Mark 5:24 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And he went with him. And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him.

NIV: So Jesus went with him. A large crowd followed and pressed around him.

NASB: And He went off with him; and a large crowd was following Him and pressing in on Him.

CSB: So Jesus went with him, and a large crowd was following and pressing against him.

NLT: Jesus went with him, and all the people followed, crowding around him.

KJV: And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.

NKJV: So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him.

"Thronged about," or "pressed around," is taken from the Greek root word suntlibo, which means "to press in on all sides." Jesus has had to manage crowds for some time, now (Mark 3:7–9) and at one point sails across the Sea of Galilee just to get away from the crush of people (Mark 4:1, 35). Even when teaching and not actively healing, He is often crowded (Mark 2:1–2; 3:31–32). Still, there are doubtless many sick and injured people who don't receive healing and many curious who can't hear His teaching.

Many people wonder why Jesus had to leave earth after His resurrection. These situations give us a good idea. In John 16:7–11, as the crucifixion nears, Jesus tells His disciples that He must leave, but He will send a Helper, the Holy Spirit, who will "convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment." Romans 12:6–8, 1 Corinthians 12:4–11, and 1 Peter 4:10–11 explain some different ways the Holy Spirit equips members of the church to support each other. And in John 14:12, Jesus says that His followers' works will be greater in extent than those that He accomplished in His three years of ministry.

Jesus on earth is a powerful but single point of God on earth. Both His miracles and His message are unsurpassable, and His crucifixion and resurrection are completely unique. The time for His personal presence is paused, however. The Holy Spirit is here to work in each individual Christ-follower, each Bible-teaching church, and each true seeker. As great as the crowds Jesus taught may have been (Mark 6:44), the Holy Spirit personally works with every single person who came after.

Mark 5:21–24 describes a synagogue leader, Jairus, asking Jesus to heal his daughter. After freeing a man who is possessed by a legion of demons, Jesus and the disciples return to the Jewish side of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus is again met by a mob seeking healing. The story of Jesus resurrecting this synagogue leader's daughter is divided by the account of the healing of a woman with an issue of blood (Mark 5:25–34). This literary device leads us to compare the honorable leader and his beloved daughter to the unclean, destitute, and most likely abandoned woman. It also shows us that to Jesus, there is no difference. This incident is also described in Matthew 9:18–19 and Luke 8:40–42.

Jesus arrives on the other side of the Sea of Galilee and heals a man afflicted by a ''legion'' of demons. In the aftermath of this event, Jesus once again crosses the waters within this region, known as the Decapolis. There, He is approached by a synagogue leader, begging Him to come and save a dying girl. In the midst of this trip, Jesus stops the crowd to identify a woman who attempted to covertly touch his robes; her faithful act results in healing. Jesus then continues on to the home of the synagogue leader and resurrects his recently-deceased child.

Mark 4:35—5:43 sees an increase in the scope of Jesus' miracles. He has just calmed a violent storm on the Sea of Galilee. Now, He expels a legion of demons, heals a woman without overtly acting, and brings a girl back to life. All three situations—related to tombs, blood, and death—show Jesus bringing healing to unclean circumstances. In chapter 6, the tone of His ministry will develop. He will be rejected by those who should know Him best, He will send out His followers to do His work, and His direct link to the Old Testament prophets will be explained.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.