Marc. 5, 21-43.
And when Jesus was come over again in a ship, much people gathered unto him, and were by the sea. And, behold, there came one of the rulers of the synagogue, named Jairus. And when he saw him, he fell down at his feet, and besought him greatly, saying, My daughter is in her last days: come, lay thine hand upon her, that she may be healed and live. And he went with him; and there followed him many people, and they pressed him. And there was a woman, which had the issue of blood.
*) Held in the house, 1533.
She had twelve years, and had suffered much from many physicians, and had consumed all her goods, and it helped her nothing, but rather it became worse with her. When she heard of Jesus, she came up behind the people and touched his garment. For she said, If I but touch his garment, I shall be healed. And immediately the fountain of her blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her plague. And Jesus immediately felt in himself the power that had gone out from him, and turned to the people and said, "Who has touched my clothes? And the disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? And he looked round about for her that had done this thing. But the woman was afraid and trembled (for she knew what had happened to her), and came and fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. And he said unto her, My daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole: go in peace, and be whole of thy plague. While he was still speaking in this way, some of the servants of the ruler of the synagogue came and said: Thy daughter is dead; why troubleest thou the Master further? But Jesus soon heard the words that were spoken, and said unto the ruler of the synagogue, Fear not; believe only. And let no man follow him, save Peter, and Jacob, and John the brother of Jacob. And he came into the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw the tumult, and them weeping and wailing very much. And he went in, and said unto them: Why do ye tumult and weep? The child has not died, but is asleep. And they laughed him to scorn. And he drove them all out, and took with him the father of the child, and the mother, and they that were with him, and went in where the child lay. And he took the child by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha kumi, that is interpreted, maid, I say unto thee, arise: and straightway the maid arose, and walked: and she was twelve years old. And they were amazed beyond measure. And he forbade them sternly, that no man should know it, and told them to give her to eat.
In today's Gospel your love hears of two miracles, both great and excellent. The first, of the sick woman who has such a firm faith in the Lord Jesus that she hopes that if she would only touch his garment secretly, without his knowledge, she would get well as soon as she touched it. The other, from the head of the school, who also believes that although his daughter has died, the Lord can give her life again. In both miraculous works, then, faith is praised excellently, as an example to us, because faith in Christ accomplishes such great things that we allow ourselves to be stirred up by it, and also like to find ourselves with this man, to whom no one has ever thought of anything good that would not certainly have happened to him, as he believed.
The first story is about the poor woman who had a dangerous, serious illness. Marcus says in particular that she had consumed all her possessions among the physicians, for she had had this plague for twelve whole years, and had grown worse with it from day to day; that it is a wonder that she was able to endure it so long; and yet she is so easily helped by the Lord: that she does no more than, as she has heard, that some have been healed who only had his clothing.
When she had touched his garment, she thought she would get well that way; therefore, she went to the Lord among the people, but she was not allowed to ask him for it, but because of her great humility, she thought she would steal it from him secretly and touched his garment. Immediately, as she had believed, her cause was better, and the sickness subsided, since she had previously had so much trouble with it, had dared so much expense on it, and had tried all kinds of things, but in vain and in vain, yes, even with her great harm. For, as Marcus says, the longer it lasted, the worse it became with her.
3 Here it is especially to be noted that the Lord does not want to let such help steal away so that no one should know about it, but asks who touched him? The apostles thought this was a foolish question, that he asked so exactly who had touched him, because the people were so crowded around him. But the Lord knew that was hidden from them. For it was not a bad touching with the hands; they touched him with the heart and firm trust in his grace and omnipotence. Therefore a special power went out from the Lord Jesus, which he felt. The Lord does not want to let such touching remain secret; so the woman drives us to an example with her questioning, so that
She must come out and let herself be seen, and publicly confess to everyone everything that has happened to her, so that he may have cause to praise such faith, and teach us all how it is such a dear service to him, where we take comfort in his help and provide good things for him; for this reason he praises the woman very highly, and addresses her warmly: "Be of good cheer, my daughter, your faith has helped you. Then the disciples themselves must confess that the Lord had not asked in vain; it was not a bad touching, but something special, since the Lord and all of us are concerned.
