Reading Notes: Gospel of Mark Reading A

Gospel of Mark: Source 

Story Source: King James Bible (1611), Mark 5: Jesus The Healer

Notes: Jesus is the main character of this book. He and his twelve disciples are coming over the sea into a country called "Gadarenes" (Eastern shore of Galilee). Jesus was immediately met by a man with an unclean spirit, a sinner and criminal. This man had previously been chained in the tombs but escaped. The story makes it clear that the man was not happy with himself, and was longing for something more. He spotted Jesus as he came off the boat and begged Jesus for mercy and not to be tormented. Jesus asked for his name, revealing that the spirit within the man was named "Legion", but he represented unclean spirits and begged Jesus not to send them out of their country. Jesus allowed the demons to leave the man's body and sent them into the pigs on a mountain. The pigs then ran immediately off a cliff and were drowned (there were almost two thousand pigs that did this). The people who were watching over the pigs saw this, and Jesus told them to go tell the masses of what he had done. The people eventually saw the previously possessed man, but now he was well dressed and appeared proper. This scared them and they asked Jesus to leave their country. As he was returning to the boat, the man who was previously possessed asked to come with him. He told him to go to his home and tell his own people how much Jesus had done for him. He did just that, and the people were all amazed. Subsequently, Jesus returned to the other side of the sea and people gathered to see him. A ruler of the church named "Jairus" came to Jesus saying that his daughter was near death. He led Jesus towards her but was touched by a woman who was sick and getting worse. She snuck behind Jesus and touched his clothes and immediately felt better. He noticed and then asked who touched him. Jesus immediately knew who did, and the women admitted it. He told her she was healed because of her faith and to go. Following that, he was informed that the daughter he was originally going to help was dead. Jesus told the weeping leader to have faith and that his daughter was only sleeping. He grabbed the leader's daughter by the hand and told her to arise. Immediately, the girl rose and the people were amazed again.  

A couple things to note when rewriting: 

1. Don't forget the transition of Jesus talking to the possessed man then the demons
2. Jesus' disciples were surprised that he asked who touched him because they were in a large crowd and being touched constantly. Jesus just knew that she touched him and had so much faith. 
3. Jesus is mainly the only character mentioned aside from "Jairus" who was the church leader with the sick daughter.
4. Would be easier on the reader if names were given to all characters that were included in the dialogue.
5. His disciples were with him the entire time.

• Easier version to read if needing reference: NIV Bible