Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 5:35
While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue’s [house certain] which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?
35 43. The Raising of the Daughter of Jairus
35. why troublest thou the Master? ] Or as, literally rendered, it is in St Luke’s Gospel (Luk 8:49), “ trouble not the Master any further.” The word, here translated “ trouble,” one which is used here and here alone by St Mark and St Luke (except Luk 7:6), denotes properly (1) to flay: then (2) to fatigue or to worry, often with a more particular allusion to fatiguing with the length of a journey.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Mar 5:21; Mar 5:23; Mar 5:35; Mar 5:43
Jairus by name.
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A proper prayer
Better prayers, perhaps, had been offered. He would have shown more faith if he had prayed like the centurion (Luk 7:7). But, though he does not show such strong faith, yet it is a good prayer. For it is
(1) humble: he falls at Christs feet;
(2) believing: he feels Christ is omnipotent to heal;
(3) bold: he offers it in face of all the people, many of whom would be shocked that a ruler of the synagogue should acknowledge Jesus;
(4) loving, springing from a pure affection. Distress is a great schoolmaster. It teaches men many things; among the rest the greatest of all attainments-the power to pray. (R. Glover.)
A revived flower
And that bright flower bloomed in the vase of that happy home, more beautiful because the look of Jesus had given it new tints and the breath of Jesus had given it new fragrance. (J. Cumming, D. D.)
Jairus daughter
Jairus was a good man. His light was small, but real. It was feeble, but from heaven.
I. He had much to try his faith. One seems to see all the father in the tenderness of his words. Hope was over,-his daughter was dead. Thus is it with the believer. Instead of the relief he hoped for, all seems as death. Thus does the Lord try the faith He gives. Thus by causing us to wait for the blessing does He endear it.
II. The effect of this trial of faith. He did not distrust the power or willingness of the compassionate Saviour. His faith takes no denial, he still continues with Jesus. Faith hopes against hope. True faith partakes of his nature who exercises it, therefore in all, it is weak at times. But it partakes also of His nature who gives it, and therefore evinces its strength in the very midst of that weakness.
III. But wherever found, it is graciously rewarded. The scorners are without; but believing Jairus and the believing mother (Mar 5:40) are admitted. They see the mighty power of God put forth on behalf of their daughter. What an encouragement here to some anxious parent to put the case of their dear child in the hands of that same Jesus. How often has domestic affliction been the means of bringing the soul to the feet of Jesus. Mark the extreme tenderness of Jesus, Fear not, only believe. Be not afraid convicted sinner. My blood is sufficient, My grace and love are sufficient. (J. H. Evans, M. A.)
The Humane Society
I. The particular form of the Redeemers work.
1. Restoration from a special form of death.
2. Here was the recognition of the value of life-She shall live. It is not mere life on which Christianity has shed a richer value. It is by ennobling the purpose to which life is to be dedicated that it has made life more precious.
3. We consider the Saviours direction respecting the means of effecting a complete recovery. He commanded that something should be given her to eat. His reverential submission to the laws of nature.
II. The spirit of the Redeemers work.
1. It was love. He did good because it was good.
2. It was a spirit of retiring modesty. He did not wish it to be known.
3. It was a spirit of perseverance. Calm perseverance amidst ridicule. (F. W. Robertson.)
Not dead, but sleeping
Nature puts on a shroud at seasons, and seems to glide into the grave of winter. Autumnal blasts come sobbing through the trees, and leaf after leaf, shrivelling its fibres at the killing contact, comes drifting to the ground. The hedgerows where the May flowers and the dog rose mixed their scents are stripped and bare, and lift their thorny fingers up to heaven. The field where fat and wealthy-looking crops a while ago promised their golden sheaves, is now spread over with a coarse fringe of stubble, and seems a sort of hospital of vegetation. The garden shows no more its beauties, nor sheds forth its scent, but where the coloured petal and the painted cup of the gay flower were seen, there stands a blighted stem, or a drooping tuft of refuse herbs. The birds which carolled to the summer sky have fled away, and their note no longer greets the ear. The very daisies on the meadow are buried in the snow wreath, and the raw blast howls a sad requiem at the funeral of nature. But those trees, whose leafless branches seem to wrestle with the rough winds that toss them, are not dead. Anon, and they shall again be wreathed in verdure and bedecked with blossom. The softened breath of spring shall whisper to the snowdrop to dart forth its modest head, and shall broider the garden path again with flowers; the fragrance of the hawthorn bloom ere long shall gush from those naked hedge rows, and the returning lark shall wake the morning with a new and willing song. No, nature is not dead! There is a resurrection coming on. Spring with its touch of wizardry shall wake her from her slumbers, and sound again the keynote of the suspended music of the spheres. So also shall there arise out of the raging conflagration, in whose fevered heat the elements shall melt and shrivel like a scroll-even out of the very ashes which betoken its consumption-a new heaven and a new earth-an earth as ethereal and pure as heaven itself-and a heaven as substantial and as living as the earth. And consentaneously with the arising of these new worlds; the tombs shall open, and send forth the shrouded tenants, to enter on the inheritance which, in that new economy, shall be theirs. Can you believe that faded flowers shall revive at the blithe beckoning of the spring, that little leaves will quietly unfold at the mandate of the morning, and yet there shall be no spring to beckon the mortal back to life, and no morning to command the clay to clothe itself with the garments of a quickening spirit? Can you believe that the great temple shall arise with all its shrines rebuilded, and its altars purified after the final burning, but that there shall be neither voice nor trumpet to call forth the high priest from his slumber to worship at those shrines, and to lay a more enduring offering upon those waiting altars? Is the fuel to be ever laid, and none to kindle the burnt offering? Is the sanctuary to be prepared, and none to pay the service? Is the bridegroom to stand alone before the altar, and no bride to meet him at the nuptials? God forbid! The high priest is not dead-the bride has not perished-they are not dead, but sleep. Sound forth the trumpet, and say that all is ready, and then the corruptible will put on incorruption, and the mortal will put on immortality. Thus, when we lay our kindred in the earth, and follow to their final resting place the last remains of those who occupied a cherished chamber in our hearts-while nature finds it hard to dry the tear and quench the sigh-faith ever lifts the spirit from its sad despondency, by assuring us of a reunion beyond the grave-and robs the monster of one half his terrors-weakening his stroke and taking away his sting, by changing the mystic trance into which he throws his victims into a transient sleep, and speaking of a waking time of happiness and icy. Nature will look on death as an assassin who murders those we love; but Faith regards him as a nurse who hushes them to sleep, and sings a lullaby and not a requiem beside their bed. To faith it is a sleeping draught and not a poison which the visitor holds to the drinkers lips; for it hails the time when the lethargy of the sepulchre shall be cast off, and the spirit shall arise like a tired slumberer refreshed by sleep, to spend an endless morning in the energy of an endless youth. (A. Mursell.)
The death of the young encourages a spirit of dependence on God in the home life of this world
It brings the unseen Hand to bear very directly and potently on the souls deepest and most hidden springs. Let us suppose for a moment that there was a revealed ordinance of heaven that every, human being born into this world should live to three-score years and ten, and then quietly lie down to rest, and awake in eternity. Would it enrich or impoverish the life of the human world? I venture to think that it would impoverish it unspeakably. The passage of these little ones through the veil, of infants and children, of young men and maidens, of men and women in their prime, brings Gods hand very near, and keeps its pressure on the most powerful springs of our nature, our warmest affection, and our most constant and active care. It is not the uncertainty which is the strongest element of the influence, though no doubt that keeps us vigilant and anxious, and helps to maintain the full strain of our power. It is rather the constant contact with a Higher Will, which keeps us in humble, hopeful dependence, which gives and withholds, lends and recalls, by a wisdom which we cannot fathom, but which demands our trust on the basis of a transcendent manifestation of all-suffering and all-sacrificing love. (J. B. Brown, B. A.)
The death of the young imparts a consecrating influence to the home life
It brings heaven all round us when we know that at any moment the veil may be lifted, and a dear life may vanish from our sight, not, blessed be Christ, into the shades, but into the brightness which is beyond. And when the life has vanished it leaves a holy and consecrating memory in the home. Something is in the home on earth which also belongs to the home on high. Never does the home life and all its relations seem so beautiful, so profound, so sacred, as when Death has laid his touch on a little one, and gathered it as a starry flower for the fields of light on high. It makes the life of the home more anxious, more burdened by care and pain, but more blessed. The nearness at any moment of resistless Death makes us find a dearer meaning in the word, the whole family in heaven and on earth-a thought which saturates the whole New Testament, and is not dependent on one text for its revelation. We know then how precious is its meaning, and earth gains by its loss as well as heaven. (J. B. Brown, B. A.)
The death of the young lends a tender, home life interest to the life of the unseen world
The home, remember, is where the children are. There are those of us who never found the deeper meaning of the Fathers love and the everlasting home till a dear child had gone on before. The death of the little ones, while it ought to make the earthly life heaven-like on the one hand, is meant to make heaven home-like on the other. The Lord dethroned and discrowned Death by bearing the human form, living, through His realm of terror. The living Lord abolished death by living on through death, and flashing the splendours of heaven through the shades. The children, as they follow Christ through the gloom, make Death seem beautiful as an angel. Thenceforth we, too, have, not our citizenship only, but our home life in the two worlds. (J. B. Brown, B. A.)
Jesus stronger than death
And just remember, that when Jesus allows death to knock at your door, and to come in, it is not because death is stronger than He. It is because He has a good reason for permitting it. He is so completely the Master of death that He makes it His messenger to do His bidding; and when death comes to our dwelling and takes away one we love, let us bear in mind that death is not Jesus enemy but His messenger. He is like an angel; he takes away our friend in his bosom. He has no power at all over us without Jesus. (Anon.)
The healing of Jairus daughter
I. The ease brought before Jesus. A bodily disease as usual. No spiritual cases, though more important.
II. The persons who brought it. A ruler, etc. He had heard Christs teaching. He had seen His miracles. No mention made, etc., till distress.
III. The character in which he came-a parent.
IV. The manner in which he came. Reverently. Earnestly. Believingly.
V. At the request of Jairus, Christ arose and accompanied him. Christ encouraged such applications-He does so still (Expository Discourses.)
I. Christs restorative power transcends the ordinary expectations of mankind.
II. Christs restorative power is exerted on certain conditions.
1. Earnest entreaty.
2. A reverential spirit.
III. Christs restorative power accomplishes its object with the greatest ease.
IV. Christs restorative power confounds the scoffing sceptic with its result. Scoffing infidelity is destined to be confounded. There were scoffers in the days of Noah and they were confounded when the deluge came. There were scoffers in the days of Lot, and they were confounded when the showers of fire fell. There are scoffers now, and when they shall see Him coming in His glory with all His holy angels, these atheists, deists, and materialists, will be utterly confounded. (David Thomas, D. D.)
