Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 9:23
And when Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise,
23. St Mark and St Luke mention the message to Jairus on the way, that his daughter was already dead, and name the three disciples whom Jesus permits to enter the house with him.
the minstrels and the people making a noise ] The minstrels are mentioned by St Matthew only. Cp. 2Ch 35:25, “all the singing men and the singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to this day.” Lane ( Modern Egyptians) says “the women of the family raise the cries of lamentations called ‘ welweleh ’ or ‘ wilwal; ’ uttering the most piercing shrieks and calling upon the name of the deceased.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Mat 9:23-25
The maid is not dead, but sleepeth.
The healing of Jairuss daughter
On His way to perform one act of love, He turned aside to give His attention to another; He had a heart ready to respond to every species of need. Love is universal, humanity is the sphere of its activity. Delay was only apparent; it was impossible to convey a spiritual blessing to one who was not spiritually susceptible. The soul of Jairus by the miracle wrought on the woman was made more capable of blessing than before. This is the principle of the spiritual kingdom.
I. The uses of adversity.
1. The simplest and most obvious use of sorrow is to remind of God.
2. The misuse of sorrow. We may defeat the purposes of God in grief by forgetting it, or by over-indulging it. Sorrow is the school for all that is highest in us.
II. To come to the principles on which a miracle rests.
1. The perception of it was confined to the few. Peter, James, John, and the parents. Spiritual susceptibility necessary.
2. It is the intention of a miracle to manifest the Divine in the common and ordinary. They show that Christ is the Saviour of the body. (F. W. Robertson, M. A.)
God confers His gifts with distinct reminders that they are His
He gives us for a season spirits taken out of His universe brings them into temporary contact with us: and we call them father, mother, sister, child, friend. But just as in some places, on one day in the year, the way or path is closed in order to remind the public that they pass by sufferance and not by right, in order that no lapse of time may establish adverse possession, so does God give warning to us. Every ache and pain: every wrinkle you see stamping itself on parents brow: every accident which reveals the uncertain tenure of life and possessions: every funeral bell that tolls-are only Gods reminders that we are tenants at will and not by right-pensioners on the bounty of an hour. He is closing up the right of way, warning fairly that what we have is lent, not given: His, not ours. (F. W. Robertson, M. A.)
The shaggiest use of sorrow is to remind of God
Jairus and the woman, like many others, came to Christ from a sense of want. It would seem that a certain shock is needed to bring us into contact with reality, We are not conscious of our breathing till obstruction makes it felt. We are not aware of the possession of a heart till some disease, some sudden joy or sorrow, rouses it into extraordinary action. And we are not conscious of the mighty cravings of our half Divine humanity; we are not aware of the God within us, till some chasm yawns which must be filled, or till the rending asunder of our affections forces us to become fearfully conscious of a need. (F. W. Robertson, M. A.)
Jesus moved by all kinds of sorrow
Here, too, we find the Son of man the pattern of our humanity. His bosom was to mankind what the ocean is to the world. The ocean has its own mighty tide; but it receives and responds to, in exact proportion, the tidal influences of every estuary, and river, and small creek which pours into its bosom. So it was in Christ; His bosom heaved with the tides of our humanity: but every separate sorrow, pain, anti joy gave its pulsation, and received back influence from the sea of His being. (F. W. Robertson, M. A.)
The rulers daughter
1. On the way to the Rulers house, Jesus meets with an unlooked-for cause of delay. It must have been trying for the ruler to see Jesus stop and ask, Who touched Me? But he is patient.
2. Meanwhile chose at home are witnessing the death of the child. Unbelief says it is useless to trouble the Master any more. On our providential blessings the Lord writes death before He grants resurrection and life. Sight has gone; he must walk by faith.
The dead child restored:-
1. Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life, and He restores out of death in all its stages.
2. Jesus bid them not to weep, because the maiden is not dead, but only asleep. The body sleeps, not the soul.
3. Christ raises her with His word; for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God and live.
4. Jesus commands that something be given her to eat. Let young converts be duly nourished by word and doctrine, then let them go and work for Christ.
5. The parents are enjoined to tell no man; they are to make no noise about her, but to keep the child and the matter quiet. She was to be brought up quietly in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. (A. M. Stuart.)
The insolence of sense, as opposed to faith
The eye of faith can discern what to the eye of sense is often invisible; and looks with simple conviction to what the other as simply rejects. They laughed Him to scorn, etc. And were they not right as far as their knowledge went? Could not Jesus who had opened the eyes of the blind raise the dead? They might have reasoned thus. They were too wise in their own conceit to think of looking with the eye of faith. How often does this strange levity of the people of Capernaum take the rein of mens thoughts even in the most solemn subjects-the doctrines of Christianity; the sacraments-which appeal to no outward sense-they will augh to scorn. So to with the humble duties of the Christian and the lowly means with which he works; how often treated with contempt. How much there is in which a devoutly-trained faith may discern truth and comfort and promise of good, where the mere human eye might discover nothing but perplexity or disappointment. (J. Puckle, M. A.)
