Reading of Scripture: Mark 5: 21-43
No Sermon Today – Here is the framework for our discussion
Background: Some ASSUMPTIONS I make:
• God is creator and can heal (for those who disagree the whole story will be irrelevant)
• Lots of sick people don’t get healed, including those who ask God for healing
• God’s purpose is ultimately the salvation of all things and the healing of sickness.
• There are many stories in the New Testament of Jesus healing
• A women haemorrhaging was regarded as unclean and to be shunned in Hebrew law
• Jesus was fully human (different from any other human) even though he was fully God in the flesh. (ecumenical conviction formulated in 3rd century)
Questions:
The problem of Jesus humanity: Is he really human in these stories?
• Jesus has quintessential faith in God
• God has a particular role for Jesus (he is the incarnate Son)
• When these two things converge miracles become divine signs
The problem of faith: Does faith alone heal? What is faith?
• Not alone … but Jesus stresses the importance of faith – there is no healing without it, for our human life is only ‘whole’ in relation to God Read story of Haemorrhaging Women from Iona
The problem of secrecy: Is God (the Father) letting the cat out of the bag and Jesus trying to put it back in?
Better Question: If God is working miracles through Jesus why does Jesus try to keep it a secret?
• Jesus does not want to point to himself or to the miracles.
• Like the signs themselves, he wants to point to the kingdom
What do you think?