Mark 5:24Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

This can be discerned from his plea: "My daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her so that she may be healed" (Mark 5:23). His expression of faith reveals that it fell short compared to that of the centurion, who believed that a mere word from the Lord was sufficient for his servant’s healing. Both men felt the need for Christ’s physical presence, yet there was a distinction. When the centurion had requested assistance, the Lord had performed only one miracle at Cana, whereas by the time Jairus sought help, Jesus was renowned for numerous miraculous works. Furthermore, the centurion was a Gentile while Jairus belonged to the Jewish faith, thus one might have expected Jairus to possess greater faith. Nevertheless, the Lord, described by Isaiah as one who does not break a bruised reed or extinguish a smoldering wick, sought to ignite the small ember of Jairus’ faith into a roaring flame. Despite Jairus' faltering belief, the Lord did not hesitate to accompany him, and as He journeyed, the crowd pressed in around Him.

Since Matthew does not mention the arrival of messengers bearing news of the girl’s death, his statement, αΰτη ετελέυτησεν, aligns more closely with the situation: Jairus’s initial plea for healing must have inevitably transformed into an unspoken request for resurrection following the sorrowful news of her demise.

The woman suffering from bleeding felt hesitant to openly ask Jesus for help, particularly because her condition rendered her ceremonially unclean (Luke 15); nonetheless, her faith was profound enough to lead her to believe that merely touching the fringe of His garment (κρασπεδον Mt. 20. Lk. 44 cf. Num. 15:38. Matthew 14:36. 23, 5. Lk. 8:44. Mk. 6:56) would result in her healing. When called by the Lord to openly acknowledge her faith and the miracle she experienced, He asked, “Who is it that touches Me?” indicating that His power could sometimes flow from Him involuntarily. Yet, it is evident that Jesus was cognizant of her intentions and actions at the moment she reached out, proclaiming in His spirit, “Courage, woman, your faith has made you whole” (which He later affirmed to the frightened woman aloud). Despite the throngs who surrounded Him and the many who made contact, no one could grasp His miraculous power except for the woman whose faith elicited it; it is clear that her act of touching Jesus held significant meaning for her alone, as a tangible demonstration of her belief that led her to encounter the Lord directly.

He expressed unwavering faith, believing that if Jesus would just come and lay His hand upon her, she would recover. Jesus, whose heart was always attuned to the cries of those in mourning, immediately stood up and went with him, followed not only by His disciples but also by the eager multitude that surrounded Him, all witnessing this poignant encounter. As they made their way, the crowd pressed in closely, drawn to the scene.