Mark 5:22-43 "Jesus has Compassion

We looked at Mark 5 to see not only that Jesus is powerful and holds unmatched authority, but that he draws near with compassion to people at the margins and to people at the center of power. Jairus, a known and influential synagogue ruler, came with a small, imperfect faith—a desperate father pleading for his dying daughter. Jesus didn’t quiz him on theology; he simply went with him. Along the way, an unnamed, impoverished, ceremonially unclean woman pressed through the crowd with her own imperfect faith—“if I just touch his clothes.” She was instantly healed, and when fear forced her to the ground to confess, Jesus addressed her with a word he never uses elsewhere: “Daughter.” He didn’t become unclean; instead, his holiness overcame her uncleanness and restored her dignity.

Then came the worst news for Jairus: “Your daughter is dead.” This is where the tension breaks open into the heart of faith: “Do not fear, only believe.” The crowd’s laughter at Jesus’ claim that the girl was “sleeping” revealed how small their view was—death, to them, was final. Jesus, with quiet authority, took the girl by the hand and said, “Talitha kumi.” Immediately, life returned. No spectacle, no theatrics—just the sovereign voice that storms, sickness, demons, and death obey.

Mark sets the stories side-by-side to show that status does not move the heart of Christ; faith does. Twelve years of privilege could not save Jairus’ child, and twelve years of suffering could not bar the woman from mercy. Whether named or nameless, powerful or powerless, the question is the same: Will you trust him? Jesus is near, attentive, and unhurried by our clocks. He welcomes even a mustard seed of faith, and he meets us in our fear with a steady call: do not fear—only believe.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Jesus welcomes imperfect, fledgling faith Even undeveloped, desperate trust is real trust. Jairus didn’t arrive with fully formed understanding, and the woman’s approach carried superstition, yet Jesus met both with mercy. He moves toward people who come to him—even haltingly—and grows that faith as they walk with him. The point is not the perfection of faith, but its direction toward Jesus. [14:24]
• 2. Compassion restores the outcast’s dignity Jesus does more than fix problems; he restores people. By calling the woman “Daughter,” he publicly re-narrated her identity—from unclean outcast to beloved family. His holiness doesn’t recoil from our defilement; it overcomes it and sends us out in peace. Heals of body, he also heals the shame that lingers. [27:18]
• 3. Divine timing is not delay What felt like an intolerable interruption to Jairus became the stage for deeper faith. Jesus is never late, even when our watch says otherwise; he shepherds us through delays that expose fear and invite trust. “Do not fear, only believe” is not denial of pain, but a call to relocate our confidence from outcomes to his character. [31:41]
• 4. Christ’s authority reaches beyond death Jesus treats death as sleep because it cannot resist his command. With simple words—no performance—he reaches into the silence and gives life. If he holds authority at the grave, he can be trusted with every lesser darkness. Resurrection power reframes what we call impossible. [35:10]
• 5. Status neither qualifies nor disqualifies Twelve years of ease for one and twelve years of misery for the other—neither determined access to Jesus. Power, wealth, poverty, or pain are not the currencies of the kingdom; faith is. The same Savior welcomes rulers and rejects, and answers both with the same grace. Come as you are, but come believing. [38:30]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:43] - Do you know true power?
• [02:18] - King with authority and compassion
• [03:27] - Turning to Mark 5
• [04:23] - Two intertwined healings read aloud
• [06:40] - Meet Jairus, a powerful father
• [14:24] - Jesus goes with fledgling faith
• [16:57] - The suffering, unclean, unnamed woman
• [23:56] - Immediately healed by a touch
• [27:18] - “Daughter, your faith made you well”
• [29:49] - News of the child’s death
• [31:41] - “Do not fear, only believe”
• [35:10] - Talitha kumi: life returns
• [37:15] - The twelve-year contrast
• [38:30] - Not status—faith draws Jesus near
• [39:55] - Prayer for faith and courage

Bible Reading
- Mark 5:21–43

Observation questions
- How does Jesus respond to Jairus’ plea in verse 24? What stands out about the simplicity of that response? ([14:24])
- What unique word does Jesus use for the healed woman, and how often does he use that title elsewhere? ([27:18])
- When the report of death comes, what exact words does Jesus speak to Jairus? ([31:41])
- What are the two “12-year” details in this story, and why might Mark put them side by side? ([37:15])

Interpretation questions
- Jesus goes with Jairus without testing his theology or demanding a full explanation. What does this show about the direction (rather than perfection) of faith that Jesus welcomes? ([14:24])
- Jesus publicly brings the woman forward and calls her “Daughter.” Why would a public word be important for a person who has lived under shame and exclusion? What does this teach about restoring dignity? ([27:18])
- Jesus says, “The child is not dead but sleeping.” What is being claimed about his authority over death, and how should that reshape how people think about the finality of death? ([34:12])
- The healing of the woman “interrupts” the urgent journey to Jairus’ house. How can such delays expose fear and invite trust instead of panic? What is the role of divine timing here? ([29:49])

Application questions
- Where are you feeling delayed right now—like something crucial is being “interrupted”? How could “Do not fear, only believe” shape your responses this week? ([31:41])
- Do you identify more with Jairus (known, resourced, but desperate) or with the woman (unnamed, exhausted, and out of options)? What would it look like for you to bring even a mustard seed of faith to Jesus today? ([14:24])
- What labels of shame or exclusion still cling to you? How might receiving Jesus’ family word—“Daughter” or “Son”—re-narrate your identity in a practical way this week (conversations, choices, boundaries)? ([27:18])
- Where have you been waiting to act until your faith feels “complete” or your understanding is perfect? What is one next step you can take toward Jesus with the faith you have right now? ([14:24])
- Who around you feels “unclean,” overlooked, or on the edges? What would it look like to move toward them with Jesus’ compassion—one concrete act of presence, listening, or help? ([29:15])
- What “crowd laughter” (cynicism, voices that say, “It’s too late”) are you listening to? How will you practice trust in the face of that cynicism this week? ([33:51])
- If Jesus holds authority even at the grave, what lesser darkness or “impossible” situation will you entrust to him right now? What specific prayer will you bring, and who will you invite to pray with you? ([35:10])