Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 9:24
He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.
24. is not dead, but sleepeth ] These words are reported without variation by the three Synoptists; it is open to question whether they ought not to be taken literally. The word for sleepeth ( ) does not bear the metaphorical force of ; and the statement of Jesus is very explicit.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 24. The maid is not dead, but sleepeth] That is, she is not dead so as to continue under the power of death; but shall be raised from it as a, person is from natural sleep.
They laughed him to scorn.] , they ridiculed him; from , intensive, and , I laugh: – they grinned a ghastly smile, expressive of the contempt they felt for his person and knowledge. People of the world generally ridicule those truths which they neither comprehend nor love, and deride those who publish them; but a faithful minister of God, (copying the example of Christ,) keeps on his way, and does the work of his Lord and Master.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Mark saith, Mar 5:39,40, 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 mother, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying. Luke saith, Luk 8:51-53, When he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, ( that is, into the chamber where the dead body lay), save Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the maiden. And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead. The history is plain: when Christ came into the house, there was a mixed noise of fiddlers or pipers, and mourners. Christ coming in, with Peter, James, and John, asked them what they made such ado for? The maid was not dead, but asleep. They apprehending that she was dead, mocked him. He desires to go into the chamber where the corpse lay; but would suffer none but Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the maid, to go in with him; the reason appeareth afterward, because he did not desire that this miracle should be presently published. The only question is, in what sense our Saviour saith, she is not dead, but sleepeth; whereas they knew she was dead.
1. Some think our Saviour speaketh ambiguously, for death is in Scripture often called a sleep, 1Ki 14:20; Joh 11:11; Act 7:60; 1Co 15:6 with respect to the resurrection.
2. Others think that our Saviour speaks ironically, knowing that some of them would so diminish the miracle, to calumniate him, or abate his reputation. But it is a better answer to say that he speaks with reference to their opinion; she is not dead in that sense you judge her dead, so as she shall not come to life before the resurrection; she is not so dead but she shall come to life again; as he said to Mary concerning Lazarus, Joh 11:23.
3. Or, to me she is not dead.
4. Or shall we say, as soon as Christ was come into the house, who is the resurrection, and the life, Joh 11:25, her soul again returned into her body, which though to their appearance it was separated from her body, was not yet fixed in its eternal mansion?
In what sense soever he spake it, they judged it ridiculous, and laughed him to scorn.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And he said unto them, give place,…. Depart, be gone; for he put them out of the room, and suffered none to be with him, when he raised her from the dead, but Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the child, who were witnesses enough of this miracle.
For the maid is not dead, but sleepeth: not but that she was really dead; and Christ signifies as much, when he says, she “sleepeth”; a phrase that is often used in e Talmudic writings, for one that is dead: but Christ’s meaning is, that she was not so dead as the company thought; as always to remain in the state of the dead, and not to be restored to life again: whereas our Lord signifies, it would be seen in a very little time, that she should be raised again, just as a person is awaked out of sleep; so that there was no occasion to make such funeral preparations as they did. The Jews say f of some of their dead, that they are asleep, and not dead: it is said, Isa 26:19 “Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust”.
“These, say they, are they that sleep and die not; and such are they that sleep in Hebron, for they
, “do not die, but sleep”, –the four couples in Hebron (Adam and Eve, c.) they “sleep, but are not dead”.”
And they laughed him to scorn they mocked at his words, and had him in the utmost contempt, as a very weak silly man; taking him either to be a madman, or a fool; knowing that she was really dead, of which they had all the evidence they could have; and having no faith at all in him, and in his power to raise her from the dead.
e T. Hieros. Beracot, fol. 6. 1. Avoda Zara, fol. 42. 3. Bereshit Rabba Parash. 91. fol. 79. 3. f Zohar in Exod. fol. 62. 4.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
1) “He said unto them, Give place:” (elegen anachoreite) “He said, you all get out,” clear the room, give place to and for the Lord to dispel grief through the resurrection of this dead one, 2Co 5:1-11; The presence of the Lord forbids hopeless grief and mourning and wailing, Php_3:20-21.
