Unusual Healings – Luke 8:40-56

Do you find it weird that once people got healed just from Peter’s shadow falling on them (Acts 5:15,16) or from one of Paul’s handkerchiefs touching them (Acts 19:12)?  Divine healing through individuals can occur in unusual ways.

Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. And there came a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue. And falling at Jesus’ feet, he implored him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying.

   As Jesus went, the people pressed around him. And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone. She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!” But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

   While he was still speaking, someone from the ruler’s house came and said, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more.” But Jesus on hearing this answered him, “Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well.” And when he came to the house, he allowed no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child. And all were weeping and mourning for her, but he said, “Do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But taking her by the hand he called, saying, “Child, arise.” And her spirit returned, and she got up at once. And he directed that something should be given her to eat. And her parents were amazed, but he charged them to tell no one what had happened.  (Luke 8:40-56 ESV)

Jesus responds to Jairus, an important man to the community as a leader in the synagogue, by immediately heading to his home.  But along the way a woman touches him and is healed.  Luke focuses on the point that the best medical help could do nothing for her, yet Jesus perceived power going out of him to heal.  This shows us two things:

1) Jesus, though God, was not using his deity to perform these miracles nor to know all that he could have known (he didn’t know who touched him).

2) The Holy Spirit knew this woman’s faith and, through Jesus, chose to heal her, sending His power through Jesus.

The implications for this are that we too, who possess the Holy Spirit’s ministry in our lives, can be used by Him in the same way if He chooses.

An even harder miracle, from a human perspective, is accomplished through Jesus when he raises Jairus’ daughter from the dead.  He tells the mourners she is sleeping because her death is temporary.  He is going to resuscitate her.

God is using these miracles to testify that Jesus is the Messiah, and that the king and the kingdom are among the people.  Though Jesus is now in heaven, the kingdom is still making its way into our present age and we are its subjects and witnesses.