The Rest of the Story

Mark 5

[5.37-40] He permitted no one to go in with him except Peter, James, and John. They entered the leader’s house and pushed theirthrough the gossips looking for a story and neighbors bringing in casseroles. Jesus was abrupt: “Why all this busybody grief and gossip? This child isn’t dead; she’s sleeping.”

Lord Jesus--The way that you see the world around me is much different than the way I do. You see and related to the world in a way that some could see as losing tract of reality. I am going to stay away from all of the questions that circle around in my heart and head about this incident. I know just enough to fill me with all sorts of questions. Was this little girl really asleep? Was she dead? Does it really matter?

Today the sensational gets news coverage and I would love to see the miraculous happen right in front of my eyes. That was not the point here, there were honest to goodness hurting people in this house aside from the gossips and news junkies.


Provoked to sarcasm, they told him he didn’t know what he was talking about. [5.40-43] But when he had sent them all out, he took the child’s father and mother, along with his companions, and entered the child’s room. He clasped the girl’s hand and said, “Talitha koum,” which means, “Little girl, get up.”

Sometimes we get the idea that the power was in the words. They are just words after all! The words were not the point at all.  The Word of creation certainly can speak to our deepest needs with power.

At that, she was up and walking around! This girl was twelve years of age. They, of course, were all beside themselves with joy. He gave them strict orders that no one was to know what had taken place in that room. Then he said, “Give her something to eat.”

Peterson, Eugene H. (2006-06-15). The Message Remix 2.0: The Bible In contemporary Language (p. 1800). NavPress. Kindle Edition.