What do I know with Isaac Carroll
What do I know with Isaac Carroll
Mark the 5th Chapter, When Jesus Leaves the 99 for the One
Have you ever felt forgotten by God? Mark chapter 5 introduces us to three desperate individuals who might have felt the same way—until they encountered Jesus.
We journey through this powerful chapter that begins with Jesus deliberately crossing the Sea of Galilee into Gentile territory. Like a shepherd leaving the ninety-nine to find one lost sheep, Jesus seeks out a man so tormented by demons that chains couldn't hold him. Living among tombs, excluded from society, this man represents the ultimate outcast. Yet Jesus crosses cultural and religious boundaries specifically to restore him. When the local people value their economic interests over this man's miraculous transformation, Jesus commissions him as the first missionary, instructing him to "tell how much the Lord has done for you."
The narrative continues with two intertwined stories of faith and healing. A woman suffering for twelve years with a condition that rendered her perpetually "unclean" according to Jewish law—unable to participate in worship, touch others, or live normally in society. Her persistent faith leads her to touch Jesus' garment, believing this minimal contact would be enough. Jesus publicly acknowledges her, as all things are for God's glory. Jesus calls out who touched me, giving her the chance to share what God has done for her by not only healing her but also returning her to her family and community.
Meanwhile, Jairus, a synagogue official, humbles himself before Jesus when his daughter lies dying. When news comes that she has died, Jesus speaks the words that echo throughout the ages to all who face impossible situations: "Do not fear, only believe." The tender scene of Jesus raising the girl, speaking gently to her, and caring about her practical needs reveals a Savior who is both divinely powerful and deeply compassionate.
These stories remind us that no one is beyond Jesus' reach, whether socially excluded, religiously marginalized, or facing death itself. Who in your life needs to hear that Jesus still crosses boundaries to seek and save the lost? Share this message of hope with someone today.
May God bless you and lead you always.
Welcome to the podcast. I'm Isaac Carroll, and this is what Do I Know? Alright, in today's Bible study we are going to be in Mark, the 5th chapter, beginning at verse 1. They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes, and when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs, a man with an unclean spirit. He lived among the tombs and no one could bind him anymore, not even with chains, for he had often been bound with shackles and chains. But he wrenched the chains apart and he broke the shackles into pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him, night and day among the tombs and on the mountain. He would always cry out, cutting himself with stones. And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and he fell down before him, crying out with a loud voice. He said what have you to do with me, jesus, the Son of the Most High God, I adjure you by God, do not torment me. For he was saying to him Come out of the man, you unclean spirit. And Jesus asked him what is your name? And he replied my name is Legion, for we are many. And he begged him earnestly not to send him out of the country. Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside and they begged him saying send us into the pigs, let us enter them. So he gave them permission and the unclean spirits came out and they entered the pigs and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea, drowning in the sea. And they told it in the city and in the country and the people came to see what it is that had happened. And they came to Jesus and they saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region. And as he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. And he did not permit him but said to him Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you and how he has mercy on you. And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him and everyone marveled All right, let's stop here at verse 20.
Speaker 1:I'm sure this account is well known among believers. I have read it many times myself. But it struck me this morning as I was reading it that we know that Jesus was sent only to the house of Israel. We read that in Matthew 15-24. So when Jesus and his disciples, they got in the boat and they crossed to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, it says they came into the region of the Gerasenes. This is literally the land of the Gentiles. I mean it's so Gentile that they actually have herds of pigs roaming the countryside and we know that pigs are unclean to the people of Israel because of God's law. But these people have herds of pigs literally roaming the countryside and Jesus comes into that land with his disciples. Why? Why did he leave the 99 to come to find the one man? Because you know, right after he heals this man, that they asked Jesus to leave their region. Jesus, knowing this, literally left to come find him to give him relief. It's actually a very beautiful story that shows you that God's compassion and love for us, that Jesus was willing to leave those. I mean they were bringing demon-possessed people to Jesus all the time people who were sick, people who were in need. But this man, who was far off, was in desperate need and Jesus left the 99 to go help the one. And I just think it's a beautiful story. All right, let's continue at verse 21.
Speaker 1:And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him and he was beside the sea. Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, jarius by name. Seeing him, he fell at his feet. He implored him earnestly, saying my little daughter is at the point of death. Come, lay your hands on her so that she will be made well and live. And he went with him and a great crowd followed after him and they thronged about him.
