment of ourselves to Him. There also, we see that faith calls for a continuing relationship of response to Jesus’ Word. It is in the New Testament that we see, with unmistakable clarity, that faith transforms human beings and brings us a life that is eternal, which can be experienced now. Through faith, we come into a relationship with God in which He commits Himself, not simply to declare us righteous, but also to make us truly good persons after the example of Christ. This is done solely by faith and sacrifice of Christ. Only then can The Holy Spirit work satisfactorily within our lives and develop His fruit. Trusting God is the heart and soul of the faith that centers on Our Lord Jesus Christ and His atoning work.

Christ and The Cross, Ever the Object of Our Faith

The believer must be careful not to fall into the trap into which Abraham almost succumbed. Distraught and discouraged because the promised son had not yet appeared, and in as much as it seemed the obstacles were abundant, he began to gradually move his eyes from the Giver to the gift. This is a danger for many believers. In response to this, “…the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.” (Genesis 15:1) In this passage, The Lord brings Abraham back to the correct position of faith. The believer must never allow himself, for whatever reason, to be pulled away from the Giver to the gift. While it is certainly exceedingly important that the gift (the promised son) be brought into the world, still, The Lord, in essence, would tell the patriarch, “It is not the gift, but rather, My Person Who is your exceeding great reward.” The modern faith movement has fallen into the error in which Abraham found himself. Faith has become the object with many instead of the Giver of faith. In so doing, the danger is always prevalent that God’s Word will, in turn, be used against Himself, or at least there is an attempt to do so. In other words, with faith solely as the object, instead of Christ and The Cross, the believer automatically concludes that he knows the will of God in any and all situations. Thereby, he sets out to use his faith to bring about that which he desires instead of what God desires.

The Wrong Direction

Actually, this is what satan attempted to get Christ to do respecting the temptations in the wilderness. Christ was hungry, so why not introduce His power to His need? It was a logical conclusion, at least in the manner in which satan proposed it. There was nothing sinful in bread, and neither was there anything sinful in The Lord using His power accordingly, or so satan suggested. And so, millions reason the same thing. However, if Jesus had done so, He would have been using His power for His own betterment, which would have been stepping outside the will of God. Consequently, He would say to satan, “…It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4) So, to use faith as an object, i.e., in order to acquire things at random pleasure, is not the will of God at all. The object of faith must ever be the Giver of faith Who is The Lord Jesus Christ and His atoning work. While the gift is always important, such as the promised son to Abraham, still, as stated, the Giver of that gift was the exceeding great reward and not the gift itself.

Go in Peace, and Be Whole of Thy Plague

The heading adds a new dimension to the entirety of this episode. This woman not only gained healing but salvation as well. The word peace assures this. It spoke of the health of both body and soul. As such, the proclamation of salvation is beautifully given in just a few words. The peace spoken of refers to peace with God. As a result of the fall, man lost his peace with God. As a result of sin that entered, there was an enmity that intruded between God and man. Because of his disobedience that brought about this enmity, man was estranged from God (Romans 8:7; Ephesians 2:15-16). This lack of peace presents a troubled soul to the individual, which expresses itself in many ways, all of them adverse, whether physical, mental, domestic, or, above all, spiritual. Such flows from a twisted human nature. It can only be assuaged by Christ as faith is evidenced in Him as exampled by the woman who touched the hem of His garment.

Peace and The Cross

Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27) Jesus then said, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) The great Word given by Christ to His disciples as recorded in John 14:27 is all made possible by The Cross. The bearer of everything The Lord gives us is always The Holy Spirit (John 16:14-15). In fact, every single thing that The Lord gives us, irrespective of what it might be, all and without exception, is made possible by The Cross (Ephesians 2:13-18). The Cross of Christ took away all sin, which means that it atoned for all sin. Upon that being done, hostility caused by sin was forever removed. Now, the believer can “…come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)

But What About Before The Cross?

The sacrifice of clean animals, at that time, served as a stop gap measure until the time of The Cross, one might say. In effect, it could be said that The Lord did on credit what He did with people at that time as it regarded miracles, healing, or whatever. He knew The Cross would pay the coming debt, and so He did things on credit. However, let the reader understand the following:

• Jesus Christ is the source of everything that we receive from God (John 1:1-3; 14; 29; 14:6).
• While Jesus is the source, The Cross of Christ is the means by which all of this is done (Romans 6:3-14; 1 Corinthians 1:17-18; 23; 2:2). The statement that The Cross is the means by which all of this is done is very important. If the believer does not understand that, such unbelief will greatly hinder us receiving from The Lord.
  