4 But it is a strange speech that the Lord makes here, if we want to consider it. He confesses that a power has gone out from him. As the woman stands there before the Lord and confesses the good deed he has done her, the Lord does not let it be known that such power has gone out from him, but attributes it to the faith of this woman, since it was not she herself but the Lord who had helped her. The Lord does this to show us how much he enjoys it when you turn to him for help. As if to say, "Watch and learn to believe with confidence, whatever your need may be; for I would much rather help you than you can desire it. I would much rather deliver you from death than you have life. As he proves here with the work, since it happens so easily, and he lets the power go from him so gladly.
5 Therefore we should learn from such an example that we also believe and do all that is good for Christ in all our needs and concerns. But what happens? We hear about it in the sermons, we are told about it in our homes, we see his miracles that he still does every day, but faith does not follow. He who has his storehouse and cellar full believes, though hardly, that he will have enough to eat and drink for a year. He who is healthy believes that God can help him. But when we come into poverty and sickness, our faith is gone. We do nothing more than lament and cry out, and let ourselves believe that there is no help left anywhere, whether we are
We must hear every day that God will be gracious to us through Christ and gladly help us.
But how does this rhyme with this woman here, who has perhaps only heard once or twice about the Lord Christ and his miracles, and yet she attacks him with such strong faith that if the Lord Christ had been seated above all the heavens, she would have torn the heavens apart and brought him down with such faith that he would have had to help her. For, as I said, he cannot refuse help when it is sought from him with earnestness and right faith.
(7) Therefore, we are truly, let it be confessed to God, wretched people, who have God's word so abundantly, and yet will not come to faith. This is the fault of the devil and of our shameful old Adam. Otherwise, if we earnestly desire to be justified and saved, and to have what we need, we should also believe in Christ and hope for everything through him. For as we have heard, faith cannot fail. That is why the Lord praises it so much here, saying, "Your faith has helped you." The same faith in Christ will also help us, and raise us from the dead to life, overcome the devil, drive out sin, and make us blessed. Such works, though Christ does them, are called the works of faith. For without faith it cannot be done, as you know that Christ Himself, the holy sacraments, and the Word of God or the sermon do not help or benefit us apart from faith. Faith must do it, or it remains undone. This is the first miracle.
The other miracle is about the dead maiden, who was as old as Lucas says, when this woman had her illness. Now no one knew anything other than that the maiden would certainly die; therefore everything was already prepared, as one is wont to do with deceased people who are to be cared for. The whistlers were in the house; for the Jews had no bells, but just as we ring for the dead, so they had a funeral song trumpeted outside the door. Thus
the people had gathered for the funeral procession, so that there was a great commotion and much going and coming in the house; as happens in such places where someone distinguished has died.
(9) Then the father of the little girl, since all the world has no more hope (for what can one humanly hope for when a man now dies), goes away with a strange, strange thought, that he hopes that if he has Christ, his daughter who has died may well come to life again. For his words testify to this. He falls down before the Lord and says: "Lord, my daughter has died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live again." For although Marcus and Lucas say that he came to Jesus while the daughter was still in the wings, yet they report that before Christ came into the house the maiden died, and finely indicate that the father nevertheless believed and kept such confidence in the Lord that he would help her and raise her from death. Who has seen or heard more strange people in his life? The woman, who despairs of all the world's help, thinks that she will get well if she can only come so close to the Lord that she touches a little corner of his skirt. And her thought does not fail; as she believes, so it happens to her. The father here, who had lost his daughter, thought that if the Lord would only lay his hand on the dead girl, she would live again.
Yes, you would like to speak, if it were a bad sleep, not the bitter death itself, one would like to do something with the hand. But no hand, no shaking, no pushing, no yelling, nor anything else will help, all is lost. So reason can and must think, and not otherwise. But the chief did not have such thoughts; otherwise he would have stayed at home and not followed the Lord Christ.
(11) But here we see once again how the Lord is so warmly pleased with such faith, which reason considers to be pure foolishness. For even though he had to deal with the necessary things and had a sharp disputation with John's disciples, regardless of all of this, as soon as he had this faith and
When he feels confident, he sets out after the chief, thinking that he must do as this man believes. Therefore, when he enters the house and sees that everything is prepared as for dead people, he fears that the misery will strike the father in the face, and other people's examples and unbelief will turn him away; he soon returns and comforts the father with words, and tells the people to leave the house who had gathered for the funeral. As if he wanted to say: You people, what are you doing here? Do you think you want to go with the corpse? Oh no, go to other places where someone has died, no one has died here; the maiden is only sleeping.