Death a sleep
Homer fittingly calls sleep the brother of death; they are so much alike. On the lips of Jesus, however, the word sleep acquires a richer and mightier import than it ever possessed before. Amply has His use of the term been justified in the last hour of tens of thousands of his devout followers. They laid themselves down to die, not as those who dread the night because of the remembrance of hours when, like Job, they were scared with dreams and terrified through visions, but like tired labourers, to whom night is indeed a season of peaceful refreshment. And how imperceptibly they sank into their last slumber! Their transition was so mild and gradual, that it was impossible for those who stood round their dying pillow to say exactly when it took place. There was no struggle, no convulsion. The angel of death spread his wide, white wings meekly over them, and then, with a smile upon their pallid countenance, serene and lovely as heaven itself, they closed their eyes on all terrestrial objects, and fell asleep in Jesus. And that sleep is as profound throughout as it was tranquil at the beginning. The happy fireside and the busy exchange-the halls of science and the houses of legislation-the oft-frequented walk and the holy temple-are nothing to them now. Suns rise and set, stars travel and glisten; but they see them not; tempests howl, thunders roll and crash; but they hear them not. Nothing can disturb those slumbers, till the day dawn and the shadows flee away. Then will the voice of the archangel sweep over Gods acre, and awake them all. Oh, wondrous awaking! what momentous consequences hang on thee! (Edwin Davies.)
Death a sleep
I. Sleep is rest, or gives rest to the body: so death.
1. Rest from labour and travail.
2. Rest from trouble and opposition.
3. Rest from passion and grief.
4. Rest from sin, temptation, Satan, and the law.
II. Sleep is not perpetual; we sleep and wake again; so, though the body lie in the grave, yet death is but a sleep; we shall wake again.
III. The sleep of some men differs very much from that of others: So the death of saints differs from that of the wicked.
1. Some men sleep before their work is done; so some die before their salvation is secured.
2. Some fall asleep in business and great distraction, others in peace.
3. Some dread the thought of dying, because of the dangers that lie beyond. But saints have no fear.
4. Some fall asleep in dangerous places, and in the midst of their enemies-on the brink of hell, surrounded by the spirits of perdition. But saints die in the view of Jesus; in the love and covenant of Jesus.
IV. A man that sleeps is generally easily awakened: So the body in death shall be much more easily awakened at the last day than the soul can now be aroused from its sleep of sin. (B. Keach.)
Why death of the godly is called sleep
The reason why the death of the godly is called a sleep in Scripture is this: because there is a fit resemblance between it and natural sleep; which resemblance consists chiefly in these things.
1. In bodily sleep men rest from the labours of mind and body. So the faithful, dying in the Lord, are said to rest from their labours (Rev 14:13).
2. After natural sleep men are accustomed to awake again; so, after death, the bodies of the saints shall be awaked, i.e., raised up again to life out of their graves at the last flay. And as it is easy to awake one out of a natural sleep, so is it much more easy with God, by His almighty power, to raise the dead at the last day.
3. As after natural sleep the body and outward senses are more fresh and lively than before; so likewise after that the bodies of the saints, being dead, have for a time slept in their graves as in beds, they shall awake and rise again at the last day in a far more excellent state than they died in, being changed from corruption to incorruption, from dishonour to glory, from weakness to power, from natural to spiritual bodies (1Co 15:42).
4. As in natural sleep the body only is said properly to sleep, not the soul (the powers whereof work even in sleep in some sort, though not so perfectly as when we are waking): so in death, only the bodies of the saints do die and lie down in the graves, but their souls return to God who gave them (Ecc 12:7), and they live with God even in death and alter death.
5. As sleep is sweet to those who are wearied with labour and travail (Ecc 5:12), so also death is sweet and comfortable to the faithful, being wearied and turmoiled with sin, and with the manifold miseries of this life. (G. Petter.)
Death of children
God cultivates many flowers, seemingly only for their exquisite beauty and fragrance. For when, bathed in soft sunshine, they have burst into blossom, then the Divine hand gathers them from the earthly fields to be kept in crystal vases in the deathless mansions above. Thus little children die-some in the sweet bud, some in the fallen blossom; but never too early to make heaven fairer and sweeter with their immortal bloom. (Wadsworth.)
Goeth in where the child was: Christ in the chamber of death
I. A good child is at home in either world, not sorry to go to the other world to get joy, and not sorry to come back to this world to give it.
II. We know not where the other world is, but it is evidently within range of the Saviours voice. Our dear dead are therefore safe and all their conditions ordered by the Saviours mercy.
III. Life is indestructible by death.
IV. On a universal scale Christ will be found to be the Resurrection and the Life to all who love Him.
V. He inflicts bereavement, but sympathises with its sorrow. He relieves these mourners here, to show that He pities all mourners. (R. Glover.)
Talitha cumi
He uses what were, perhaps, the words used every morning by her mother on waking her-Little one, get up. (R. Glover.)
The raising of Jairus daughter
I. The application which Jesus received.
1. By whom it was made.
2. The favour he implied.
3. The feeling which this ruler displayed.
(1) His reverence.
(2) His importunity.
(3) His faith.
II. The ready compliance of our Lord with the request made to Him. But as He went we are called upon-
1. To witness a strange interruption.
2. To listen to what seemed very discouraging information-Thy daughter is dead.
III. The wonderful result with which this visit was attended.
1. What our Lord saw.
2. What He said.
3. What He did. (Expository Outlines.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 35. Why troublest thou the Master] These people seem to have had no other notion of our Lord than that of an eminent physician, who might be useful while there was life, but afterwards could do nothing.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
There is nothing in this history needeth further notes for explication, than what we gave in the notes on Matthew, to which I here refer the reader; See Poole on “Mat 9:18-19,23“, and following verses to Mat 9:31.
There is nothing more unaccountable in all the passages of our Saviours life recorded by the evangelists, than the charges that he gave to several persons healed by him,
that no man should know it. Especially if we consider:
1. That he did not charge all so; he bid the person possesses with the devil, Luk 5:19, go home to his friends, and tell them how great things the Lord had done for him.
2. That he could not expect to be concealed had they yielded obedience, for his miracles were done openly, and it was not likely that all would keep silence, nay, he commanded the leper to go and show himself to the priests.
3. Few of those thus charged did keep silence; nor do we ever find that Christ reflected blame on them, from which yet we cannot acquit them.
But we must not think to understand the reasons of all Christs actions and speeches; he had doubtless wise ends in doing it, though we do not understand them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
35. Thy daughter is dead; whytroublest thou the Master any further?the Teacher.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
While he yet spake,…. The above things to the poor woman, in commendation of her faith, and for her future encouragement, peace, and comfort in soul and body:
there came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house certain that said. The Vulgate Latin renders it, “from the ruler of the synagogue”, and which is indeed the literal version of the phrase; but they could not come from him in person, for he was with Jesus: hence some versions, as the Arabic and Ethiopic, read, “there came to the ruler of the synagogue”; but the sense is easy, by supplying the word house, as we do, and as the Syriac and Persic versions also do. Luke speaks but of “one” that came, Lu 8:49 whereas this evangelist suggests there were more, which is no contradiction; for Luke does not say there was but one; there might be more that came with the news, though but one related it as the mouth of the rest; or they might come one after another with it.
Which said, thy daughter is dead, why troublest thou the master any further? these brought him the account that his daughter was actually dead, which he himself feared before; and therefore they thought it was in vain to give Christ any further trouble to drag along through a crowd of people pressing him; whom they looked upon as a very worthy person, an eminent doctor and prophet, a master in Israel, and one that had done great cures on living persons in distress; yet imagined it was wholly out of his power to raise one from the dead, of which, as yet, they had had no instance, unless the raising of the widow of Nain’s son was before this, as indeed it seems to be; but perhaps persons, who were some of the relations, or domestics of the ruler, had heard nothing of it; for if they had, they might have hoped he would have exerted his power in raising the ruler’s daughter, as well as the widow’s son.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
| The Daughter of Jairus Restored to Life. |
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35 While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? 36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. 37 And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. 38 And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly. 39 And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. 40 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. 41 And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. 42 And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment. 43 And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.
Diseases and deaths came into the world by the sin and disobedience of the first Adam; but by the grace of the second Adam both are conquered. Christ, having healed an incurable disease, here goes on to triumph over death, as in the beginning of the chapter he had triumphed over an outrageous devil.
I. The melancholy news is brought to Jairus, that his daughter is dead, and therefore, if Christ be as other physicians, he comes too late. While there is life, there is hope, and room for the use of means; but when life is gone, it is past recall; Why troublest thou the Master any further? v. 35. Ordinarily, the proper thought in this case, is, “The matter is determined, the will of God is done, and I submit, I acquiesce; The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away. While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, Who can tell but God will yet be gracious to me, and the child shall live? But now that it is dead, wherefore should I weep? I shall go to it, but it shall not return to me.” With such words we should quiet ourselves at such a time, that our souls may be as a child that is weaned from his mother: but there the case was extraordinary; the death of the child doth not, as usually, put an end to the narrative.
II. Christ encourageth the afflicted father yet to hope that his application to Christ on the behalf of his child should not be in vain. Christ had staid to work a cure by the way, but he shall be no sufferer by that, nor loser by the gain of others; Be not afraid, only believe. We may suppose Jairus at a pause, whether he should ask Christ to go on or no; but have we not as much occasion for the grace of God, and his consolations, and consequently of the prayers of our ministers and Christian friends, when death is in the house, as when sickness is? Christ therefore soon determines this matter; “Be not afraid that my coming will be to no purpose, only believe that I will make it turn to a good account.” Note, 1. We must not despair concerning our relations that are dead, nor sorrow for them as those that have no hope. See what is said to Rachel, who refused to be comforted concerning her children, upon the presumption that they were not; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears; for there is hope in thine end, that thy children shall come again,Jer 31:16; Jer 31:17. Therefore fear not, faint not. 2. Faith is the only remedy against disquieting grief and fear at such a time: let that silence them, Only believe. Keep up a confidence in Christ, and a dependence upon him, and he will do what is for the best. Believe the resurrection, and then be not afraid.
III. He went with a select company to the house where the dead child was. He had, by the crowd that attended him, given advantage to the poor woman he last healed, and, having done that, now he shook off the crowd, and suffered no man to follow him (to follow with him, so the word is), but his three bosom-disciples, Peter, and James, and John; a competent number to be witnesses of the miracle, but not such a number as that his taking them with him might look like vainglory.
IV. He raised the dead child to life; the circumstances of the narrative here are much the same as we had them in Matthew; only here we may observe,
1. That the child was extremely well beloved, for the relations and neighbours wept and wailed greatly. It is very afflictive when that which is come forth like a flower is so soon cut down, and withereth before it is grown up; when that grieves us, of which we said, This same shall comfort us.
2. That it was evident beyond dispute, that the child was really and truly dead. Their laughing Christ to scorn, for saying, She is not dead, but sleepeth, though highly reprehensible, serves for the proof of this.
3. That Christ put those out as unworthy to be witnesses of the miracle, who were noisy in their sorrow, and were so ignorant in the things of God, as not to understand him when he spoke of death as a sleep, or so scornful, as to ridicule him for it.
4. That he took the parents of the child to be witnesses of the miracle, because in it he had an eye to their faith, and designed it for their comfort, who were the true, for they were the silent mourners.
5. That Christ raised the child to life by a word of power, which is recorded here, and recorded in Syriac, the language in which Christ spoke, for the greater certainty of the thing; Talitha, cumi; Damsel, I say unto thee, Arise. Dr. Lightfoot saith, It was customary with the Jews, when they gave physic to one that was sick, to say, Arise from thy disease; meaning, We wish thou mayest arise: but to one that was dead, Christ said, Arise from the dead; meaning, I command that thou arise; nay, there is more in it–the dead have not power to arise, therefore power goes along with this word, to make it effectual. Da quod jubes, et jube quod vis–Give what thou commandest, and command what thou wilt. Christ works while he commands, and works by the command, and therefore may command what he pleaseth, even the dead to arise. Such is the gospel call to those that are by nature dead in trespasses and sins, and can no more rise from that death by their own power, than this child could; and yet that word, Awake, and arise from the dead, is neither vain, nor in vain, when it follows immediately, Christ shall give thee light, Eph. v. 14. It is by the word of Christ that spiritual life is given, I said unto thee, Live, Ezek. xvi. 6.