• With Jesus as the source and The Cross as the means, then the Cross of Christ must be the object of our faith. Of course, we’re not speaking of the wooden beam on which Jesus died, but rather, what He there accomplished. Actually, what He did at The Cross makes everything possible (Colossians 2:10-15; Galatians 6:14).
  
• With Christ as the source and The Cross as the means, and the only means, and with our faith anchored squarely in Christ and The Cross, The Holy Spirit will then begin to work mightily on our behalf. However, The Holy Spirit works only and entirely from the parameters of The Cross of Christ (Romans 8:1-11; Ephesians 2:13-18).
  

I have read book after book on the great subjects of the Bible. While the writers capably portray the problem, they never really give the solution to the problem. I supposed it is because they do not know the solution. The solution is, has always been, and shall always be Jesus Christ and Him Crucified. That’s why Paul said, “…we preach Christ crucified,…” (1 Corinthians 1:23).

Sanctifying Peace

There is a vast difference between justifying peace, which every single believer in the world has, and sanctifying peace. Justifying peace is the peace that comes to the new believer upon the born again experience. At that moment, all hostility between God and the believing sinner is removed by virtue of what Christ did at The Cross and the faith of the believing sinner expressed in that finished work (John 3:16). However, the peace that Jesus mentioned in John 14:27 and John 16:33 is sanctifying peace. This is the type of peace that Paul addressed in almost all of his salutations to his epistles. For instance, he said to the Galatians, “Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,” This is sanctifying peace. Concerning this, Paul said, “Who gave himself for our sins (The Cross), that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:” (Galatians 1:3-4) All believers have justifying peace and have such in the same capacity, however, the capacity of sanctifying peace is altogether different in different believers. In other words, some will have sanctifying peace to a far greater degree than others.

​The Blood

As an example, when The Lord told Moses to tell the children of Israel that he was going to pass through the land of Egypt that night, and every home that did not have blood applied to the doorposts, the firstborn in that house would die. It was a most chilling announcement. More than likely, there were some Israelites who went to bed that night and slept soundly, totally trusting in what The Lord had said because they had applied the blood to the doorposts as The Lord commanded. Therefore, they rested calmly and serenely. On the other hand, there were, undoubtedly, some of the children of Israel who, even though the blood was applied to the doorposts, still spent the night in anxiety and fear. Irrespective, even though there was anxiety and fear in their hearts that robbed them of peace that particular night, still, they were just as safe as the person who slept soundly. As well, the person who slept soundly was just as safe as the one who walked the floor all night long with anxiety and fear. The one who slept soundly had sanctifying peace, while the other one who did not sleep at all but walked the floor all night long had no sanctifying peace whatsoever. However, he still was saved because of the blood because the blood had been applied to the doorposts.

How Can the Believer have Sanctifying Peace?

First of all, let us state that it is impossible for the unbeliever to have any type of sanctifying peace. That should be obvious. However, the believer can have sanctifying peace no matter the problem and no matter the difficulty if he or she will carry out the following. Going back to the deliverance of the children of Israel from Egyptian bondage, the degree of peace on that fateful night pertained to the degree of faith in the blood applied to the doorpost. The Lord had said, “…when I see the blood, I will pass over you,…” (Exodus 12:13). It is the same presently. As a believer, you are to place your faith exclusively in Christ and The Cross, as we’ve already stated. You must trust totally and completely in what Christ has done for you and not allow your faith to be moved from Christ and The Cross to something else. If you do that, and you continue to do that, the Holy Spirit will guarantee your peace. As we stated, this sanctifying peace does not guarantee an absence of all problems, difficulties, and troubles. However, it does guarantee a peace in the midst of all those troubles.

