This account is also found in Luke 8:40-56
Mark 5:21-24
Now when Jesus
had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a great multitude gathered to
Him; and He was by the sea. And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue
came, Jairus by name. And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet and begged Him
earnestly, saying, “My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay
Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live.” So Jesus went
with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him.
Jairus - the synagogue leader would have been in charge of the local synagogue in Capernaum. He would have been highly respected amongst the community. He would have been charged with supervising services to the worship of God, maintaining the religious order and teaching the Law. The religious leaders of the day were suspicious of Jesus so Jairus coming to him shows he had some knowledge of Jesus' miracles and the love for his daughter took priority over his religious prejudices.
We don't know what ailed the daughter, but it was bad enough for Jairus to believe she didn't have too long to live. By falling at Jesus' feet, it showed that he had respect and faith in Christ and he knew Jesus was the only One who could heal his daughter of what was ailing her. Did his faith go deeper than just believing in a miraculous healing?
Jesus didn't hesitate and went with him. The multitude came along too and pressed on all sides around Him. On their way to Jairus' house they were held up by another healing - the woman with the issue of blood - click HERE to read Part 2 of this series and verses Mark 5:25-34, which relates the account.
Jairus must have been uneasy having this woman stopping Jesus from going to his house. Being the leader of the synagogue he more than likely knew her - the woman who was unclean, had been a social outcast for twelve years... His daughter was on the point of death, but Jesus had halted to deal with this person who had managed to walk to where Jesus was, but his daughter was in bed, not able to rise up and walk anywhere. What was Jesus thinking?
Mark 5:35-43
While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?”
As soon as
Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue,
“Do not be afraid; only believe.” And He permitted no one to follow Him except
Peter, James, and John the brother of James. Then He came to the house of the
ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly. When
He came in, He said to them, “Why make this commotion and weep? The child is
not dead, but sleeping.”
And they
ridiculed Him. But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the
mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child
was lying. Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, “Talitha,
cumi,” which is translated, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” Immediately the
girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age. And they were overcome
with great amazement. But He commanded them strictly that no one should know
it, and said that something should be given her to eat.
Now comes the testing of Jairus's faith. Some people (maybe servants?) from Jairus's house came to him with the most tragic news - his beloved daughter had died, while her father was looking for healing for her, she was taken from him. Words Jairus' didn't want to hear "Your daughter is dead." Jairus must have been devastated, but he was with Jesus, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe (Colossians 1:16-17). Jesus is the creator of life! Jairus and his wife was going to witness the most amazing miracle of all...
Jesus is the Good Shepherd (Psalm 23, John 10:11), the One who brings comfort, dispels fear and heals the broken hearted (Psalm 147:3) says comforting and gentle words to Jairus "Do not be afraid; only believe." We aren't told why, but Jesus permitted no one to follow except three of His close disciples, Peter, James and his brother John. I expect the young girl would have been overwhelmed by so many people AND Jesus didn't want His full work to be revealed yet.
In the days of Jesus if somebody died, the family would pay for professional mourners which validated the family's grief and loss. It was a public and communal show of mourning for the deceased. With the weeping and wailing it emphasised the seriousness of the occasion. When Jesus went into the house, He asked what the commotion was because the girl wasn't dead, but merely sleeping. The mourning turned to laughter and ridicule. These people had probably witnessed death on so many occasions, they would have probably thought Jesus was a bit mad. This mocking didn't deter Him because He knew the power vested in him could raise Jairus's daughter from the dead. He put them outside and took the father and mother and the three disciples into the girl's room where she was lying.
The Author of life took her by the hand and said the famous words which the translators have kept in this translation of the Bible: "Talitha Cumi" [Aramaic] which means "Little girl, I say to you, arise." Instantly the child arose and walked. We don't know how long she hadn't been able to walk, but adding that detail implies she had been bedridden for quite some time. Her parents, who more than likely had lost all hope, had their hope restored - their precious little girl had been brought back to life, to the One who gives physical and spiritual life. Scripture tells us that they were overcome with great amazement.
Jesus didn't want this to spread, because His work wasn't complete and if the religious leaders found out perhaps they would be all the more bent on having Jesus arrested.
As well as not wanting everyone to know, the Lord who cares for young and old, the weak and strong, told her parents to feed her. After her long illness she would need some nourishment.
Children may not have had value in Jesus's day:
Matthew 19:13-15
Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” And He laid His hands on them and departed from there.
but Jesus values everybody. Each person has a worth and a value to God.
As we saw in the introduction women [and girls] may not have been of value to society, but to our Creator He gives them their value and worth back. What society takes away from God's creative purposes, Jesus Christ gives it back.
Lessons:
Jesus doesn't just heal people, He raises them to new life
Everybody has value and worth to God, it doesn't matter what your social standing is, young, old, rich, poor
He is the Good Shepherd who cares for His sheep