A science of palmistry
Thy hand-are not all hands alike.) Is there a science of Palmistry-are there those who read the man in the hand-are not all grips of the same intensity? Why say, Thy hand-could no other hand be found? We are sometimes shut up to the help of one man, even in our lower life. O for our own doctor: his very voice would do the patient good. O for our own physician; he knows just what to give when the sufferer is in this crisis of agony. O for our old mother: there was healing, there was comfort in her gentle hand. O for the old father-if he had been here he would have found the key to open this gate. O for the old pastor that first showed us the light and brought us to prayer-he would know what to say to us just now. We have, therefore, analogy to help us in this matter. In the great crises of life there is often only one hand that can help us. (J. Parker, D. D.)
Hired mourners
I joined the mourners on the third day. Directly I entered the house, I heard the minstrels and the loud cries of the people. Professional mourners were in constant attendance to keep up the excitement, and dances and dirges succeeded each other, with intervals of wild and hysterical weeping and shrieking. There are girls who have a morbid taste for the excitement, and are celebrated for the facility with which they fall into fits of uncontrollable weeping. The real mourners and the amateur actresses in these scenes are usually ill afterwards, but the professional assistants do not appear to suffer from the fatigue or excitement, and they do not lose their self-control for a moment (Mrs. Rogers.)
Differing expressions of grief
The South and North differ greatly from each other in this respect. The nations of the North restrain their grief-affect the tearless eye, and the stern look. The expressive South, and all the nations whose origin is from thence, are demonstrative in grief. They beat their breasts, tear their hair, throw dust upon their heads. It would be unwise were either to blame or ridicule the other, so long as each is true to Nature. Unwise for the nations of the South to deny the reality of the grief which is repressed and silent. Unjust in the denizen of the North were he to scorn the violence of the Southern grief, or call its uncontrollable demonstrations unmanly. Much must be allowed for temperament. (F. W. Robertson.)
The death of children
Ah! we sometimes, I fear, compel Jesus to take away our children, that through the bereavement He may overcome and melt savingly our callous hearts. It mindeth one of another little story worth telling. A shepherd had folded safely and well a flock of ewes-all save one, which would not enter, do what he would. The gate was flung wide open, and with all gentle restraint he sought to guide it in, sparing it the rough bark of his dog. But no! still it would run back. At last, for the shades of evening were falling, and folded all must be, if he were not to be too late for home himself, he sprang out, seized her lamb, raised it tenderly to his bosom, laid it right upon his heart, as he would his own nestling babe, and carrying it within the fold placed it down there. Then, ah! then, the poor ewe ran in after her little lamb, and was saved with it. It is a parable. But fathers, mothers, still away from the Good Shepherd, and grieving sorely over your Willie or Mary, will you not run in after your little lamb? Will you compel Him to take another and another? (Grosart.)
A dying daughter
As a little girl of four lay dying, the following conversation took place between her father and herself. Papa, does the doctor think I am going to die? With a bursting heart, her father told her the truth. Papa, the grave looks very dark. Wont you go down with me into it? I cannot go until the Lord calls me. Then, papa, wont you let mamma go with me? It almost broke the fathers heart to utter the same truth as before. Turning her face to the wall, she wept; but then, having before this been taught of God, prayed. Soon, therefore, she looked up with a joyful face and said, Papa, the grave is not dark now, Jesus will go with me!
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 23. Saw the minstrels and the people making a noise] , pipers; Anglo-Saxon, [Anglo-Saxon] the whistlers; Gothic, haurngans haurngandans, the horn-blowers blowing with their horns. Nearly the same as the pipublasara, pipe-blowers of the Islandic: for among all those nations funeral lamentations accompanied with such rude instruments, were made at the death of relatives. That pipes were in use among the Jews, in times of calamity or death, is evident from Jer 48:36. And among the Greeks, and Romans, as well as among the Jews, persons were hired on purpose to follow the funeral processions with lamentations. See Jer 9:17-21; Am 5:16. Even the poorest among the Jews were required to have two pipers, and one mourning woman. At these funeral solemnities it was usual with them to drink considerably; even ten cups of wine each, where it could be got. See Lightfoot. This custom is observed among the native Irish to this day, in what is called their CAOINAN. The body of the deceased, dressed in grave-clothes and ornamented with flowers, is placed in some eminent place; the relations and caoiners range themselves in two divisions, one at the head and the other at the feet of the corpse. Anciently, where the deceased was a great personage, the bards and croteries prepared the caoinan. The chief bard of the head chorus began by singing the first stanza in a low doleful tone; which was softly accompanied by the harp. At the conclusion, the foot semichorus began the lamentation, or ULLALOO, from the final note of the preceding stanza, in which they were answered by the head semichorus; then both united in one general chorus.
