Snapshot
👀: Original post.
My Dear Friend,
Upon arriving in Capernaum, Jesus was immediately met by “one of the rulers of the [local] synagogue,” named, “Jairus.” (See Mark 5:21-43.)
Jairus’ name means, “he will enlighten,” and, indeed, Jairus’ experience and faith enlighten our hearts with the possibilities of persisting faith, even when facing impossible challenges or needs. Jairus also led the Capernaum synagogue.
One commentator notes: “The ‘ruler of the synagogue’ occupied an important position. In the temple synagogue, he was the third officer in rank; the first officer being the high priest, and the second, the chief of the priests. In provincial synagogues, the ‘ruler’ was supreme. No one was eligible for this office until he had a certificate from the Great Sanhedrin stating that he possessed the required qualifications. His election, however, was by the members of the (local) synagogue. It was his duty to supervise all matters connected with worship.”
Synagogue “rulers,” therefore, though not considered clergy, functioned much as senior pastors do today in churches. They led prayer, testimony, and psalm singing, organized other synagogue activities, chose guest rabbis, selected Torah readings and readers, and also chose who would give the homily every Sabbath.
They also served as local judges, hearing civil disputes, deciding cases of alleged violation of the written or oral law, and overseeing punishments, which were sometimes severe, including beatings with three pronged whips (see Acts 26:11)!
These rulers were, therefore, “MIC,” or Men In Charge! They were very respected and influential men in Jewish communities. Other men figuratively “bowed” before them by yielding in deference to their wisdom and honorable authority on a regular basis. So, rulers, including Jairus, must have been very conscious of their authority over God’s people.
Yet when Jairus meets Jesus, he immediately prostrates himself. “He fell at his feet” (Mk. 5:22), showing the utmost respect for, and utter submission to, the Nazarene miracle worker! No hesitation, no wavering, no looking around to see what others were doing, just immediate and complete prostration! Why? To Jairus, Jesus was not merely a carpenter-turned-prophet, or some popular, new, flash-in-the-pan rabbi, or some other nobody posing as a somebody. No, Jesus was Emmanuel, the Branch of David, the anointed of God, and his blessed Messiah!
Jairus' actions prove he fully understands that, while he is the synagogue’s ruler, Christ is His Ruler! And he’s not ashamed for others to know it. He fell on his face before Jesus - at His very feet! - and shamelessly begged His healing mercies publicly, in front of the very Jews who were accustomed to respecting him daily!
Thus, Jairus, lives up to his name: he enlightens us! Every Christian leader should thoughtfully consider and humbly follow this Jewish leader’s example. Every “ruler” of God’s people must realize Jesus is his Ruler, his sovereign Lord, and live figuratively prostrated before Him daily in humble submission. Privately and publicly, he must keep himself in a state of continuous readiness to obey . . . ready to go, ready to stay, ready to pray, ready to work, ready to be noticed, ready to be unnoticed, ready to be rewarded, ready to be reviled, ready to do His will! Peter says as much in his first epistle (1 Pet. 5:1-6).
So, there is a large lesson to leaders here, and it is this: If we would lead our brethren, we must follow our Messiah! If we would stand before believers, we must fall before Jesus! If we would rule others, He must rule us! If we want Christians to respect our authority, we must respect Christ’s authority! If we want them to obey our teaching, we must obey Christ’s teaching. Then, like Jairus, our words, works, and worship will enlighten others, showing them openly day by day how they may live life at Jesus' feet.
Presently, however, far too much darkness pervades the American church. There is far too much pride, self-serving, religious ambition, envy, covetousness, and a lack of brokenness to the will of God among our Men In Charge. We’ve not had enough enlighteners leading our churches over the last generation. To reverse these conditions, and get us ready for Christ’s return, we need not one but many “Jairuses,” many enlighteners to give the right witness daily in our local “synagogues.”
Will you pray for Christ to raise them up? Will you be one?
