Stop the Bleeding, Raise the Sleeper

This is the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study Group meeting March 3 to study Luke 8:40-56.  This is a rather detailed account of the healing of two people, one from bleeding and the other from death.  In a sense, with the preceding passage of the man with the legion of demons, there are three healed. 

Read through the passage a few times, jotting down notes and questions.  Use a few different translations.  Look for various ways they translated descriptions and so on.  Once you have your own set of notes, then look at some sort of commentary.  You'll have some questions answered, but also get new ones, and more notes. 

After you've gone through your own study, then go back through with the questions below:

• Jesus returns to the region of Galilee and was welcomed.  What do you think the people thought about His disappearance?
• Official of the local synagogue has a sick daughter.  What do you think he risks asking Jesus for help when Jesus is not working to make friends among the Pharisees?
• The daughter is 12, and the bleeding woman has been bleeding for 12 years.  What significance do you think Luke might intend here?
• The crowds are not making it easy for Jesus to reach the father's house to save his daughter.  But this makes it easier for the bleeding woman.  What do you imagine her doing, as she reaches for Jesus' robe?
• Verse 43 in various versions will be translated differently.  Why do you think that might be?
• Jesus asks who touched Him. Obviously this would be confusing in the pressing crowd.  But why do you think "they were all denying it"?  Why not go, "we all did!"?  What do you think was being denied?
• This is all taking time away from the dying girl.  What do you imagine Jairus doing while Jesus is asking who in the press of people touched Him?
• Peter asks in obvious confusion.  But Jesus said He felt the power go out.  What do you think that means about how healing affects Jesus?
• The woman realizes she's been noticed, and confesses "before everyone".  Why do you think that detail was important for Luke? (it's not detailed in the other three Gospels)
• Jesus tells her that her faith saved her, and to go in peace.  Right then, the people find Jairus and tell him about his daughter's death.  Jesus has already raised the widow's son in Nain, why do you think they didn't think it necessary to "trouble" Jesus?
• Jesus counters Jairus' fear with a challenge to have faith instead of fear.  How do you think Jesus' confidence affected Jairus at this point?
• In what sense do you think the girl "sleeps"?  Why do you think Jesus said she did?
• Jesus keeps everyone out but James, John, and Peter, and the parents.  Why do you think He was so "exclusive" with His miracle?
• There are mourners who know the girl died, and the crowd heard what happened.  So what difference do you think it makes that the parents tell no one of this miracle?  What would the point be to that?

Think back through the passage.  What in the passage grabs your attention specifically about your own life?  If you're honest with yourself, what action might God be leading you to take?

That should do for our hour.  Blessings upon you all!