The chorus of the first stanza being ended, the chief bard of the foot semichorus sung the second stanza, the strain of which was taken from the concluding note of the preceding chorus, which ended, the head semichorus began the GOL, or lamentation, in which they were answered by that of the foot, and then, as before, both united in the general full chorus. Thus alternately were the song and choruses performed during the night. I have seen a number of women, sometimes fourteen, twenty-four, or more, accompany the deceased from his late house to the grave-yard, divided into two parties on each side the corpse, singing the ULLALOO, alternately, all the way. That drinking, in what is called the wake, or watching with the body of the deceased, is practised, and often carried to a shameful excess, needs little proof. This kind of intemperance proceeded to such great lengths among the Jews that the Sanhedrin were obliged to make a decree, to restrain the drinking to ten cups each. I mention these things more particularly, because I have often observed that the customs of the aboriginal Irish bear, a very striking resemblance to those of the ancient Jews, and other Asiatic nations. The application of these observations I leave to others.
It was a custom with the Greeks to make a great noise with brazen vessels; and the Romans made a general outcry, called conclamatio, hoping either to stop the soul which was now taking its flight, or to awaken the person, if only in a state of torpor. This they did for eight days together, calling the person incessantly by his name; at the expiration of which term the phrase, Conclamatum est-all is over-there is no hope-was used. See the words used in this sense by Terence, EUN. l. 347. In all probability this was the , the making a violent outcry, mentioned here by the evangelist. How often, on the death of relatives, do men incumber and perplex themselves with vain, worldly, and tumultuous ceremonies, instead of making profitable reflections on death!
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Neither Mark nor Luke speak any thing of the minstrels, but only of the peoples wailing. Amongst the Jews we read not in any part of the Old Testament of musical instruments used at funerals, but amongst the pagans it was usual, as we read in their writers. Amongst the Jews, they had some songs sang, as some gather from Jer 9:17; Jer 22:18; 34:5; Amo 5:16. It is very like that the Jews having long lived amongst the heathens, had learned this usage from them. Before this Mark addeth, Mar 5:35-40, that there came some from the rulers house, which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? But Jesus, as soon as he had heard the word that was spoken, said to the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly. And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? The damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying. Matthew saith nothing of what happened in the way, neither the messengers coming, and telling Jairus that his daughter was dead, nor our Saviours comforting of him; but Luke mentions all, Luk 8:49,50. Matthew goes on with an account of what Christ did in the house, seeing the minstrels, and the tumult caused by the mourners there.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And when Jesus came into the ruler’s house,…. Both Mark and Luke relate, how that before this, whilst they were in the way, and just as Christ had done speaking to the poor woman, that news was brought to the ruler, that his daughter was actually dead, and therefore need not give Jesus any further trouble; when Christ encouraged him not to be cast down at the tidings, but believe, and she should be restored again; and that he suffered none to follow him, but Peter, James, and John: and
saw the minstrels, or “pipers”; how many there were, is not known: it is certain there were more than one; and it was a rule with the z Jews that
“the poorest man in Israel (when his wife died) had not less , “than two pipes”, and one mourning woman.”
And since this was a daughter of a ruler of the synagogue that was dead, there might be several of them. These instruments were made use of, not to remove the melancholy of surviving friends, or allay the grief of the afflicted family; but, on the contrary, to excite it: for the Jewish writers say a, these pipes were hollow instruments, with which they made a known sound, , “to stir up lamentation and mourning”: and for the same purpose, they had their mourning women, who answered to the pipe; and by their dishevelled hair, and doleful tones, moved upon the affections, and drew tears from others; and very likely are the persons, that Mark says, “wept and wailed greatly”. Sometimes trumpets were made use of on these mournful occasions b; but whether these were used only for persons more advanced in years, and pipes for younger ones, as by the Heathens c, at least, at some times, is not certain.
And the people making a noise; the people of the house, the relations of the deceased, the neighbours, who came in on this occasion; and others, in a sort of tumult and uproar, hurrying and running about; some speaking in the praise of the dead, others lamenting her death, and others preparing things proper for the funeral; all which shew, that she was really dead: among these also, might be the mourners that made a noise for the dead;
“for since mourning was for the honour of the dead, therefore they obliged the heirs to hire mourning men, and mourning women, to mourn for the same d.”
z Misn. Cetubot. c. 4. sect. 4. Maimon Ishot, c. 14. sect. 23. a Maimon & Bartenora in Misn. Sabbat, c. 23. sect. 4. b Midrash Kohelet, fol. 77. 4. c Vid. Kirchman. de funer. Roman. l. 2. c. 5. d Maimon. Hilch. Ebel, c. 12. sect. 1.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The flute-players ( ). The girl was just dead, but already a crowd “making a tumult” () with wild wailing and screaming had gathered in the outer court, “brought together by various motives, sympathy, money, desire to share in the meat and drink going at such a time” (Bruce). Besides the several flute-players (voluntary or hired) there were probably “some hired mourning women (Jer 9:17) praeficae, whose duty it was to sing naenia in praise of the dead” (Bruce). These when put out by Jesus, “laughed him to scorn” (), in a sort of loud and repeated (imperfect) guffaw of scorn. Jesus overcame all this repellent environment.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Minstrels [] . More correctly, as Rev., flute – players, hired or volunteering as mourners.