Speaker 1:There was a woman who had a discharge of blood for twelve years, who had suffered much under many physicians, and she had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather she grew worse. She had heard reports about Jesus and she came up behind him in the crowd and she touched his garment. For she said, if I could even touch the garment, I will be made well, and immediately a flow of her blood dried up and she felt it in her body that she was healed of her disease. Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out of him, immediately turned about into the crowd and said who touched me? Who touched my garments? And his disciples said to him you see the crowd pressing around you and you say who touched me? He looked around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear, trembling, and fell down before him and she told him the whole truth. And he said to her daughter your faith has made you well, go in peace and be healed of your disease. All right, let's stop here at verse 34.
Speaker 1:All right, the woman with the issue of blood. Now, I imagine that the issue of blood, her disease, was bad enough, but being a woman of Israel, being a Hebrew woman, her menstrual blood is considered unclean. So she would have been considered unclean for 12 years, unable to participate in any religious ceremonies, any religious ordeals, would not have been allowed to go into the temple. But not only that, anyone who touched her would have been unclean. She couldn't have been able to prepare food for people. I mean, she would have basically been an outcast, almost like having leprosy without actually having leprosy among her own people. She would have been excluded. She wouldn't have been able to hug, say, she was married and had kids. She wouldn't have been able to hug her own children and be touched by her own husband in any way, otherwise she would have made them unclean. It was a horrible fate for this woman to not only suffer in her illness but actually to be excluded. I mean, I can imagine that she even felt God had excluded her. I mean, she wasn't allowed to even enter his temple and, being amongst the people who were so religious, I'm sure she has sought God's help in her condition. Sought priests, had people petition God on her behalf and nothing. She's an excluded.
Speaker 1:It reminds me of the story of Shadrach, meshach and Abednego. For what do they say? We know that our Lord is able to deliver us from this fiery furnace, but even if he doesn't, we will continue to serve the Lord. She continued to serve, even as one who had been suffering for 12 years, who had been excluded for 12 years. She never quit, she never gave up and she sought Jesus. And she never quit, she never gave up and she sought Jesus. And she said to herself if I could just touch the hem of his garment, I will be made well that faith. That's Jesus. Of course he knows who touched him, but so that it might be made known and God given the glory this was told in such a way. I just think it's a testimony to perseverance under trial, even if God had never healed her, to stay dedicated, to stay focused, to stay obedient and to seek the Lord. All right, let's continue on in verse 35.
Speaker 1:While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler's house some who said your daughter is dead, why trouble a teacher any further? But overhearing what they had said, jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue Do not fear, only believe. And he allowed no one else to follow him except Peter James and John, the ruler of synagogue. Do not fear, only believe. And he allowed no one else to follow him except Peter James and John, the brother of James. They came to the house of the ruler of synagogue and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. And when he had entered he said to them why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead, but sleeping. And they laughed at him. But he put them outside and he took the child's father and the mother, those who were with him and he went in where the child was taking her by the hand. He said to her Talitha Kumi, which means little girl, I say to you, rise. And immediately the girl got up and began to walk, for she was 12 years of age, and they were immediately overcome with amazement and he strictly charged them that no one should know this and he told them to give her something to eat.
Speaker 1:Alright, that concludes Mark 5. Alright, we see another person coming to Jesus in desperate need. I can't think of anything in the world that would make a parent more desperate than literally watching your child die of a disease. I can't even think of anything worse. And this man, being an official of a synagogue, had access to priests and everything and all else fails. He seeks Jesus and highlights the difference between the centurion If you remember the centurion who came to Jesus over his servant. This man comes to Jesus over his daughter. Centurion says I'm not worthy to have you come under my roof, but simply say the words and it will be done. This man says come and lay your hands on my daughter and she will be made well, highlights the difference of faith. Sometimes we believe that we need some focal point, something to pray to or or you know something to hold on to, a cross or a crucifix or a rosary, something that can focus our faith. I can see the benefit of it because it would be a focal point, but God doesn't need a focal point to answer prayers, he just needs our faith, and this is what I see when I read these interactions with Jesus.
Speaker 1:Now, I don't think it has escaped my notice that there are three people who it's spoken about that Jesus raises from the dead. In all of the four Gospels, three people are actually named that Jesus raised from the dead. You have this young daughter of the official. You have the widow's son in name, which is written about in Luke, and finally Lazarus, who was raised after four days of being dead. The final one All these people had to die again, but they do have one thing we don't. They had a remembrance of the voice of jesus calling them out of the grave. Now, when jesus himself dies, when he raised himself, he, he took the power of hell and death, so that when we die, when we're raised, we don't have to die again. I'm gonna end this one here. I love you guys. We'll be in mark 6 in our next bible study. Until then, god bless you and goodbye.