The Garment of Praise

A short time back, The Lord gave me something that’s been a lifesaver, and it is so wonderful and good that I want everyone else to have it. Nearly 2,800 years ago, the great prophet Isaiah said, “To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.” (Isaiah 61:3) I want to call to your attention to one phrase in the entirety of this scripture, a “garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.” Allow me to share some preliminary remarks. First of all, when The Bible mentions the heart, it is not speaking of the organ in a person’s chest that beats 72-80 times a minute. It is speaking of something else entirely. I think one can say that it is speaking of the soul and the spirit of man, in other words, the real you. And so, Jesus said that all sin begins in the heart (Matthew 15:19). So, if the heart is not the physical organ in our bodies, what exactly was Jesus talking about? He was actually saying that sin begins in the spirit and the soul of man. Some Bible scholars even say that the mind is a part of the heart of which Jesus spoke. At any rate, before sin can lodge in the spirit and the soul of man, it must first have its beginning in the mind. Once it is conceived in the mind, it then goes to the soul and the spirit and then is committed (that is, if it is committed by the physical body). That is what Paul was talking about when he said, “Neither yield ye your members (of your mortal body) as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin (the sin nature): but yield yourselves unto God (we are to yield ourselves to Christ and The Cross. That alone guarantees victory over the sin nature), as those that are alive from the dead (we have been raised with Christ in newness of life), and your members (the physical members of your physical body) as instruments of righteousness unto God.” (Romans 6:13) So, we have to find a way to counteract the need of sin fomenting in our minds. How do we do that?

The Mind of Man

It is impossible to think on two things at one time. We may think we can do that, but we really cannot. Whatever we are thinking, as fleeting as it might be, still, it is all that we are thinking about at that moment. The following is what The Holy Spirit meant when He gave to Isaiah the short phrase, “the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.” As a believer, when thoughts of The Lord come to your mind in any manner, instantly begin to praise The Lord. You don’t have to do it out loud; actually, you can do it under your breath, but praise The Lord, which pertains to your soul, your spirit, your mind, i.e., the heart. Just tell The Lord under your breath how much you love Him and how you thank Him for all the wonderful things He does for you. You can even praise Him in the Spirit. In a few moments time, your mind will go to something else. If you do what I have said every time your mind goes to The Lord, you will find that the fear will be dispelled. Evil thoughts will be dispelled, and doubt and unbelief will be thrown aside while a feeling of well-being will flood your soul. Do it constantly, never stopping. I do believe that this will keep back much sickness. It is God’s preventative medicine, one might say. That’s the key.

The Spirit of Heaviness

The spirit of heaviness is a spiritual oppression and emanates from the spirits of darkness. It drags the physical body down, and again, causes much sickness and emotional disturbances. However, when you begin to praise The Lord and do it constantly, every time your mind goes to The Lord, you will find the spirit of heaviness, which takes many forms, leaving entirely with nothing left but praises for The Lord. As stated, this is God’s medicine. This is His security that He gives to us. The Holy Spirit knew exactly what He was saying when He gave the Word, “garment of praise” to Isaiah so long ago. We are to wear the praises of The Lord as a garment exactly as I have tried to tell you. That means that the barbs of satan cannot get through and cannot be given any place at all, and therefore, must remain silent. If you will do what I’ve said do and what I have tried my best to outline for you, I think you will find situations improving, fear being dispelled, and the feeling of joy and euphoria filling your heart. Just try it; it doesn’t cost anything. And remember this, every victory we have and every good thing that comes to us from The Lord, and every good thing does come from Him, all are made possible by The Cross of Christ. There, satan was totally and completely defeated along with every demon spirit and other fallen angels. It is The Cross of Christ that makes it all possible. 

Wholeness of Mind, Body, and Spirit

From the phrase, “go in peace, and be whole of thy plague,” one can make an excellent Scriptural case that healing for the body, as well as salvation of the soul, is part of the atonement, i.e., the price that Jesus paid at Calvary. Man cannot be made whole unless he is whole in every capacity. To argue that the atonement only included salvation from sin is a failure not only to understand the total fall of man but also a failure to understand the total redemption of man by Christ at Calvary. Man is either totally redeemed, made whole in every respect, or not redeemed at all. Of course, we know that Jesus redeemed the whole man. Let us say it another way, there is no such thing as partial justification by faith. One is either totally justified or not justified at all. To argue that because Christians still get sick, healing was not included in the atonement is to argue that salvation from sin is not in the atonement because Christians still sin at times. In truth, the total redemption of man in the atonement, including both spiritual and physical and financial as well, is not affected by the fact of either continued sin or sickness. However, the entirety of the salvation process as provided at Calvary is not yet completed as far as results are concerned, even though it is completed as far as the fact is concerned.