Making a noise [] . Rev., tumult. Representing the loud screaming and wailing by the women. It is the word used in Act 17:5 : “Set the city in an uproar.”
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And when Jesus came into the ruler’s house,” (kai elthon ho lesous eis ten oikian archontos) “And when Jesus had come into the residence of the ruler,” the home of Jairus, the Rabbi Synagogue ruler whose daughter had died. Here the story continues as interrupted, Mat 9:20.
2) “And saw the minstrels,” (kai idon tous auletas) “And upon seeing the flute-players,” the hired mourners already gathered at the home, playing minor key music to elicit tears, increase mournful, doleful emotions, 2Ch 35:25; Jer 9:17; Amo 5:16. They would also sing in praise of the dead.
3) “And the people making a noise,” (kai ton ochlon thoroubournenon) “And the crowd in a state of terror,” screaming and wailing among women and children, a custom that had been cultivated among the Jews at that time, such as was done at Lazarus’ death, Joh 11:18-20. The people likely gathered for many motives: sympathy, popularity, wealth, curiosity, and desire to share in the eat and drink going on at such an occasion.
At least two flutes and one woman were by custom to be hired to mourn and play at the death or burial of a wife of even the poorest man. More were employed where more wealth was available.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(23-26) The other Gospels fill up the gap. While our Lord was speaking the words of promise to the woman, messengers came from the house of Jairus, reporting that the child was dead. They whisper to him, using the self-same words as had been used by the friends of the centurion, Why troublest thou the Teacher any further? And Jesus turns, and speaks words of comfort to the fathers heart: Be not afraid, only believe. They come to the house, and He suffers none to enter but the father and mother, and Peter, James, and John, who now, for the first time, are chosen from among the chosen, for the special blessedness of being with Him in the greater and more solemn moments of His ministry; and as they enter, the preparations for the funeralalways following in the East a few hours after deathare already begun. Minstrels are there, with a crowd of real or hired mourners, raising their wailing cries. And then, in the calmness of conscious power, He bids them withdraw, for the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. To Him the death, though real, was yet but as a sleep, for He, as afterwards in the case of Lazarus (Joh. 11:11), had come to awaken her even out of that sleep. And then, with the heartlessness and unbelief natural to hireling mourners, they laughed Him to scorn. They were too familiar with many forms of death to be mistaken as to its outward signs. And then He entered, with the five, as before, into the chamber of death, where the body was laid out for the burial, and grasped her hands, and uttered the words, of which St. Mark gives the Aramaic form, Talitha cumi, Damsel, I say to thee, Arise, and immediately she arose, and walked. St. Luke, again with a touch of medical precision, reports the fact in the form, her spirit, or her breath, returned, and, with St. Mark, records that our Lord commanded that something should be given her to eat. The restored life was dependent, after the supernatural work had been completed, upon natural laws, and there was the risk of renewed exhaustion. As in other cases, He charged the parents that they should not make it known. It was not good for the spiritual or the bodily life of the girl that she should be the object of the visits of an idle curiosity; and yet, in spite of the command, the fame of the act spread abroad through all that country.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘And when Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the flute-players, and the crowd making a tumult, he said, “Give place, for the damsel is not dead, but sleeps.” And they laughed him to scorn.’
On arriving at the ruler’s house Jesus found that the funeral arrangements had already begun. The professional flute players had been called in (only Matthew mentions this) and official mourning was taking place. ‘Making a tumult.’ It was the practise to wail loudly, led by professionals who were experienced at it. (Later the minimum requirement, even for the funeral of a poor man, would be two fluteplayers and one wailing woman).
But Jesus turns to them and tells them to leave quietly, for the girl is only asleep and they will wake her up. They simply looked at Him as if He was mad. He had only just arrived. What did He know about the facts? On the other hand they knew, for they had seen the little girl lying dead on her mattress. And they jeered at Him. These jeerers were probably the professional mourners. Here was this prophet come to do a miracle and so full of confidence, and He was too late. The genuine mourners would probably rather have tearfully assured Him that she was dead. It may be, however, that feelings were exacerbated by the thought that if only He had come earlier He might have saved her.
‘She sleeps.’ There is no doubt that she was dead, and all knew it. But to Jesus it was only sleep because He knew that He was going to wake her, and He did not want everyone to know what He was accomplishing (see also Joh 11:11-14). Compare the use of ‘sleep’ for death when someone was to be ‘awoken’ from the dead in Dan 12:2 (and see also 1Th 4:13-14; 1Th 5:10). That Matthew knew that she was dead comes out in that otherwise, if this was not a raising from he dead, he would not have given a full complement of miracles to satisfy Mat 11:5. Luke makes it all quite clear.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
At the house of Jairus:
v. 23. And when Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise,
v. 24. He said unto them, Give place, for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed Him to scorn.
v. 25. But when the people were put forth, He went in, and took her by the hand; and the maid arose.
