35 While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue official’s house arrived and said, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?” 36 Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid; just have faith.” 37 He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. 38 When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official, he caught sight of a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 So he went in and said to them, “Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep.” 40 And they ridiculed him. Then he put them all out. He took along the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and entered the room where the child was. 41 He took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!” 42 The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around. [At that] they were utterly astounded. 43 He gave strict orders that no one should know this and said that she should be given something to eat.
When Jesus was asked to leave the Gentile territory of the Gerasenes (Mt. 8:34), he returned to the western shore of the Sea of Galilee and was met by a large crowd that welcomed him including Jairus, an important Synagogue official. Jairus humbled himself before Jesus and asked him to come and heal his daughter who was, “At the point of death” (v. 23). Laying on of hands was a well-known healing ritual in ancient times. To “Get well and live” (v. 23) was understood by early Christians to mean salvation and resurrected life. In verse 23 Mark’s Christian audience would have interpreted Jairus’ plea to mean, “Please come lay your hands on her so that she may be saved and have eternal life.” Jesus left with Jairus followed by the crowd. Jesus stopped and had a dialogue with a woman who was ill and touched his clothes with the faith that she would be cured (vv. 27-28).
While Jesus was speaking with the woman, people from Jairus’ house came and told him that his 12-year-old daughter had died, and he should no longer trouble Jesus. They thought that Jesus the healer could no longer help her. Jesus reassured Jairus saying, “Just have faith” (v. 36), and left for Jairus’ house with only Peter, James, and John (Mk. 9:2; 14:33). How could Jairus have faith after his daughter was already dead? Jesus arrived at Jairus’ house with his inner circle and was ridiculed by the mourners because he said, “The child is not dead but asleep (v. 39).” Jesus described her as being asleep because he was about to restore her to life. The girl’s parents along with the three apostles witnessed the girl being returned to good health by Jesus. It was not a resurrection in the eschatological sense where the girl rose to new life. The girl was restored to her previous life. Jesus ordered those who witnessed the miracle not to tell anyone.
Almighty God, help us to accept your gift of faith and we humbly pray that all we do in your name is for our good and the good of others. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
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