Firstfruits

Concerning this very thing, Paul said, “…but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.” (Romans 8:23). As the apostle Paul said, we presently only have the firstfruits of the Spirit as it regards all that Jesus did in the atonement. The balance will be received at the resurrection when the physical body is redeemed, exchanged, one might say, in effect, for a glorified body. Then the totality of what Jesus paid for at The Cross will be completely realized. The believer has presently been sanctified and justified “…in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:11) However, the believer has not yet been glorified, which will take place at the first resurrection of life. This will, then, and for all time, complete the salvation process. Then, sin and sickness will no longer be possible (Romans 8:17-25; 1 Corinthians 15:51-54).

“While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?” (Mark 5:35)

While He Yet Spake

The heading refers to someone coming from the home of Jairus and bringing a message even while the Lord was speaking to the woman who had just been healed. The message would not be good. But yet, if Jesus is speaking, good and wonderful things always happen. If not, it’s because of unbelief. We will find that when He does speak to the ruler of the synagogue, it will be words of hope and words of life.

There Came From the Ruler of the Synagogue's House Certain Which Said, Thy Daughter is Dead

One might well imagine the terrible blow that Jairus suffered when he heard the words, “Thy daughter is dead.” He was, no doubt, very pleased with the healing of this dear woman, but at the same time, his heart was breaking for his little daughter. He must have been extremely concerned regarding the delay brought about by the healing of the woman. Jesus searching for her after her healing and the time it took for her to give her testimony must have caused terrible anxiety in the heart of this man. And now, he received the worst message of all confirming his fears, “Thy daughter is dead:”

Why Troublest Thou the Master Any Further?

The heading proclaims the end of their faith, at least those who had brought the discouraging message. I think the text verse proclaims that Jairus also felt that it was now too late. However, with God, it is never too late. Man quickly comes to the end of his resources, but God never comes to the end of His. My grandmother taught me when I was a child, “Jimmy, God is a big God, so ask big.” That simple statement has helped me to touch this world for Christ. She taught me to ask big. Thank God she did. All of this meant that nothing is impossible with God, and I mean nothing. What Jesus will now do proves the situation.

“As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.” (Mark 5:36)

In effect Jesus said, “Stop fearing and be believing.”

As Soon as Jesus Heard the Word that was Spoken

The heading means that Jesus overheard what was being said. We learn from all of this that God can do anything, and when we say anything, we mean anything. What did Jesus hear? He heard that the little girl, who incidentally was 12 years old, had died. In a sense, as well, he could hear the broken heart of Jairus.

He Saith unto the Ruler of the Synagogue

According to the statement given by Christ upon the news of the death of his daughter, Jairus had ceased to believe. However, before we criticize him, let us ask, would we have done any better? He had believed that Jesus could definitely heal his daughter, but now, she was dead. Man can only go so far with his faith, and now Jairus had traveled that distance. He could not really see, at the time, what Jesus could do, in as much as the child was dead. But then, he heard something that sounded strange to his ears.

Be Not Afraid, Only Believe

This phrase constituted some of the greatest words that Jairus would ever hear, but yet, completely beyond his comprehension. In effect, Jesus said, “stop fearing and be believing,” meaning to continue believing even in the presence of death. What a valuable lesson this should be to all. To believe is one thing, but to continue to believe, even in the face of extremely adverse circumstances, as here proclaimed, is the key to receiving what we want from The Lord. The question becomes, at what level does our faith weaken and die? Remember, The Lord is ever seeking to strengthen our faith, which is always done through the Word of God (Romans 10:17). This simply means that we are to believe the Word of God and to believe it despite the circumstances. I am convinced that the more mature one is in Christ, the more The Lord allows circumstances to build, which at times, makes the situation even more impossible. I believe He does this in order that our faith may be increased by trusting solely in God’s Word. The idea is that we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). Consequently, the Lord will allow the sight to be increased by adverse circumstances, difficulties, and even impossibilities. Because of their loud clamor, it becomes very easy to look at these things. The secret is to keep one’s eye and heart on The Word, despite the circumstances or difficulties. I think the difficulties could not be any worse than recorded here with the child actually having died. And yet Jesus said to him, “Do not fear, keep believing.” He says the same to us as well.