(12) No, say the others, it is not asleep, it is dead; therefore we are here, that we may bury it in the earth. You must not be wise to think that we do not know the difference between a man sleeping and a man dead. That is why the evangelist reports that they laughed at him and thought him a fool who did not know what sleep or death was. But the Lord rests on his opinion, and is further concerned only to prove by his work whether he is true or not. There is no one who agrees with him and believes it to be true, except the maiden's father. The Lord is satisfied, and for his own sake, that is, for the sake of his faith, he proves it with the work; otherwise, if the father had not had such faith, the little girl would certainly have remained dead and would not have slept. It is such an excellent thing about faith that one can provide something good for oneself to the Lord Christ.
(13) Therefore the Lord comes and takes hold of the little girl and shakes her a little with his hand, just as we do with a sleeping child when we want to wake it up. For thus the father believed; and the Lord will not do otherwise than the father believed. Soon the little girl wakes up, no differently than if she had lain in a fine, gentle sleep.
14 We should diligently remember these words, that the Lord says here, "The maiden is not dead, but sleepeth"; for they are comforting words, since, where they may be purchased, we shall be able to buy them.
We should gladly do our utmost to keep, understand and believe them. For whoever could look at a dead man as if he were lying on a bed and sleeping; whoever could turn his face in this way and consider death a sleep: he would like to boast that he could perform a special art that no other man can do.
(15) But we know and see in ourselves and in other men, that the higher a man's reason is, the less he believes, and the more he laughs. As it is seen here, that they mock the Lord, and think, Should he bring the dead to life? He will not be in his right mind to think that a dead man sleeps and can be raised with one hand. So it goes; for God's wisdom is so high that it considers reason to be nothing but foolishness. For think thou, if a child had died unto thee, and I had said unto thee, Well, he hath not died; seest thou not that he sleepeth, and canst be awakened with one finger? then wouldst thou think that I mocked thee in thy misery, and wouldst say unto me, I should leave thee contented. These also have done the same to the Lord Christ.
(16) Therefore learn from today's gospel that death to the Lord Christ is nothing but a sleep, as we see here that he awakens the dead maiden with his hand, as from a sleep. The woman has her sickness, and yet she does not have it, because she comes to Christ. And the sickness is not a sickness to the Lord Christ. As the other example shows with the woman who was very sick, but as soon as she comes to Christ and touches his garment, the sickness must subside and go away.
(17) So the Lord shows himself in other troubles and afflictions also. The blind who seek help from him receive their sight, sinners are justified, and the lost are saved. He can deal with us in such a wonderful way. What he says is not only nothing before our eyes, but the very antithesis. Thus the damsel is dead in the sight of men, but in mine eyes, saith Christ, she liveth and sleepeth. David is a poor shepherd in his own eyes and in the eyes of all the world; but in the eyes of
To me he is a king. All of you who believe in me are poor sinners before you, but great saints before me, and like the angels of God. For it is no more to me than to do a word, sin, death, and sickness must depart, and righteousness, life, and health must be in their place. As I speak, so must it be done, and not otherwise, though it seem possible or impossible in the sight of the world. That is why our Lord God speaks such a strange word here, which is a great lie before the world, when he says of the little girl that she is not dead, but asleep. If he had only said that she was asleep, people might have said that it was the sleep of St. Michael, since one sleeps until the last day. But he says roundly: It is not dead, but it lives! Before you and in your eyes she is not alive, but before me she is alive. And that ye may see that it is true, I will awake her with one finger, as ye awake your children from sleep.
18 In sum, all this is to the effect that we should not look at our distress according to reason, with carnal eyes, but with Christian eyes. These are the eyes that, when they see death, sin, and hell, can surely say, "I see no death, I feel no sin, I am not condemned; but through Christ I see perfect holiness, life, and blessedness. So, when I am poor, I feel no poverty, methinks I have all things enough; for I have Christ, who is able to give me all the hours of my need, though I have nothing.
