Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-02-25
BY REV. HUGH T. STEVENSON.
OTHER MIGHTY WORKS OF
JESUS.--Mark v.22-43.
Golden Text-Thy faith hath
made thee whole.--Mark VIA.

| | 1OkISI 1CAt-1Hy AdAeA A1uoAA /
! made thee Whole.--Mark VIA.
| Our lesson Is found in each OF the
synoptic gospels. They place the events
of todays study Immediately after the
Masters return to Capernaum from His
trip across the sea. which we consid-
cred last week. 1t contains record OF
two miracles. one being an episode IN
the process of the other.
| Modern thought has challenged the
miracles of the Lord Jesus The prob
lem they present is not question OF
metaphysical possibility but one OF
fact The peculiar manner in which
the healing of the woman and the rails
ing of the daughter Of Jairus are inter-
woven with one another in the gospels
clearly proves we are dealing with facts.
The only reason that these two stories
of the Masters mighty works are told
so that they appear in the gospels as
two in one is that they happened that
way. Miracles appear natural when
they are considered in connection with
the life of Christ. They ought to be
studied with the view to the light that
they give concerning His character and
His attitude toward suffering human
ity. While they were signs" OF His
Messiahship. Jesus never performed
miracle to meet human need.
Synagogue Rulers Request.
Jairus was probably the ruler Of the
synagogue whose entire ground floor
has been exposed in the ruins of Tell
lee. 1t may have been the one that was
built by the generosity of the Roman
centurian. The ruler of that syna-
gogue would be a wealthy Hebrew
whose religious zeal had caused him to
be chosen as the ruler to preside over
their services. appoint or permit suit
able persons to pray. read and eXpound
the Scriptural selections and supervise
the service SO that it would be con-
Quoted in accordance with the nations
traditional customs. Evidently he had
met Jesus in connection with the serv-
ices and had witnessed the performance
of miracles by the Master. Although
his sympathies would naturally cause
Jairus to line up with the nations lead
ers against the Lord. he turned to Him
for help when his child's life was i'm
periled. Love conquered pride, for
without considering the attitude of the
Pharisees against him, he fastened to
Matthews house and sought help from
Jesus, whom he believed could save his
darling child.
Trouble forces many persons who
have neglected the Lord to turn to Him
in an hour Of danger. Our Lord re-
sponded to the agonizing and reverent
appeal OF Jairus, who approached the
Master by falling at His feet. Matthew
records that the ruler "worshiped
Jesus" when he approached the Lord
at moment when his child was dying
Driven by her danger, Jairus drew near
to Jesus with absolute faith In the
Lords power to save the little girl The
Master evidently responded Immediately
10 the rulers request because OF the
faith exhibited by Jairus. On the way
10 the home OF the stricken family
woman elbowed her way through the
crowd that followed Jesus and His dis
ciples and touched His garments"
The Touch Of Faith.
Tradition says that the suffering
woman was gentle The Lord re-
vealed His sensitive sympathy. for He
detected the slight touch upon His gar
ment. which was probably the conven-
tional cloak. with its fringe of bright
blue mingled with white. which, Accord
ing to the law. flowed loosely over His
tunlc. He met the sufferers need with
out delay by His instructive response,
for the timid woman felt at once that
the hemorrhage was stopped and that
she was healed of the plague Jesus
had done in response to her faith what
the physicians had not been able to do
for her during the IL years treatment
She had suffered many things from their
treatment without being cured. Modern
medical science could have given her
relief. nut could not have cured her as
quickly as our Lord did. 1t is a genuine
case of faith healing
The Master, when He stopped His
journey, was not moved by the spirit OF
many modern healers, who seek testi-
monialS Of their cures. Jusus was con-
stantly sacrificing His energy: even
miracles drew from Him virtue. He was
not satisfied with healing ones body.
for He wished to be sure by personal
conference Of the salvation OF the souls
OF all that He helped physically. He
stopped that He might honor the heroic
faith OF the obscure woman and give
unto her greater blessing. His ques-
ton. Who touched me?" surprised His
disciples and revealed to the healed
woman that her hopes OF secretly OBJ
tanning help were unfounded. Naturally
she did not desire to expose her condi-
ton. For over IL years she had been
unfit for all social life, and, according
TO the Jewish law, she was ceremonially
unclean and had made the Master and
all with whom she came In contact un-
clean.
Jesus detected her and In response to
the Masters call she came and fell
down before Him. She told Him all
the truth" She did not know that
with the mouth confession Is made
unto salvation" but she recognized her
duty to publicly testify that He had
healed her. The suffering and confession
OF the woman's faith touched the Christ.
for lie called her daughter" This Is
the only time during his ministry that
the Master ever addressed n woman
tendcrly. He commended her faith.
which proves that 1t was not the touch
OF her hand that secured for her physi-
cal healing. but the faith that prompted
her effort to touch Him. It secured for
her both physical and spiritual bless
ings.
Jairus' Faith Tested.
During Thu delay Jairus was expert
encing testing of his faith. A servant
reached him with message that must
have unnerved the ruler Of the syna-
gague. whose love for his child had
compelled him to cast aside his personal
pride and seek the Masters help. Jesus
overheard the report and the suggestion
Thy daughter In dead: why troublest
thou the Teacher any further?" II
would have tendency to weaken the
faith Of Jairus. He comforted the
broken-hearted father. who may have
been thinking that II Jesus had not
stopped to talk with the woman lie
could have reached his home before the
dear child had died, He called for him
to have hope by telling Jairus to Fear
not. only believe" These words en-