6. That the damsel, as soon as life returned, arose, and walked, v. 42. Spiritual life will appear by our rising from the bed of sloth and carelessness, and our walking in a religious conversation, our walking up and down in Christ’s name and strength; even from those that are of the age of twelve years, it may be expected that they should walk as those whom Christ has raised to life, otherwise than in the native vanity of their minds.
7. That all who saw it, and heard of it, admired the miracle, and him that wrought it; They were astonished with a great astonishment. They could not but acknowledge that there was something in it extraordinary and very great, and yet they knew not what to make of it, or to infer from it. Their wonder should have worked forward to a lively faith, but it rested in a stupor or astonishment.
8. That Christ endeavoured to conceal it; He charged them straitly, that no man should know it. It was sufficiently known to a competent number, but he would not have it as yet proclaimed any further; because his own resurrection was to be the great instance of his power over death, and therefore the divulging of other instances must be reserved till that great proof was given: let one part of the evidence be kept private, till the other part, on which the main stress lies, be made ready.
9. That Christ took care something should be given her to eat. By this it appeared that she was raised not only to life, but to a good state of health, that she had an appetite to her meat; even the new-born babes in Christ’s house desire the sincere milk, 1Pe 2:1; 1Pe 2:2. And it is observable, that, as Christ, when at first he had made man, presently provided food for him, and food out of the earth of which he was made (Gen. i. 29), so now when he had given a new life, he took care that something should be given to eat; for is he has given life, he may be trusted to give livelihood, because the life is more than meat, Matt. vi. 25. Where Christ hath given spiritual life, he will provide food for the support and nourishment of it unto life eternal, for he will never forsake, or be wanting to, the work of his own hands.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
While he yet spake ( ). Genitive absolute. Another vivid touch in Mark and Lu 8:49. The phrase is in Ge 29:9. Nowhere does Mark preserve better the lifelike traits of an eyewitness like Peter than in these incidents in chapter 5. The arrival of the messengers from Jairus was opportune for the woman just healed of the issue of blood ( ) for it diverted attention from her. Now the ruler’s daughter has died ().
Why troublest thou the master any further? ( ;). It was all over, so they felt. Jesus had raised from the dead the son of the widow of Nain (Lu 7:11-17), but people in general did not expect him to raise the dead. The word , from (skin, pelt, spoils), means to skin, to flay, in Aeschylus. Then it comes to mean to vex, annoy, distress as in Mt 9:36, which see. The middle is common in the papyri for bother, worry, as in Lu 7:6. There was no further use in troubling the Teacher about the girl.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
From the ruler of the synagogue. From his house; for the ruler himself is addressed.
Troublest [] . See on Mt 9:36. Compare Luk 11:22, where occurs the cognate word skula, spoils, things torn or stripped from an enemy. Wyc., travailest. Tynd., diseasest.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
THE RAISING OF JAIRUS’ DAUGHTER FROM DEATH, V. 35-43
Comments;
1) ”While He yet spake,” (eti autou lalountos) “While He was still speaking,” to the woman who had just been healed of her twelve year plague, Mar 5:25.
2) “There came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house,” (erchontai apo tou archisunagogou) “There came from the chief of the synagogue’s house,” from his home, where he had left his dying daughter,
3) “Certain which said,” (legontes hoti) “Certain ones repeatedly saying,” with emotional concern and disturbance.
4) “Thy daughter is dead:- (he thugater sou apethanen) “Your daughter is dead,” has already died, Luk 8:49. It seemed that all hope of help was now gone for Jairus’ daughter.
5) “Why troublest thou the Master any further?” (ti eti skulleis ton didaskalon) “Why do you still trouble the teacher or the Master?” Mat 9:18; His was an appeal, a prayer of repeated importunity, as recounted, Christ’s greatest trouble is not that men trouble Him with too many troubles or trifles, but that they trifle by not troubling Him enough, 1Pe 5:7; Heb 4:15-16.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
c. THE RAISING OF JAIRUS DAUGHTER 5:35-43
TEXT 5:35-43
While he yet spake, they come from the ruler of the synagogues house, saying, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? But Jesus, not heeding the word spoken, saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Fear not, only believe, And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James, And they come to the house of the ruler of the synagogue; and he beholdeth a tumult, and many weeping and wailing greatly, And when he was entered in, he saith unto them, Why make ye a tumult, and weep? the child is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. But he, having put them all forth, taketh the father of the child and her mother and them that were with him, and goeth in where the child was, And taking the child by the hand, he saith unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, Arise. And straightway the damsel rose up, and walked; for she was twelve years old. And they were amazed straightway with a great amazement. And he charged them much that no man should know this: and he commanded that something should be given her to eat.
THOUGHT QUESTIONS 5:35-43
243.
What was the attitude of Jairus while Jesus stopped to speak to the woman who touched?
244.
In what tone of voice do you imagine the message of the death of the daughter was given?
245.
In what sense did they feel they were troubling Jesus?
246.
What was Jairus to believe? Cf. Mar. 5:36.
247.
Why send the crowd away?
248.
On what other occasions did Peter, James & John accompany Jesus?
249.
What was the point in the demonstration of grief?
250.
Did Jesus know some would misunderstand his words about sleeping? Why mention it?
251.
In what sense was the girl asleep?
252.
Upon what was the laugh of scorn based?
253.
Try to understand the feelings of the mother as Jesus spoke to the girl. What were they?
254.
Why mention that she was twelve years old?
255.
Why ask that she be fed?
COMMENT
TIMEJust a few minutes after the preceding incident of the timid woman.
PLACEIn the home of Jairusprobably in the city of Capernaum.
PARALLEL ACCOUNTSMat. 9:23-26; Luk. 8:49-56.
OUTLINE1. The Message of death, Mar. 5:35-36. 2. To the house of Jairus, Mar. 5:37-38. 3. The place of death, Mar. 5:39-40. 4. The resurrection, Mar. 5:41-43.
ANALYSIS
I.
THE MESSAGE OF DEATH, Mar. 5:35-36.
1.
Given while Jesus yet spoke to the woman.
2.
No need to try further, your daughter is dead.
3.
Jesus heard man but believed Godthis He wanted Jairus to do.
II.
TO THE HOUSE OF JAIRUS, Mar. 5:37-38.
1.
Just Peter, James and John were to accompany Him.
2.
A great tumult of weeping.
III.
THE PLACE OF DEATH, Mar. 5:39-40.
1.
No need to weepshe sleeps.
2.
Scornall are asked to leave except the parents.
IV.
THE RESURRECTION, Mar. 5:41-43.
1.
He taketh her by the hand and calls her by name.arise
2.
She immediately arose from the dead.
EXPLANATORY NOTES
Mar. 5:35. While he yet spake, there came . . . why troublest thou the Master any further? Hitherto He had not shown His power over death, and so there may be an excuse for the message, but surely there might be some consolation in the words of such a Master! His presence need not be out of place in the house of mourning. There is a curtness and abruptness in this message which savors of unbelief.
Mar. 5:36. As soon as Jesus heard (or not heeding) the word . . . Be not afraid, only believe. Jesus, perceiving the mischief which the message might work, at once put in a comforting and hope-inspiring word, Be not afraid, only believe.
Belief is in one sense the only thing needful, because it is the one condition on which we can receive salvation and grace from the Lord. But what does the Lord here mean by only believe? Only believe what? Why, evidently, that I have power after death, that My might reaches beyond the grave. If the man believed that his daughter was dead, and the Lord bid him fear not, it must mean fear not, but that I will give her to you again. If He added to this fear not the words only believe, it must mean, Believe that I am life to the dead. You may not know how, but let not your faith in Me fail, and you shall see.
If it be said that this was too much to require of this ruler, we can only answer that the Lord thought otherwise. The man had known of the healing of the centurions servant, and of the woman with the issue, most probably also of the casting out of the devils out of the Gergesenes; and we know not how many more mighty works performed in Capernaum, and around the borders of the lake, and now he was asked to go one step further in the same road, i.e., to believe that death was not the termination of the Lords power.
Mar. 5:37. And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John, etc. The three who were to be witnesses of His Transfiguration, and of His agony.
Mar. 5:38. And he cometh to the house . . . wept and wailed greatly. From the parallel words in St, Matthew, Saw the minstrels and the people making a noise, there is no doubt that these were hired mourners, such as are described in Jer. 9:17-18 : Consider ye, and call for the mourning women that they may come; and send for cunning women, that they may come, and let them make haste, and take up a wailing for us, that our eyes may run down with tears, and our eyelids gush out with waters.
Dr. Thomson, in The Land and the Book, says: Every particular here alluded to is observed on funeral occasions at the present day. There are in every city and community women exceedingly cunning in this business. These are always sent for and kept in readiness. When a fresh company of sympathizers comes in, these women make haste to take up a wailing, that the newly come may the more easily unite their tears with the mourners. They know the domestic history of every person, and immediately strike up an impromptu lamentation, in which they introduce the names of their relations who have recently died, touching some tender chord of every heart, and thus each weeps for his own dead.
Mar. 5:39. And when he was come in, he saith . . . sleepeth. There can be little doubt but that the Saviour here employs the same way of speaking as when He says, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth, but I go that I may awake him out of sleep; and immediately afterwards He told them plainly, Lazarus is dead. Some have said that the maiden had fallen into the death-like swoon which often precedes, and then passes into actual death; but those watching her must have been conscious that so far as the help of man was concerned, all was over, or they would not have sent the message to the ruler which they did.
Mar. 5:40. And they laughed him to scorn. This ridicule would be stimulated by their interests, for their wages as mourners depended on the death having actually taken place.
Them that were with him. Only Peter, James and John.
Mar. 5:41-42. And he took the damsel by the hand . . . Talitha cumi . . . astonishment. The very Syriac or Aramaic words which the Lord used are here preserved by the Evangelist, doubtless from the recollection of St. Peter. The words properly translated are, Girl, arise. Quesnels remarks on this are well worth reproducing: The sacred Humanity is, as it were, the hand and instrument of the Divinity, to which it is united in the person of the Word. It is from this Humanity that our life proceeds, because it was in this that Christ died and rose again, and completed His Sacrifice. He is man, since He takes the dead person by the hand; He is God since He commands her to live, and to arise, and is immediately obeyed.
Mar. 5:43. And he charged them straitly . . . given her to eat. It is to be noticed that in the case of the Gergesene demoniac, after healing He bade him make known what God had done for Him, and He Himself compelled the woman, in the last miracle, to confess her healing before the crowd. How is it that here He forbids the parents to make it known? Very probably He foresees how in some cases the fame of some mighty deed might be an hindrance to, as in other cases it might forward His real work.
Or in each He might have had regard to the spiritual temperament of those whom He charged. Canon Farrar has a good remark: If He added His customary warning, that they should not speak of what had happened, it was not evidently in the intention that the entire fact should remain unknown, for that would have been impossible, when all the circumstances had been witnessed by so many, but because those who had received from Gods hand unbounded mercy are more likely to reverence that mercy with adoring gratitude, if it be kept like a hidden treasure in the inmost heart.