2) “For the maid is not dead, but sleepeth.” (ou gar apethanen alla katheudei) “Because the girl is not dead, but sleeps,” rests for a little while. Our Lord spoke of death as a sleep, a temporary rest, Joh 11:11-14; Act 20:10. Hired mourners were distasteful to Jesus who dismissed them, literally indicating that they were out of their place, and the maid had no need of them.
3) “And they laughed him to scorn.” (kai kategelon autou) “And they ridiculed him,” made fun, scoffed, derided, and laughed at His statement. They knew she was really dead.
MOURNING FOR THE DEAD
Among the Samoans, “the moment the eye becomes fixed in death, the house becomes a scene of indescribable lamentation and wailing. ‘Oh, my father, why did you not let me die, and you live here still?’ ‘Oh my brother, why have you run away, and left your brother to be trampled upon?’ ‘Oh, my child, had I known you were going to die! Of what use is it for me to survive you? Would that I had died for you!’ These and other doleful cries may be heard two hundred yards from the house; and as you go near, you find that they are accompanied by the most frantic expressions of grief, such as rending the garments, tearing the hair, thumping the face and eyes, burning the body with small piercing fire brands, beating the head with stones till the blood runs, and this they call an ‘offering of blood’ for the dead.”
Turner, Nineteen Years in Polynesia.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
Mat 9:24-25 . The maid, is not to be regarded as being permanently dead, but only as sleeping and certain to come to life again, like one who awakens out of sleep . Thus, from the standpoint of His own purpose , does Jesus clearly and confidently speak of her actual death. “Certus ad miraculum accedit,” Bengel. It is wrong to found upon these words the supposition of a mere apparent death (Paulus, Schleiermacher, Olshausen, Ewald, Schenkel; Weizscker, without being quite decided). See, on the other hand, Joh 11:4 ; Joh 11:11 . This hypothesis is as incompatible with the view of the evangelists as it is inconsistent with a due regard to the character of Jesus. See Krabbe, p. 327 ff. Keim, again, hesitates to accept the idea of an unreal death, yet continues to harbour doubts as to the historical character of the narrative. He thinks that, at least, the firm faith of the president may be accounted for by the later hopes of Christianity, which may have prompted the desire to see, in the risen Christ, the future restorer of the dead already manifesting Himself as such in His earthly ministry, a matter in connection with which the statement in Mat 11:5 and the parallel of Elias and Elisha (1Ki 17:17 ; 2Ki 4:8 ; 2Ki 4:18 . Comp. Strauss) also fall to be considered. Surely, however, a legendary anticipation of this sort would have been far more fertile in such stories! Then, apart even from the raising of Lazarus related by John, we have always (Mat 11:5 ) to show how hazardous it must be to relegate to the region of myths those cases in which Jesus raises the dead, considering what a small number of them is reported.
] Comp. Mat 21:12 . The request to retire ( , Mat 9:24 ) not having been complied with, a thrusting out follows. Mar 1:43 ; Act 9:40 .
Notice in (viz. into the chamber of death) the noble simplicity of the concise narrative.
] See Lobeck, ad Phryn . p. 74; on , Wyttenbach, ad Julian. Or. I. p. 159, Lps.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
24 He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.
Ver. 24. And they laughed him to scorn ] This is daily done by the mad world, quite beside itself in point of salvation. They hear and jeer. God will laugh at their destruction.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
24. ] No inference can be drawn from these words as to the fact of the maiden’s actual death; for our Lord uses equivalent words respecting Lazarus ( Joh 11:11 ). And if it be answered that there He explains the sleep to mean death , we answer, that this explanation is only in consequence of the disciples misunderstanding his words. In both cases the words are most probably used with reference to the speedy awakening which was to follow , as Fritzsche (cited by Trench, Miracles, p. 183): ‘Puellam ne pro mortua habetote, sed dormire existimatote, quippe in vitam mox redituram.’ Luke appends, after . ., , in which words there is at least no recognition by the Evangelist of a mere apparent death.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mat 9:24 . , retire! Hired mourners distasteful to Jesus, who gladly avails Himself of this opportunity of dismissing them. : no need of you yet, for the maid ( , dim. for , but = puella in late Greek) is not dead. A welcome word to naturalistic commentators, giving a plausible basis for the hypothesis of an apparent death or swoon (Schleier., Keim, etc.), not to be taken prosaically as meant to deny death. Yet Carr (C. G. T.) thinks it open to question whether it ought not to be taken literally, and doubtful whether is ever used in a metaphorical sense in the N. T. or elsewhere. The derisive laughter of the crowd ( ) is good evidence to the contrary. : not to be pressed as implying physical force, non vi et manibus, sed voce jussuque (Fritzsche), a tone and manner not to be resisted, the house therefore soon cleared of the noisy crowd.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Give place = Go out [of the room].
maid. Greek. korasion. The same as “damsel” in Mar 6:22, Mar 6:28 : not the same as “damsel” in Mar 5:39 (App-108. IX), which is paidion (App-108. V).
sleepeth. Greek. katheudo. App-171.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
24.] No inference can be drawn from these words as to the fact of the maidens actual death; for our Lord uses equivalent words respecting Lazarus (Joh 11:11). And if it be answered that there He explains the sleep to mean death, we answer, that this explanation is only in consequence of the disciples misunderstanding his words. In both cases the words are most probably used with reference to the speedy awakening which was to follow, as Fritzsche (cited by Trench, Miracles, p. 183): Puellam ne pro mortua habetote, sed dormire existimatote, quippe in vitam mox redituram. Luke appends, after . .,- , in which words there is at least no recognition by the Evangelist of a mere apparent death.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mat 9:24. , depart) That is, you are not needed here. Our Lord proceeds without hesitation[427] to perform the miracle, cf. ch. Mat 14:19.- , for the damsel is not dead) Jesus said this before He entered where she was lying dead. The dead all live to God; see Luk 20:38; and the girl, on account of her revival, which was to take place soon, quickly, surely, and easily, was not to be numbered amongst the dead who shall rise hereafter, but amongst those that sleep.- , they laughed Him to scorn) This very circumstance confirmed the truth of both the death and the miracle. They seem to have feared the loss of their funeral dues.
[427] In the original, certus ad miraculum accedit-a phrase which loses half its force in the translation.-(I. B.)
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Give: 1Ki 17:18-24, Act 9:40, Act 20:10
not: Joh 11:4, Joh 11:11-13
And: Mat 27:39-43, Psa 22:6, Psa 22:7, Isa 49:7, Isa 53:3
Reciprocal: Gen 19:14 – as one Mat 9:18 – My daughter Mat 11:5 – the dead Mar 5:38 – and seeth Mar 5:40 – when
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
NOT DEAD, BUT SLEEPING
The maid is not dead, but sleepeth.
Mat 9:24
We have three great lessons from this history.
I. A lesson against despair.The first is never to believe that we are utterly dead to God and Christ. It is a lesson against despair. Satan and the world are always trying to make us despair. Satan is always telling us that we are spiritually dead The world is always ready to sneer at any attempt at amendment. How are we to escape from these? Where are we to find that which answers to the quiet room where none were present but Christ and the Apostles and the parents? Surely it is in the House of God that we find what answers to all this. Here, in the quiet house of His own Presence.
II. A lesson of hope for all.It is a lesson of hope for priests who mourn over the apparent deadness of those for whom they watch and pray as those who must give account: for it teaches them that there may be life even under the very likeness of death, and that when God wills the hand of Christ may be laid upon the soul, and it will rise to new life and vigour. It teaches them where their true strength lies. The pastors strength lies not in mere fussy activity of his own, but in the power of Christ. How was it that this sick girl came to be healed? Was it not through her fathers persevering in bringing Christ to heal her? Other people told him it was useless. Other people told him he was troubling the Master to no purpose: that the girl was dead and gone, and that the end had come. But the father persevered, and when Christ came His verdict was a different one.
III. A lesson on the power of prayer.It had been Christs Will and purpose to reward the faith of the father who had sought Him out and trusted Him, and thus, though late enough to try the fathers faith, He was not too late to grant the fathers prayer. And so it shall ever be with the prayer of faith. It is prayer which brings Christ Himself to the rescue of the perishing soul.