v. 26. And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land. Jesus had purposely tarried and spent some time with the woman on the way over to the ruler’s house. But now, coming into the house and seeing the flute-players and the noisy crowd of professional mourners which had even then gathered, mainly in the desire to share in the meat and drink which was forthcoming at such occasions, and hearing the confused din which arose from the motley assembly, He sternly bids them: Retire, move away, do not stay here. Not dead is the young girl, but she sleeps. Before Christ she was not in the final power of death, to Him her lifeless form presented only a sleeping maiden. The death of all the faithful is merely a sleep for some little time in the bed of the grave, from which there will be a glorious awakening when God will reunite soul and body. “Thus we also shall learn to look upon our death in the right way that we do not become frightened before it as unbelief does: That it is truly in Christ not a death, but a fine, sweet, short sleep, in which we, delivered from this present misery, from sin and from the true death’s trouble and fear, safe and without all care, may rest a short moment as on a couch, until the time comes when He will wake and call us with all His dear children to eternal glory and joys.”
The scornful laughter, the derisive jeering of the crowd did not deter the Lord. After the house had been cleared of their distasteful presence, He went into the chamber of death with the parents and with His three favorite disciples, Peter, James, and John, took hold of the little girl’s hand, and commanded her to arise. Here a body which had been claimed by death as its own was restored to life with all its manifestations. The maid could arise, she could walk, eat, and drink, perform all the usual acts of a living person. Christ, as the Fountain of life, can bring back to life even such as have submitted to the grim reaper. With His human voice He aroused the child from the sleep of death. Even in the state of humiliation the human nature of Christ is the source and the fountain of life.
Against the wishes of Jesus, who desired no notoriety for Himself, but wanted the parents of the maiden to contemplate the miracle in quiet thankfulness, the fame, the report of this resurrection spread through that entire region. It was a matter unheard of till now that a dead person was raised to life again. Jesus feared enthusiastic demonstrations.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Mat 9:23. The minstrels The musicians or pipers, Heylin; the players on the flute, Beausobre and Lenfant. It was the custom among the Jews to have musical instruments at funerals, whereon mournful tunes were played. See Jer 48:5; Jer 48:36.
Some learned authors observe, that the trumpet was used at the funerals of grown or old persons, and the flute at those of children; such as was the daughter of Jairus, who was but twelve years old. Concerning the usual lamentations at funerals, see the note on Jer 9:17 the introductory one to the book of Lamentations, and Explication des Textes Difficiles, p. 531.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Mat 9:23 . The use of the lugubrious strains of flutes (and horns), such as accompanied the funerals of the Jews (Lightfoot on this passage; Geier, de luctu Hebr. v. 16; Grundt, die Trauergebruche d. Hebr . 1868), was known also among Greeks and Romans.
] consisting partly of the women hired to mourn, partly of the friends and relations of the president.
.] did not require an article, as being a mere qualifying attribute. Therefore . is not, with Fritzsche, Ewald, to be referred to .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
23 And when Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise,
Ver. 23. He saw the minstrels, &c. ] A heathenish custom crept in among the Jews, as many the like are now among the Papists, who are therefore called heathens,Rev 11:2Rev 11:2 .
” Cantabat moestis tibia funeribus. ” Ovid.
The maid is not dead, but sleepeth ] Death is but a sleep to the saints; a and as the sleep of the labouring man is sweet unto him, so is death most welcome to such as have most suffered. See Trapp on “ Joh 11:11 “
a
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Mat 9:23-26 . The narrative returns to the case of Jairus’ daughter.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Mat 9:23 , , circumstantial participles leading up to what Jesus said, the main fact. , etc.: the girl was only just dead, yet already a crowd had gathered about the house, brought together by various motives, sympathy, money, desire to share in the meat and drink going at such a time (so Lightfoot, Hor. Heb., ut ederent et biberent ), and of course making a confused din. , the part. = a relative with finite verb = the crowd which was making a din. The crowd, besides the , tibicines, flute-players, would include some hired mourning women (Jer 9:17 ), prfic , whose duty it was to sing nnia in praise of the dead. Mourning, like everything else, had been reduced to system, two flutes and one mourning woman at the burial of a wife incumbent on the poorest man (Lightfoot, Hor. Heb.). The practice in Greece and Rome was similar; proofs in Grotius, Elsner, Wetstein. Vide also Marquardt, Handbuch der Rm. Alterthmer , vol. vii., p. 341, where it is stated that by the twelve Tables the number of tibicines was limited to ten, and that before the Punic war, at least, prfic were employed.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mat 9:23-26
23When Jesus came into the official’s house, and saw the flute-players and the crowd in noisy disorder, 24He said, ” Leave; for the girl has not died, but is asleep.” And they began laughing at Him. 25 But when the crowd had been sent out, He entered and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. 26This news spread throughout all that land.
Mat 9:23 “Jesus came into the official’s house, and saw the flute players and the crowd in noisy disorder” It was a common practice in rabbinical Judaism (cf. Jer 9:17; Jer 48:36) that when someone died, even in the poorest family, at least two flute players and one wailing woman had to be hired for a standard funeral. Funerals were a very outward and emotional communal experience.
