Jesus was laughed at

JESUS WAS LAUGHED AT
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Luke 8:53 53They laughed at him, knowing that she
was dead.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
COMMENTARIES
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
8:41-56 Let us not complain of a crowd, and a throng, and a hurry, as long as
we are in the way of our duty, and doing good; but otherwise every wise man
will keephimself out of it as much as he can. And many a poor soul is healed,
and helped, and savedby Christ, that is hidden in a crowd, and nobody
notices it. This woman came trembling, yet her faith savedher. There may be
trembling, where yet there is saving faith. Observe Christ's comfortable
words to Jairus, Fearnot, believe only, and thy daughter shall be made whole.
No less hard was it not to grieve for the loss of an only child, than not to fear
the continuance of that grief. But in perfect faith there is no fear; the more we
fear, the less we believe. The hand of Christ's grace goeswith the calls of his
word, to make them effectual. Christ commanded to give her meat. As babes
new born, so those newly raised from sin, desire spiritual food, that they may
grow thereby.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
See this passage explainedin the notes at Matthew 9:18-26, and Mark 5:21-43.

Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
47. declared… before all—This, though a greattrial to the shrinking modesty
of the believing woman, was just what Christ wantedin dragging her forth,
her public testimony to the facts of her case—bothher disease,with her
abortive efforts at a cure, and the instantaneous and perfect relief which her
touch of the GreatHealer had brought her.
Matthew Poole's Commentary
See Poole on"Luke 8:41"
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
And they laughed him to scorn,.... The servants, neighbours, and relations, the
pipers, and mourning women: these, from weeping for the dead, fell to
laughing at Christ, having him and his words in the utmost derision:
knowing that she was dead: some of them having been employed in laying her
out, and all of them having seenher, and were satisfied, and thoroughly
assured, that she was actually dead, as ever any person was, as she doubtless
was;but they were ignorant in what sense Christ meant she was not dead, but
asleep;See Gill on Matthew 9:24. See Gill on Mark 5:39.
Geneva Study Bible
And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Expositor's Greek Testament
Luke 8:53. εἰδότες ὅτι ἀπέθανεν: Lk. is carefulto add this remark to exclude
the idea that it was not a case ofreal death; his aim here, as always, to
magnify the poweras well as the benevolence ofJesus.
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges

53. laughed him to scorn]Literally, “were utterly deriding Him” ‘To laugh to
scorn’is used by Shakespeare,e.g.
“Our castle’s strength
Will laugh a siege to scorn.”
Macbeth, v. 5.
Bengel's Gnomen
Luke 8:53. Εἰδότες knowing)Therefore allof these persons must have
recognisedthe reality of the miracle.
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 53. - They laughed him to scorn. These were, no doubt, the hired
mourners. Familiar as they were with death, they ridiculed the idea of one
whom they knew had passedaway, awaking againas from a sleep. These
public mourners were customary figures in all Jewishhomes, even in the
poorestwhere a death had occurred. They are still usual throughout the
Levant. The expression, "laughedhim to scorn," is found in Shakespeare -
"Our castle's strength
Will laugh a siege to scorn."
(Macbeth,'act 5. sc. 5.) The Aramaic words, Talitha, kumi! "Maid, arise!"
were just homely words, spokenin the language which the little girl was in the
habit of hearing and using. The Master's tendercare for the child was shown
not merely in the choice of the language and the words, but in his loving
thought after her resurrection, for we read how -

STUDYLIGHTRESOURCES
Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible
And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.
Deathis not such an uncommon phenomenon that one must suppose these
people to have been ignorant of it; and there is no support of denying the fact
here stated, exceptthe improvisations of infidelity.
Copyright Statement
James Burton Coffman Commentaries reproduced by permission of Abilene
Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. All other rights reserved.
Bibliography
Coffman, James Burton. "Commentary on Luke 8:53". "Coffman
Commentaries on the Old and New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bcc/luke-8.html. Abilene
Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. 1983-1999.
Return to Jump List return to 'Jump List'

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible
And they laughed him to scorn,.... The servants, neighbours, and relations, the
pipers, and mourning women: these, from weeping for the dead, fell to
laughing at Christ, having him and his words in the utmost derision:
knowing that she was dead: some of them having been employed in laying her
out, and all of them having seenher, and were satisfied, and thoroughly
assured, that she was actually dead, as ever any person was, as she doubtless
was;but they were ignorant in what sense Christ meant she was not dead, but
asleep;See Gill on Matthew 9:24. See Gill on Mark 5:39.
Copyright Statement
The New John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible Modernisedand adapted
for the computer by Larry Pierce of Online Bible. All Rightes Reserved,
Larry Pierce, Winterbourne, Ontario.
A printed copy of this work can be ordered from: The Baptist Standard
Bearer, 1 Iron Oaks Dr, Paris, AR, 72855
Bibliography
Gill, John. "Commentary on Luke 8:53". "The New John Gill Expositionof
the Entire Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/luke-
8.html. 1999.
Robertson's WordPictures in the New Testament

Knowing that she was dead (ειδοτες οτι απετανεν — eidotes hoti apethanen).
That she died (απετανεν — apethanen), secondaoristactive indicative of
αποτνησκω — apothnēskō f0).
Copyright Statement
The Robertson's WordPictures of the New Testament. Copyright �
Broadman Press 1932,33,Renewal1960. All rights reserved. Used by
permission of Broadman Press (Southern BaptistSunday SchoolBoard)
Bibliography
Robertson, A.T. "Commentary on Luke 8:53". "Robertson'sWord Pictures
of the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/rwp/luke-8.html. Broadman
Press 1932,33. Renewal1960.
The Fourfold Gospel
And they laughed him to scorn1, knowing that she was dead.
And they laughed him to scorn. See .
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain and are a derivative of an electronic edition that
is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website. These files
were made available by Mr. Ernie Stefanik. First published online in 1996 at
The RestorationMovementPages.
Bibliography

J. W. McGarveyand Philip Y. Pendleton. "Commentaryon Luke 8:53". "The
Fourfold Gospel". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tfg/luke-
8.html. Standard Publishing Company, Cincinnati, Ohio. 1914.
Greek TestamentCriticalExegeticalCommentary
53.]The maiden was actually dead, as plainly appears from the εἰδότες ὅτι
ἀπέθ. The words οὐκ ἀπ. ἀλ. κ. are no ground for surmising the contrary: see
note on Matthew 9:24.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain.
Text Courtesyof BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
Bibliography
Alford, Henry. "Commentary on Luke 8:53". Greek TestamentCritical
ExegeticalCommentary.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/hac/luke-8.html. 1863-1878.
Johann Albrecht Bengel's Gnomonof the New Testament
Luke 8:53. εἰδότες knowing)Therefore all of these persons must have
recognisedthe reality of the miracle.
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Bengel, JohannAlbrecht. "Commentary on Luke 8:53". Johann Albrecht
Bengel's Gnomonof the New Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jab/luke-8.html. 1897.
Matthew Poole's EnglishAnnotations on the Holy Bible
See Poole on"Luke 8:41"
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Poole, Matthew, "Commentaryon Luke 8:53". Matthew Poole's English
Annotations on the Holy Bible.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/mpc/luke-8.html. 1685.
Cambridge Greek Testamentfor Schools andColleges

53. κατεγέλωναὐτοῦ. Literally, ‘were utterly deriding Him.’ ‘To laugh to
scorn’is used by Shakespeare,e.g.
“Our castle’s strength
Will laugh a siege to scorn.”
Macbeth, Luke 5:5.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
"Commentary on Luke 8:53". "Cambridge Greek TestamentforSchools and
Colleges".https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cgt/luke-8.html.
1896.
PeterPett's Commentary on the Bible
‘And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.’

But all knew that He was wrong. They knew that there was no doubt about
her condition. And they laughed scornfully. Some prophet, this one, they may
have thought.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Pett, Peter. "Commentary on Luke 8:53". "PeterPett's Commentary on the
Bible ". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/pet/luke-8.html. 2013.
Whedon's Commentary on the Bible
53. They laughed him to scorn—It was the crowdof “minstrels and people
making a greatnoise,” and whom Jesus put forth from the room, who
laughed; suddenly changing their hired hypocritical mourning to scorn. Their
scornis expressedat the very idea that she is not dead; thus with Olshausen,
putting the literal constructionon Jesus’s term sleepeth. That the maiden was
actually dead we thus have the testimony of the father, of the messengersto
the father from home, and now in the most intense form of these mercenary
mourners. The scornthey felt at Jesus was excited, doubtless, by the
indications furnished in his word sleepeththat he was about to deprive them
of a profitable job in their trade of professionalhowling.
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Whedon, Daniel. "Commentary on Luke 8:53". "Whedon's Commentary on
the Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/whe/luke-8.html.
1874-1909.
The Expositor's Greek Testament
Luke 8:53. εἰδότες ὅτι ἀπέθανεν: Lk. is carefulto add this remark to exclude
the idea that it was not a case ofreal death; his aim here, as always, to
magnify the poweras well as the benevolence ofJesus.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Nicol, W. Robertson, M.A., L.L.D. "Commentary on Luke 8:53". The
Expositor's Greek Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/egt/luke-8.html. 1897-1910.
E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes
laughed Him to scorn= were deriding Him.

PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
BRUCE HURT MD
Luke 8:50 But when Jesus heardthis, He answeredhim, "Do not be afraid
any longer;only believe, and she will be made well."
KJV But when Jesus heardit, he answeredhim, saying, Fearnot: believe
only, and she shall be made whole.
believe Lk 8:48; Isaiah 50:10;Mark 5:36; 9:23; 11:22-24;John 11:25,40;
Romans 4:17,20 Mk 5:36
Luke 8:49-56 Jesus'Compassionate Power, Part2 - John MacArthur
Luke 8:49-56 - StevenCole
Luke 8 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries
ParallelPassages:
Matthew 9 - no clearparallel
Mk 5:36+ But Jesus, overhearing whatwas being spoken, *saidto the
synagogue official, “Do notbe afraid any longer, only believe.”
STOP FEARING
INSTEAD BELIEVE!