(19) If anyone had such eyes, he would boast that he had the eyes of a Christian; he would look at things far differently when the time is dear or when death is near, as the world does. In the time of trouble, everyone sees what he has in the cellar and on the floor; what he finds there is what he wants to find. If he finds much, he is happy; if he finds little, he is sad and wants to despair. So in death's throes, he who can flee flees, thinking he will be safe in other places. But a Christian who has a firm faith in Christ would think like this: "If I have a thousand pestilences in my body, if it were possible, I would not be afraid to die, because I would not be afraid to die.
I have Christ. If it is his will, the pestilence shall harm me no more than a flea among the poor; it may eat and sting a little, but it cannot take away my life. And it is certain that whoever could grasp such a heart would remain safe and be in good spirits without fear. But because we do not believe and do not have such spiritual eyes, but look at all things with carnal eyes, we fear and tremble, and fall into foolish thoughts, as if we could escape the wrath of God for ten or twenty miles.
20 Now the Lord Christ testifies that even those who have died before our eyes, who are buried and have long since rotted, are alive to God. Therefore the Lord says in the Gospel, Matth. 22, 32: "It is written: I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; but God is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living." Therefore Abraham, Isaac and Jacob must be alive and not dead, since they have lain in the earth for more than three thousand years and have long since turned to ashes, so that neither skin nor hair is left of them. But Christ strongly proves that they are alive. Cause: God must live it all, but for us it is all dead. For the world and reason cannot see other than death. But the eyes of the Christians should see that they do not see and only hear in the word; as here the father and Christ look at the dead maiden.
Twenty-one: As I have spoken of death, so it is with sin. I am to know and confess that I am a sinner, and yet I am to believe and hope in true holiness and righteousness. For there is the word of our Lord Christ in baptism, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved"; item, in the Lord's Supper, "Effet, this is my body, which is given for you; drink, this is my blood, which is shed for you for the remission of sins." I should believe this word to be true, and even though I see and feel the contradiction in myself, I should not turn to it, but only look at the word and listen to what it says to me. So when thou seest a Christian dying, thine eyes behold a dead man; but close such cow's eyes, and put away the
spiritual eyes that look on the word; then you will find that such a man is not dead, but lives before God. For there is the word of Christ, "He that believeth on me shall never see death."
(22) We are to learn from today's gospel that all calamities, however great they may be in your sight, are less than nothing in the sight of our Lord Christ. For if death be nothing in a Christian, blindness, leprosy, pestilence, and other diseases shall be still less and less. Therefore, if thou seest sin, sickness, poverty, or any other thing in thee, be not dismayed; shut thine eyes of the flesh, and open thine eyes of the spirit, and say, I am a Christian, and have a Lord, who with a word is able to control all this evil: why then should I trouble myself about it? For it is certain that just as easily as Christ helped this maiden from the bodily death in which she lay, so easily will he help us, if we will only believe and turn to him for help.
(23) Now we should also consider here that this maiden is not helped by her faith (for he that is dead believeth not, neither heareth or seeth); but her father believeth, and is such a stranger. faith so powerful that it comes to life again. For as Christ says, all things are possible to faith. So a mighty thing is it about faith. Let it be a thing so great that if thou canst believe it, and if thou canst provide thyself unto Christ, it shall be yea; and neither devil nor death shall be so strong as to hinder it. As we see in the two miraculous works here, they are held up to us for this reason, and faith is therefore so highly praised by the Lord Christ Himself, that He incites us to see the creature much differently before God than before us.
(24) Therefore, whether we appear to ourselves poor and dead, in sins, sick with pestilence or other diseases, let us believe that in the sight of God there is much else, and cheerfully say, "Though there be poverty, pestilence, and death, yet, as a Christian, I know not of any poverty, death, or pestilence; for in the sight of my Lord Christ there is fullness of riches, health, and happiness.
holiness and life. But if I do not yet see it, if it is only for a word, I will also see with my own eyes that it is true, and it will certainly be so. God grant us, for the sake of Christ our Savior
and of His Son, by His Holy Spirit also such spiritual eyes, that we may look upon all calamities other than the world, and retain such consolation, and at last be saved, amen.