This coming Sunday is the 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Despite the traditional marking of chapters in the Gospel, most commentators do not include our gospel passage with the bulk of Chapter 4. Rather, our gospel passage is included with the content of Chapter 5. In 4:35-5:43 Jesus teaches with miracles that demonstrate the extraordinary character of Jesus’ power as he stills a raging storm on the Sea of Galilee (4:35-41); casts out a demonic legion (5:1-20); raises Jairus’ daughter and heals a woman sick for 12 years (5:21-43 – our gospel text for next week). These miracles show that Jesus has power over the realms of nature, the demonic, and death.

What is possible to learn about the One who performs such acts of power? As mentioned earlier: parables are not the only method of teaching. What is the response to these displays of Jesus’ power?

• The experience of the disciples leaves some doubt. After stilling the raging storm, Jesus questions the disciples’ faith (4:40).
• In response to casting out the legion of demons the town’s people beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood (5:17).
• In response to Jesus’ power over sickness, and death while the woman is praised for her faith, Jairus is asked to have faith, but as for the people, while they are amazed, there is no mention of faith (5:42).

Following this powerful series of miracles, Jesus enters his hometown where the people “take offense” at him and “So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.” (Mark 6:5-6) Jesus is amazed (ethaumazen) at their unbelief (6:1-6a). The word used can also be taken as “wonder,” and it uses the form that indicates present and ongoing amazement.

Although outside the scope of our gospel text, let me note that the text can be translated/read several ways.  It can indicate that without their faith Jesus didn’t have any reason to heal them.  It could mean that they weren’t willing to come to him to be healed.   It could indicate that without their faith, Jesus’ ability to heal them was affected.  It is open to some interpretation.

It seems that the miracles do not produce faith, but faith sometimes has a role in the miracles.

Image credit: Christ stilling the storm on the Sea of Galilee | Ludolf Bakhuizen | 1695 | Indianapolis Museum of Art | PD