But when Jesus heard this - Mark describes Jesus reactionto the bad news.
Thus Mark 5:36NET has "Jesus, paying no attention to what was said (i.e.,
"Your daughter has died; do not trouble the Teacheranymore.)
Hendriksen comments "With majestic calmness he refuses completelyto lend
an ear to the heralds of doom, the messengers ofdespair. He wants Jairus to
do the same. Jairus is afraid. Now it is not easyto drive out fear. There is only
one way to do it, namely, by firmly believing in the presence, promises, pity,
and powerof God in Christ. It takes the positive to drive out the negative
(Rom. 12:21). Throughout the history of redemption it has ever been thus.
When it seemedthat all was lost, believers placedtheir trust in God and were
delivered (Ps. 22:4; Isa. 26:3, 4; 43:2). This was true with respectto Abraham
(Gen. 22:2; James 2:22), Moses (Exod. 14:10 f.; 32:10, 30-32), David(1 Sam.
17:44-47;Ps. 27), and Jehoshaphat(2 Chron. 20:1, 2, 12), to mention but a
few. When the need was highest help was nighest. This was true also in the
case ofJairus. The word of encouragementwas not in vain. He took it to heart
(Matt. 9:18) and was heard."
Do not be afraid (present imperative with a negative = stop
fearing)(5399)(phobeofrom phobos = fear source of our English "phobia")
means to be in an apprehensive state that can range from mild uneasiness to
stark terror as when one is frightened, terrified or alarmed.
Believe (aoristimperative - command - Start believing! Do this
now!)(4100)(pisteuo)"means to persuade, to cause belief, to induce one to do
something by persuading, and so runs into the meaning of to obey, properly as
the result of persuasion." (Vincent)
John MacArthur - Jesus was not making Jairus’s faith a condition for
resurrecting his daughter, but was encouraging and reassuring him. Although

Jairus had faith that Jesus could resurrect her, his faith was mingled with fear
(cf. Mark 9:24). The Lord exhorted him to stop being afraid and to keep
believing in His promise that his daughter would be made well (cf. Matt.
17:19-20). (The - MacArthur New TestamentCommentary – Luke 6-10)
Kent Hughes - We must not miss the providential arrangementhere. Jairus
came to Jesus with an uninformed, wishful, quasi-belief that Jesus couldheal
his daughter. That belief had been enlightened and elevatedthrough Jesus'
exchange with the woman. But now Christ challengedJairus not merely to
believe in him for a healing but for his daughter's resurrection from the dead!
Did he believe? Certainly! Otherwise he and Jesus and the three disciples
would never have returned to his home and entered the room of his daughter,
where she lay mouth open, eyes half-open, pupils still and dilated, her color
gone. (Preaching the Word – Luke, Volume I: That You May Know the
Truth)
She will be made well (4982)(sozo)has the basic meaning of rescuing one
from greatperil. Additional nuances include to protect, keepalive, preserve
life, deliver, heal, be made whole.
Spurgeon- “If she is actually dead, she shall be raised to life again.” “Believe
only.” What a depth lies in those two words! Believe only! Ah! Lord, it ought
to be the easiestthing in the world to believe thee, for thou art so truthful;
thou keepesteverypromise to us, and yet sometimes whenwe are in the dark,
and when circumstances go contraryto us, it is hard to believe; but is not the
hardness in our own hearts? Believe only! Christian, what is your trouble this
morning, what is your trial? Believe only, and let your humble faith castyour
burdens upon your God. “Believe only, and she shall be made whole.”
Luke 8:51 When He came to the house, He did not allow anyone to enter with
Him, exceptPeterand John and James, and the girl's father and mother.

KJV And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save
Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden.
he suffered 1 Kings 17:19-23;2 Kings 4:4-6,34-36;Isaiah 42:2; Matthew 6:5,6;
Acts 9:40
exceptLk 6:14; 9:28; Mark 5:37-40;14:33
ParallelPassages:
Matthew 9 - no parallel
Mk 5:37+ And He allowedno one to accompanyHim, except Peterand James
and John the brother of James. 38 Theycame to the house of the synagogue
official; and He *saw a commotion, and people loudly weeping and wailing. 39
And entering in, He said to them, “Why make a commotion and weep? The
child has not died, but is asleep.” 40 Theybeganlaughing at Him. But putting
them all out, He took along the child’s father and mother and His own
companions, and *enteredthe room where the child was.
When He came to the house - Matthew adds a detail regarding the noisy state
of affairs at the house - "When Jesus came into the official’s house, and saw
the flute-players and the crowd in noisy disorder (thorubeo = in an uproar,
troubled, distressed, making a commotion, all disturbed)." (Mt 9:23) Mark
says "they came to the house of the synagogue official" (Mk 5:38)

He did not allow anyone to enter with Him, exceptPeterand John and James
- This is the first time Jesus picks out these three, as He would do later at His
Transfiguration(Mk 9:2) and in His agonizing in the Gardenof Gethsemane
(Mk 14:33). Mark 5:37 says "And He allowedno one to accompanyHim,
exceptPeter and James and John the brother of James."
And the girl's father and mother - Luke alone has this detail that the parents
entered with Jesus and the three disciples.
Spurgeonexplains why so few were allowedto witness this miracle - Christ
does not make a parade of his miracles. He loves to do his work quietly; and
they that make a greatnoise must mind that they do not get put out when
Christ is about to work a cure.
Luke 8:52 Now they were all weeping and lamenting for her; but He said,
"Stopweeping, for she has not died, but is asleep."
KJV And all wept, and bewailedher: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead,
but sleepeth.
all Genesis 23:2;27:34,35;2 Samuel 18:33;Jeremiah 9:17-21;Exodus 24:17;
Zechariah 12:10
she Mark 5:38,39;John 11:4,11-13
ParallelPassages:

Matthew 9:24+ He said, “Leave;for the girl has not died, but is asleep.” And
they beganlaughing at Him.
Mk 5:39+ And entering in, He saidto them, “Why make a commotion and
weep? The child has not died, but is asleep.”
HOPE FOR THE
HOPELESS
Now they were all weeping and lamenting for her - Jewishfunerals had to be
held posthaste as they did not embalm the corpse and the temperatures were
often hot and conducive to decay of the body. And so they had already begun
the funeral when Jesus arrived at Jairus'home, which was a scene of
"controlledchaos" completelyunlike our modern funeral services. Mark says
"people loudly weeping (klaio) and wailing (alalazo = wail loudly of the
monotonous wail of the hired mourners, used of the loud sound of a cymbal
clashing. The soldiers on entering battle cried Alāla.)." (Mk 5:38+)
Bruce - “Mourning, like everything else, had been reducedto a system, two
flutes and one mourning woman at the burial of a wife incumbent on the
poorestman.”
France writes “Professionalmourners were hired even by the poorestfamilies
(Mishnah Ketuboth 4:4 specifies ‘not less than two flutes and one wailing
woman’).” (NICNT-Mt)

John MacArthur adds that in addition to the lamentations "Others would be
playing dissonantmusic on high-pitched flutes (Mt 9:23 - Ed: "noisy
disorder" = thorubeo = in an uproar, troubled, distressed, making a
commotion, all disturbed). The end result was a cacophonyof confusion. Since
Jairus was a well-respectedleaderin the community, the funeral for his
daughter would have been even largerand louder than most."
Spurgeon- The funeral wailing had already begun: “the minstrels” had
commencedtheir hideous discords. Mistrustful friends are eagerto bury us
before the due time; and we are ourselves too apt to fall into the same error
about others. Unbelief calls in the undertakers and the hired mourners to
bury those who will yet live for years. We give over to hopelessness those
whom Jesus will save;or we begin “making a noise” where a gracious, silent
work would be far better.
NET Note - This group probably includes outside or even professional
mourners, not just family, because a large group seems to be present.
Weeping (2799)(klaio)seebelow
Lamenting (Mourning) (imperfect tense - overand over)(2875)(kopto)means
in the middle voice to beat one's body with the hands (especiallyone's breast)
as an actof mourning or lamentation (Mt 24:30, Mt 11:17, Lk 23:27;Lxx -
1Ki 13:28, 2Ki 1:12, 11:26, Zech 7:5, Ge 23:2, 1Ki 25:1).
Stop weeping (present imperative with a negative)(2799)(klaio)means to
mourn, to weep, to lament or to wail with emphasis upon noise accompanying
weeping. It expresses one’s immediate and outward reactionto suffering. The
picture is of one lamenting with sobs or wailing aloud and was used to
describe the wailing that took place when someone died.

For (gar) is a term of explanation. Jesus is explaining why they should cease
weeping.
Matthew tells of Jesus command to the mourners and flute players to leave -
Matthew 9: 24 "He said, “Leave (anachoreo - depart - Mt 2:14 - present
imperative)."
Robertsonon flute players - The flute-players (tous aulētas). The girl was just
dead, but already a crowd "making a tumult" (thoruboumenon) with wild
wailing and screaming had gatheredin the outer court, "brought togetherby
various motives, sympathy, money, desire to share in the meat and drink
going at such a time" (Bruce). Besides the severalflute-players (voluntary or
hired) there were probably "some hired mourning women (Jeremiah9:17)
praeficae, whose duty it was to sing naenia in praise of the dead" (Bruce).
These when put out by Jesus, "laughedhim to scorn" (kategelōn), in a sort of
loud and repeated(imperfect) guffaw of scorn. Jesus overcameall this
repellent environment.
She has not died, but is asleep - Asleepis a beautiful word for death.
Christians fall asleepin Jesus!John MacArthur comments that "Jesus’
declarationthat the girl had not died, but was asleepbrought a revolutionary
new perspective to death. "By likening it to sleep, He redefined death as
temporary; thus sleepis used in Scripture as a metaphor for the body in death
(John 11:11-14;Acts 13:36;1 Cor. 11:30;15:6, 18, 20, 51;1 Thess. 4:14-15;
5:10; 2 Peter3:4). But while the body sleeps temporarily in death, the soul
does not (cf. Luke 16:19-31;23:43; 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23; Rev. 6:9-11)."
(MacArthur)
Died (599)(apothneskofrom apo = marker of dissociationimplying a rupture
from a former association, separation, departure, cessation+ thnesko = die)
literally means to die off and here speaks ofliteral physical death.

