Mark 5

And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.

And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,

Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:

Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.

And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.

But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,

And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.

For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.

And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.

And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.

Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.

And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.

And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.

And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done.

And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.

And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine.

And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.

And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.

Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.

And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.

And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea.

And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet,

And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.

And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.

And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,

And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,

When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.

For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.

And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.

And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?

And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?

And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.

But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.

And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.

While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?

As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.

And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.

And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.

And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.

And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying.

And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.

And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.

And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.

What does Mark 5:40 mean?

Explanation

Mark 5:40 depicts a scene from the New Testament where Jesus is confronted with the death of a young girl.

The crowd around Him reacts with scorn and disbelief when Jesus implies that the girl is not dead, but merely asleep.

Jesus then dismisses the crowd, taking only the girl's parents and His closest disciples with Him as He approaches the child.

The verse implies a transition from a public spectacle to a private, intimate setting, where Jesus is about to perform a miracle away from the eyes of the sceptics.

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Historical Context

This verse occurs within the context of Jesus' early ministry in the Galilee region, during a period where He performed many of His miracles.

The culture at the time had strict customs concerning death and mourning, including the presence of professional mourners who would wail and express grief.

Jesus' dismissal of the crowd, including these mourners, indicates His rejection of the spectacle surrounding death and an assertion of His authority over life and death.

Theological Insights

Theologically, this passage is significant for several reasons.

First, it shows Jesus' divine authority and power over death, a foretaste of His own resurrection.

Secondly, it reinforces the faith component in miracles, as Jesus chooses to act in the presence of people who have shown a willingness to believe in Him (the girl's parents and His disciples).

Different denominations interpret this with varying emphasis on faith, miracles, and the significance of Jesus' action in the context of salvation history.

Practical Applications

This verse can be applied in several ways.

It encourages believers to have faith in difficult circumstances and to trust in God's power even when situations seem hopeless.

It also teaches the importance of surrounding oneself with believers for support, and it serves as a reminder that mockery and disbelief can be distractions from spiritual truths.

Cross-References

Matthew 9:18-26: Another account of the raising of Jairus' daughter, which also mentions the crowd laughing at Jesus before He performs the miracle.
Luke 8:49-56: Luke’s account of this event, which includes the detail of Jesus telling the girl to arise.
John 11:1-44: The raising of Lazarus, also involving Jesus demonstrating His authority over death and a similar reaction from onlookers.
Acts 9:36-41: Peter raises Tabitha from the dead, reminiscent of Jesus' miracle.

Language Study

Key terms in the original Greek text of Mark 5:40 include:

"katagelao" (καταγελάω): Translated as "they laughed him to scorn," indicating intense ridicule or disbelief.
"ekballei" (ἐκβάλλει): Meaning "he put out" or "expelled," showing Jesus' command over the situation and the people.
"kratēsas" (κρατήσας): Translated as "he taketh," denoting Jesus taking the initiative and being in control of the situation.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The motif of a divine figure overcoming death is not unique to Christianity.

In various ancient religious traditions, deities or heroes are endowed with the power to raise the dead or themselves return to life.

Examples include the resurrection stories in the Egyptian myth of Osiris, and in Greek mythology, where Asclepius had the power to bring the dead back to life.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific perspective, death is defined by the irreversible cessation of all vital functions.

If a person were declared dead under similar circumstances today, the concept of being "asleep" as Jesus puts it, would typically be dismissed.

Modern science acknowledges that there can be rare cases of misdiagnosed death, where individuals display no observable signs of life, but in the biblical narrative, it is a clear declaration of Jesus’ miraculous powers rather than a medical explanation.

Commentaries

Experts and biblical scholars have offered various interpretations of this verse.

Some focus on the theme of Jesus' power over life and death, thereby affirming His divine nature, while others delve into the social dynamics at play, such as the role of communal grief in the ancient world and Jesus’ response to it.

The act of putting the crowd out is often discussed in terms of Jesus' preference for privacy and humility in performing miracles, as opposed to public spectacle.

Mark 5

Mark 5

What does Mark 5:40 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Mark 5:40 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?