Mat 9:24 “Leave; for the girl has not died, but is asleep” ” Sleep” was not often used of death, but in this context it was contrasted with death. Whether it was a deep coma or death, a miracle of healing truly occurred.
Mat 9:25 “but when the crowd had been sent out” Luk 8:51 notes that the parents and the inner circle of disciples, Peter, James, and John, were allowed to stay.
“took her by the hand” From Mar 5:41 more details are recorded as to what Jesus said to the girl. Touching a dead body would have made Him ceremonially unclean. But, when one has the power of life over death, there is no such thing as a dead body!
Mat 9:26 “this news spread throughout all that land” The reason that Jesus emptied the room was so that no one would spread the news about this miraculous healing (cf. Mat 8:4; Mat 9:30; Mat 12:16; Mat 16:20; Mat 17:9; Mar 1:44; Mar 3:12; Mar 5:43; Mar 7:36; Mar 8:30; Mar 9:9; Luk 4:41; Luk 5:14; Luk 8:56; Luk 9:21). However, with the funeral process well under way, the restoration of this young girl would certainly have been broadcast.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
minstrels = flute-players, or pipers.
people = crowd. See Mat 9:8.
making a noise = loudly wailing.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Mat 9:23. , the flute-players) It was the custom to employ flutes at funerals, especially those of the young.- , the crowd) See Luk 7:12.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Mat 9:23-26
Jesus at the Ruler’s House
Mat 9:23-26
23-26 And when Jesus came into the ruler’s house.-The healing of the woman took place. at the time that she touched Jesus and there was a short delay in his journey, but Matthew resumes the narrative without any further interruption. Jesus went into the house of Jairus and “saw the fluteplayers, and the crowd making a tumult.” While Jesus was talking to the woman word had been received that Jairus’ daughter was dead, and it was the custom for the relatives and special friends of the dying person to gather round a couch, and the moment the breath ceased they would break out into loud cries, with every exclamation and sign of the most passionate grief.
Frequently the friends and relatives would exhaust themselves and would hire professional mourners, especially women, who would keep up the loud, wailing cry throughout the day and night. (Jer 9:17; Jer 16:6; Eze 24:17; Amos 5 16.) People of wealth could afford to hire musicians, and jairus being a ruler of the synagogue, we find that the flute players had already arrived when Jairus and Jesus arrived. Jesus asked that they give him opportunity and space to enter the house or room, and added that “the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.” The figurative language used by Jesus here was not understood by the people;death is frequently spoken of as a sleep; but these people “laughed him to scorn.” They derided him; they knew that she was dead; they did not understand the meaning of Jesus’ language. At the command of Jesus the crowd left the room and Jesus in the presence of Peter, James, and John and the father and mother “took her by the hand; and the damsel arose.” In the presence of these five persons who could be witnesses to the miracle Jesus brought the damsel to life; the noisy crowd and minstrels were excluded from the presence of so sacred a scene. Jesus did not take her by the hand to raise her up, but accompanied his miracle with some outward act. Peter took Dorcas by the hand to lift her up, but that was after she was restored to life. “The damsel arose” shows that Jesus did not raise her up; according to Mark and Luke, Jesus had said, “Damsel, I say unto thee, Arise,” and “Maiden, arise.” “Her spirit returned, and she rose up immediately”; Jesus then commanded that food be given her. The fame of Jesus spread abroad in the land because of what he had done.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
into: Mat 9:18, Mat 9:19, Mar 5:35-38, Luk 8:49-51
the minstrels: Mat 11:17, 2Ch 35:25, Jer 9:17-20, Mar 5:38-40, Luk 7:32, Act 9:39
Reciprocal: Ezr 2:65 – two hundred
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
9:23
By this time Jesus had reached the ruler’s house. As he entered he saw the minstrels (musicians) and the people making a noise. These words are from THORUBEO which Thayer defines at this place, “to wail tumultuously.” The instruments that such minstrels used were flutes and they could be made to produce a turbulent “noise.”
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
And when Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise,
[Seeing the minstrels.] Dion Cassius concerning the funeral of Augustus: “Tiberius, and Drusus his son,…sacrificed frankincense themselves; but they used not a minstrel.
Even the poorest among the Israelites [his wife being dead], will afford her not less than two pipes, and one woman to make lamentation.
“He that hireth an ass-keeper, or a waggoner, to bring pipes, either for a bride, or for a dead person “: that is, either for a wedding, or a funeral.
“The husband is bound to bury his dead wife, and to make lamentations and mournings for her, according to the custom of all countries. And also the very poorest among the Israelites will afford her not less than two pipes and one lamenting woman: but if he be rich, let all things be done according to his quality.”
“If an idolater bring pipes on the sabbath to the house where anyone is dead, an Israelite shall not lament at those pipes.”