And commanded that something should be given her to eat. There must be some reason why this is specifically mentioned. It may have been to show the completeness of the recovery, in that one, a short time before so utterly prostrated and weak, should be able to take ordinary nourishment. It may be mentioned for a mystical significance, that those to whom God has given spiritual life, require spiritual food for its continuance. (M. F. Sadler)
FACT QUESTIONS 5:35-43
276.
Who do you suppose brought the news to Jairus of the death of his daughter?
277.
Why ask the question, Why dost thou trouble the teacher further?
278.
Please read Isa. 42:3 and show how it is fulfilled in the dealing of Jesus with Jairus.
279.
Why send the crowd away?
280.
Why take the three?
281.
What do Matthew and Luke add to the description of the mourning?
282.
Why did Jesus say the girl was only asleep?
283.
Just what did Jesus say to the little girl?
284.
How do we know for certainty the girl was dead?
285.
Besides the physical restoration what was the purpose of this miracle? Was it accomplished?
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(35) Why troublest thou.The primary meaning of the verb is to strip or flay. (See Note on Mat. 9:36.)
The Master.Strictly, as almost always, the Teacher.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
35. Daughter is dead And so, they thought, beyond the Master’s power.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘While he yet spoke they come from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying, “Your daughter is dead. Why do you trouble the Master any further?” ’
Jairus’ feelings at the delay were probably indescribable. He knew how vital every second was. But now, impatiently restraining himself, what he feared would happen did happen. Messengers arrived to tell him that it was too late. His daughter was dead. She was beyond help. There was nothing that even the Master could do. He need not be troubled any further. His heart must have sunk within him. He was too late to save his beloved daughter. All he could do was just thank Jesus and return home. We do not know how far Jairus was from the house by this time. It may have been some considerable distance.
‘Trouble.’ A very strong word meaning originally to ‘flay’ or ‘mangle’ but by this time toned down. Yet it evidences that they expected Him to have been very concerned.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Analysis of 5:35-43.
a
b But Jesus, overhearing the word spoken, says to the ruler of the synagogue, “Don’t be afraid. Just go on believing’ (Mar 5:36).
c And He allowed no one to follow with Him except Peter, and James and John, the brother of James (Mar 5:37).
d And they come to the house of the ruler of the synagogue and He sees a tumult, and great weeping and wailing (Mar 5:38).
e And when He was entered in He says to them (Mar 5:39 a).
d “Why do you make a tumult and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping.” And they laughed him to scorn (Mar 5:39-40 a).
c But he, having put them all out, takes the father of the child, and her mother, and those who were with him, and goes in where the child was (Mar 5:40 b).
b And taking the child by the hand he says to her “Talitha cumi”, which is being interpreted, ‘Young woman, I say to you, arise’. And immediately the young woman rose up and walked, for she was twelve years old, and they were immediately filled with great amazement (or ‘were amazed with a great amazement’) (Mar 5:41-42).
a And He gave them strict instructions (charged them much) that no man should know this, and he commanded that something should be given her to eat (Mar 5:43).
Note that in ‘a’ they are assured that the girl is dead, and in the parallel Jesus commands that she be given something to eat. In ‘b’ Jesus encourages the ruler to believe, and in the parallel his faith is rewarded. In ‘c’ only the favoured three are allowed in, and in the parallel the same applies along with the father and mother of the child. In ‘d’ there is great tumult, and weeping and wailing, and in the parallel Jesus asks why the tumult and why they are weeping. Centrally in ‘e’ the difference is that Jesus has entered in.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Jesus reassures Jairus:
v. 35. While He yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead; why troublest thou the Master any further?
v. 36. As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe!
v. 37. And He suffered no man to follow Him, save Peter, and James, and John, the brother of James. The delay caused by the woman had made Jesus and the entire multitude stop for some time, perhaps for five to ten minutes, with Jairus in the throes of impatience. And Jesus had not yet finished His comforting words to the woman that had been healed in such a miraculous manner, when some messengers from the house of the ruler brought the overwhelming news that the girl had died, that she was even now lying there dead, lifeless. There could be no doubt as to this fact, and that fact also, in the opinion of the messengers, settled the question. This being so, why should Jairus persist in vexing, molesting the Lord, the great Teacher; it was all useless now. These servants had been willing enough to concede that the great Prophet might be able to heal a person, to drive away a sickness, but His art and power could not be expected to avail anything in the case of death. Jesus heard this communication, and it gave Him much concern. Jairus had proved himself one that trusted in the Lord, but with the present intelligence there was danger that his confidence would be lost. So Jesus gave him a word which was to hold his wavering confidence,: Fear not; only believe! Fear is incompatible with faith, Rom 8:15; Isa 12:2; 2Ti 1:7; 1Jn 4:18. Firm trust in the power of the Savior was now more necessary than ever, for death had claimed the girl as his victim, and the father should feel that Christ was able to call her back even from the land of the departed. And now Jesus did a surprising, unusual thing: He turned back, not only the multitude, but even His disciples, with the exception of His most intimate friends, Peter, James, and John. The miracle which was to take place in this house was not to be performed before the inquisitive gaze of an unappreciative multitude, nor before such as were not soundly balanced in their relation to Him.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Mar 5:35-43 . See on Mat 9:23-25 . Comp. Luk 8:49-56 . The former greatly abridges and compresses more than Luke, who, however, does not come up to the vivid originality of the representation of Mark.
.] ., Euthymius Zigabenus.
] since now there is no longer room for help.
Mar 5:36 . According to the reading , this (comp. Mat 18:17 ) is to be taken as the opposite of , namely: immediately He left this speech unnoticed ; He did not heed it for one moment, but let it remain as it was, and said, etc. In this way is set forth the decided certainty . [92] He has heard the announcement (Mar 5:35 ), but at once let it pass unattended to. Ewald is incorrect in saying that He acted as if he had failed to hear it. That He did not fail to hear it, and, moreover, did not act as if He had, is in fact shown just by the . . . which he addresses to Jairus. The Itala in the Cod. Pal. (e. in Tisch.) correctly has neglexit .
. . .] as though now all were lost, all deliverance cut off.
Mar 5:37 . According to Mark, Jesus sends back the rest (disciples and others who were following Him) before the house; according to Luk 8:51 , in the house.
Mar 5:38 . . .] an uproar and (especially) people weeping and wailing . The first attaches to the general term the special elements that belong to it, as in Mar 1:5 , and frequently. not merely used of the cry of conflict and rejoicing, but also, although rarely, of the cry of anguish and lamentation . See Plutarch, Luc. 28; Eur. El. 843.
Mar 5:39 . ] into the house. A later point of time than at Mar 5:38 .
Mar 5:40 . ] irritated, commanding; He ejected them. Among the , those who are named immediately afterwards ( . . . .) are not included, and so not the three disciples (in opposition to Baur).
Mar 5:41 . ] , puella, surge . It is a feature of Mark’s vivid concrete way of description to give significant words in Hebrew , with their interpretation, Mar 3:18 , Mar 7:12 ; Mar 7:34 , Mar 14:36 . On the Aramaean , see Buxtorf, Lex. Talm. p. 875.
] nominative with the article in the imperative address, Bernhardy, p. 67; Khner, II. 155.
] a free addition of Mark, “ut sensum vocantis atque imperantis exprimeret” (Jerome).
] out of the sleep, Mar 5:39 .
Mar 5:42 . ] not as giving a reason for the word (Euthymius Zigabenus, Fritzsche), but in explanation of the previous remark, that the maiden arose and walked about; she was no longer a little child. Bengel appropriately observes: “rediit ad statum aetati congruentem.” The circumstance that she was just in the period of development (Paulus) is certainly in keeping with the thought of an apparent death, but is alien to the connection.
Mar 5:43 . ] He gave them urgently ( ) injunction, command. See on Mat 16:20 .
] those brought in at Mar 5:40 .
] the purpose of the . . Comp. Mat 16:20 ; Mar 7:36 ; Mar 9:9 .
[93] ] : namely, this course of the matter. The prohibition itself , as only the three disciples and the child’s parents were present (Mar 5:40 ), has in it nothing unsuitable, any more than at Mar 1:44 , Mar 7:36 , Mar 8:26 . When Jesus heals publicly in presence of the multitude there is not found even in Mark, except in the cases of the expulsion of demons , Mar 1:34 , Mar 3:12 , any prohibition of the kind (Mar 2:11 f., Mar 3:5 , Mar 5:34 , Mar 9:27 , Mar 10:52 ). Mark therefore ought not to have been subjected to the imputation of a tendency to make the sensation produced by the healings of Jesus “appear altogether great and important” (Kstlin, p. 317; comp. Baur, Markusevang. p. 54) by His design of wishing to hinder it; or of the endeavour to leave out of view the unsusceptible mass of the people, and to bestow His attention solely on the susceptible circle of the disciples (Hilgenfeld, Evang. p. 135). In our history the quickening to life again in itself could not, of course, be kept secret (see, on the contrary, Mat 9:26 ), but probably the more detailed circumstances of the way of its accomplishment might. Jesus, although He was from the outset certain of being the promised Messiah (in opposition to Schenkel), by such prohibitions did as much as on His part He could to oppose the kindling of precipitate Messianic fanaticism and popular commotion. He could not prevent their want of success in individual cases (Mar 1:45 , Mar 7:36 ); but it is just the frequent occurrence of those prohibitions that gives so sure attestation of their historical character in general. Comp. Ewald, Jahrb. I. p. 117 f. It is quite as historical and characteristic, that Jesus never forbade the propagation of His teachings . With His Messiahship He was afraid of arousing a premature sensation (Mar 8:30 , Mar 9:9 ; Mat 16:20 ; Mat 17:9 ), such as His miraculous healings were calculated in the most direct and hazardous way to excite among the people.
. . .] not for dietetic reasons, nor yet in order that the revival should not be regarded as only apparent (Theophylact, Euthymius Zigabenus), but in order to prove that the child was delivered, not only from death, but also from her sickness .
[92] Which, however, all the more precludes the thought of a mere apparent death of the maiden (such as Schleiermacher and Schenkel assume).
[93] The subjunctive form (like , etc.), which Lachmann and Tischendorf have (comp. Mar 9:30 ; Luk 19:15 ), has important codices in its favour (A B D L) and against it (including ), but it is unknown to the N. T. elsewhere, and has perhaps only crept in by error of the transcribers from the language of common life.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
35 While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?
Ver. 35. Thy daughter is dead ] Christ commonly reserves his holy hand for a dead lift.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Mar 5:35-43 . The story of Jairus’ daughter resumed .
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Mar 5:35 . . ., from the ruler of the synagogue, i.e. , from his house , as in A.V [41] ( . ., Euthy.). The ruler is supposed to be with Jesus all the time.
[41] Authorised Version.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Mark
TALITHA CUMI
Mar 5:22 – Mar 5:24
The scene of this miracle was probably Capernaum; its time, according to Matthew, was the feast at his house after his call. Mark’s date appears to be later, but he may have anticipated the feast in his narrative, in order to keep the whole of the incidents relating to Matthew’s apostleship together. Jairus’s knowledge of Jesus is implied in the story, and perhaps Jesus’ acquaintance with him.
I. We note, first, the agonised appeal and the immediate answer.
The father’s impatience would be satisfied when they were on their way, but how he would chafe, and think every moment an age, while Jesus stayed, as if at entire leisure, to deal with another silent petitioner! But His help to one never interferes with His help to another, and no case is so pressing as that He cannot spare time to stay to bless some one else. The poor, sickly, shamefaced woman shall be healed, and the little girl shall not suffer.
