Jarius’s Daughter is Healed
September 27, 2021
Commentary
When Jesus returned to Capernaum a great crowd gathered around Him (v. 40). Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue meets Christ with an urgent request. He had a young daughter, twelve years of age, who was critically ill and about to die (vv. 41-42). Before Jesus got away from the crowd to go with this man, word comes that the girl had died (v. 49).
During the time Jesus had a great crowd around Him, a woman who had been hemorrhaging for twelve years touched Him (vv. 43-44). She knew that He had healed others and she wanted Him to heal her. Jesus knew that somebody with faith had touched Him and had been healed by His power (vv. 45-48). In the meantime someone comes stating Jairus’s daughter has died (v. 49)
On the way to Jairus house Jesus speaks words of encouragement to Jairus (v. 50). This has been great comfort ever since, to people who have been in similar situations. By the time they arrived, the professional mourners were already there, weeping and wailing. Jesus told the crowd to stop weeping because the girl was not dead but just sleeping. They laughed at Him because they knew the girl was dead. He then takes the mother and father into the room and raised the girl back to life (vv. 51-54). As she came back to life she got right up and Jesus told them to give her something to eat (v. 55). Her parents were surprised, but Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened (v. 56). This may seem strange but Jesus knew the facts would speak for themselves. Also he probably didn’t want to get known as just a miracle worker.
Application
I can be part of the crowd in my church, and still never receive any blessing from being near Jesus. It is one thing to be a faithful church attender and another thing to “touch Him” by faith. On a scale of 1 to 10 how would I rate my faith?
Luke 8:40– 56 (NET)
40 Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, because they were all waiting for him. 41 Then a man named Jairus, who was a leader of the synagogue, came up. Falling at Jesus’ feet, he pleaded with him to come to his house, 42 because he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, and she was dying.
43 Now a woman was there who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years but could not be healed by anyone. 44 She came up behind Jesus and touched the edge of his cloak, and at once the bleeding stopped. 45 Then Jesus asked, “Who was it who touched me?” When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds are surrounding you and pressing against you!” 46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I know that power has gone out from me.” 47 When the woman saw that she could not escape notice, she came trembling and fell down before him. In the presence of all the people, she explained why she had touched him and how she had been immediately healed. 48 Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”
49 While he was still speaking, someone from the synagogue leader’s house came and said, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the teacher any longer.” 50 But when Jesus heard this, he told him, “Do not be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.” 51 Now when he came to the house, Jesus did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John, and James, and the child’s father and mother. 52 Now they were all wailing and mourning for her, but he said, “Stop your weeping; she is not dead but asleep!” 53 And they began making fun of him, because they knew that she was dead. 54 But Jesus gently took her by the hand and said, “Child, get up.” 55 Her spirit returned, and she got up immediately. Then he told them to give her something to eat. 56 Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them to tell no one what had happened.
Illustration: Revived from Death by Drowning
What do those who have been revived from death by drowning tell us? They say that they experience no suffering whatever after the initial struggle. The original distress gives way to a feeling of drowsy comfort. Thus, one of them, Grant Allen, distinguished British author, wrote: “The knowledge that I have experienced death has had a great deal to do with my utter physical indifference to it. Dying is as painless as falling asleep. It was only the previous struggle, the sense of its approach, that was at all uncomfortable, but even that was not half so bad as breaking an arm or having a tooth removed.” (Reader’s Digest).