This multitude was got together on a sudden: neighbours, for civility’s sake; minstrels; perhaps for the sake of gain; both the more officious in this business, as we may guess, by how much the parents of the deceased maid were of more eminent quality. She died, when Christ, together with Jairus, was going forward to the house (Mar 5:35); and yet, behold what a solemn meeting and concourse there was to lament her. There were two things which, in such cases, afforded an occasion to much company to assemble themselves to the house of mourning:
First, some, as it is very probable, resorted thither to eat and drink: for at such a time some banqueting was used. “A tradition. They drink ten cups in the house of mourning; two before meat, five while they are eating, and three after meat.” And a little after: “When Rabban Simeon Ben Gamaliel died, they added three more. But when the Sanhedrim saw that hence they became drunk, they made a decree against this.”
Secondly, others came to perform their duty of charity and neighbourhood: for they accounted it the highest instance of respect to lament the dead, to prepare things for the burial, to take care of the funeral, to put themselves under the bier, and to contribute other things needful for that solemnity with all diligence. Hence they appropriated The rendering [or bestowing] of mercies to this duty, in a peculiar sense, above all other demonstrations of charity; “One of the disciples of the wise men died, and mercy was not yielded him “: that is, no care was taken of his funeral. “But a certain publican died, and the whole city left off work to yield him mercy.”
Mourning for the dead is distinguished by the Jewish schools into Aninuth; and Ebluth. Aninuth was on the day of the funeral only, or until the corpse was carried out; and then began Ebluth; and lasted for thirty days. Of these mournings take these few passages: “He that hath his dead laid out before him, and it is not in his power to bury him, useth not Aninuth [that kind of mourning]. For example: If any die in prison, and the magistrate [or governor of the place], permits not his burial, he that is near of kin to him is not bound to that mourning which is called Aninuth;” etc. And the reason is given a little after; namely, because he who hath his dead laid out before him, or upon whom the care of his burial lies, is forbidden to eat flesh, to drink wine, to eat with others, to eat in the same house (under which prohibition, thou, Jairus, now art), and he was free from reciting his phylacteries, and from prayer, and from all such-like precepts of the law. “But when the funeral is carried out of the door of the house, then presently begins the mourning called Ebluth.” From thence he is free from the foregoing prohibitions, and now is subject to others. Hence,
1. The bending down of the beds; of which the Talmudists speak very much: “From what time (say they) are the beds bended? From that time the dead body is carried out of the gate of the court of the house; or, as R. Josua, From such time, as the grave-stone is stopped up”: for so it is commonly rendered; but the Gloss somewhere, the cover; or the uppermost board of the bier. What this bending of the beds should mean, you may observe from those things which are spoken in the tract Beracoth; “Whence is the bending of the beds? R. Crispa, in the name of R. Jochanan saith, From thence, because it is said, And they sat with him to the earth (Job 2:13). It is not said, ‘upon the earth,’ but ‘to the earth’: it denotes a thing not far from the earth. Hence it is that they sat upon beds bended down.”
2. “He that laments all the thirty days is forbidden to do his work; and so his sons, and his daughters, and servants, and maids, and cattle,” etc.
These things concerned him to whom the dead person did belong. His friends and neighbours did their parts also, both in mourning, and in care of the funeral, employing themselves in that affair by an officious diligence, both out of duty and friendship. “Whosoever sees a dead corpse (say they), and does not accommodate [or accompany] him to his burial, is guilty of that which is said, ‘He that mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker,’ etc. But now (say they) no man is so poor as the dead man,” etc.
Fuente: Lightfoot Commentary Gospels
Mat 9:23. Matthew passes over the message, that the damsel was dead; the faith of the ruler already strengthened by the miracle was further encouraged by the words, Be not afraid, only believe (Mar 5:36).Only Peter, James, and John (Mark and Luke) were allowed to follow Jesus into the rulers house.
The minstrels, i.e., the flute players, who attended funerals.
And the crowd in a tumult. There was always a horrible clamor at Eastern funerals; and the preparations had begun, for early burial was usual among the Jews. The lamentation often began as the last breath left the body. From the fact that the crowd outside was dismissed, and the crowd inside driven out, we infer, not so much, not to crowd the Saviour, as not to crowd into family grief, and rudely enter the sacred circle of deepest sorrow.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Our Saviour being come to the ruler’s house, finds the people very busy preparing for the interment of the dead corpse with music and other solemnities. This custom of having music at funerals came from the heathens; no mention is made thereof in the Old Testament: we read of tearing the flesh, shaving the head, eating the bread of mourners, also of funeral songs, but these were only sung with the voice; but instruments of music at funerals came from the Pagans. Weeping and lamentation are the most proper funeral music; them nothing sounds so well as a sigh, nor is any thing so much in season as a tear: yet are all demonstrations of immoderate and excessive mourning both hurtful to the living and dishonourable to the dead; nor is it an argument of more love, but an evidence of less grace.
Observe next, In what sense our Saviour affirms, that the damsel was not dead. Mortua est vobis, mihi dormit, says St. Jerome; She is dead to you, but asleep to me: I can as easily raise her from death, as you can awake her out of sleep. Her soul was separated from her body, but not yet fixed in its eternal mansion.
Souls departed are under the conduct of angels, good or bad, to their several places of bliss or misery. Probably the soul of this damsel was under the guard of angels mear her dead body, waiting the pleasure of Christ in reference to it; either to restore it again to the body, or to translate it to its eternal mansion.
