THE DOUBLE MIRACLES OF MATT 9:18; MARK 5:22; AND LUKE 8:41

Discrepancies, so called, are manufactured when similar miracles are regarded as identical. One such example is seen in the case of the two demoniacs of Matt 8:28 and the one demoniac of Mark 5:1-20. (See note on Matt 8:28).

Another is that of the two storms on the lake of Matt 8;24 (Mark 4:37-41) and Luke 8:22-25.

Another is that of the lepers of Matt 8;2 (Mark 1:40) and Luke 5:12. See the notes, and cp. Ap 152.

Why should not words be repeated at different times and under other circumstances? And as there were many people suffering in various places from similar diseases, why should we not expect to find similar miracles?

Why assume that two miracles, which are apparently alike in general character, are identical, and then talk about the two accounts being contradictory?

Two examples are furnished, not only in the case of two separate miracles, but in the case of pairs of double miracles.

1. There were two females raised from the dead.

The first (Matt 9:18) was to korasion (a little girl), whose father was probably a civil magistrate (archon).

She died before her father started to see the Lord, and so no messengers were dispatched with the news.

The second (Mark 5:22. Luke 8:41) was to paidion, a girl of about twelve years (see Ap 108.v), whose father was one of the rulers of the Synagogue (archisunagogos) by name Jairus. She was not dead. No mourning had commenced, but as the Lord approaches news of her death was brought.

Other antecedents and consequents of time and place and circumstances are all different.

2. There were two women suffering from the same disease. And why not? It is not surprising that there were two, but surprising there were not more - as probably there were among the many unrecorded. (Matt 14:36. Mark 3:10; 6:56. Luke 6:19).

The first (Matt 9:20) was evidently watching her opportunity, and had probably heard the report of the Lord's "touch". She came behind Him; and there is no mention of a crowd as in the case of the other woman.

The first spoke "within herself" of what she would do; the second had spoken to her friends.

The Lord saw the first woman, and spoke before the healing was effected. He did not see the second, and inquired after the healing was accomplished.

In the first the disciples said nothing, but in the second, they reasoned with the Lord as to the crowds.

In the first there is no mention of physicians or of spiritual blessing received. In the second case, both are mentioned.

It appears, therefore, that in these cases we have two pairs of double miracles, with differences so great that they cannot be combined and treated as being identical.