It is interesting that in John 11:11 Jesus said "Our friend Lazarus has fallen
asleep;but I go, so that I may awakenhim out of sleep.”andthen in John
11:14 Jesus said"to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead."
Is asleep(2518)(katheudo from katá = an intensive + heúdō = to sleep) means
literally to sleep, fall asleepor be fastasleep(Matt. 8:24; 13:25;25:5; 26:40,
43, 45; Mark 13:36;14:37, 40, 41; Luke 22:46;1 Thess. 5:7; Sept.: Gen. 28:13;
1 Sam. 3:2, 3, 5; 2 Sam. 12:3) and figuratively (as here) to die or be dead
(Matt. 9:24; Mark 5:39; Luke 8:52 cf. John 11:11-14;1 Th. 5:10; Da 12:2).
Another figurative sense speaks ofan attitude of spiritual laziness or
indifference, to be spiritually indolent, to be indifferent. The idea is to be
"asleep"in your sin, secure and unconcernedin sin, or indolent and c areless
in the performance of duty (Eph 5.14, 1 Th 5:6, cf. parallel thought but not
using katheudo in Ro 13:11-13;1 Cor. 15:34).
Vine - "to go to sleep," is chiefly used of natural "sleep," andis found most
frequently in the Gospels, especiallyMatthew and Luke. With reference to
death it is found in the Lord's remark concerning Jairus' daughter, Matt.
9:24; Mark 5:39; Luke 8:52. In the epistles of Paul it is used as follows:(a) of
natural "sleep," e.g., 1 Thess. 5:7;(b) of carnal indifference to spiritual things
on the part of believers, Eph. 5:14; 1 Thess. 5:6, 10 (as in Mark 13:36), a
condition of insensibility to Divine things involving conformity to the world
(cp. hypnos).
TDNT - The primary sense is “to sleep.” Sleepis highly rated in antiquity,
but the activism of the Greeks and Romans finds too much sleepdistasteful;
the early hours up to sunrise are the main periods of intellectual production
(lucubrations). Peacefulsleepin time of peril (cf. Socrates)is a mark of
greatness. b. Sleep is also viewedas an incursion of the suprasensual, so that
antiquity pays greatattention to dreams. Attempts are made to interpret these
scientifically;they mostly have to do with such material things as prosperity
or poverty, health or sickness, etc. Some religious significanceattachesto
temple sleep. c. Figuratively sleephas a derogatoryreference, e.g., to deficient
concentrationor the inactive or vegetative life. d. Since sleepembraces the

ambivalence of human life and death, the question arises whether life itself is
not a sleep, and its activity a mere dream. But sleepand death are also
equated, with immortality as the inference.
Gilbrant - Greek and Roman societieswere earlyrisers, and it was considered
disgracefulto lie in bed until late morning. In the later mystery religions the
importance placedupon the interpretation of dreams makes sleepmore
significant. Septuagint Usage - The Old Testamenttreats sleepprimarily as a
normal function of human existence. In a positive sense sleepis the reward of
honest labor (Eccl5:12), the righteous sleepwell (Pr 3:24), and in Psm 127:2
sleepis the gift of God to His beloved. The Law also protects the sleepof the
poor (Ex 22:26,27;Dt 24:12). Negatively, beds of luxury and excessive sleeping
are condemned.
Katheudo - 22x in 20v - Usage:asleep(8), do their sleeping(1), goes to bed(1),
sleep(3), sleepdo(1), sleeper(1), sleeping(8). Matt. 8:24; Matt. 9:24; Matt.
13:25;Matt. 25:5; Matt. 26:40; Matt. 26:43; Matt. 26:45; Mk. 4:27; Mk. 4:38;
Mk. 5:39; Mk. 13:36;Mk. 14:37;Mk. 14:40; Mk. 14:41; Lk. 8:52; Lk. 22:46;
Eph. 5:14; 1 Thess. 5:6;1 Thess. 5:7; 1 Thess. 5:10
Katheudo - 28x in 25v in the Septuagint - Ge 28:13;Ge 39:10;1 Sa 3:2; 3:3; 1
Sa 3:5; 3:6; 3:9; 19:9; 26:5; 26:7; 2 Sa 4:5; 4:6; 4:7; 12:3; 1 Ki. 18:27;Ps. 88:5;
Prov. 3:24; Prov. 6:22; Cant. 5:2; Isa. 51:20; Ezek. 4:9; Dan. 4:10; Dan. 12:2;
Amos 6:4; Jon. 1:5;
Genesis 28:13 And behold, the LORD stoodabove it and said, “I am the
LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac;the land on
which you lie (Lxx = katheudo), I will give it to you and to your descendants.

Spurgeon- They were so sure she was dead that they had actually hired the
minstrels for her funeral — so Mark tells us — and the pipers, and the women
that made those strange, Oriental lamentations were there, ready to inter her.
RelatedResources:
What does the Bible say about soul sleep?
What happens after death?
Is the human soul mortal or immortal?
Are there different levels of Heaven?
What does it mean to be absent from the body?
Will we sleepin heaven?
Why is sleep/sleeping necessary? Why did God create us with the need to
sleep?
Luke 8:53 And they beganlaughing at Him, knowing that she had died.
KJV And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.
laughed Lk 16:14; Job 12:4; 17:2; Ps 22:7; Isaiah 53:3
knowing Mark 15:44,45;John 11:39; 19:33-35
ParallelPassages:

Matthew 9:24+ He said, “Leave;for the girl has not died, but is asleep.” And
they beganlaughing at Him.
Mark 5:40+ They beganlaughing 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. (Only Mark relates the taking of the parents with
the three disciples into the chamber.)
MOCKING, SCORNFUL
LAUGHTER
And they beganlaughing at Him - "Theyjeeredat him" (Weymouth)."They
were laughing in his face" (Hendriksen) Laughing is in the imperfect tense
indicating that they kept on laughing at Jesus (they are no laughing now!)
Think about the solemn setting with their inappropriate loud laughter! Jesus
on his part (autos de) took charge of the situation. The parallel passageMark
5:40+ adds that "They beganlaughing at Him. But putting them all out."
(ekbállō - “threw them all outside.” The verb used, almost always has the
connotationof force in Mark)Spurgeon writes that "Christ put them all out.
They laughed him to scorn, and, therefore, he would not work the miracle in
their presence. It is not meet to castpearls before swine." Robertsonadds that
ekballo pictures "a stern assertionof authority as if He were master of the
house, Jesus takes along with Him these five and enters the chamber of death
"where the child was". He had to use pressure to make the hired mourners
leave. The presence ofsome people will ruin the atmosphere for spiritual
work." Hendriksencomments on the mourners paradoxically switching from
morning to laughing writing that "It seems that these mourners were
endowedwith the dubious gift of shifting in one sudden moment from dismal
moaning to uproarious mirth. Does not this very laughter also confirm the

belief that the child had really died? Does it not therefore also bear witness to
the genuine nature of the child's restorationfrom death?"
THOUGHT - Scoffers still laugh at Jesus'power to resurrect the dead back to
life. This reminds me of the reactionto Paul's mention of the resurrectionin
Acts 17:32+ "Now whenthey heard of the resurrection of the dead, some
beganto sneer(chleuazo - throw out the lip), but others said, "We shall hear
you againconcerning this." They won't be laughing or sneering when they too
are raisedup to stand before the Righteous Judge Jesus atHis GreatWhite
Throne judgment for John writes " I saw the dead, the greatand the small,
standing (INDICATING THEY WERE RESURRECTED!THEY WILL
BELIEVE IN THE RESURRECTION FROMTHE DEAD THEN BUT IT IS
"TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE!") before the throne." (Rev 20:12+)
Beganlaughing (2606)(katagelaofrom kata = down, against+ gelao = to
laugh) means to laugh (down) at, deride, scorn, ridicule, scornfully mock.
Three uses in NT - Matt. 9:24; Mk. 5:40; Lk. 8:53 all three in context refer to
the reactionof the mourner to Jesus atthe death and resurrectionof Jairus'
daughter. It is used 16 times in the Septuagintand most often refers to
derisive laughter - e.g., Pr 17:5 "He who mocks (Lxx - katagelaoin present
tense = continually laughs at) the poor taunts his Maker."
Katagelao -16x in 16v in the Septuagint - Gen. 38:23; 2 Chr. 30:10; Est. 4:17;
Job 5:22; Job 9:23; Job21:3; Job30:1; Job 39:7; Job 39:18;Job 39:22; Job
41:29;Ps. 25:2; Prov. 17:5 ; Pr. 29:9; Prov. 30:17 (="The eye that mocks [Lxx
= katagelao]a father"); Mic. 3:7;
MacArthur makes an insightful comment "Thattheir weeping could so
quickly turn to laughter, even mocking laughter, betrayed the fact that their

mourning was a paid act and did not reflectgenuine sorrow. It also betrayed
their complete lack of faith in Jesus’powerto raise the girl from the dead."
Adrian Rogers applies the factthat they laughed at Jesus to those times when
Christians are laughed at by the world declaring "there’s going to be personal
insult. They’re going to revile you. If you’re a child of God, you’re going to be
a butt of jokes. You’re going to be openly ridiculed. I’ve been ridiculed since I
was in high schoolfor standing up for the Lord Jesus Christ. I’ve been
ridiculed by football players that I’ve played footballwith. I’ve been ridiculed
by classmates. I don’t say that feeling sorry for myself. The fleas come with
the dog. I mean, you’re going to be ridiculed; they’re going to revile you. And,
you know, some people can stand almost anything except to be laughed at. Do
you know that? Does it bother you to be laughed at? The Bible says of the
Lord Jesus Christ that “they laughed him to scorn.” (Matthew 9:24; Mark
5:40; Luke 8:53) Can you imagine anybody getting a belly laugh at the Lord
Jesus Christ? They did. “Theylaughed him to scorn.” (Matthew 9:24; Mark
5:40; Luke 8:53) They were even mocking Him when He was on the cross
dying in agonyand blood."
Knowing that she had died - Knowing is eido which means knowledge beyond
a shadow of a doubt! This explains why they laughed scornfully at Christ's
words, but also is clearevidence that they they knew (unlike some liberal
commentators)that she was not taking a nap but that indeed she had died.
Spurgeon- Jesus will have the death-music quieted; for it is premature, and
even false in its significance. He says to the minstrels, (In Matthew 9:24+ Jesus
tells them) “Give place.” (Leave, go away)Many things have to give place
when Jesus comes onthe scene;and he takes care that they shall give place;
for he puts them out of the room. To him the maid is asleeprather than dead;
for he is about to callher back to life. He sees the future as well as the present;
and to Him in that light “the maid is not dead, but sleepeth.” The Lord Jesus

wants not pipers, flute-players, and wailers;His own still voice is more fit for
work in the death-chamber with a young girl. Jesus is going to do wonders,
and the hired performances ofthose who mimic woe are not in tune therewith.
When Jesus tells the hired performers that there will be no need to proceed
with the funeral, for the girl will live, they answerwith scoffs, for they are
sure that she is dead. It is a shameful thing to laugh at Christ. Yet “He
endured such contradiction of sinners againsthimself” (Heb 12:3KJV+), and
was not angry. We need not be dismayed when we are ridiculed; for “they
laughed HIM to scorn.” (cf Mt 5:11-12+)Nor may we stop our working
because ofderision; for Jesus wenton with His resurrectionwork despite the
mockers.
Luke 8:54 He, however, took her by the hand and called, saying, "Child,
arise!"
KJV And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying,
Maid, arise.
he put Lk 8:51; Mark 5:40
took Jeremiah31:32; Matthew 9:25; Mark 1:31; Mk 5:41; 8:23; 9:27
Maid Lk 7:14,15;John 5:21,28,29;11:43; Acts 9:40; Romans 4:17
ParallelPassage:

Mark 5:40-41+ "He took along the child’s father and mother and His own
companions, and enteredthe room where the child was. Taking the child by
the hand, He *saidto her, “Talitha kum!” (which translatedmeans, “Little
girl, I say to you, getup!”)."
He, however, Took herby the hand - As He did when He healed Peter's
mother in law who also arose orgot up (egeiro)(Mk 1:31+ = "taking her by
the hand", cf "by the hand" in Mk 8:23, Mk 9:27) Jairus had askedJesus to
"come and lay Your hand on her, and she will live" (Mt. 9:18+), and the Lord
willingly did so. Jesus'touchis "A touch of life. (Robertson)
Took (seize)(2902)(krateo from kratos = strength) has basic meaning be
strong or possesspowerand thus means to take hold of, grasp, hold fast.
Krateo is used most often in the sense of“take hold of forcibly." Uses in Luke
- Lk. 8:54; Lk. 24:16;
Called, saying, "Child, arise (egeiro presentimperative)!" - Mark has "He
said to her, “Talitha kum!” (which translatedmeans, “Little girl, I say to you,
get up!”)." (Mk 5:41+)Presumably Aramaic was her native tongue. It is
notable that Mark often retains Aramaic terms, while Luke translates them
into Greek. It is goodthat Jesus specifiedChild, for as someone has quipped
had He not done so, bodies would have been coming forth from all the graves!
Notice that here we see Jesus as Creator, creating life out of death! She did
not "evolve" from death to life!
Holman Bible Dictionary on Talitha kum - (tal' ih thuh-cyoo' mih)
Transliterationof Aramaic phrase meaning, “damsel, arise.” Jesus'words to
Jarius' daughter (Mark 5:41 ). The girl's relatives thought she was deadby
the time the Lord arrived, but He pronounced it only as sleep(Mark 5:39).
The Aramaic reflects Mark's attempt to preserve the actual words of Jesus,
who probably spoke Aramaic rather than Greek in which most of the New
Testamentis written. (See longer note in International Standard Bible
Encyclopedia Talitha Cumi).

Wiersbe on Talitha kum! - Peter would one day say "Tabitha cumi!"—Acts
9:40.) This was not a magic formula but a word of command from the Lord of
life and death (Rev. 1:17-18). Her spirit returned to her body and she arose
and beganto walk around the room!
Robertsonon Talitha cum - These precious Aramaic words, spokenby Jesus
to the child, Peterheard and remembered so that Mark gives them to us.
Mark interprets the simple words into Greek for those who did not know
Aramaic (to korasion, egeire), that is, Damsel, arise. Mark uses the diminutive
korasiōn, a little girl, from korē, girl. Braid Scots has it: "Lassie, wauken."
Luke 8:5-9 has it Hē pais, egeire, Maiden, arise. All three Gospels mention the
fact that Jesus took herby the hand, a touch of life (kratēsas tēs cheiros),
giving confidence and help.
Arise (command in present imperative) (1453)(egeiro)means to rise (stand
up) from a sitting or lying position (Mt 8:26, 9:5), to awakenfrom sleep(Mt
8:25), and as in the presentcontext figuratively to "awaken"from death (rise
up) (similar uses - Mt 10:8, Mt 11:5, Mt 14:2, of Jesus being raised on the
third day = Mt 16:21, 17:23, 20:19, 27:63). In Romans 4:24, egeiro describes
the bringing Jesus back from the dead. The idea of wake up from death is
conveyedby egeiro becausesleepwas usedas metaphor of death for believers
(there is however no "soulsleep"). In anotherdramatic use of this same verb
Jesus in Matthew 9:6+ Jesus said“But so that you may know that the Son of
Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”–thenHe said to the paralytic,
“Getup, pick up your bed and go home.”
Wiersbe - Resurrectionis a picture of the way Jesus Christ saves lostsinners
and raises them from spiritual death (John 5:24; Eph. 2:1-10). The Gospels
record three such resurrections, though Jesus probably performed more. In
eachinstance, the person raisedgave evidence of life. The widow's sonbegan
to speak (Luke 7:15), Jairus'daughter walkedand ate food, and Lazarus was

loosedfrom the graveclothes (John11:44). When a lost sinner is raisedfrom
the dead, you can tell it by his speech, his walk, his appetite, and his "change
of clothes" (Col. 3:1ff). You cannothide life! Peter, James, and John
accompaniedJesus onthree specialoccasions;and this was the first. The
secondwas on the Mount of Transfiguration(Luke 9:28ff), and the third was
in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:33ff). Campbell Morganhas pointed
out that eachof these events has something to do with death and that the three
disciples learned from these experiences some valuable lessons aboutJesus
and death. In the home of Jairus, they learned that Jesus is victorious over
death. On the Mount of Transfiguration, they discoveredthat He would be
glorified in His death; and in the Garden, they saw that He was surrendered
to death. James was the first of the Twelve to die (Acts 12:1-2), John the last
to die, and Peter's death was predicted by Jesus (John21:18-19;2 Peter1:13-
21). All three men needed these lessons,and we need them today. (Bible
Exposition Commentary )
MacArthur - When as a young man D. L. Moodywas calledupon to preacha
funeral sermon, he beganto searchthe gospels to find one of Jesus’funeral
messages—onlyto discoverthat He never preachedone. He found insteadthat
Jesus broke up every funeral He attended by raising the dead person back to
life. When the dead heard His voice, they immediately came to life. Arthur
Brisbane has pictured the funeral of a Christian as a crowd of grieving
caterpillars, all wearing black suits. As they crawlalong mourning their dead
brother and carrying his cocoonto its final resting place, above them flutters
an incredibly beautiful butterfly, looking down on them in utter disbelief.
Deathcan strike God’s saints in unexpected, painful, and seemingly senseless
ways. Yet He does not promise to give explanations for such tragedies. Instead
He gives the wondrous assurance that“he who believes in Me shall live even if
he dies” (John 11:25).
Luke 8:55 And her spirit returned, and she gotup immediately; and He gave
orders for something to be given her to eat.

KJV And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway:and he
commanded to give her meat.
her spirit - 1 Kings 17:21-23;John 11:44
and he Lk 24:41-43;Mark 5:43; John 11:44
ParallelPassage:
Mark 5:42+ Immediately the girl got up and beganto walk, for she was
twelve years old. And immediately they were completely astounded.
She gotup immediately (straightway) - Her response was immediate and not
progressive recovery. Immediate response characterizesthe miracles of Jesus.
Mark says she beganto walk, in the imperfect tense indicating one step then
another, as her walking went on. What a scene to witness!
Spurgeonon immediately (straightway) - Do note here the word
“straightway.” Justnow we had the word immediately, and now we have
straightway. It is one of the distinguishing features of the gospel, both of Mark
and of Luke, that both evangelists use the word “eutheos,”“straightway.”
Christ’s miracles do not take a long time to do; they are done straightway. If
there is a distressedsoul here now, your salvationneed not take months and
years;it may be done today, and in a moment thou mayestbe able to rejoice
that thy sins are forgiven, and that thou art a child of God. “She arose
straightway, and he commanded to give her meat.” There are no unnecessary
miracles. It wanted a miracle to give her life, but meat could sustain it, and,
therefore, there is no further miracle performed.

Immediately (at once)(3916)(parachremafrom pará = at, and chrḗma =
something useful or needed) means suddenly, immediately, at the very
moment, on the spot, forthwith, directly after something else has takenplace.
Mostof the uses are in the context of a miraculous event and emphasize the
absence ofdelay in the performance of the miracle (Lk 4:39+; Lk 5:25+; Lk
8:44, 47, 55+;Lk 13:13+;Lk 18:43+).
He gave orders for something to be given her to eat - This speaks ofJesus'
tenderness and compassionfor the whole person. This would also clearly
indicate she was alive and had a real body and was not some phantom (cf
Jesus eating fish in His post-resurrectionappearance to the disciples - see Lk
24:37-39, 41-43)
THOUGHT - Spurgeon applies this writing "Young saints want feeding as
soonas they are converted. The conversionmay be by miracle, but they will
need to be fed by ordinary means. Be ready, dear people of God, with your
milk for those who are but newly born: “He commanded to give her meat.”
John MacArthur on the significance ofJesus'powerto resurrect Jairus'
daughter - The resurrections the Lord performed during His earthly ministry
demonstrated the power He will one day use to resurrectall people. In John
5:28-29 Jesus said, “An hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will
hear His [Christ’s] voice, and will come forth; those who did the gooddeeds to
a resurrectionof life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrectionof
judgment.” The bodies of believers will be raised and reunited with their
spirits to live forever in heaven; the bodies of unbelievers will be reunited with
their spirits to experience everlasting punishment in hell. Believers neednot
fear death because they have put their faith in the One who conquered it. (Ed:
cf Da 12:2-3+)

Luke 8:56 Her parents were amazed; but He instructed them to tell no one
what had happened.
KJV And her parents were astonished:but he chargedthem that they should
tell no man what was done.
he chargedLk 5:14; Matthew 8:4; 9:30; Mark 5:42,43
ParallelPassages:
Mark 5:42; 43+ Immediately the girl gotup and began to walk, for she was
twelve years old. And immediately they were completely astounded. 43 And
He gave them strict orders that no one should know about this, and He said
that something should be given her to eat.
AMAZEMENT AT JESUS'
MIRACLE WORKING POWER
This is the fourth time in Luke 8 where we encounter astonishmentat Jesus'
miracle working power - (1) the disciples (Lk 8:25), (2) the people of Gadara
(Lk 8:37), (3) the womanhealed of a hemorrhage (Lk 8:47) and the girl’s
parents (Lk 8:56). One day all believers will marvel too for we "will see the
SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with powerand
greatglory." (Mt 24:30) Hallelujah! Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus!Show us
Thy greatpower. Amen

Her parents were amazed - Because she gotup and immediately beganto
walk!Mark describes the reactionof the parents more full writing "And
immediately they were completely astounded." (Mk 5:42+) Robertsonnotes
that the phrase completely astoundedis actually two words, "Completely
(ekstasis- of one removed out of his senses)and astounded (existemi also in
Mt 12:23+ Mark 2:12+)."
Were amazed (astonished, astounded, besides one's self) (1839)(existemifrom
ek = out + hístemi = to stand) literally means to stand out from or to stand
outside oneself(and thus to be beside oneself). To put out of position, to
displace or to change. To remove from its place. Forexample Aristotle writes
"you won't budge (existemi) me from my position on these matters." The NT
uses of existemi are all related in some way to the human mind. Richards adds
that existemi "suggests astonishmentmixed with anxiety, stimulated by
extraordinary events that cannot be explained." Existemi is translated“He
(Jesus)has lost His senses” in Mark 3:21+.
Spurgeon- For Jesus did not wish, at leastat that time, to have the story of his
miracles blazed abroad. Of him the prophet had long before written: “He
shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A
bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench.”
He instructed them to tell no one what had happened - Note the contrastwith
Lk 8:39 "Return to your house and describe what greatthings God has done
for you.” Instructed is paraggello whichconveys more the sense of a
command. Mark 5:43+ says "And He gave them strict orders that no one
should know about this." Did His warning work? Matthew says that "This
news spread throughout all that land." (Mt 9:26+)

