BIBLE STUDY: Masculinity – as modelled by Jesus

Luke 8: 41-56 - Jesus Raises a Dead Girl and Heals a Sick Woman
41 Then a man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house
42 because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying.
As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. 43 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding
for twelve years,[c] but no one could heal her. 44 She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and
immediately her bleeding stopped.
45 “Who touched me?” Jesus asked.
When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.”
46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.”
47 Thenthe woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the
people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. 48 Then he said to her, “Daughter,
your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”
49 While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is

dead,” he said. “Don’t bother the teacher anymore.”

50 Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.”
51 When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the
child’s father and mother. 52 Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. “Stop wailing,” Jesus said.
“She is not dead but asleep.”
53 They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But he took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” 55 Her
spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. 56 Her parents were
astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.

Reflection
Often, society’s concept of masculinity is based on power and control. But in this Bible passage, Jesus turns all that on its
head.
He treated both the highly respected religious leader and the woman who was a social outcast equally. Jesus stops on the
way to healing Jairus’ daughter to heal the woman bleeding. Here we see Jesus giving his power away freely (power went
out of him), then offers a choice (‘who touched me?’). The woman could have slunk away in the crowds. Jesus then heals her in
many other ways by stating to the crowd, ‘Daughter, your faith has healed you’. Note Jesus doesn’t say ‘My power has
healed you’. No, he honours the woman’s faith and includes and accepts her back into a family by calling her ‘daughter’. By
Jesus stating to the crowd that she is healed, she can now worship at the temple again (spiritual restoration), she can earn a
living (economic restoration) and see friends and family again (social restoration). Jesus then continues on and heals Jairus’
daughter. He is laughed at when he says she is only sleeping and asks the parents not to say anything when she is healed.
Note Jesus didn’t show off his power for his own status, glory, or to prove the crowds wrong. His focus was on using his
power for good.

Why is power so important when talking about Jesus’ use of power in this story
domestic abuse?
• Freely gave it away
• The heart of domestic violence is the abuse of power • Healing
and control of another person • Restoration
• Domestic abuse results from unequal power relations • Honoured and empowered others (‘Daughter your
between men and women faith…’ not ‘my power’)
• It is driven by a belief that the other person is less • Did not use power to impress others (they laughed
than you, or is there to serve you. at him before the healing)
• Not for his own status (‘Don’t tell anyone’)

(Adapted from ‘Living as a First Man Standing’ Africa edition, by Family Impact in Zimbabwe. Family Impact is a member of
the Restored international alliance and Restored inputted into the creation of this resource)
See overleaf for further points and reading…

Restored - PO Box 447, Teddington, Middx TW11 1AY - Registered Charity Number 1136774
Phone: +44 (0)20 8943 7855 - Email: info@restoredrelationships.org - Website: www.restoredrelationships.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/RestoredRelationships Twitter: www.twitter.com/Rest0red
How did Jesus relate to women?
• He treated women with respect
• He crossed social boundaries to speak to them (John 4)
• He protected women from violence by other men (John 8)
• He healed women (Luke 8: 41-56)
• He had women as friends (Luke 10: 38-42)
• He accepted financial support from women (Luke 8:1-3)
• He appointed women as the first witnesses of the resurrection (Matthew 28:1-10)
For more in depth Bible studies on masculinity and gender equality, click HERE
or visit www.restoredrelationships.org/news/category/fms-bible-studies/

You might also like this resource for small groups – click HERE
Or visit www.restoredrelationships.org/resources/info/120/

‘The Bible does allow divorce for domestic abuse’, is one of our most popular ever blogs – click HERE
Or visit www.restoredrelationships.org/news/2016/01/11/domestic-abuse-divorce/

MEN – we need you!

Violence against women is not a women’s issue – it’s a human issue. It will only end when men commit to end it,
through challenging inappropriate attitudes and behaviours.
If you’re such a man (or you know such men) – please join our First Man Standing campaign – click HERE
Or visit www.restoredrelationships.org/firstmanstanding

About Restored
Restored is a Christian charity founded in 2010 to help end violence against women (VAW) by working internationally
through and with the church and Christian organisations – and men.
Over a third of the world’s population is Christian, and church networks and Christian organisations have a long history
as agents of positive change. Now we’re mobilising, training and equipping them to address violence against women
alongside other aspects of their work.
We also lobby at national and international policy-making levels to get violence against women recognised as an issue
and to ensure that faith is included in the response.

Restored - PO Box 447, Teddington, Middx TW11 1AY - Registered Charity Number 1136774
Phone: +44 (0)20 8943 7855 - Email: info@restoredrelationships.org - Website: www.restoredrelationships.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/RestoredRelationships Twitter: www.twitter.com/Rest0red