Note here, That from these words of our Saviour, the maid is not dead, but sleepeth, the Jesuits plead for their doctrine of equivocations and mental reservations, alleging, that when Christ said, she is not dead, he reserved in his mind, in respect of my power. But the words of Christ were plainly spoken to those who were preparing for her interment and funeral rites, and accordingly only intimate, that she was not so dead as that they needed to make these preparations, he being come to awake her as out of sleep.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Mat 9:23. When Jesus came into the rulers house It appears from the parallel places in Mark and Luke, that while Jesus spake the last-mentioned words to the woman healed by touching his garment, a messenger came from the rulers house to inform him that his daughter, whom he had left at the point of death, was now actually dead, and that therefore he did not need to trouble our Lord any further, her case being now determined and hopeless. This affecting news no doubt moved her father greatly: but Jesus, pitying his grief, bid him not fear, but only believe, and she should be made whole He did not say she should be raised from the dead, but expressed himself as if she had not been dead, but only sick; for, as he was infinitely above praise, so he never courted it. On the contrary, he generally refused those honours which, as it were, obtruded themselves upon him. Thus, when he came to the rulers house, though a great many friends and others accompanied him, he suffered none of them to go in with him except the three disciples whom he treated with the greatest familiarity, namely, Peter, James, and John, with the father and mother of the maiden. And even these he admitted for no other reason but that the miracle might have proper witnesses, who should publish it in due time for the benefit of mankind. With these attendants, having entered the house, he saw the minstrels and the people making a noise Or, as Mark expresses it, he saw the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly. By minstrels, musicians are meant. The original word means flute-players. Musical instruments were used by the Jews, as well as the heathens, in their lamentations for the dead, to sooth the melancholy of surviving friends by soft and solemn notes. And there were persons who made it their business to perform this, while others sung to their music. Flutes were used especially on the death of children; louder instruments on the death of grown persons. Chardin says, that even now, in the East, the concourse of people where persons lie dead is incredible. Every body runs thither, the poor and the rich: and the former more especially make a strange noise.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Verse 23
Minstrels and people; the friends, and the mourners employed to bewail the dead, as was the Eastern custom.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
9:23 {5} And when Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the {h} minstrels and the people making a noise,
(5) Even death itself gives place to the power of Christ.
(h) It appears that they used minstrels at their mournings.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Perhaps Matthew of all the Gospel writers who recorded this incident mentioned the flute players because he wanted to stress Jesus’ complete reversal of this situation. Even the poorest Jews hired flute players to play at funerals. [Note: Mishnah Kethuboth 4:4.] Their funerals were also occasions of almost unrestrained wailing and despair, which Mat 9:23 reflects.
The crowd ridiculed Jesus by laughing at His statement (Mat 9:24). They thought He was both wrong and late in arriving, too late. They apparently thought He was trying to cover up His mistake and would soon make a fool of Himself by exposing His only limited healing power. However "sleep" is a common euphemism for death (Dan 12:2; Joh 11:11; Act 7:60; 1Co 15:6; 1Co 15:18; 1Th 4:13-15; 2Pe 3:4), and it was so in Jesus’ day. [Note: Edersheim, 1:630.] .
Jesus touched another unclean person. His touch rather than defiling Him restored life to the girl. Other prophets and apostles also raised the dead (1Ki 17:17-24; 2Ki 4:17-37; Act 9:36-42). However, Jesus claimed to be more than a prophet. This miracle showed He had supernatural power over man’s last enemy, death. The Old Testament prophets predicted that Messiah would restore life (Isa 65:17-20; Dan 12:2).
"The raising of the dead to life is a basic symbolism of the gospel (e.g., Rom 4:17; Eph 2:1; Eph 2:5; Col 2:13). What Jesus did for the dead girl he has done for all in the Church who have experienced new life. There is too, beyond this life, the Church’s confidence that Jesus will literally raise the dead (cf. 1Th 4:16; 1Co 15:22-23)." [Note: Hagner, p. 250.]
Matthew recorded that everyone heard about this incident (Mat 9:26). Consequently many people faced the choice of believing that Jesus was the Messiah or rejecting Him.
"We must learn to trust Christ and His promises no matter how we feel, no matter what others say, and no matter how the circumstances may look." [Note: Wiersbe, 1:35.]
Jesus’ power to bring life where there was death stands out in this double instance of restoration, two witnesses for the benefit of Jewish readers especially.
"It is interesting that Jairus and this woman-two opposite people-met at the feet of Jesus. Jairus was a leading Jewish man; she was an anonymous woman with no prestige or resources. He was a synagogue leader, while her affliction kept her from worship. Jairus came pleading for his daughter; the woman came with a need of her own. The girl had been healthy for 12 years, and then died; the woman had been ill for 12 years and was now made whole. Jairus’ need was public-all knew it; but the woman’s need was private-only Jesus understood. Both Jairus and the woman trusted Christ, and He met their needs." [Note: Ibid.]