Desperate for Jesus

Chapter 1 – A Comparison of the Gospels
In order to see the whole story as it unfolded, we must first do a little investigative research. Thus, we need to look at all three references to this particular story as found in Matthew 9:19-22, Mark 5:22-42 and Luke 8:41-56. It is like an investigator getting three different accounts of the same scene. One may have seen something over here that the others did not see. Mark and Luke are very similar in their accounts, but Matthew left quite a few details out. A good investigator will be able to piece all the information together and come up with the facts. Some believe that Mark and Luke did not see the actual miracles Jesus did. They believe Mark and Luke got their information from the other disciples. All I know and believe is that if all the books of the Bible were not breathed of God, He would not have allowed them to be included as part of His Holy Word. I choose not to debate that issue because if the Lord wanted us to know, He would have certainly made it clear as to how they got their information. I present to you what I see in God’s Holy Word. You decide for yourself what you choose to believe. However, the fact that this story is found in three of the four Gospels tells me that God had a reason for it being there.

The following shows a comparison of the Gospels. I encourage you to study these three accounts on your own. Let’s see what they have to say:

All Three Gospels Reveal:

• The woman had an issue of blood for 12 years,
• All three point out that Jairus was a ruler, but only Mark and Luke tell us his name and that he “was a ruler of the synagogue”.
• They point out the approach and worship of Jairus and his faith when he came to Jesus.
• All three mention the woman was behind Jesus when she touched Him. Thus leading one to believe even more that she was on her knees when she touched “the hem of His garment”.
• When Jesus called the woman, “Daughter”, it must have made a major impact on all who heard because all three writers tell us about it. They don’t quote Jesus word for word in exactly the same way, but they did agree that He, God in the flesh, called this woman “Daughter”! Every time I read that I just wanna’ shout “Hallelujah!”

Only Mark and Luke Reveal:

• There was a large crowd around Jesus that day. 
• That Jesus called the woman out before He comforted her by stopping and asking, “Who touched Me?”
• Mark and Luke also share how the woman came to Jesus, fell down at His feet, and then confessed all.
• They share another phrase: Mark 5:35 and Luke 8:49 both say “While He yet spake…” Don’t you wonder sometimes about the day in the life of a disciple? We think we have hectic days – Jesus and the disciples had just returned to the country of the Gadarenes; (Luke 8:26 & 8:37). The man in whom Jesus cast out all those demons that caused the herd of pigs to go over the cliff had done what Jesus told him to, so when Jesus and the disciples came back to town, the whole city of people was waiting for Him (Luke 8:40). So-o-o here they are bombarded with all these people, Jairus comes to Jesus and says, “please come heal my daughter”, as they head towards his house, Jesus stops to deal with the woman, while Jesus is working with her, the girl dies, they go on to Jairus’s house where everybody laughs at Jesus when He says she isn’t dead, Jesus resurrects her, and the day was nowhere near over with. Whew! Makes me tired just thinking about it.
• Mark and Luke also tell how Jesus encouraged Jairus to not be afraid, but “only believe”. They also inform us that Jesus took Peter, James and John to the house. Also how they and the parents were the only ones allowed in the room when Jesus raised the girl from the dead.
• Mark and Luke point out how astonished the parents were and that Jesus told them to give her food. They also mention how Jesus “charged them strictly that no one should know it.” As I’m writing this, I think the Holy Spirit just revealed one reason as to why Jesus would say that. If people knew Jesus could raise folks from the dead, don’t you just wonder how many requests He would have gotten to bring people back to life who had been buried for a while? No wonder He said, “Keep it quiet”. Jesus wasn’t ready to open all those graves yet. He had to be crucified and resurrected first. Unless it was something needed to bring God glory as part of His plan like when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, the timing would not have been in accordance to God’s plan.
• I think Matthew might have hung around Hollywood or Capitol Hill if he were here today because he also points out in his brief description of this story how Jesus’ “…fame hereof went abroad into all that land” (Matthew 9:26). Isn’t that just like people? Have you ever shared a secret with someone else and before you got home everybody knew it?