February 17th, 2024

This Sunday is quite appropriately named the First Sunday in Lent, especially when Ash Wednesday just occurred. The Epiphany season has ended, and we have finished looking back at the appearance of Jesus at Christmas. Now we will be looking ahead toward the Easter season, Jesus’ death, resurrection and also his ascension. Since this is such a significant change in direction, it may be appropriate to look at this time as sort of a midpoint, especially since last Sunday’s text was what happened on the MOUNT of Transfiguration. The account of Jesus’ temptation by the devil is the focus of the first Sunday in Lent, and with the perspective of the Gospel according to Mark [1:9-15], there is not a mountain like there is in the Gospel according to Matthew or the Gospel according to Mark. But, nonetheless, there is a THROWING OUT of Jesus into the wilderness, and this has connections to when Adam and Eve were THROWN OUT of the Garden of Eden. Before that, in the Garden, things were good. After that, they were bad. That is a significant midpoint.

In the writings of this website, we are not at a midpoint within the Gospel according to Mark, but these will happen as we progress toward the middle of the work. And we are certainly farther along than the first chapter. What follows is a somewhat-literal translation of the rest of what is typically called ‘chapter five’ [5:21-43]. And as far as the historical presents that appear (verbs that are in the present tense but were expected to be in the past), these are in bold print. And please feel free to look at a study bible or other translations for some help in understanding:

And having crossed over, the Jesus, in the boat again, into the other side, it was assembled, a crowd, great, upon him, and he was beside the sea. And he comes, one of the synagogue chiefs, in name, Jairus, and having seen him, he falls toward the feet of him, and he exhorts him much, saying, “The little daughter of me, an eschaton, she has; that having come, you may lay upon, the hands, to her, that she may be saved, and she may live.” And he came away with him. And it followed him, a crowd, great, and they were pressing on him.

And a woman, being in a flow of blood twelve years, and many things having suffered by many healers and having spent the, belonging to her, all, and nothing having been profited, but on the contrary, rather into the worse having come, having heard concerning the Jesus, having come in the crowd, behind, she touched the garment of him, for she was saying, “If I may touch even the garments of him, I shall be saved.” And immediately it was dried up, the fountain of the blood of her, and she knew in the body that she was healed from the scourge.

And immediately, the Jesus, having recognized in himself the out-of-him power, having gone out, having turned around in the crowd, he was saying, “Who, of me, touched the garments?”

And they were saying to him, the disciples of him, “You are seeing the crowd pressing on you, and you are saying, ‘Who, me, touched?’” And he was looking around to see the one, this having done. Now the woman, having been fearful and trembling, knowing what has happened to her, she came, and she fell before him, and she said to him all the truth.

Now the one said to her, “Daughter, the faith of you has saved you; go into peace, and be whole from the scourge of you.”

Still he speaking, they come from the synagogue chief saying, “The daughter of you has died; why still you trouble the teacher?”

Now the Jesus, overhearing the word being spoken, he says to the synagogue chief, “Do not fear; only believe.” And not he allowed no one with him, to follow with, except the Peter and Jacob and John, the brother of Jacob. And they come into the house of the synagogue chief, and he beholds an uproar, and ones weeping, and ones wailing, much; and having entered, he says to them, “Why make an uproar and weep? The child, not she died, but on the contrary, she is sleeping.” And they were ridiculing him.

Now having thrown out all, he himself takes along the father of the child and the mother and the ones with him, and he goes into where she was, the child. And having taken hold of the hand of the child, he says to her, “Talitha koum,” which is being translated, “The maid, to you, I am saying, rise.”

And immediately she stood up, the maid, and she was walking; for she was, years, twelve. And they were stood out, immediately, in ecstasy, mega. And he ordered them much that no one know this, and he said to be given to her to eat.
​
Is it a coincidence that in the Gospel according to Mark, the historical presents are extremely frequent in the retelling of a resurrection from the dead? Given the special and sudden ending of that account, I do not think that is the case.