Chad Werkhoven
- Jun 18, 2021
- 3 min read

Mark 5 Reading Guide

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Chapter Summary

v1-20 - After their stormy trip across the lake, Jesus and the disciples land on the opposite shore - outside of Israel. This is Gentile (anybody who's not a Jew) country, and the first Gentile they meet is a doozy.
- He has an entire legion of demons living in his body.
  - Nobody could subdue him, not even with chains.
  - Yet this wild unstoppable freak of nature fell at the feet of Jesus, trembling.
- The demons beg not to be tortured, and to instead allowed to go into a nearby herd of pigs, which meet a quick, unfortunate end.
- The terrified people meet Jesus, and this man, who's no longer a freak,
  - and out of fear they beg Jesus to leave,
  - and the man begs Jesus to take him with Jesus (notice how much begging is going on in this story!).
    Jesus declines the man, and instead makes him the first missionary.
    Contrast this command to spread the news in Gentile country, as opposed to the secrecy Jesus is trying to maintain in Israel!
- Mark ends this episode by simply noting the people were amazed.
v21-43 - After coming back to Israel, immediately another crowd gathers.
- The synagogue leader (a member of the establishment) begs Jesus regarding his sick daughter.
- Jesus began going to the daughter, and along the way is touched by a sick woman.
  - It's not just the fact that Jesus was touched, because in this chaotic crowd, lots of people were touching Him.
  - It's that she reached out and touched Him in faith, and because of her faith, she's healed.
- It seems Jesus arrives too late to heal the little girl.
  - Notice nobody begs Jesus to continue at this point - quite the opposite, in fact.
  - They laugh at Him for suggesting she's only asleep.
- Mark notes the tenderness of Jesus' interaction with the girl by preserving the Aramaic Jesus spoke in - Talitha, koum.
  - Mark then uses the word translated 'immediately' in v42 twice in a row:
    Immediately the girl got up;
    Immediately the people there were 'astonished' (literally translated: 'massively amazed they stood there stunned and trembling').
    Nobody was laughing at Jesus anymore.
    Have you ever been massively amazed, stunned and trembling at the work God does?
  - Once again, Jesus tells the Jews to keep this miracle under wraps.

OLD TESTAMENT REFERENCE:

Isaiah 53 is the famous passage describing the coming Messiah as a suffering servant. Read the last three verses of Isaiah 52:12-15, which is actually the beginning of the suffering servant passage, where Isaiah uses the same word Mark uses describing the people's reaction to Jesus raising the dead girl. See if you can find how the word is used in v14.

Discuss:

Use the comment box below to discuss one or more of these questions:

EYE FOR DETAIL—From what you recall seeing in this chapter, try answering the following question without looking at your Bible: The opening scene in the chapter tells about the demon-possessed man who lived in the tombs. What did he use to cut himself with? (See verse 5.)
How many other passages can you think of in the New Testament where Aramaic words are left untranslated for effect like Jesus' words (Talitha koum) in v41? (see the answers below the AAA prayer guide)

Question 1 taken from The Complete Bible Discussion Guide: New Testament

Follow the AAA Prayer Pattern:

ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: The One who leaves men stunned and astonished
ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will be able to experience God emotionally and not just intellectually.
ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: