Jairus’s Daughter
Scripture: Mark 5:35-43 (ESV)
35 While he was still speaking, there
came from the ruler’s house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the
Teacher any further?” 36 But
overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not
fear, only believe.” 37 And
he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of
James. 38 They came
to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people
weeping and wailing loudly. 39 And
when he had entered, he said to them, v“Why
are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping.” 40 And they laughed at
him. But he put them all outside and took the child’s father and mother and
those who were with him and went in where the child was. 41 Taking her by the hand he said to her, “Talitha
cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” 42 And immediately the girl got up and began
walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome
with amazement. 43 And
he strictly charged them that no one should know this and told them to give her
something to eat.
Devotion:
In
today’s passage we see Jesus raising a dead girl back to life. She was the
daughter of the ruler of the synagogue and had died at the tender age of 12.
The ruler (Jairus) had sought Jesus out because he believed he could heal his
daughter whom he thought was just gravely ill. However, when messengers from
the ruler’s house meet him in verse 35, they come bearing the worst news. The
little daughter had died. No reason to trouble the Rabbi Jesus any further.
Jesus,
hearing this bad report from the messengers, tells Jairus not to fear but only believe.
The tense of the Greek verb here means to believe and keep on believing. Jairus
does believe and the result of his faith is the resurrection of his daughter.
When Jesus comes to the ruler’s house, he allows only three disciples plus the
child’s mother and father to come with him to witness the resurrection that was
about to take place. Why only three of the disciples were chose to accompany
Jesus we do not know, but Jesus may have been training these men for their later
role in the church.
When
Jesus first entered the house he was met with the weeping and wailing of the
mourners, some of the professional mourners, bewailing the loss of this little
girl so young. Jesus told them that the little girl would be raised from the dead,
but they did not believe so Jesus had them put outside the house. When peace
and quiet had been restored to the house Jesus set about to raise the child.
Jesus
speaks to the girl in her native tongue of Aramaic. Which Mark translates for
us as “little girl I say to you arise.” These words were not as some
superstitions persons think some magic formula that called the girl back from
the land of the dead, but were ordinary words used everyday in her native
language. Words that the ruler of the synagogue and the disciples would have
been completely familiar with. They are spoken with authority, and they are in
the form of a command.
The
little girl arises at the Lord’s command and begins to walk around. The
astonished and no doubt grateful parents are instructed to give her something
to eat. And in typical fashion for Mark, he records that the parents were
forbidden to tell anyone what they just witnessed. We do not know why Mark
frequently includes this requirement of secrecy, but we only observe that he
consistently does it. Again however, the secret is let out and the good news is
proclaimed. Jesus the mysterious Rabbi from Nazareth has power over death.
Which he will soon show in his own death and resurrection.
Comments
Post a Comment