​“And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.” (Mark 5:37)

Peter, James, and John

Why these three, Peter, James, and John? This is the first of three occasions when Jesus singles them out from the other disciples:

• At the raising of the girl from the dead. Jesus would portray to these three His power.
• At the Transfiguration, only these three were allowed to witness this event (Mark 9:1-2). Here, Jesus showed them His glory.
  
• During His passion in the garden of Gethsemane, likewise, only the three were allowed (Mark 14:32-35). Here, He showed them His sufferings.
  

The only answer for these three being included, with the others excluded from these momentous occasions, is that the three showed, by their actions, that they desired a closer walk with Him. I am aware of no other explanation. Those who “…hunger and thirst after righteousness…” are filled (Matthew 5:6). Consequently, it stands to reason that they who hunger and thirst the more are filled the more.

“And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.” (Mark 5:38)

And He Cometh to the House of the Ruler of the Synagogue

What was in the mind of Jairus all the time they were on the way to his house? Did he really realize what Jesus was about to do? It seems from Luke 7:11-14 that this was not the first occasion of Jesus raising one from the dead, although that chronology is not confirmed. When Jesus comes to the house, any house, things are instantly made better and impossible made possible, death turned to life, little turned into much, etc. The question becomes, what kind of God do your serve? The God we’re supposed to serve is a God of miracles. We must understand that and believe that simply because it is true.

And Seeth the Tumult

The heading speaks to the activity of the paid mourners and Jesus examining their actions with a critical and careful eye. In all of this, we will see the terrible unbelief of the human heart. This tumult had no sincerity and was simply for show.

And Them That Wept and Wailed Greatly

This had to do with the practice and custom of that time of hiring mourners to do this thing. Their mourning was not real but fake. Most of them probably did not even know the child. As the next verse portrays, the actions of Christ proclaim the fact that He was not in sympathy with such activity. Even though it was then a custom, I cannot see how that such even remotely bettered any situation of this nature. What good would it do to have someone shout and holler and wail greatly, especially considering that it was all fake and that they did not even really know the little girl?

“And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.” (Mark 5:39)

And When He was Come In

This did not mean that she was actually not dead, but that the child was not dead to stay dead. As well, the word sleeps brings us to the fact of the resurrection. What a beautiful word picture this is. In the scriptures, the believing dead are constantly referred to as sleeping. However, it is only the body that sleeps, with the soul and the spirit at death instantly going to be with Christ, that is, if the person is saved. The heading refers to Jesus entering into the midst of the paid mourners. Jairus, Peter, James, and John were with Him. To be sure, despite the unbelief of these paid mourners, Jesus would quickly change the situation from terrible hurt and pain to that of life and joy. Death cannot remain death in Jesus’ presence. It actually seems that every single funeral that Christ met in His earthly sojourn, He quickly changed it to a family reunion, and did so by raising the dead.

He Saith unto Them, Why Make Ye This Ado, and Weep?

His question refers to all the uproar and constant wailing. As stated, The Lord was not in sympathy with this custom and practice and for all the obvious reasons. It did not help anyone, and in fact, it only increased the terrible grief and pain.

The Damsel is Not Dead, but Sleepeth

As we have stated, this statement, given by Christ, did not mean that the girl was not actually dead but that the child was not dead to stay dead. Some false cults teach soul sleep, meaning, at death, the soul sleeps until the resurrection, etc. Such is not taught in Scripture. All of the Scriptures used by these cults clearly refer to the body, which does sleep in the dust of the earth until the resurrection of the body (Daniel 12:2; John 5:28-29; 1 Corinthians 15). The body is the only part of man that dies at physical death (James 2:26). The reason it dies is because the inner man, the soul and spirit, the life of the body, leaves the body. The body then goes back to dust and is spoken of as being asleep (Genesis 3:19; Ecclesiastes 3:19-21; Matthew 9:24; John 11:11; 1 Corinthians 11:30; 15:6; 18-20, 51; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17). Some may ask as to what kind of body we will have in the Resurrection. The Scripture tells us that it will be a glorified body. During the time of Paul, some were ridiculing Paul’s teaching concerning the Resurrection and especially the resurrection of the dead body. Paul answered them very quickly. He said, “But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die: But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.” (1 Corinthians 15:35-36, 38) In other words, The Lord is not going to try to rehabilitate the old body we had before death but is going to give us a new body, a glorified body. Paul also said, “It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body...” (1 Corinthians 15:44) I might quickly add that our glorified bodies will be like His (1 John 3:2).

