In this section Matthew recorded four miracles involving five persons.
A broken home (vv. 18–19, 23–26). It must have been difficult for Jairus to come to Jesus, since he was a devout Jew and the leader in the synagogue. But Jairus’s love for his dying daughter compelled him to seek Jesus’ help, even if the religious leaders were opposing Him. When Jairus first came to Jesus, his daughter was close to death. The delay caused by the healing of the woman gave “the last enemy” opportunity to do its work. The ruler’s friends came and told him that his daughter had died.
Jesus quickly reassured the man and went with him. In fact, the delay should have helped to strengthen Jairus’s faith, for he saw what the woman’s meager faith had accomplished in her own life. We must learn to trust Christ and His promises no matter how we feel, no matter what others say, and no matter how the circumstances may look. The scene at home must have frightened Jairus, yet Jesus took command and raised the girl from the dead.
A broken hope (vv. 20–22). Mark 5: informs us that this woman had tried many physicians, but none could help her. Imagine the despair and discouragement she felt. Her hopes were shattered. Because of this hemorrhage, the woman was ceremonially unclean (Lev. 15:25ff.), which only added to her hopelessness. The “hem” refers to the special tassels that the Jews wore on their garments to remind them they were God’s people (Num. 15:37–41; Deut. 22:12).
It is interesting that Jairus and this woman—two opposite people—met at the feet of Jesus. Jairus was a leading Jewish man; she was an anonymous woman with no prestige or resources. He was a synagogue leader, while her affliction kept her from worship. Jairus came pleading for his daughter; the woman came with a need of her own. The girl had been healthy for twelve years, and then died; the woman had been ill for twelve years and was now made whole. Jairus’s need was public—all knew it; the woman’s need was private—only Jesus understood. Both Jairus and the woman trusted Christ, and He met their needs.
Jairus may have resented the woman, because she kept Jesus from getting to his daughter before the girl died. But his real problem was not the woman, but himself: He needed faith in Christ. Jesus forced the woman to give her testimony (see Mark’s account) both for her sake and for the sake of Jairus. The fact that God has helped others ought to encourage us to trust Him more. We ought not to be so selfish in our praying that we cannot wait on the Lord, knowing He is never late.
This woman’s faith was almost superstitious, and yet Jesus honored it and healed her. People must “touch Christ” where they are able, even if they must start at the hem of His garment. The Pharisees enlarged their hems and tassels in order to appear more spiritual, but they lacked the power to heal (Matt. 23:5). Others touched the hem of Christ’s garment and were also healed (Matt. 14:34–36).
When Sir James Simpson, the inventor of chloroform, was dying, a friend said to him, “You will soon be resting on His bosom.” The scientist replied: “I don’t know as I can do that, but I think I have hold of the hem of His garment.” It is not the strength of our faith that saves us, but faith in a strong Savior.
Broken bodies (vv. 27–34). We are not told why these men were blind. Blindness was a serious problem in the East in that day. The records state that Jesus healed at least six blind men, and each case was different. These two blind men acknowledged Christ as the Son of David (see Matt. 1:1) and persisted in following Him right into the house. (No doubt they had friends who helped guide them.) It was their faith that Christ honored. Their “Yes, Lord” was the confession that released the power for their healing, and their sight was restored.
Blindness is a picture of spiritual ignorance and unbelief (Isa. 6:10; Matt. 15:14; Rom. 11:25). The sinner must be born again before he can see the things of God (John 3:3). And the believer must be careful to grow spiritually or he will damage his spiritual vision (2 Peter 1:5–9).
The final miracle in this series involved a demon (Matt. 9:32–34). While there is a difference between sicknesses and demonic workings (Matt. 10:8), the demons do have the power to cause physical afflictions. In this case, the demon made the man mute. Think of what a handicap this would be! Jesus delivered him, and the people admitted that this was a new thing in Israel.
But the religious leaders would not admit that Jesus was the Messiah. How, then, could they explain His miracles? Only by saying that His miracles were wrought in the power of the wicked one. They would repeat this charge later, and Jesus would refute it (Matt. 12:22ff.). In their unbelief, the Pharisees were playing right into Satan’s hands!
Third “discipleship” interlude (vv. 35–38). Not only did Jesus heal, He also taught and preached. But He could not do the work alone—He needed others to help Him. He requested that His disciples pray that God would provide the needed workers. It was not long before the disciples themselves were involved in the ministry of preaching, teaching, and healing (see Matt. 10). In the same way, when we pray as He commanded, we will see what He saw, feel what He felt, and do what He did. God will multiply our lives as we share in the great harvest that is already ripe (John 4:34–38).