Why tell no one about this miracle of resurrectionfrom the dead? There are 3
possible reasons:(1) The resulting crowds of curiosity seekersmight hinder
His ministry (cf. Mark 1:40-45+)(2) The Jewishcrowds might seek to try to
make Him king by force (John 6:14-15+), or (3) Sometimes it was an actof
judgment to hide the truth from those who continued to rejectHim (Luke
9:21+).
Spurgeonon tell no one what had happened - But we know from another
evangelist(Mt 9:26) that the fame thereof went abroadeverywhere, and,
indeed, the healing of a soul is not a thing to be kept secret, but when any are
raisedfrom the dead the world must know it.
John MacArthur summarizes this section - There were times when Jesus did
not want the news of a miracle to be spread, because the resulting crowds of
curiosity seekerswouldhinder His ministry (cf. Mark 1:40-45)or seek to
make Him king by force (John 6:14-15), or as an actof judgment, hiding the
truth from those confirmed in their rejectionof Him (Luke 9:21). As noted
above, the news would spread on its own. The parents could enjoy being
reunited with their daughter, and rejoice in Christ’s goodness, grace, and
mercy to them. All of those matters could play a part in the restriction of
silence Jesus put on them—but they are not the main reason. Our Lord
frequently calledfor this kind of silence (Matt. 8:4; 9:30; 12:16;17:9; Mark
1:25, 34, 44;3:12; 5:43; 7:36; 8:26, 30; 9:9; Luke 4:41; 9:21). The real reason
is given in Mark 8:30-31:“And He warned them to tell no one about Him.
And He began to teachthem that the Son of Man must suffer many things and
be rejectedby the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed,
and after three days rise again.” He did not want to be known as a healer or
miracle worker—orevenonly as the Christ—those were true but incomplete.
When He is proclaimed, it must be as the crucified and risen Savior. There is
no gospelof Jesus Christ without the cross in all its meaning and the
resurrectionwith all that it accomplished. Paul summed it up when he said he
would only preach “Christ, and Him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2) and proclaimed

that salvationis for those who believe that God raised Him from the dead
(Rom. 10:9-10). This accountof two of the countless miracles the Lord Jesus
Christ performed reveals His personal, compassionate concernfor hurting
people. To the oppressedand burdened He offers rest (Matt. 11:28-30;for the
troubled He provides peace (John14:27; 16:33); and most important of all, to
those enslavedby sin He offers salvation(Luke 4:16-21;19:10)through the
cross and resurrectionto come.
Kent Hughes sums up the miracles in Luke 8 - This is the capstone to a trio of
episodes meant to teachus the comprehensive powerof Jesus. Amidst the
towering walls of wateron a storm-tossedsea, Jesuscriedout, "Be
muzzled!"—and the sea instantly lay flat. Confronted with a pathetically
demonized man, the spirits pled with Jesus not to send them to the Abyss. But
he did with a word—first through the swine, and then to the eternal pit. He is
the Godof nature and super-nature. But he is also the God of timing and
space, ofall providence, and in the healing of the woman and the raising of a
child we see him initiating and elevating human faith. Jesus cando anything!
He is sovereign!Nothing is too greatfor him. He cansave your soul! He can
restore your life! He can supply your most desperate need! (Preaching the
Word – Luke, Volume I: That You May Know the Truth)
Steven Cole on Luke 8:49-56 - Clearly, it was a lessonin faith for Jairus and
his wife, for the disciples, and for us:
In fearful situations we must overcome hindrances to faith and put our trust
in Jesus.
Sooneror later, we all face these fearful situations where we don’t know what
to do. The bottom suddenly drops out from under us and we are
overwhelmed. Such situations are never fun, but Jairus’story shows us that
…

1. There are benefits for us in fearful situations.
There were at leastthree benefits to Jairus that apply to us:
A. Fearful situations help us clarify our priorities.
It’s easyto drift off course in life and to spend our time in things that aren’t in
line with our priorities, if we were to stop and think about it. But we don’t
stop and think about it until a crisis like this brings us up short. As a
synagogue ruler, Jairus was responsible for the maintenance of the building
and for arranging the services. It was a position of status given only to those
who had money and prestige. I can’t sayfor sure, but Jairus may have been a
man who was over-committed to outside interests. But all of his successand
prestige in the community suddenly paled in significance when he was faced
with the loss ofhis only daughter.
Worldly successdoesn’tinsulate anyone from tragedy and death. It may
afford a person accessto the best medical treatment available. But doctors can
only do so much. Every person must be ready to face death for himself and his
loved ones. When it stares us in the face, we’re reminded that love for God
and for others is the only thing worth living for.
When our daughter, Joy, was nine, we narrowly missedlosing her when she
fell out of a tree and barely missed landing on a rock that would have killed
her. As it was, she had to have dozens of stitches in her arm. I have always
deeply valued eachof our children, so my priorities were not out of line. But
then and even now, when I see the scars on her arm, my priorities come into
focus. Becoming a “successful” pastorin the eyes of the Christian world isn’t

my priority; being a faithful husband and father who imparts a love for God
to my family is my priority.
B. Fearful situations strip awayour pride and let the Lord prove Himself
mighty on our behalf.
I don’t know if the male ego was bent in the same direction in first century
Israelas it is in our day. But in our culture, most men tend to be “macho.” We
don’t like to admit that we’re weak and needy. We like to think that we’re
tough, in command of every situation. You see it when it comes to stopping to
ask directions. The wife says, “Let’s pull into this service stationand ask how
to get there.” He says, “I’ll find it, dear. Just relax!” Sure enough, two hours
later, they finally find it!
But this fearful situation stripped Jairus of any pride. He fell at Jesus’feet,
totally helpless. It wasn’t a dignified place for a synagogue ruler to be. He
probably got his nice robe dirty. But he didn’t care. He knew he needed Jesus.
He was willing to admit his need and be humbled, even in public.
That’s what gives the Lord the opportunity to prove Himself mighty on our
behalf! If we protect our pride and come to Jesus and say, “Lord, I’ve almost
got the situation under control, but I could use a little advice from You,” He is
robbed of His glory. But when we come and castourselves atJesus’feetand
say, “Lord, You must do it or there is no hope,” He is glorified and others are
drawn to put their trust in Him. Hudson Taylor, the greatpioneer missionary,
used to say that when God wanted to open inland China to the gospel, He
lookedaround until He found a man weak enoughfor the task. Fearful
situations strip away our pride and let the Lord prove Himself mighty.

C. Fearful situations remind us of our mortality and drive us to trust in
Christ.
Necessityis not only the mother of invention; it’s also the mother of faith. We
don’t trust God as we should until we are forcedto trust Him. There is
nothing that drives us to desperationand fearlike the threat of losing a child.
But our fear can be God’s opportunity if we trust in Him.
Someone has said that we hang the heaviestweights by the thinnest wires. We
put our hopes on this life, which is so tentative. We live and plan our lives as if
death is a far-distant thing, something we need not think about until we’re in
our eighties. But that which matters most to us canbe takenquickly and
without warning. When we stare death in the face, be it our own or the death
of a loved one, we are suddenly reminded that life is a vapor and that we must
be right with God.
Extreme necessityoftendrives a personto Jesus who wouldn’t come under
less dire circumstances.Jairus had a position of prominence. He neededto
maintain goodrelations with the Jewishleaders. Jesus wasn’ttheir most
popular subject at the moment. In fact, they were plotting how they could kill
Him (Mk 3:6). Chances are, Jairus wouldn’t have risked their disfavor by
coming to Jesus if he didn’t have to. But his dying daughter forcedhim to
come and trust in Jesus. This crisis proved to be of greatbenefit to him, not
only in the healing of his daughter, but by giving birth to his faith in Christ,
which meant eternal life.
Some of you face fearful situations today—a difficult marriage, a rebellious
child, a personalhealth problem, the loss of a job or a financial setback.
Whateveryour fearful situation, it can be of greatbenefit if you let it clarify

your priorities, strip awayyour pride, and drive you to trust in Jesus so that
He can be glorified through it. But trusting Him isn’t easy:
2. In fearful situations we must overcome hindrances to faith.
When Jairus came to Jesus, he believed that Jesus could heal his daughter.
But there were severalhindrances or hurdles that Jairus had to overcome.
I’ve already mentioned the hindrance of public opinion. What would the
rabbis and others think of this synagogue ruler bowing before Jesus? There
was also the hindrance of his own pride and reputation, which he would have
felt the need to protect.
He also had to overcome the hindrance of interruptions, as this woman
interrupted Jesus on His way to Jairus’ house. Jairus must have thought,
“Why did this woman have to touch Jesus now, of all times? Let her touch
Him tomorrow! My daughter is dying! Every secondmatters!”
Then his worstfears were realized as his friends came to tell him that his
daughter had already died. That’s another hindrance to faith: Well-meaning,
but misguided doomsayers who discourage us from clinging to the only source
of hope. What they say may be true—Jairus’ daughter was dead. But they
never add the mighty power of Jesus into their calculations. With Him there is
hope even when human hope is lost!
With Jesus’help, Jairus managedto hang on past that hindrance. But when
they arrived at his house, he facedanother. The house was alreadyfilled with
professionalmourners. Jewishcustom demanded that even the poorestman
hire a minimum of two flute players and one mourner in the event of a wife’s
death. A man of Jairus’ position would have more. These people would

perform a dance of death in which they swayedrhythmically with their hair
hanging down. They gradually increasedtheir mournful lament and the wild
movement of their bodies until they workedthemselves into a frenzy. That
was the scene that greetedJairus and Jesus as they came into the house.
Jesus quieted them and said, “Stop weeping, for she has not died, but is
asleep” (Lu 8:52). The mourners beganscoffing and laughing at Jesus because
they knew that the girl had died. What did this man who just arrived on the
scene and who hadn’t yet seenthe girl know? Jairus was facedwith another
hindrance to his faith: Did he believe Jesus or these mockers who had the
facts on their side?
Jesus’words have led some to saythat the girl wasn’t really dead, but just in a
coma. But Luke makes it clearthat the girl was dead (Lu 8:53, Lu 8:55, “her
spirit returned”). Why, then, did Jesus saythat she was asleep? His words
were a parable with one meaning for those who believed in Him and another
meaning for those who scoffed. Forthose who believed, there was the hope
that she would be awakened. In Jesus’presence,deathwas only temporary,
like sleep. But for those who scoffed, Jesus wasa simpleton who didn’t know
what He was talking about. He didn’t know as much as they did. They were
confirmed in their unbelief. Jesus put them out and later gave strict orders to
Jairus and his wife not to make knownhow He had raised their daughter
back to life. To those who had, more was given; to those who did not have,
even what little they had was takenaway.
When we face fearful situations, believing in Jesus is not easy. We will face
hindrances and setbackswhichcan shake our confidence in Him. The world
will often laugh at us and say, “Whata fool to trust in Jesus!We have the
facts on our side.” But we must overcome these hindrances and cling to our
Savior. Just as He calledJairus to faith in the face of fear, so He calls us.