“And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying.” (Mark 5:40)

And They Laughed Him to Scorn

This refers to their weeping suddenly turning to laughing. I think it now becomes obvious why Jesus was opposed to this custom. Moreover, their deriding and jeering were at Him. They were not content to merely disagree with Him about the child being dead, but they felt they must loudly proclaim their disagreement by jeering Him.

But When He Had Put Them All Out

The heading presents a strong statement, meaning that Jesus had to use pressure to make these individuals leave. It was somewhat akin to the forceful rejection when He cleansed the temple. There is no evidence it went quite that far but very close to it.

He Taketh the Father and the Mother of the Damsel, and Them That Were with Him

The group refers to Jairus, his wife, Peter, James, and John.

And Entereth in Where the Damsel was Lying

The word entered actually refers to a person going on a journey, even though only a few feet, at least in this instance. It conveyed the idea of distance, even though only a short piece. In effect, it pointed forward to the coming resurrection. That the word was chosen because it conveyed the idea of distance, even though it was only a few feet from this room to where the child was lying dead, what would transpire, the raising of the child from the dead, would portray a journey of incomprehensible proportions. All would be taken to a dimension of faith and power that are impossible in the natural sense.

“And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.” (Mark 5: 41)

And He Took the Damsel by the Hand

The heading refers to a strong grip. What were the thoughts of Jairus and the girl’s mother, when Jesus reached down and took her hand?

And Said unto Her, Talitha Cumi;

This was spoken in Aramaic, the same tongue used concerning our Lord’s words on the Cross, “My God, My God, Why hast thou forsaken me?” As the original language was reported in these two cases, quite possibly, they related to each other. As Jesus defeated death at the home of Jairus, likewise and for the whole world, He defeated death at Calvary. The actual statement means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” Consequently, it means that Mark gave us the original language in which Jesus spoke the word.

“And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.” (Mark 5:42)

And Straightway the Damsel Arose, and Walked

While the Scriptures only record three people being raised from the dead by Christ, Augustan says that He raised many more, which, no doubt, He did. The heading means that the girl immediately arose upon the command of Christ and began to walk around the room, possibly to her mother and father, and then maybe even to Christ.

For She Was of the Age of Twelve Years

This simply relates her age. What her sickness had been that had caused her death, we are not told. However, whatever it was, she no longer had.

They Were Astonished with a Great Astonishment

The heading means they were simply amazed beyond words. Peter, James, and John, along with the mother and father, stood there as if in a trance knowing that what they had seen was true. Yet, they were hardly able to believe it. As someone has said, “He raised the dead then to show that He will be able to raise the dead on that Resurrection morn.”

“And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.” (Mark 5:43)

And He Charged Them Straitly that no Man Should Know It

They must not relate the account of this miracle. There were reasons for this, the least not being the furor that the religious leaders would cause, but it is certain that such news could not be kept. Actually, His command was probably futile in as much as the paid mourners knew what He had proposed to do and certainly the very appearance of the child would prove beyond a shadow of doubt that He had done it, raised her from the dead. So, even though they were charged “straitly”, i.e., with insistence, still, it is doubtful that the secret was kept for very long.

And Commanded that Something Should be Given Her to Eat

Jesus’ statement could have been in reference to her past illness. Possibly food had exacerbated whatever problem she had. Nevertheless, if that was the problem, it no longer was, and she could now eat anything she desired.

This chapter encompasses the former maniac of Gadara being commanded to go into the Gospel field (verse 19), the woman to go into peace (verse 34), and the child to go into dinner (verse 43). These three commands in reverse order, apply to all who have experienced the saving grace and power of Christ. The Bible must be their food, assurance of salvation their experience, and preaching the gospel their employment. All Christians honorably earning their bread should regard preaching the Gospel, at least in some way, their main business.

Standing on the promises of Christ, my King

Through eternal ages, let His praises ring

Glory Hallelujah, I will shout and sing

Standing on the promises of God

Divine Healing Chapter 4

Key:

Scripture is in BLACK FONT

Words of Jesus in RED FONT

Notes in BLUE FONT