II. We have next the extinction and rekindling of Jairus’s glimmer of hope.
III. We have next the tumult of grief and the word that calms.
What a contrast between the noise outside and the still death-chamber and its occupant, and what a contrast between the agitation of the sham comforters and the calmness of the true Helper! Christ’s great word was spoken for us all when our hearts are sore and our dear ones go. It dissolves the dim shape into nothing ness, or, rather, it transfigures it into a gracious, soothing form. Sleep is rest, and bears in itself the pledge of waking. So Christ has changed the ‘shadow feared of man’ into beauty, and in the strength of His great word we can meet the last enemy with ‘Welcome! friend.’ It is strange that any one reading this narrative should have been so blind to its deepest beauty as to suppose that Jesus was here saying that the child had only swooned, and was really alive. He was not denying that she was what men call ‘dead,’ but He was, in the triumphant consciousness of His own power, and in the clear vision of the realities of spiritual being, of which bodily states are but shadows, denying that what men call death deserves the name. ‘Death’ is the state of the soul separated from God, whether united to the body or no,-not the separation of body and soul, which is only a visible symbol of the more dread reality.
IV. We have finally the life-giving word and the life-preserving care.
With what hushed, tense expectation they would enter the chamber! Think of the mother’s eyes watching Him. The very words that He spoke were like a caress. There was infinite tenderness in that ‘Damsel!’ from His lips, and so deep an impression did it make on Peter that he repeated the very words to Mark, and used them, with the change of one letter ‘Ta b itha’ for ‘Ta l itha’, in raising Dorcas. The same tenderness is expressed by His taking her by the hand, as, no doubt, her mother had done, many a morning, on waking her. The father had asked Him to lay His hand on her, that she might be made whole and live. He did as He was asked,-He always does-and His doing according to our desire brings larger blessings than we had thought of. Neither the touch of His hand nor the words He spoke were the real agents of the child’s returning to life. It was His will which brought her back from whatever vasty dimness she had entered. The forth-putting of Christ’s will is sovereign, and His word runs with power through all regions of the universe. ‘The dull, cold ear of death’ hears, and ‘they that hear shall live,’ whether they are, as men say, dead, or whether they are ‘dead in trespasses and sins.’ The resurrection of a soul is a mightier act-if we can speak of degrees of might in His acts-than that of a body.
It would be calming for the child of such strange experiences to see, for the first thing that met her eyes opening again on the old familiar home as on a strange land, the bending face of Jesus, and His touch would steady her spirit and assure of His love and help. The quiet command to give her food knits the wonder with common life, and teaches precious lessons as to His economy of miraculous power, like His bidding others loosen Lazarus’s wrappings, and as to His devolution on us of duties towards those whom He raises from the death of sin. But it was given, not didactically, but lovingly. The girl was exhausted, and sustenance was necessary, and would be sweet. So He thought upon a small bodily need, and the love that gave life took care to provide what was required to support it. He gives the greatest; He will take care that we shall not lack the least.
Fuente: Expositions Of Holy Scripture by Alexander MacLaren
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mar 5:35-43
35While He was still speaking, they came from the house of the synagogue official, saying, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the Teacher anymore?” 36But Jesus, overhearing what was being spoken, said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid any longer, only believe.” 37And He allowed no one to accompany Him, except Peter and James and John the brother of James. 38They came to the house of the synagogue official; and He saw a commotion, and people loudly weeping and wailing. 39And entering in, He said to them, “Why make a commotion and weep? The child has not died, but is asleep.” 40They began laughing at Him. But putting them all out, He took along the child’s father and mother and His own companions, and entered the room where the child was. 41Taking the child by the hand, He said to her, “Talitha kum!” (which translated means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). 42Immediately the girl got up and began to walk, for she was twelve years old. And immediately they were completely astounded. 43And He gave them strict orders that no one should know about this, and He said that something should be given her to eat.
Mar 5:35 “‘has died'” This is aorist active indicative. I am sure Jairus was very impatient! This seems to be a test of his faith or another example of Jesus’ power and authority.
Mar 5:36
NASB”overhearing what was being spoken”
NKJV”as soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken”
NRSV, NJB”overhearing what they said”
TEV”Jesus paid no attention to what they said”
NIV”ignoring what they said”
The Greek root means “to hear carelessly.” It can be understood as “ignore” or “overhear.” This term is so ambiguous that very early the scribes changed it to the term “hear” (cf. MSS a, A, C, D, and K), which is found in the Lukan parallel, Luk 8:50.
“‘Do not be afraid any longer'” This is a present imperative with a negative particle which usually means stop an act in process. The opposite of fear is faith!
“‘only believe'” This is another present active imperative. Such a simple, but crucial, statement (cf. Act 16:31).
Mar 5:37 “He allowed no one to accompany Him” Why Jesus had an inner group of disciples (cf. Mar 1:29; Mar 5:37; Mar 9:2; Mar 13:3; Mar 14:33) is uncertain. Mark’s Gospel is the eyewitness account of Peter. This inner circle provided no special privileges because James was killed very early.
Jesus did not want His fame as a healer and even one who could raise the dead to be known. This is one of several of these types of statements in Mark, which theologians call “the Messianic Secret” (cf. Mar 5:43). He already had major logistical problems with the large crowds.
“Peter and James and John” This was Jesus’ inner circle of disciples (cf. Mar 9:2; Mar 14:33; Mat 17:1; Mat 26:37; Luk 9:28).
Mar 5:38 “and people loudly weeping and wailing” These were common, even expected, Jewish funeral practices. It shows that the family was expecting the death of the little daughter and had already made preparations.
Mar 5:39 “‘The child has not died, but is asleep'” Sleep was an OT euphemism for death. Jesus uses it of Lazarus in Joh 11:11. Here it is contrasted with death. One wonders if Mar 5:37 is thought to be a reference to “Mark’s Messianic Secret” then why did He say this to the crowd, unless He is trying to reduce the impact (i.e., the resulting rumors) of her being raised?
Mar 5:40 “began laughing at Him” This is an imperfect tense which implies the bystanders continued to laugh for an extended period of time or that they started laughing at this point.
“His own companions” This refers to Peter, James, and John. In many ways Jesus’ miracles were as much for the disciples’ training and faith as for the people helped!
Mar 5:41 “‘Talitha, kum'” This is an Aramaic phrase. The Jews of Jesus’ day spoke Aramaic, not Hebrew. This would have been Jesus’ mother tongue. There are several Aramaic phrases recorded in the Gospels (cf. Sabbata, Mar 3:4; Boanerges, Mar 3:17; Satan, Mar 3:23; Mar 3:26; Mar 8:33; Talitha cumi, Mar 5:41; Ephphatha, Mar 7:35; Gehanna, Mar 9:43; Mar 9:45; Mar 9:47; pascha, Mar 14:14; Abba, Mar 14:36; Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani, Mar 15:34). The fact that Mark translates it shows his target audience was Gentile.
Mar 5:42 “Immediately. . .immediately” See note at Mar 1:10.
“she was twelve years old” This would have meant she was responsible to keep the law (i.e., bath mitzvah) and was of marriageable age. Boys became responsible to the Law and marriageable at age thirteen (i.e., bar mitzvah). The life expectancy was much shorter and generations of families lived together; therefore, they married much younger than today.
Mar 5:43 “gave them strict orders that no one should know about this” Jesus did not want to be known as a healer or miracle worker. He did these activities to reveal God’s compassion and validate His message and authority (cf. Mar 1:44; Mar 3:12; Mar 5:43; Mar 7:36; Mar 8:26; Mar 8:30; Mar 9:30; Mat 8:4; Mat 9:30; Mat 12:16; Mat 17:9).
“He said that something should be given her to eat” This is another eyewitness detail. Jesus shows thoughtfulness for the little girl. This also proves she is truly restored to physical life.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
yet spake = was yet speaking.
came = come.
from = away from. Greek. apo. App-104.
Master = Teacher. App-98. Mar 5:3.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Mar 5:35. , from) The house of the ruler of the synagogue.- , why any further) This is a strong affirmation of the fact of the daughter being dead. They suppose the rulers efforts to be vain and out of place.-, thou troublest) This verb is properly used of the trouble attending a journey; Luk 7:6; Luk 8:49. Herodian employs it of the difficult [severe] conveyance of captives, and of the setting out of an army. The walkings about of Jesus were then a perpetual , trouble [harass].- , the Master) There were therefore disciples of Jesus in the family of Jairus, and Jesus was the Teacher of the ruler of the synagogue.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Mar 5:35-43
5. JAIRUS’ DAUGHTER RAISED
Mar 5:35-43
(Mat 9:18-26; Luk 8:41-56)
35 While he yet spake, they come from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying, Thy daughter is dead:–Here was a new trial and test of Jairus’ faith. While Jesus stopped to heal this woman and was talking to her, the messengers came to inform Jairus of the death of his daughter. People back home knew where he was and for what purpose he had gone. It seems that Jairus had come with the full knowledge and consent of his family. The crisis has come. They had faith in his power to heal. Capernaum was full of illustrations. But, to raise from the dead, ah, that was too much to expect. Why take his time for no purpose? Why interrupt his teaching for an impossibility?
why troublest thou the Teacher any further?–The last ray of hopeful light seemed gone. The blackness of despair seemed settling down over the heart of the ruler. Jesus saw the change in his countenance, and hastened to comfort him. They thought it useless to trouble Christ to come any further on the way. [They thought he might prevent the sick from dying, but did not think he could raise the dead to life. That was Martha’s condition. She said: “If thou hadst been here, my brother had not died,” but could not take it in that Jesus could raise him from the dead. So, when she died, they concluded that all hope was gone, and sent to the ruler to trouble not the Master.]
36 But Jesus, not heeding the word spoken, saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Fear not, only believe.–Believe that I have power to raise your daughter from the dead. Jesus encouraged Jairus and told him not to fear. Luke (Luk 8:50) adds, “And she shall be made whole.” Notice, the sublime confidence of Jesus in his own power, in the face of the assurance that he will be called upon to grapple with Satan in the extreme manifestation of his malignant power. There was no limit to Christ’s power; the only danger was Jairus’ faith should fail, and he not be worthy to receive the earthly blessing. By “only believe,” Jesus does not mean passive faith. The faith of jairus was very active. He had sought Jesus, leaving his dying daughter at home; had prostrated himself in reverence before him; had besought him to go, and was now returning with him. He could do no more, and Jesus assured him that his daughter should be made whole.
37 And he suffered no man to follow with him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.–Luke (Luk 8:51) says: “When he came to the house, he suffered not any man to enter in with him,” save these three. There were doubtless good reasons for Jesus to select these three brethren but we may never be able to know what they were. Jesus advanced to higher studies those who, by faithfulness in the lower, had made it possible for them to understand and use the higher. Without doubt these brethren were the most advanced in the knowledge of him and of his kingdom, so that they were best able to receive new light, new visions of truth. This may be the reason of their selection. If so, all their faithfulness, love, and consecration to their master had prepared them for these higher experiences.
38 And they come to the house of the ruler of the synagogue;and he beholdeth a tumult,–An uproar, a noise of loud lamentation, such as usually attended a funeral in that country. The confusion and weeping of the assembled people. There was always a horrible clamor at Eastern funerals; and the preparations had begun, for early burial was usual among the Jews.
and many weeping and wailing greatly.–Including professional mourners. The “weeping” was a dolorous rather than tearful series of ejaculations, and the “wailing” was beating of the breast, rending the outer garment, tearing out the hair, with outcries, in which the neighbors joined. The Greeks, Romans and Jews alike were in the habit of engaging bands of professional mourners, who practiced the art of making the most agonizing sounds as expressions of the grief of the real mourners. Part of them also used instruments. Matthew (Mat 9:23) mentions the flute players.