3. In fearful situations we must put our trust in Jesus.
I love the way that Jesus encouragedand nurtured Jairus’ weak faith in this
crisis. He does the same with us today. Note these four ways Jesus encourages
us to trust Him in fearful times:
A. Jesus’willingness to acceptus where we’re at encouragesus to trust Him.
Jairus believed in Jesus, but it wasn’t an especiallystrong faith. The
nobleman from Capernaum had believed that Jesus’word spokenin Cana
would heal his son from that distance. The centurion from Capernaum
believed that Jesus couldheal his servant by speaking the word without
entering his house. But Jairus didn’t go and plead, “Speak the word and my
daughter will get well.” He askedJesus to come and lay His hands on her. It
was a weak faith in comparisonto the others, but Jesus acceptedit and
workedwith Jairus from that point.
The Lord Jesus is so gracious!He doesn’t refuse to work with you unless your
faith is perfect. You may have to cry out, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”
(Mk 9:24). Come to Jesus whereveryou’re at, castyourself upon Him, doubts
and all, and He will begin the process ofperfecting His goodwork in you.
B. Jesus’powerin working with others encourages us to trust Him.
Jesus startedto go with Jairus, but then got interrupted by this woman with
the hemorrhage. This was a hindrance to Jairus’ faith, in that while Jesus was
dealing with her, word came that Jairus’ daughter had died. But it also served
to strengthen his faith, as he saw Jesus’powerhealthis needy woman. She

had been 12 years in her affliction, the same number of years that Jairus’
daughter had lived. When Jesus calledthe woman “daughter,” He may have
said it partially for Jairus’benefit. In effectHe was saying, “Jairus, this
woman is My daughter who has been unclean for 12 years; I must heal her,
too! What I do for her, I can do for your daughter.”
Jairus was put on hold while Jesus answeredthe callof this woman.
Sometimes God puts us on hold. Our prayers don’t seemto be getting
through. When that happens, it’s easyto think, “What’s going on? Why isn’t
God answering my prayers?” But then we hear of how He has answered
someone else’s prayers, and we’re encouraged. He can do for me what He did
for that person!
C. Jesus’tenderness encouragesus to trust Him.
When word came that his daughter had died, Jairus’face must have reflected
fear and panic. But Jesus quickly and tenderly calmed him: “Don’t be afraid;
just trust Me” (Lu 8:50, Living Bible).
Notice how tenderly Jesus dealt with the little girl. He took the dead girl’s
hand, a defiling actfor a Jew. But Jesus couldnot be defiled by death. His
touch communicated that He cared for her. Then He spoke tenderly to her,
“Child, arise.” Then Jesus told the exuberant parents to give her something to
eat! In all of the excitement, that practical matter could easilybe overlooked.
Jesus tenderly cares for the whole person.
Doesn’tthis glimpse of Jesus’tenderness make you want to trust Him! Like a
father helping his youngsterlearn to ride a bike, Jesus comes alongsideand
cheers, “Attaway!Keep going!You’re doing great!” If we fall and skin our

knee, He tenderly cleans and bandages it and helps us get up and start over
again.
D. Jesus’mighty powerover death encouragesus to trust Him.
For Jesus, raising the dead was as easyas raising a sleeping child would be for
us. He merely spoke the word and the dead girl came to life. Eachtime Jesus
raisedthe dead, He did it by speaking:To the widow of Nain’s son, “Young
man, I sayto you, arise!” (Lu 7:14). To Lazarus, “Lazarus, come forth!” (Jn
11:43). Jesus said, “An hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs shall
hear [My] voice and shall come forth,” some to eternallife, others to judgment
(Jn 5:28). What a claim! On that coming day, His voice will cause bodies
decomposedfor centuries to be resurrected!Even now He speaks to those who
are spiritually dead and imparts new life to them by His grace (Jn 5:25-26)!
BecauseJesus is powerful over death, we can trust Him! John Calvin said,
tongue in cheek, “There is no room to fearthat [your] faith will be more
extensive than the boundless power of God.... Our faith, howeverlarge, will
never embrace the hundredth part of the divine goodness” (Calvin’s
Commentaries [Bakerreprint], Harmony of the Evangelists, 1:414). No
matter how fearful the situation, Jesus wants us to trust Him. He may or may
not deliver our loved ones or us from death. But even if He does not, we can
trust His mighty power and know that one day He will speak the word and all
we who have trusted in Him will be gathered with Him, triumphant over sin
and death.
Conclusion- The greatBible teacher, G. Campbell Morgan, losthis firstborn
daughter. Forty years later, preaching on the story of Jairus, he said,

I can hardly speak of this matter without becoming personal and reminiscent,
remembering a time forty years ago when my own first lassie lay at the point
of death, dying. I calledfor Him then, and He came, and surely said to our
troubled hearts, “Fearnot, believe only.” He did not say, “She shall be made
whole.” She was not made whole on the earthly plane. She passedawayinto
the life beyond. He did sayto her, “Talitha, cumi,” “little lamb, arise”;but in
her case,that did not mean, stay on the earth level. It meant that He needed
her, and He took her to be with Himself. She has been with Him for all those
years, as we measure time here, and I have missed her every day; but His
word, “Believe only,” has been the strength of the passing years. (Jill Morgan,
A Man of the Word [Baker], pp. 82-83.)
Howeverfearful your situation, Jesus’wordis for you: “Don’t fear, just trust
Me.” He wants you to move from fearto faith in Him. Jesus is the only One
who can calm our fears, because He alone has conquered death. On another
occasionHe said, “Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also
in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places;if it were not so, I
would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and
prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that
where I am, there you may be also” (Jn14:1-3).
DiscussionQuestions
Does faith require that we believe that Jesus is going to answerour prayers
affirmatively or is it enough to believe Him whatever the answer?
Why does God sometimes delay the answers to our prayers?
What would you say to a critic who taunted, “How can you trust a God who
allows a child to die?”
Is fear sin? Is it ever okay? If so, when? (From Fearto Faith - StevenCole)

. THE LORD JESUS CONCEALS HIS GLORY.
We are told that Jesus “did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John
and James” (v.51). In other words, he took a restrictedaudience with him as
he entered Jairus’ house. These three were with the Lord on very special
occasions.Theywere with him on the Mount of Transfiguration, and also in
the Gardenof Gethsemane. So this scene is up there with those situations;
transfiguration, intercessionand resurrection. Here is a crucially important
event that occurredon this planet in space and time history. Everything Jesus
says and does is a revelationof God, but this is one of those extra important,
“Verily-verily-I-show-unto-you” occasions.The Lord wants these three
friends with him because according to Deuteronomy 19:15 “A matter must be
establishedby the testimony of two or three witnesses.”So here are men who
can stand and testify that what Luke was to write in this record actually
occurred. They were eye-witnesses. This mighty work of Christ needs to be
captured in the minds and memories and preaching of these three notable and
trustworthy men, Peter, John and James his brother.
The crowditself was excluded. We’re told, “Meanwhile, allthe people were
wailing and mourning for her. ‘Stop wailing,’ Jesus said. ‘She is not dead but
asleep. Theylaughed at him, knowing that she was dead” (vv. 52&53).
Professionalpaid wailers would hang around the house of a sick person
waiting for the death to be announced. Then they would enter and begin their
loud crying and finally pick up their fee. They were made to think that if they
really loved their dead relatives then they would show it by the number of
mourners hired to wail for them. A rabbi who lived in Jerusalemin the second
century after Christ made a pronouncement that even the poorestperson
should hire two flute-players and one wailing woman. Jairus had the status of

a synagogue ruler and so he would have had more than that. We are told that
“all the people were wailing and mourning for her” (v.52).
Jesus walkedinto that din, and commanded enough attention to be heard, and
he showedhis mighty authority in these words, “Stop wailing. She is not dead
but asleep” (v.52), and they all fall apart! One minute the house was full of
wailing and mourning, and the next the room was full of laughter. To them
the words were ridiculous, and they mockedhis folly. They knew when a
person was dead. They knew that dead people are not sleeping people. What
stupidity, and they scornedhim.
In the room where the dead child lay there were just sevenpeople, the
parents, the three disciples, Christ and the little girl. The raising of this girl
was to be witnessedby them only, and they were not to tell anyone about it.
That is how the chapter ends: “He orderedthem not to tell anyone what had
happened” (v.56). How could they keep such an event silent? The mourners,
the servantand all the crowd following Jesus knew that the girl had died, that
he had got there too late, but that night after supper she was going to be out in
the streetplaying with the other children. They were going to know that
something happened. Does he want all of them to be mute? That is not Jesus’
intention here. What he wants is that they don’t say anything about the details
of what happened in the girl’s bedroom. “If reporters come the next week
you’re not allowedto speak. If Mrs. Jairus goes to the JewishLadies Weaving
Guild you don’t say a thing about what occurred. If they say, “Tellus about
it,” then you say, “I’m not allowedto saya word.” There were a couple of
reasons forthis. The first was that such knowledge ofhis powerwould at this
early stage ofhis life bring him into much danger. If Herod knew that
someone with this authority over death was on the loose, and at the head of a
kingdom-of-Godmovement he wouldn’t want that to continue a day longer:
“Throw him in jail with John.” If the leaders of the Temple and the Sanhedrin
knew that someone was working in this way independently of getting their
permission and bringing in the kingdom of God they would do their best to

strangle the movement in its crib. Jesus is working according to a schedule.
He has a few more years of teaching and training the twelve before he can
allow all Israelto know that he is indeed the Messiahthe Son of the living
God. Then that knowledge willbring about his speedy murder, but in that
death his victory and triumph will not be silent. His resurrectionwill be
proclaimed over the whole world.
The other reasonfor the silence is that this particular group of mocking
people must have this revelation of Jesus’ glory withheld from them. They
have ridiculed him, and from that kind of unbelief Jesus veils his glory. He
will sovereignlydo that. He may do that to you. He will revealhis glory to
those young babe-like believers, but he will hide his identity from superior
and smart know-alls. They’re not going to know. Why does Jesus withhold the
details of Jairus’daughter’s restorationto life? Because he doesn’twant these
cynical people to have the leasttaste of his glory. When men and women
persistently bring this unbelieving attitude to Jesus he withdraws his light
from them. When the people of Gesara askedJesusto leave he left. He could
do that to you. You protest, “But I’ll still have the Bible,” but you won’t see
anything there but two columns of sentences,words and letters on a page.
Without the light which Jesus alone canshine into your understanding and
onto the book you won’t understand the gospel. If you come in a haughty
spirit to Christ then he won’t begin to show himself to you. You’re in the dark
without Christ. If we look upon Jesus and his saving work as so much
barnyard manure then why should this Saviourshow you his glory? He meets
disdain by concealing ofhis glory.
3. THE LORD JESUS DISPLAYS HIS VICTORY.
We are told, that Jesus “tookher by the hand and said‘My child, get up!’” (v.
53). And we are told there was an immediate response in the dead girl; she
stirred to life, “Her spirit returned, and at once she stoodup. Then Jesus told

them to give her something to eat” (v.55). She had been ill and was weak;she
needed food. He gotthem back into the daily routine, but from now on even
the commonplace was under his authority.
“My child, getup!” Whose child was she? She belonged to the Lord, like every
child, even unborn children belong to the Lord. They are his by right of
creation. They do not belong to their parents. They do not belong to the State.
They do not belong to the congregation. Theydo not belong to themselves.
They belong to God. He gave them life and knitted them togetherin their
mother’s womb. We say of our children, “These are my children whom the
Lord gave me.” And one day he is going to raise eachone of them from the
dead, that even the realm of death is subject to Jesus’sway. Thatis the main
truth.
This miracle is a glorious sign. It signifies what he will do for his people when
he brings his kingdom in glory. He will raise them. This miracle is just the
signpostof that certainty. Signposts are important, but they aren’t the
destination. Why dont we have that sort of thing now? Why don’t we find in
Wales every year two or three Christian children being raised from the dead
and death certificates being torn up? Why don’t we have it? For the same
reasonthat we don’t find it very often when Jesus was on earth. In the gospels
you have the incident in the previous chapter of the raising of the son of the
widow in Nain; and there is the raising of Lazarus in John 11, and then there
is this incident. There might be references to others being raised but these are
the only specific ones. Jesus himself in his own ministry didn’t bring many
people back to life. Why not? It wasn’t time yet. That is for resurrectionday.
That is, at the secondcoming of Jesus Christ. What we have in the life of
Christ is certainsamples on the way to his own resurrection. Mostpeople who
died during Jesus’ministry remained dead. He didn’t empty the cemeteries.
He didn’t put funeral directors out of business. Gravediggers stillmade a
living when Jesus was onearth. There were just these few episodes. Why did
Christ raise and restore them? In order to show that the Son of God has

powerover the realm of death. He can plunder the captives of the grave at
will to give you courage andshed his hope abroad in your hearts. The raising
of Jairus’ daughter was just a sign and a foretaste and a preliminary sketchof
what is to come on the day of resurrectionwhen Jesus comes again.
Let me use that picture of a ‘foretaste.’WhenI was a little boy I spent most of
the time in the kitchen in the winter months with my mother because thatwas
the only room in the house with a fire. My father would make that with paper,
sticks and coaleachmorning, light the paper, put up a blower he had made
and then he would washand shave at the kitchensink as my mother made
eggs and bacon. Later in the day, when my mother made cake she would put
all the ingredients togetherin a big bowl and mix them with a woodenspoon.
When all of it was the right constituencyshe would put the mixture into two
cake tins with grease-proofpaperaround the edges, andthen she would give
me the woodenspoonto lick. I would sit back, listen to the radio and lick the
woodenspoonand the bottom of the handle. That was not the real treat. That
would come in an hour when she had spread jam and cream betweenthe two
bakedcircles, and sprinkle the top with icing sugar. Then that would be cut
into slices and eatenwhen it was still warm (after we had eatenbread and
butter first) with a cup of tea. The woodenspoon was just a delicious foretaste
of the real treat that was soonto come.
That is the way these miracles of Jesus function. They gave hope to the people
of God. They gave it to James especially. We all know about Peter, and we all
know about John. They lived long lives and were mightily used in their
speaking and writing, but James is a more anonymous figure. He wrote
nothing, and there is no record of his preaching, but he was with Christ here,
and also on the Mount of Transfiguration, and againin the Garden of
Gethsemane. Why don’t we know much about James? Because a yearor two
later he is killed by Herod’s orders for his faith. He was the first of the
apostles to die for Jesus and the Saviour gives him a specialforetaste ofglory
in Jairus’ home and on the Mount of Transfiguration.

Here is the mightiest miracle of the four that Luke records for us in these two
chapters. Illness and demon-possessionand calming the storm are one thing,
but dying and entering the realm of the dead is something else!Yet the Lord
Christ brings them back!That is his promise in John chapter 6 verse 40:“For
my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him
shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” That is the
promise, and if you say that that is too goodto be true, and ask, “Whoever
heard of anyone being raisedfrom the dead?” I say to you that today you just
did. You say that obviously Luke is prejudiced in Jesus’favour, just as you
might be prejudiced againstJesus. I say that the gospelwriters, when they
wrote of these extraordinary things that Christ did were writing in this first
century when there were all sorts of people running around who knew the
truth about whether Jesus had done this or that in Galilee, orwhat had been
done in Jerusalem. If Luke were feeding us a lie here he would have been
exposedas a con man and Christianity would have been exposedas an
audacious ‘pious fraud’ back in the first century, and there wouldn’t have
been any chapels in Wales today. Do I believe the record? Yes, there are good
reasons to believe the record. It is supernatural but the world is
supernaturally createdand sustained. This is what happened when the Son of
God begins to walk amongstmen.
In Revelation1:17&18 the risen Jesus says, “Do not be afraid. I am the First
and the Last. I am the Living One. I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever
and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” You know what keys are,
don’t you? Keys are a symbol of authority and control, and Jesus has the keys
of death and Hades. I admire the style of writing of an American author called
JoanDidion. I am not recommending her as having a Christian voice, but I
have enjoyed her powers of observation, reporting of places and events over
the years. She once wrote about California in the sixties, the hippie decade of
the Beatles,the BeachBoys, flowerpowerand drugs. She was working in Los
Angeles in an apartment block with many people coming and going
throughout the summer months, looking for meaning and love. She checked

them in and gave them their keys and she pickedup the keys before they
departed. She said, “I had the keys . . . but I didn’t have the key.” She still
hasn’t found it as her despairing book on the death of her husband, The Year
of MagicalThinking, reveals. There are millions just like her, they have the
key to their office, and to their bank-depositbox, and their summer cottage,
and their sports car, and their mistress’ apartment – plenty of keys to the
promise of magic pleasures, but they don’t have the key to life and death.
Christ has that key. He is the one who controls the grave. He tells death when
it may close its mouth on someone, and he can say, “Now open your mouth
and release the prey,” and death will obey. It will give up the captive spirit
and it will be restoredto the body in the greatday. That is why his people can
rest in him.
We have an example of that here. Do you see the hopelessness ofthe
mourners, and the pessimism of the messengers:“Your daughter is dead . . .
Why bother the teacherany more?”? Whatutter despair! But Jesus gives life
in the face of death. It is not hopeless. There is a Saviour who has conquered
death, and Jairus’little daughter is playing againwith her friends. She tells
you that not even death can put you beyond the grip of Jesus’strong hand.
Our God is a God who performs miracles;that with him nothing shall be
impossible. May this be a point to you in your prayers, and in your hard
causes, thatthe Lord still says, “The cause that is too hard for you, bring it to
me, and I will hear it.” It is not too hard for him. Now may you hear him
speaking today. This same God, the God who raised Jairus’daughter in the
presence ofwitnesses, says today, “BeholdI am the Lord, the God of all flesh.
Is there anything too hard for me? Anything? Any sin I cannotforgive? Any
door I cannot open? Any problem I cannot solve? Any difficulty I cannot deal
with? Is there anything – anything too hard for me?”

You have in our text such a kind and mighty Saviour. I don’t know why you
wouldn’t want him to be your own Saviour. Looking on this passage Ican’t
see why you shouldn’t long to be hidden in this Saviour and have him as your
own. Why anyone should want to turn awayfrom him as he is revealedhere I
cannot understand, except that we love darkness rather than light. Andrew
Bonaronce talked to a Christian lady who told him that she had lost her fear
of death by thinking about those words in Revelation1, “I hold the keys of
death and Hades.” Her reasoning was this, “If Jesus has the keys of death
then the first face I shall see will be his.”
Now Jairus’ daughter wouldn’t be able to express her hope in that way, I
guess. This little girl eventually died. She had been dead, and Jesus brought
her back to life, but that wasn’tfinal resurrectionlife for her, and so she died
againlater. She probably lived many years and saw her father Jairus die and
her mother also, and saw them both buried. Then later she died and her dust
is somewhere in Galileansoil today. But on her dying bed did she assure her
friends that she had lost her fear of death eversince she was twelve years old?
She left that fear with Jesus long ago. She’d say, “The first hand I’m going to
feel will be his, and the first voice I’m going to hear will say to me, ‘My child,
get up!’”.
30th November 2008 GEOFFTHOMAS
ROB SALVATO
WHAT PROMISING WORDS- "Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will
be made well."

JARIUS had nothing to depend upon nothing to lean upon but the word of
Jesus & His past dealing w/ this woman.
Same is true for us - times of great trial & Tribulation - we MUST DEPEND
upon the words of Jesus & the faithfulness of Jesus
In our lives & in the Lives of others
I spoke w/ a father this week - family is going through a crisis / I was so
blessedas he spoke of the Lord’s faithfulness in their lives
In past situations - He has takenus so far - I have to believe he will not let us
down now !
Jesus’words to JARIUS tell us that our fearis to be met by faith. Faith is the
answerto fear -- believing that God knows what he is doing.
This is always the answerto fear. "Only believe" believe in the work I have
done & will continue to do.
Listen Satan likes to come like these messengers& say - IT IS TOO LATE -
THERE IS NO HOPE -
Things will never change / that loved one will never getsaved / that area you
are stepping out in - will never work
Jesus stretches outHis hands & gently says to us like He did to JARIUS /
don’t be afraid - Just believe !
So they continue on to the house & As they come to the house the mourners
have already begun their wailing cry.

See It was customaryin those days to hire mourners to bemoan the death of
an individual. There was a terrible frenzy about it.
They would actually rip their garments apart, tear out their hair, and cry
out with loud shrieks and howls.
But JESUS says - she isn’t dead - she is just sleeping - ( HIS PERECPTION
OF DEATH - Deathis not when the Spirit leaves the body
- death is deeper than that !
Death= separation- from God - some dead while they live. Hell is to DIE IN
THAT STATE separatedforETERNITY
When Jesus says this they LAUGH & MOCK/ SO HE PUTS THE
MOCKERS OUT
Jesus puts out all the people except the father and mother, and Peterand
James and John, and togetherthey go in to the quiet and still corpse.
This father and mother are brokenhearted, but Jesus walks to the side of the
little girl & , taking her by the hand, says in Aramaic, Talitha cumi, i.e.,
"Little lamb, arise."
He raised her up & she walkedaround the room, to the amazement of all
who were there.
Now, why did Jesus do that?
Well, it was not for the little girl's sake. He called her back to pain, heartache,
worry weariness, andultimate death once again.
He did it for the sake ofthe father and mother, to heal their agonyof heart.

