Where does faith fit in?

2019! A New Year and a continuing Bible study... continuing prayer perhaps, continued hope, continued healing... May God bless you in the coming year, and may you grow in faith.

(34) Continuing in Miracles

Matthew’s gospel, well organized in sections, collects a list of Jesus’ miracles—leprosy, centurion’s servant, Peter’s mother-in-law, calming the storm (which we read last time), Gadarene demoniac(s) (also last time), paralyzed man… then the calling of Matthew, rules about fasting (wonder why they come in between)… then raising a dead girl and healing a sick woman, following by healing the blind and mute. Mark and Luke go straight from the Gadarene demoniac to the raising of a dead girl on the Jewish side of the Sea, so we’re following their timeline, reading another miracle that had to be viewed as more than just the magic of medicine (Luke’s domain) and wisdom (Matthew’s perhaps).

Read Matthew 9:18-19, Mark 5:21-24, Luke 8:40-42

1.       Some translations of Matthew say the ruler “worshipped” Jesus. Could Matthew have meant that?

2.       What’s the difference between “has died,” “at the point of death,” and “is dying”? Why might the distinction have been less important in the language of the time?

3.       How far do you suppose Jairus was asking them to travel? And who was following? Can you picture the scene?

4.       We know, as we read or remember this, that a woman is pushing her way through the crowd, eager to touch Jesus’ garment. How does this affect your picture of the scene?

a.       Do you think this might be how it often was for Jesus as he walked through towns?

b.      Might this have some bearing on why Jesus asked people not to talk about him?

Read Matthew 9:20-21, Mark 5:25-28, Luke 8:43-44

1.       Why doesn’t Matthew tell us as much about the woman’s situation? What is he emphasizing?

2.       The woman was probably viewed as constantly menstruating, therefore constantly unclean, socially isolated… not technically allowed to be out in a crowd. What sort of thing makes it difficult for people today to “come to Jesus” for healing—Christians and non-Christians.

3.       Touching his garment to be healed sounds strange to us—sounds, maybe, like relics of the saints? But people tried to touch Paul’s handkerchiefs later (Acts 19:12)—it wasn’t so uncommon then; a healer’s power could be imagined as spreading to things he touched. So… how do we respond when other Christians have traditions and ideas that seem strange to mid-century modern Western ears?

Read Matthew 9:22, Mark 5:29-34, Luke 8:45-48

1.       Why might the disciples have found a healing easier to believe than Jesus’ knowing someone touched him?

2.       What things do we find hardest to believe?

3.       All three versions agree that faith was important in her healing. Was any faith involved in the earlier healing of the demoniac? How does this fit into modern “faith-healing”?

Read Matthew 9:23-24, Mark 5:35-40, Luke 8:49-53

1.       All three versions agree that someone “ridiculed” Jesus. Was it the crowds, the mourners, the parents…? Who are most likely to ridicule faith today? Who ridicules your faith?

2.       Was the girl dead?

3.       What do we do when prayers (like those for the girl) don’t seem to be answered?

Read Matthew 9:25-26, Mark 5:41-43, Luke 8:54-56

1.       Why might Matthew not mention Jesus’ foreign words?

2.       Why might Jesus not want the miracle talked about? (And how would you hide the fact that a dead girl is alive?)

3.       What else besides faith is involved? And where does food fit in?