39 And when he was entered in, he saith unto them, Why make ye a tumult, and weep?–Luke (Luk 8:52) says: “Weep not.” His first words are words of comfort, and calculated to arouse expectation. Matthew gives what was probably the preface to this, “Give place,” and Mark, in his vivid way, supplies, “Why make ye a tumult, and weep?” A natural introduction to Luke’s words. “Weep not,” this house is not what you take it for, no funeral procession is to issue from its doors at this time.
the child is not dead, but sleepeth.–Not finally dead. She shall be aroused as one asleep. These words are given substantially by all the synoptics, except that Matthew substitutes “damsel,” and Mark “child,” for the pronoun. It seems hardly credible that these words of Jesus have been made ground by many for the assertion that she was not dead at all, and that this is a case of healing, not of raising from the dead. We do not wonder at those who are possessed of a horror of miracles and desire to get rid of all possible. Jesus used substantially the same words in regard to Lazarus, and did not explain them until the disciples showed they had misunderstood them; then he said, “Lazarus is dead.” Jesus and his apostles and evangelists often speak of death as a sleep. (Joh 11:11-14; Act 7:60; 1Co 15:6; 1Co 15:51; 1Th 4:13.) This is doubtless in view of the certainty of the resurrection or living again, which was clearly a part of the faith once delivered to the saints. If the child was not literally dead and if Jesus had intended to practice a fraud in pretending to raise her from the dead, when he really did not, he would not have said she “is not dead,” but he would have done all in his power to induce them to believe that she was dead. His declaration that she “sleepeth” emphasized the fact in the minds of all present that she was really dead. He did not mean, either, to deny the fact that she was dead, but to emphasize the truth that death is a sleep. The meaning of this passage, then, is the child has not ceased to exist; but though her body is dead, yet her spirit lives, and she sleeps in the hope of resurrection.
40 And they laughed him to scorn.–The idea that she was not dead was absurd to them. They knew she was dead, and so they scorned and ridiculed his assertion. They did not understand him. While he said she was not dead, he meant she was as one asleep for a time, and he would awake her. What are we here for? Why this flute playing, why this wailing, if she is not dead? Jesus had not yet seen the damsel, and it seemed to them utterly absurd for him to pronounce judgment against theirs, who had been in contact with the body.
But he, having put them all forth, taketh the father of the child and her mother and them that were with him,–The crowd of noisy mourners and deriders are put out of the house. None were left besides the apostles, the father, the mother, Jesus, and the girl. Peter, James, and John were those with him. (Verse 37.)
and goeth in where the child was.–Jesus had entered the house (verse 39), now he enters the room where the child was. Today, after eighteen hundred years, we hear the echo of that laugh. Still do the mad votaries of the world laugh to scorn him who talks of the resurrection and the future.
41 And taking the child by the hand,–This was not necessary to the miracle, but for the good of those present. Their impression was thus deepened, and the faith of the parents strengthened.
he saith unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, Arise.–Our historian gives the interpretation of Talitha cumi. These are words from the language of the people of Palestine, and Mark tells us what they mean. This was the form of Hebrew then used by the common people. She heard and obeyed. Thus shall he with equal ease call forth myriads of his, who now seem perished in the dust: and it may be said with regard to them also, in reference to that day, they are not dead but sleep. The maiden of whom we here read arose only toadying life; a life which needed the support of food, and was in no respect more noble, or more secure, than that of other mortals: hut we look for a better resurrection, in which all the infirmities of the body shall be left behind in the grave; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying.
42 And straightway the damsel rose up, and walked;–Points out the fact that she was alive and in perfect health.
It shows the completeness of the cure, without a long period of convalescence. Luke (Luake 8:55) says: “Her spirit returned, and she rose up immediately.” The spirit that had left the body a lifeless corpse returned, warmed the body, animation was restored, and she lived again. At death, “the dust returneth to the earth as it was, and the spirit returneth unto God who gave it.” (Ecc 12:7.) The spirit–the soul–the inner man–the better part comes from God at the beginning of life and returns to him at death. The word “returneth” shows the spirit had come from God at the beginning of her existence. She died and the spirit went back to the giver. When she was made alive, her spirit came back from God and entered into her body again.
for she was twelve years old. And they were amazed straightway with a great amazement.–Reason why, on being made alive, she immediately rose and walked. She was of suitable age. The great amazement of the witnesses shows that they regarded the child as really raised from the dead. The people were filled with astonishment now more than they were with ridicule a short while ago.
43 And he charged them much that no man should know this:–[Her parents were astonished at what had been done, but he commanded that they should not tell what he had done to the damsel. Why Jesus prohibited this being told on several occasions is by no means certain, but it is probable it was that the crowd might not be induced to follow him through idle curiosity to see the wonders he performed. Jesus is recorded as having raised this damsel, the son of the widow of Nain, and Lazarus, who had already been four days in the grave.]
and he commanded that something should be given her to eat.–Jesus had raised her by extraordinary power, but he willed that she should be sustained by ordinary means. He also in this gave full evidence that she was really restored to life and health. The changes were great, sudden, and certain. There could be no illusion. So when our Savior had risen from the dead, he gave evidence of his own resurrection, by eating with his disciples. The wonder-working power of Jesus has no limitations.
The quickening to life again in itself could not, of course, be kept back secret (see on the contrary Mat 9:26), but probably the more detailed circumstances of the way of its accomplishment might. There is nothing said of the good spiritual results which accrued to this ruler and his family from the death and resurrection of his daughter, but it all would be well calculated to produce for them a rich harvest of good. The simplest and most natural use of sorrow is to lead us to the God of all comfort. Jairus came to Christ because of trouble. Pleasures brighten as they vanish. The only daughter doubly dear as her spirit was departing. We are not conscious of the strength of our attachments until they are about to be severed. An open chasm must yawn before us ere we can realize our need. To Christ we should come at all times; to him only can we go for solid comfort in times of deep distress. Our Lord here, and in the other restorations of the dead to life, gives us examples of the soul’s existence after the death of the body, and apart from the body. He proves that the soul does not die with the body by facts, not merely assertions. These miracles prepare us to accept the fact of his resurrection, on which depends the truth of the gospel and the proof of his messiahship. If Jesus can raise others from the dead, there is nothing incredible in his own resurrection, and the immortal life it proves. Jesus is still the resurrection and the life. Our dear ones are raised again by him to a life as much more than the life here, as a plant in full bloom is more glorious than the seed from which it sprang.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
there came: Luk 8:49
thy daughter: Joh 5:25, Joh 11:25
why: Luk 7:6, Luk 7:7, Joh 11:21, Joh 11:32, Joh 11:39
the Master: Mar 10:17, Mat 26:18, Joh 11:28
Reciprocal: Psa 78:41 – limited Psa 88:10 – Wilt thou Mat 9:23 – into Mar 10:48 – many Joh 4:49 – come Act 18:8 – the chief Rom 4:18 – against
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Chapter 34.
The Raising of Jairus’ Daughter
And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto Him and He was nigh unto the sea. And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw Him, he fell at His feet. And besought Him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay Thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live. And Jesus went with him; and much people followed Him, and thronged Him… While He yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He saith unto 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. And He took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment. And He charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.-Mar 5:21-24, Mar 5:35-43.
Having dealt with the healing of the woman with the issue of blood, we can consider the story of Jairus’ daughter as a whole, from the moment her father came to Jesus with his prayer for help, to that glad moment when the little one was restored sound and well to her parents’ arms.
The Father
Of Jairus we know nothing beyond what the Evangelists tell us in connexion with this incident. They all make a point of emphasizing his position. “He was a ruler,” says Matthew. “He was a ruler of the synagogue,” say Mark and Luke. Perhaps Jairus’ social and ecclesiastical position is thus emphasized, because it was not many of his class and rank who sought the help of Jesus. It was amongst the poor and the outcast that Christ found the majority of His hearers and friends. “Not many mighty, not many noble, are called” (1Co 1:26). If Scribes and Pharisees were to be found in Christ’s congregations, they usually came, not as suppliants, but as critics. It was an unusual thing, it was an unprecedented thing, to see one so high in official and ecclesiastical position as Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, falling down at the feet of Christ.
-His Difficulties.
I can quite believe that it cost Jairus a good deal to make this public appeal to Jesus. “How hardly,” said our Lord-“with what difficulty”-“shall they that have riches enter into the Kingdom of God!” (Mar 10:23). It is always harder for the man who is rich in this world’s goods, who is high in this world’s place, to enter in by the strait gate, than it is for those who are poor and of lowly station. It was more difficult for Jairus to seek Christ’s help than it was for the blind beggars and palsied persons upon whom He lavished His healing grace, or even for this Gentile woman, whose story is embedded in the heart of the Jairus narrative. Jairus had more to give up. He had more to face. He had to humble himself. Jairus was one of the chief men, if not the chief man, of the town, while Jesus was, in the public eye, only a carpenter from Nazareth; then, all Jairus’ friends and colleagues, the Scribes and Pharisees of Capernaum, had already taken up an attitude of hostility towards Him, and therefore to seek His help meant to challenge their hatred and contempt. It is easy to realise how much it must have cost Jairus to fall at Jesus’ feet and beg His aid. How hardly shall they that have riches or place or station enter the Kingdom of God.
-Difficulties Overcome.
Yes, it is hard, it is terribly hard, but, thank God, not impossible. It was hard for Jairus, but not impossible. His own ecclesiastical position, and his friendship with the Scribes and Pharisees of Capernaum, were tremendous obstacles in his way. Nevertheless, he went. “There cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and seeing Him, he falleth at His feet” (Mar 5:22, R.V.).
A Triumph of Grace.
What a triumph of God’s grace, what a revelation of God’s power is this 1 We speak sometimes as if the final and capital revelations of God’s power were to be found in the saving of the poor and the fallen and the degraded; but if I understand our Lord’s teaching at all rightly, we are rather to see the final evidence of His power in the salvation of those who are rich, and increased with goods, and whose worldly station is high and splendid. It was a greater triumph of grace to save a Joseph of Arimatha, or a Nicodemus than it was to save the woman who was a sinner; it was a greater victory to save this ruler of the synagogue than it was to rescue the dying thief. “How hardly!” yes, but even to that hard task the grace of God is equal. He can break down the barriers in every man’s path. He gathers His saints out of every rank and station. He can save kings as well as beggars; princes as well as peasants. He can save to the very uttermost those-whatever their rank or means-who come to God through him.
Had our Lord and Jairus met before?
The narrative contains a hint of a previous meeting. I turn to St Luke vii., and find that, at an earlier stage in our Lord’s history, certain elders of the Jews came to Jesus, begging his help on behalf of a centurion who had built them a synagogue, and who had a very dear servant sick, and at the point of death. Jairus may have been, and in all probability was one of the deputation that pleaded the centurion’s cause that day. At any rate, he must have been cognizant of that mission. And the memory of what happened then-our Lord’s ready response to the appeal for His help, and the proof of His power in the healing of the centurion’s servant-may all have come back to him now, in his own hour of need, and impelled him to beg Christ to come to the help of his little daughter, who was also at the very point of death.
Love Overcoming Pride.