Illustration
Nature in winter puts on her shroud: the leaves fall, the limbs of the tree become bare, the earth is covered with a mantle of snow. But nature is not dead. By and by, under the warm sun, the snow will melt and the balmy air of spring will make the hedgerows green, and the trees put forth their leaves, and the snowdrops, crocusses, and other flowers will give promise of new life and beauty. The springtime of Nature is a picture of the Resurrection.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
9:24
Not dead but sleepeth. The Bible as well as secular compositions uses both figurative and literal language, and the distinction should always be remembered or confusion may result. I shall quote Webster on the two words: “figurative, 2. Expressing one thing in terms normally denoting another with which it may be regarded as analogous [similar]; as figurative language, sense. Literal, 4. Of senses of words, conveying the primary meaning, opposed to figurative.” With this authentic information we may form a convenient and correct formula as follows: “Figurative language is that based on appearances regardless of the facts; literal language is that based on the facts regardless of appearances.” Jesus used the figurative because when a person is dead he “appears” to be asleep. The people did not recognize the figure but thought he was speaking literally and hence they laughed him to scorn. The last word is not in the original and the statment should merely say that they laughed at him. The same kind of circumstance as to language occurred in the case of Lazarus in Joh 11:11; Joh 11:14, except that Jesus used both figurative and literal language for his disciples.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.
[The maid is not dead, but sleepeth.] It was very ordinary among them to express the death of any one by the word which properly signifies to sleep. When N. slept; that is, when he died; a phrase to be met with hundreds of times in the Talmudists. And this whole company would say, The daughter of Jairus sleeps; that is, she is dead. Therefore it is worthy considering what form of speech Christ here used. The Syriac hath, She is not dead, but asleep.
Fuente: Lightfoot Commentary Gospels
Mat 9:24. Give place. A request for the crowd to retire.
For the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. A direct reference to the miracle, which He was about to perform. She did not die, as others die; but she is as one who sleepeth, for I am about to raise her, as one is wakened from a sleep. The same words were used of Lazarus, in whose case the actual raising from actual death is distinctly affirmed (Joh 11:11; Joh 11:14; Joh 11:44). There is also a deeper and more general meaning; for Christ has, by His own resurrection and His promise to raise believers, declared death to be but a sleep.
And they laughed him to scorn. They laughed Him down, not sharing the fathers faith.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Mat 9:24. He said unto them, Give place Mark, whose narrative is more particular, says, When he was come in, namely, into the house, he said unto them, Why make ye this ado and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. As the company at the rulers house, when Jesus entered it, were employed in making such lamentation for the damsel as they used to make for the dead, it is evident that they all believed she was actually and finally departed: and when Jesus told them she was not dead, he did not mean that her soul was not separated from her body, but that it was not to continue in a state of separation from it; which was the idea the mourners affixed to the word death. His words, it must be observed, were spoken to those who were preparing for her interment, and performing the funeral rites belonging to it, and therefore only intimate that she was not so dead that they needed to make these preparations. He therefore expresses her state by saying that she slept, using the word in a sense somewhat analogous to that which the Jews put upon it when, in speaking of a persons death, they call it sleep, to intimate their belief in his existence and happiness in the other world, together with their hope of his future resurrection to a new life. On this occasion, the phrase was made use of with singular propriety to insinuate that, notwithstanding the maid was really dead, she should not long continue so. Jesus was going to raise her from the dead, and would do it with as much ease as they awaked one that was asleep. And they laughed him to scorn Luke adds, knowing that she was dead; for they had seen all the marks and proofs of death about her. And yet, if they had given themselves time to consider, they might have understood that he spake in this manner to intimate that he was going to raise her from the dead; and the rather, as he had been sent for by her parents to heal her miraculously. But his words were ambiguous, and the mourners naturally took them in the wrong sense. Thus, while Jesus predicted the miracle, to show that it did not happen by accident, he, at the same time, delivered himself in such terms as modestly to avoid the reputation that might have accrued to him from so stupendous a work.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Verse 24
Sleepeth. Our Savior often used language which seemed dark and mysterious until a subsequent event explained it. For example, see Luke 9:45; John 2:19. In this instance, the event showed that he meant by his expression that the extinction of life was not final, but that, as in case of sleep, the lost animation was to be restored. The extraordinary assertion served to call the attention of the company strongly to what he was about to do, and the event immediately explained its meaning.