E) He responded to their sorrow and restored this little girl.
"Well," "that's fine. you say, I read this story of how he healedthe woman
and raisedthe little girl.
But he didn't do that for me. I'm sick, and he hasn't healed me.
My loved ones are in the grave, though I wanted them back, too. Why
doesn't he respond like that today?" What is the answerto that?
1) We have probably all wonderedthings like that !!!!
The answeris: it is evident from this accountthat Jesus did not heal the
woman and he did not raise the child in order to encourage us to expectthe
same thing today.
D) This is Why He chargedthem to tell no one what had happened.

He did not want this broadcastallaround, so that he would getan invitation
to every funeral held in Palestine for the next five years!
No, he wantedus to learn something else from this.
B) He healedthis woman, and he raisedthis child, in order that we
might have a new view of sickness anddeath,
a view that the world will never share, a view that will keepus
steady in the midst of this kind of weakness andpressure,
C) And will hold us peacefuland calm in the midst of these kinds of hours.
I want to illustrate this with a quote from Dr. G. Campbell Morgan,
the greatEnglish expositorof Scripture.
There was a time when his first-born daughter lay at the point of death. Years
later speaking on this incident of the raising of Jairus' daughter, he said these
words:
I can hardly speak of this matter without becoming personal and reminiscent,
remembering a time forty years ago when my own first daughter lay at the
point of death, dying. I called for Him then, and He came, and surely said to
our troubled hearts, "Fearnot, only believe/But He did not say, "She shall be
made whole." She was not made whole, on the earthly plane; she passedaway

into the life beyond. But He did say to her, "Talitha cumi", i.e., "Little lamb,
arise." But in her case thatdid not mean, "Stayon the earth level"; it meant
that He needed her, and He took her to be with Himself She has been with
Him for all these years, as we measure time here, and I have missed her every
day. But His word, " Only Believe," has beenthe strength of all the passing
years.
This is what Jesus intends for us to learn from this account -- that He is able
to meet the suffering of the heart, whateverits cause,
A)When the world's resources are brought to an end/ Fearnot /Only Believe
Remember all the times that I have been faithful / those situations where you
didn’t understand what I was doing -
But later came to see / that I had a perfect plan.
TRUST ME - JESUS WOULD SAY -
AND MOST OF ALL REMEMBER CALVARY WHERE 2,000 yrs ago He
stretchedout those very same hands on a cross for you/ me
Those hands that touched JARISUS DAUGHTER were nailed to that cross /
His BACK -He willing gave to be scourged - by His stripes …. Healed
HIS HEAD - crown of thorns / BEARD -
HIS SHOULDERS - which were pressedagainstthat cross / were carrying
YOUR SIN / TOOK YOUR PUNISHMENT /

1) BORE YOUR SHAME -
Paul says Since He gave us His Sonwill He not freely give us all things
THE CROSS FOREVERSTANDS AS A TESTIMONYOF HIS LOVE &
GRACE
1) The cross stands as invitation to this very day - ……
Whateversituation you find yourself in today Jesus comes & reaches outhis
hands & says to your heart fear not only believe
J. C. RYLE
Jairus' DaughterRaisedfrom the Dead, Luke 8:49-56
While he yet spoke, there comes one from the ruler of the synagogue's house,
saying to him, Your daughter is dead; trouble not the Master. But when Jesus
heard it, he answeredhim, saying, Fearnot: believe only, and she shall be
made whole. And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in,
save Peter, and James, andJohn, and the father and the mother of the
maiden. And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weepnot; she is not
dead, but sleeps. And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.
And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid,
arise. And her spirit came again, and she arose immediately: and he
commanded to give her meat. And her parents were astonished:but he
chargedthem that they should tell no man what was done.

The verses we have now read, contain one of the three greatinstances which
the Holy Spirit has thought fit to record of our Lord restoring a dead person
to life. The other two instances are those of Lazarus and the widow's sonat
Nain. There seems no reasonto doubt that our Lord raisedothers beside these
three. But these three casesare especiallydescribedas patterns of His
almighty power. One was a young girl — who had just breathed her last. One
was a young man — who was being carried to his burial. One was a man —
who had alreadylaid four days in the grave. In all three casesalike, we see life
at once restoredat Christ's command.
Let us notice, in the verses before us — how universal is the dominion which
death holds overmankind. We see death coming to a rich man's house, and
tearing from him the desire of his eyes with a stroke!
Such tidings as these, are the bitterest cups which we have to drink in this
world. Nothing cuts so deeply into man's heart — as to part with beloved
ones, and lay them in the grave. Few griefs are so crushing and heavy — as
the grief of a parent over the death of an only child.
Deathis indeed a cruel enemy! He makes no distinction in his attacks. He
comes to the rich man's mansion — as well as to the poor man's cottage. He
does not spare the young, the strong, and the beautiful — any more than the
old, the infirm, and the grey-haired. Not all the gold of Australia, nor all the
skill of doctors — can keepthe hand of death from our bodies, in the day of
his power. When the appointed hour comes, and God permits him to smite —
then our worldly schemes must be broken off, and our darlings must be taken
awayand buried out of our sight.

These thoughts are melancholy, and few like to hear of them. The subject of
death is one that men shut their eyes at, and refuse to look at. "All men think
all men mortal, but themselves!" But why should we treat this greatreality in
this way? Why should we not rather look the subjectof death in the face, in
order that when our turn comes — we may be prepared to die?
Deathwill come to our houses, whetherwe like it or not. Death will take each
of us away— despite our dislike to hearing about it. Surely it is the part of a
wise man to get ready for this greatchange.
Why should we not be ready? There is one who candeliver us from the fear of
death. Christ has overcome death, and "brought life and immortality to light
through the Gospel." He who believes on Him, has everlasting life. Though he
dies — yet shall he live.
Let us believe in the Lord Jesus — and then death will lose his sting. We shall
then be able to say with Paul, "To me, to die is gain!" Philippians 1:21
Let us notice, secondly, in the verses before us — that faith in Christ's love
and power, is the bestremedy in time of trouble. We are told that when Jesus
heard the news that the ruler's daughter was dead, He said to him, "Do not be
afraid; only believe — and she will be healed." These words, no doubt, were
spokenwith immediate reference to the miracle our Lord was going to
perform. But we need not doubt that they were also meant for the perpetual
benefit of the Church of Christ. They were meant to revealto us, the grand
secretof comfortin the hour of need. That secretis to exercise faith — to fall
back on the thought of Christ's loving heart and mighty hand — in one word,
to believe.

Let a petition for more faith form a part of all our daily prayers. As everwe
would have peace, and calmness, and quietness of heart — let us often say,
"Lord, increase our faith!" A hundred painful things may happen to us every
week in this evil world, of which our poor weak minds cannotsee the reason.
Without faith, we shall be constantlydisturbed and castdown. Nothing will
make us cheerful and tranquil — but an abiding sense ofChrist's love,
Christ's wisdom, Christ's care over us, and Christ's providential management
of all our affairs. Faith will not sink under the weightof evil tidings. "He will
have no fear of bad news. His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord." (Psalm
112:7.)
Faith can sit still and wait for better times. Faith cansee light even in the
darkesthour — and a needs-be for the heaviesttrial. Faith can find room to
build an Ebenezer(stone of help) under any circumstances, andcan sing songs
in the night in any condition. "He who believes shall not make haste." "You
will keephim in perfectpeace — whose mind is stayedon you." Once more let
the lessonbe engraved on our minds: If we would travel comfortably through
this world — we must "believe."
Let us notice, finally, in these verses — the almighty power which our Lord
Jesus Christ possessesevenover death. We are told that He came to the house
of Jairus and turned the mourning into joy. He took the breathless body of the
ruler's daughter by the hand, and said, "My child, arise!" At once by that all-
powerful voice, life was restored. "Herlife returned, and she arose
immediately."
Let us take comfort in the thought, that there is a limit to death's power. The
king of terrors is very strong. How many generations he has mowed down and
sweptinto the dust! How many of the wise and strong, and lovely — he has
swalloweddownand snatchedawayin their prime! How many victories he
has won, and how often he has written "Vanity of vanities!" on the pride of

man! Patriarchs, and kings, and prophets, and apostles — have all in turn
been obliged to yield to him. They have all died.
But thanks be unto God, there is one strongerthan death. There is one who
has said, "O death! I will be your plague! O grave! I will be your
destruction!" (Hosea 13:14.)ThatOne is the Friend of sinners, Christ Jesus
the Lord. He proved His power frequently when He came to the earth the first
time — in the house of Jairus, by the tomb of Bethany, in the gate of Nain. He
will prove His powerto all the world, when He comes again. "The lastenemy
that shall be destroyed is death!" (1 Corinthians 15:26.)"The earth shall cast
out the dead!" (Isaiah 26:19.)
Let us leave the passagewiththe consoling thought that the things which
happened in Jairus'house — are a type of goodthings to come. The hour is
coming and will soonbe here — when the voice of Christ shall callall His
people from their graves, and gatherthem togetherto part no more. Believing
husbands shall once more see believing wives. Believing parents shall once
more see believing children. Christ shall unite His whole redeemed family in
the greathome in Heaven, and all tears shall be wiped from all eyes!
TO WHOM DO WE TURN IN TIMES OF SICKNESS AND DEATH?
SERIES:JESUS, SAVIOR OF THE LOST
By Ron Ritchie
In late summer of 1964, I flew from Dallas to Philadelphia. A friend met me at
the airport and we drove

through a severe summer storm until we arrived in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
As we parked the car in front of
the funeral home, the wind was driving the rain into the earth. We ran
through the rain, up the woodensteps
and onto the coveredporch. I remember turning around and looking up at the
dark storm clouds and the
driving rain. A number of crows were flying over the swaying trees, seemingly
protesting as they soughta
safe refuge. I thought to myself, "What a greatsetting for an Alfred Hitchcock
movie! All we need now is a
body." That body was just on the other side of the front door. I entered, and
as I was taking off my drenched
raincoatI saw a group of people dressedin black mourning clothes on one
side of the room. A group of young
women dressedin ordinary clothes were standing around the open casket,
talking to eachother, as if the body
of the middle-aged women laid peacefullyinside wasn't even there.
After I hung up my coat, my old Aunt Mary, a black scarfover her head,
came up and kissedme and said,
"Ronnie, can't you do something about those young womenby the casket,
talking and laughing together?
They have no respectfor the dead." I said quietly, "Aunt Mary, the casket
contains only the body of my
mother. These women know she is now alive and in the presence ofthe Lord
Jesus Christ. They are rejoicing
over the life my mother had on this earth and the fact that so many came to
know Jesus as Lord under her

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