What enabled Jairus to act as he did? Love. Dr. Maclaren has a great sermon on Naaman’s refusal to wash himself in Jordan-to do such a simple and paltry thing for his own healing-entitled, “Pride overcoming want.” If I had to find a heading for this paragraph, which shows us this proud ruler of the synagogue falling down at Jesus’ feet, I think I should suggest this one, “Love overcoming Pride.” Pride and Love both tugged at the heart of Jairus that day: pride in his position, and love for his child. Pride whispered, “Don’t demean yourself. Think what your friends will say.” Love whispered, “Your little daughter is at the point of death.” It was a battle royal between these two mightiest forces in the human soul-pride and love. But a look at his little daughter’s face, with the pallor of approaching death spreading over it; the sight of her little frame shaken by her gaspings for breath; the thought of what his home would be if his little daughter, the light of his eyes, his only child, were taken away-that settled it. Love triumphed, and, throwing his pride to the winds, this man, this personage in Capernaum, made his way into the midst of the crowd of “common people,” of publicans and sinners who surrounded Christ, and before the eyes of them all flung himself at the feet of Christ, sobbing out his prayer. In the Greek you can almost hear his sobs, in his broken phrases. “My little daughter is in extremity-that Thou come and lay Thy hands on her-that she may be saved, and live.”
Jairus’ Prayer.
The Prayer of Love.
Now what shall we say about this prayer of Jairus? It is a good prayer, says Dr. Glover. It does not show, perhaps, the magnificent faith of the centurion whose cause Jairus had pleaded some weeks before. Still, it is a good prayer, a proper prayer. First of all, you can feel love throbbing and thrilling through it. “My little daughter,” he sobs; and the term used is a fond diminutive, a term of endearment. What a world of pity and pathos there is in that appeal! It was love-the bleeding love of a parent’s heart-that brought Jairus to Jesus!
The Power of Love.
How often a similar cause has sent men to seek Christ’s help! That was what brought the man about whom we read in the ninth chapter of this Gospel to Jesus. “Master,” he cried, “I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit…. If thou canst do anything, have compassion on us, and help us” (Mar 9:17, Mar 9:22). That was what brought the Canaanitish woman to Jesus, of whom we read in Mat 15:22. “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Thou Son of David,” she cried; “my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.” That is what has brought many a man and woman since their day! I have myself known many a father and many a mother driven to seek Christ’s help by the power of love for their child. Perhaps they had not given a thought to Christ in their days of prosperity and ease, but when trouble threatened, when a little child lay sick, they went, like Jairus, to Jesus with the cry, “My little daughter is at the point of death.” And the cry of love is one Jesus never disregards. God is love. And though perhaps He may not answer the prayer of love exactly as love asks, He will surely come to the succour of every heart that calls for Him. “My little daughter,” sobbed Jairus. “And Jesus went with him.” That was our Lord’s practical response.
The Prayer of Faith.
Again, in this prayer I see faith. Jairus remembered what Jesus had done for the centurion’s servant, and he argued that He could do as much for his little child. And so there is no suggestion of doubt or hesitancy in his prayer. He believed that Jesus had only to come down and lay His hands on her, and she should be saved from the grave, and live. “According to your faith be it unto you” (Mat 9:29), said Jesus. He could do none of His mighty works in Nazareth because of their unbelief. He could not answer the prayer of the father of the demoniac lad for his child so long as there was an if in his petitions. But this prayer of Jairus He was able promptly and swiftly to answer. “I pray Thee,” he said, “that Thou come and lay Thy hands on her, that she may be made whole, and live” (Mar 5:23, R.V.). And faith won the answer. Straightway Jesus went with him.
The Delay of Jesus.
I can imagine that a great hope sprang up in Jairus’ heart when Jesus bent His steps towards his house, but “hope deferred,” we say, “maketh the heart sick.” And with Jairus it was a case of “hope deferred.” When he left home his little daughter was in extremity. Unless succour came soon, it would be too late. If ever there was an urgent errand, it was the errand on which Jairus came. If ever there was need for haste, there was need for the Healer to hasten, if He wanted to snatch the little girl from the jaws of death. But instead of haste there came stoppage and delay. For on His way to the house Jesus was arrested by the action of the woman with the issue of blood. I do not know how long the incident took, but to Jairus the minutes must have seemed ages. For his little daughter was at the point of death, and Jairus seems never to have thought that the power of Christ reached not only up to death, but beyond it. Time was to him of the essence of the case. Unless they hurried, they would be too late. Yet, instead of hurrying, Christ stopped-stopped until, as Jairus thought, He placed the recovery of his little child beyond hope. For, just as the Lord was giving His benediction to the woman, a messenger came from Jairus’ house with the heart-breaking news that all was over, that his little daughter was dead, and that there was no need to trouble the Master any further.
The Discipline of His Delays.
I wonder did hard thoughts about Jesus rise up in Jairus’ heart? I wonder did he reproach Him for the delay? I should not be at all surprised if that were so. Christ’s delays are puzzling and perplexing oftentimes. We raise an urgent cry to Him, and instead of hasting to our help, He tarries.
“Master,” was the message the sisters of Lazarus sent to Him, “he whom, Thou lovest is sick” (Joh 11:3). And He abode still in the place where He was two days. What bitter thoughts may have filled the sisters’ minds during those days of delay! “Lord,” they said to Him when He came at length, two days too late, “if Thou hadst been here, our brother had not died.” Similar thoughts may have risen up in the heart of Jairus. “If he had not stayed to discover and talk with the woman, He might have been in time to heal and save my child.” But Jesus knew the temptation, and, turning to the broken-hearted father, said, “Fear not, only believe” (Mar 5:36).
The Call for Faith.
“Fear not, only believe!” So simple are the words! So hard and difficult is the lesson they inculcate! “Fear not,” He said to Jairus, when all Jairus’ worst fears had been confirmed. “Only believe,” He said, when there seemed to be no longer any room for faith or hope. And He speaks the same word to us, in our dark and troubled days; in the days when sorrows threaten us, and all our hopes seem thwarted and broken; in the days when our prayers seem to go unanswered, and Heaven seems deaf to our appeal. “Fear not, only believe.” For in spite of all apparent silence and neglect, God never forgets. In spite of seeming delay, no prayer goes unanswered. “Fear not, only believe.” Stick to your faith in God. Even though He slay you, continue to trust in Him, and your righteousness shall come forth as brightness, and your salvation as a lamp that burneth. The discipline of delay is hard to bear. But the delay is not due to the fact that God grudges to bless; it is because He has other and better blessings in store for us than those for which we ask. “Only believe,” He said to Jairus, when his last hope seemed shattered. And was not Jairus’ faith justified? Was it not worth while to believe? Was not his child, raised and restored, the justification of this appeal? And so, if in our darkest days we still hold to our trust, we too shall one day be gloriously justified. “I waited patiently for the Lord”-it is not easy to wait patiently-“and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God” (Psa 40:1-3).
Christ’s View of Death.
And so they pursued their way to Jairus’ house-and who shall say what thoughts filled the father’s desolate heart? Arrived there, Jesus hushed the hired wailers, who were already making the house resound with their shrill lamentations. “Why make ye a tumult, and weep? the child is not dead, but sleepeth” (Mar 5:39, R.V.). The mourners, with their false and narrow literalism, thought that Jesus was doubting the reality of the child’s death, and they laughed Him to scorn. But Jesus was not doubting the reality of the child’s death. He was giving His view of death. What was death to Jesus? A sleep. “Our friend Lazarus sleepeth,” He said; “but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep” (Joh 11:11). Jesus never talked of death. In His view “all live unto God.” That was all that death meant to Him-a going to sleep, a closing of the eyes upon this world, to open them upon a better world and a fairer morning. “She is not dead, but sleepeth.” Is there then no such thing as “death”? Yes, there is. “The wages of sin is death” (Rom 6:23). “The sting of death is sin” (1Co 15:56). Jesus knew what death was, for He Himself bore our sins. He submitted to all the shame and curse and horror of it. In a sense, Jesus is the only one Who knows fully what “death” means. He tasted death for every man. But, in a measure, every man, with sin on his soul and haunted by the fears sin always brings, knows what death means. But the Christian does not die, he falls on sleep. Stephen, “when he had said this, fell asleep” (Act 7:60). The very place where the dust of the believer lies is no longer a graveyard, but a cemetery-a sleeping-place.
Christ’s Lordship over Death.
A sleep implies a waking. “The damsel is not dead,” Jesus said, “but sleepeth.” And He proceeded to show that the little one was not beyond the reach of His voice. For, taking her by the hand, He said, “Little lamb, Arise.” “And straightway the damsel rose up, and walked” (Mar 5:42, R.V.). “Little lamb, Arise.” How beautiful and tender! This is a revelation of the mother-heart of Jesus, says one commentator. Yes, it is that. But it is much more. It is a revelation of the lordship of Jesus. We want a mother-heart. But we want more. For what can the mother-heart do in the face of grim death? The mother-heart is powerless; the mother-heart cannot save or redeem. The mother-heart breaks, as it sees death marching on its remorseless way. But there is more than mother-heart here. There is infinite Power. Here is One Who made even death unclutch his bony fingers. Is death the strong man who despoils our homes and goods? Here is One stronger than the strong. Here is One Who takes death and captivity captive. Here is One Who can redeem from the power of death and the grave. “The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death” (1Co 15:26), says the Apostle. He has been destroyed. What Jesus did for Jairus’ daughter He will do for us all. “Death hath no more dominion over us.” “O death, where is thy sting?” “O grave, where is thy victory?” (1Co 15:55). “I am the Resurrection, and the Life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die” (Joh 11:25-26).
Fuente: The Gospel According to St. Mark: A Devotional Commentary
5
One miracle is no harder to perform than another but these people thought there was a difference. There are some things the Lord cannot do because they are not right, but no miracle is impossible merely because it is too hard.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
A GREAT miracle is recorded in these verses. A dead girl is restored to life. Mighty as the “King of terrors” is, there is One mightier than he. The keys of death are in our Lord Jesus Christ’s hands. He will one day “swallow up death in victory.” (Isa 25:8.)
Let us learn from these verses, that rank places no man beyond the reach of sorrow. Jairus was a “ruler;” yet sickness and trouble came to his house. Jairus probably had wealth, and all the medical help that wealth can command; yet money could not keep death away from his child. The daughters of rulers are liable to sickness, as well as the daughters of poor men. The daughters of rulers must die.
It is good for us all to remember this. We are too apt to forget it. We often think and talk as if the possession of riches was the great antidote to sorrow, and as if money could secure us against sickness and death. But it is the very extreme of blindness to think so. We have only to look around us and see a hundred proofs to the contrary. Death comes to halls and palaces, as well as to cottages-to landlords as well as to tenants-to rich as well as to poor. It stands on no ceremony. It tarries no man’s leisure or convenience. It will not be kept out by locks and bars. “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” (Heb 9:27.) All are going to one place, the grave.
We may be sure there is far more equality in the portions appointed to men than at first sight appears. Sickness is a great leveler. It makes no distinction. Heaven is the only place where “the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick.” (Isa 33:24.) Happy are they who set their affections on things above! They, and they only, have a treasure which is incorruptible. Yet a little while, and they will be where they shall hear no more evil tidings. All tears shall be wiped from their faces. They shall put on mourning no more. Never again shall they hear those sorrowful words, “thy daughter-thy son-thy wife-thy husband-is dead.” The former things will have passed away.
