Mark 5:21-34 “Faith Brings Salvation”

Mark 5:21-34 NIV

Suggested Praise Songs:

• Jesus Strong and Kind – CityAlight
• HEALER | by Kari Jobe
• Lauren Daigle – You Say

Resources for Family Worship (with Children):

• Jesus Raises Jairus’ Daughter | Stories of the Bible – Bible Story for Kids
• We Will Live Forever (John 3:16) | HLA Athens | Group Publishing – Song for Kids
• Your Life Will Change | High Seas Music Video | Group Publishing – Song for Kids
• There is Power in the Blood | HLA Wilderness Escape | Group Publishing – Song for Kids
• Discussion Questions for Children & Youth located in the section after Explanation, Meditation, and Prayer (at the end of this email/blog).

Explanation:

After visiting Gentile territory, Jesus was rejected by the people of Gerasene and immediately got back into the boat to return to the western side of the lake, the land of the Jews. This illustrates how difficult it was for the gospel to enter Gentile lands. However, Jesus did not rush the process. He was content with sending the man who had been possessed by a legion of demons as an evangelist. The world does not change in an instant. Jesus’ method is to transform one person at a time.

When word spread that Jesus had returned, a large crowd gathered around him (v. 21). At that moment, a synagogue leader named Jairus came to Jesus, pleading with him to heal his daughter, who was critically ill and near death (vv. 22-23). The synagogue leader was an elder in the town, responsible for overseeing the affairs of the synagogue. Jesus accepted Jairus’ request and started toward his house, with many people crowding around and following him (v. 24).

Among them was a woman who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years (v. 25). This condition involved continuous bleeding due to an unknown cause. According to the Law, a woman experiencing such bleeding was considered unclean (Lev. 15:25-28). As a result, she could not participate in temple worship or religious gatherings and was socially isolated. This meant she had lived as an outcast for twelve years. The woman had desperately sought a cure, exhausting all her resources, yet her condition only worsened (v. 27).Top of Form

The woman had heard about Jesus and wanted to go to him, but she couldn’t do so openly. Instead, she secretly made her way through the crowd and touched the edge of his cloak, hoping that no one would notice (v. 27). She believed that even this simple act would bring her healing (v. 28). However, according to Jewish law, her action was improper—touching Jesus in her unclean state would make Him ceremonially unclean. Yet her desperate desire for healing drove her to take this bold step. Immediately, the bleeding she had suffered from for so long stopped, as if it had never been there (v. 29).

Jesus knew what had happened (v. 30). Although he was fully aware of who had touched him, he asked, “Who touched my clothes?” to encourage the woman to come forward on her own. The disciples, seeing the crowd pressing against him, responded that it was natural for people to be bumping into him (v. 31). The woman must have been terrified when she realized that her secret action had been noticed. But when Jesus stopped walking and looked around, she gathered her courage, came forward, and fell at His feet, confessing everything (vv. 32-33).

Jesus then said to the woman, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering” (v. 34). The way he called her “Daughter” reveals his deep love and compassion for her. In that moment, not only was she physically healed, but the chains of social discrimination and isolation that had bound her for twelve years were also broken. Jesus restored her dignity and wholeness, offering her not just healing but acceptance and peace.

Meditation:

This woman’s situation was truly heartbreaking. Because of her incurable illness, if she had been unmarried, she would not have been able to marry; if she had been married, she was likely abandoned. Her daily life must have been filled with unimaginable hardships. Beyond physical suffering, she was also considered unclean according to Jewish law, meaning she was excluded from participating in any religious ceremonies. In every sense, she was living a life of isolation and rejection—a life that felt like a curse. Though she was alive, she was not truly living.

The root of all her misfortune was her condition—her constant bleeding. In response to her desperate faith, Jesus healed her completely. Mark writes, “Jesus realized that power had gone out from Him” (v. 30), but in truth, this was not just an automatic event—it was Jesus intentionally responding to her deep longing for healing. However, the physical healing of her hemorrhage was only the first step toward a complete and holistic restoration. Jesus did not stop at curing her illness; he called her out from the crowd to publicly affirm her healing and remove the stigma of exclusion and discrimination. In doing so, Jesus did more than restore her health—he restored her life. A woman who had been living as if dead was now fully alive again.

Regarding all of this healing and restoration, Jesus praised the woman’s faith as the reason for her transformation. She had risked everything—even the possibility of being beaten or condemned—to reach out and touch Jesus’ cloak. Her desperate longing for salvation and unwavering belief that Jesus could heal her drove her to take that bold step. And Jesus did not turn away from her faith. Instead, he honored it, answering her unspoken prayer and granting her complete healing and restoration.

Prayer:

Lord, we have struggles in our lives too—problems like the woman’s hemorrhage that leave our lives in disorder and distress. We have tried many ways to fix them, but nothing seems to change. Today, as we reflect on this woman’s story, we realize that our longing and faith have often been lacking. Lord, give us a deep desire for a whole and restored life. Strengthen our faith in you, so that we may also hear your words: “Your faith has saved you.” In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Discussion Questions for Children & Youth:

Key Point: Faith brings healing and restoration. The woman with the bleeding condition believed that Jesus could heal her, and her faith led to her complete restoration—not just physically, but also socially and spiritually. Jesus sees our struggles and responds to our faith, bringing us healing in ways we might not expect.

• For Preschool-Lower Elementary
  • Why do you think the woman wanted to touch Jesus’ clothes?
  • Can you think of a time when you asked Jesus for help? What happened?
• For Upper Elementary-Middle School
  • The woman was considered an outcast because of her illness. How do you think she felt for those 12 years?
  • Have you ever faced a challenge that made you feel distant from God or others? How can this story encourage you?
• For High School
  • The woman’s faith led her to act boldly, even though it was risky. What does that teach us about faith?
  • Jesus didn’t just heal the woman physically—he restored her dignity. How can we, as followers of Jesus, help restore dignity to others who feel excluded or unworthy?