Let us learn, for another thing, how almighty is the power of our Lord Jesus Christ. That message which pierced the ruler’s heart, telling him that his child was dead, did not stop our Lord for a moment. At once he cheered the father’s fainting spirits with these gracious words, “be not afraid, only believe.” He comes to the house where many are weeping and wailing, and enters the room where the damsel is lying. He takes her by the hand, and says, “Damsel, I say unto thee Arise.” At once the heart begins to beat again, and the breath returns to the lifeless body. “The damsel arose and walked.” No wonder that we read the words, “they were astonished with a great astonishment.”
Let us think for a moment how wonderful was the change which took place in that house. From weeping to rejoicing-from mourning to congratulation-from death to life-how great and marvelous must have been the transition! They only can tell that, who have seen death face to face, and had the light of their households quenched, and felt the iron entering into their own souls. They, and they only, can conceive what the family of Jairus must have felt, when they saw their beloved one given back once more into their bosom by the power of Christ. There must have been a happy family gathering that night!
Let us see in this glorious miracle a proof of what Jesus can do for dead souls. He can raise our children from the death of trespasses and sins, and make them walk before Him in newness of life. He can take our sons and daughters by the hand, and say to them, “arise,” and bid them live not to themselves, but to Him that died for them and rose again. Have we a dead soul in our family? Let us call on the Lord to come and quicken him. (Eph 2:1.) Let us send to Him message after message, and entreat Him to help. He that came to the succor of Jairus is still plenteous in mercy, and mighty in power.
Finally, let us see in this miracle a blessed pledge of what our Lord will do in the day of His second appearing. He will call His believing people from their graves. He will give them a better, more glorious, and more beautiful body, than they had in the days of their pilgrimage. He will gather together His elect from north, and south, and east, and west, to part no more, and die no more. Believing parents shall once more see believing children. Believing husbands shall once more see believing wives. Let us beware of sorrowing like those who have no hope, over friends who fall asleep in Christ. The youngest and loveliest believer can never die before the right time. Let us look forward. There is a glorious resurrection morning yet to come. “Them which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him.” (1Th 4:14.) Those words shall one day receive a complete fulfillment, “I will ransom them from the power of the grave: I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues: O grave, I will be thy destruction.” (Hos 13:14.) He that raised the daughter of Jairus still lives. When He gathers His flock around Him at the last day, not one lamb shall be found missing.
Fuente: Ryle’s Expository Thoughts on the Gospels
Mar 5:35. Why troublest thou the master (Greek: teacher) any further? The underlying thought is: the case is now beyond the help of Jesus, who might have cured, but cannot raise her. The language is kind, and indicates faith.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Observe here, 1. The doleful news brought to Jairus’s ears, Thy daughter is dead. The Lord doth sometimes suffer the faith of his saints to be hard put to it, greatly assaulted with difficulties and trials.
Observe, 2. Our Saviour’s seasonable word of comfort, Be not afraid, only believe. Christ is ready to comfort believers in the hour of their strongest temptations and greatest trials.
Observe, 3. Christ’s application of himself to the raising unto life Jairus’s dead daughter.
In order to which, 1. He goes into the house only with three of his disciples, which were sufficient to witness the truth of the miracle. Our Saviour, to avoid all show of vain-glory, and to evidence that he sought not ambitiously his own honour and praise, would not work this great miracle publicly before all the people.
2. He rebukes them for the show they make of immoderate grief and sorrow for the dead damsel: they wept and wailed greatly, with minstrels and musical instruments according to the custom of the heathens, who by a mournful sort of music did stir up the passion of grief at their funerals. To mourn immoderately for the dead is an heathenish practice and custom. It is hurtful to the living, and dishonourable to the dead; nor is it an argument of more love, but an evidence of less grace.
3. He adds a reason for this rebuke and reproof given them; The damsel is not dead but sleepeth. Vobis mortua, mihi dormit: “She is dead to you, but asleep to me;” not so dead as to be beyond my power to raise her to life. Souls departed are under the conduct of angels to their several regions of bliss or misery. It is very probable that the soul of this damsel was under the guard of angels, near her dead body, waiting the pleasure of God in order to its disposal, either to restore it again to the body, or to translate it to its eternal mansion.
Observe farther, The nature of death in general, and that of the saints in particular, described; it is a sleep. Sleep is a state of rest; sleep is a sudden surprisal; in sleep there is an insensible passage of our time; the person sleeping shall certainly awake, either in this world, or in the next. It will be our wisdom to prepare for the bed of the grave, and so to live, that when we lie down in it, there may be nothing to disturb our rest.
Observe next, The words which our Saviour used at the raising of the damsel, Talitha-cumi, Syriac words, to show the truth of the miracle, not like a conjurer, muttering a charm in unknown words to himself; and also to show the greatness of the miracle, that he was able to raise her by a word speaking.
Observe lastly, The charge given by our Saviour not to divulge this miracle: He charged them straitly that none should know it. That is, not to divulge it imprudently to such of the scribes and Pharisees as would not be convinced by it, but only cavil at it, and be the more enraged against him, and seek his death before his time was come. Also not to divulge it unseasonably, and all at once, but gradually, and by degrees: for it was the will of God that the divine glory of Christ should not be manifested to the world all at once, and on the sudden, but by little and little, during his state of humiliation; for his resurrection was the time appointed for the full manifestation of his Godhead. Declared to be the Son of God with power, by the resurrection from the dead.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Verse 35
Jesus had hitherto performed no greater miracle than to heal the diseases of the living. They supposed, therefore, that the death of the patient removed her from his power.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
35 While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house certain which said Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? 36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. 37 And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. 38 And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them thatwept and wailed greatly. 39 And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. 40 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. 41 And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. 42 And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment. 43 And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.
“Why troublest thou the Master any further?” was the question posed by the one coming from the man’s house to tell him that the daughter was dead. First off, this seems to be a rather abrupt way of telling the man his little girl was dead. Please give thought to how you tell of the death of a relative.
I stopped to visit my brother that was working on a Mercy ship years ago. As my wife and I walked down the wharf two fishermen stopped me and said “If yer goin down to see that big fat guy don’t bother he dropped dead this morning.” This was comment somewhat akin to that of the person coming from the ruler’s home.
Christ responds immediately, “As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.” Christ knew of the pain that had most surely have gripped the man’s life and He told him immediately not to be afraid but to believe. Again, we see that compassion that we have mentioned before. Christ knew the emotions of the man and wanted to calm him and relieve his pain.
A few questions come to mind from this passage.
1. Why was the girl’s age given?
2. Why did Christ tell them to give her something to eat?
3. Why did He tell them she was asleep? Did He know this for a fact or was He just covering what He knew He was going to do?
Since God does not lie, it should be assumed that He knew that she was only sleeping or unconscious.
Being a diabetic, it crossed my mind that number two and three might be related – she may have been having blood sugar problems thus the Lord’s command to feed her. I would not presume to place this interpretation upon the situation, but it fits well. Constable suggests that the command to feed was related to showing that Christ had raised here to normal physical life, rather than to the after death life that we will enjoy one day. This is a forced interpretation in that there is little teaching in the Word about the after life at this point in revelation, unless of course this is one of the first comments on same.
The age might have significance or it may not. It was to mark the fact that she could and wasable to walk or of age to have that ability, but if there is more significance it is not clear for us.
Constable observed “Perhaps Mark mentioned the girl’s age because she was 12 and the woman whom Jesus had just healed had suffered with her affliction for 12 years (v. 25). The woman had begun living when she should have died from her incurable condition. The girl had died just when she should have begun living as a young woman. Jesus could and did deliver from both deaths.”
Again we see the Lord telling the people not to tell anyone of what had happened. Another question seems to arise out of His comments. Why did He just tell the ex-demoniac to go and tell, while telling these folks not to tell?
It must relate to the location. Christ again is back in Jewish territory not the gentile area where the demoniac lived. He is not wanting for any further attention in the Jewish territories.
Just a moment of application relating to this ruler and his relationship to Christ. Christ told him not to be afraid, but only to believe. Easy for Him to say when it isn’t His daughter that is laying dead might be the conclusion.
Note that some strain to tell us that we only have to believe and be saved, and I am sure this could well be one of their proof texts, but note also that believe is in opposition to be not afraid. Believe or faith is always in the context of two opposing issues. Disbelief/belief, no faith/faith etc. seems to be the context. Here we have a man afraid due to his daughters “death” being told DO NOT BE AFRAID BUT BELIEVE. Again the two fold issue. Belief would mean that the man was exchanging belief for fear – a turning from one to another.
In salvation believe is the statement, but it is always in contrast to the lost condition of the person. They must realize their lostness AS WELL as move from that adherence to lostness to adherence to faith in Christ. Repentance is the other word that has not been used thus far. Repentance is a changing of mind about something. In the lost person there must be a change of mind from Satan’s realm to Christ’s – repentance.
Now back to the woman who had been ill for twelve years. First just imagine twelve years of living with a malady. It is easy to feel sorry for such a woman when reading of her plight, but we ought to think of the people in our churches that we talk to every week. How about those that are living with such items of physical malady. Many people live with things like this for years upon end. We should be attuned to such ongoing problems that other people have.
In the workplace how often do we think of such things? Things like planning a going away for a man with diabetes and having everyone bring cookies and cake. How about the potluck. Do we try to plan for nutritious meals, or the fun junky stuff that we often see. Again, the desserts. Do we think of all the diabetics? Do we season the food with heavy salt for the heart patient that shouldn’t have salt. Are our beverages healthy for the church folks? Full of sugar, or void of caffeine for those that should not have it for their health’s sake?How do we make plans for those with ongoing physical problems? Do we offer to assist those with problems that keep them from doing all that they should or that they want to do? How about a workday for the old folks homes – take a crew in and do painting and repairing for those old timers that can’t get around to such activities.
We will not take doctors on at this point but there is a valid application to Christian doctors. Are you as tuned into your profession as you ought? Are you in it for the money or for the helping of others? This woman “SUFFERED MANY THINGS OF MANY PHYSICIANS.” I could tell you modern day versions of such things but we will not belabor the point. Well maybe a little. The dentist that pulled two of my teeth before deciding to fix the one that was hurting. The dentist that worked on my lower jaw four hours even though he could not deaden it. The doctor that …….. I trust doctors and dentists that call Christ their Lord will be doing the very best that they can to assist those that come to them for help.
The application could well go to all professions and jobs that a Christian might find themselves employed in. God is really your employer, so serve Him well!
One must wonder how well Mark knew this woman as he continues “and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse.” The doctors had taken all that she had and she was growing worse. Now if that is not a cry for social medicine from the time of the Lord; a good liberal would not know what to do with one better. This is the stuff that liberals live and breathe. Okay enough social commentary.
Mark must have known the woman to know these details or possibly the Lord had more of a conversation with her than is recorded. She most likely was at the end of her options and was trying the last possible thing she could try.
Fuente: Mr. D’s Notes on Selected New Testament Books by Stanley Derickson
If the disciples had been impatient (Mar 5:31), how much more so must Jairus have been. How his heart must have broken when word reached him that his daughter had died. The people who reported the death of Jairus’ daughter regarded Jesus as simply a teacher or rabbi. They believed He could only help the living.
"There is no hint of anyone taking it amiss that Jesus did not proceed as fast as He could to Jairus’ house; or that He could have dealt with the haemorrhage [sic] after the more serious case of the child at death’s door. . . . It is quite Palestinian still to do the things that need doing at the psychological juncture." [Note: Eric F. F. Bishop, Jesus of Palestine, p. 137.]