The Mighty Worker

Mark 5:21-24, 38-43

“BE NOT afraid, only believe,” said Jesus to Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue. (Mark 5:36) The background of these wonderful words of assurance is most interesting and revealing. Jesus’ fame as a healer and one who could cast out devils had been increased due to his success in liberating the demoniac of the country of the Gadarenes. It was probably the news of this which had impressed Jairus, and induced him to seek help from the Master on behalf of his ailing daughter.

Jesus indicated his willingness to help, and together with Jairus started toward the home where the damsel lay sick. But the demands on the Master were great, which occasioned some delay. The woman with the issue of blood was healed between the time the ruler of the synagogue first spoke to Jesus about his daughter and their arrival at his home. By the time he did arrive the daughter had died.

The daughter’s death was announced to Jesus as soon as he reached the home, and the close friends of the household said, “Why troublest thou the Master any further?” When Jesus learned that the daughter had died, and knowing that the father had also been informed, he turned and said to him, “Be not afraid, only believe.” Jesus realized that under the circumstances it would be very easy for Jairus to adopt the same viewpoint as the others; namely, that it was now too late to do anything for the damsel, so he wanted to assure him that this was not the case.

In approaching to the home, Jesus took with him only Peter, James, and John. These three were often chosen to be near the Master on special occasions. They were taken to the Mount of Transfiguration. (Mark 9:2-10) They were invited to be closer to the Master than the other apostles during those trying hours of Gethsemane. (Mark 14:32-42) Probably this was partly because Jesus particularly appreciated their fellowship; but perhaps the main reason was that he was specially training them for important service they would render to the church later on. Not much is known of the activities of the other apostles after Pentecost, but Peter and John were very prominent in their service, a service for which their close association with the Master would greatly help to make them especially prepared.

When Jesus encountered the crowd of sympathizers and mourners, he said to them concerning Jairus’ daughter, “Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.” Hearing this, “they laughed him to scorn.” These, like the disciples to whom Jesus announced that Lazarus was sleeping when in reality he was dead, did not comprehend what he meant. Seemingly they assumed that Jesus was speaking of natural sleep, and to them this would indicate that he was quite ignorant of the facts of sickness and death, or else had refused to believe the report that the damsel had died.

Those unacquainted with the plan of God for the recovery of the human race from sin and death would naturally be at a loss to understand why a dead person should be referred to as merely sleeping. But when we do understand God’s plan we recognize that in view of the coming resurrection, sleep is a very beautiful illustration of death. Those who are asleep are for the time being unconscious; and so are those who are dead. Besides, in the ordinary course of events, those who are asleep awake from that sleep; and so also it will be in the case of those who have died. Jesus promised that all who are in the grave shall hear his voice and shall come forth.—John 5:28,29

Having told the crowd that the damsel was not dead, but merely sleeping, Jesus took her parents and the three disciples, and entered into the room where the dead girl was lying. Without ado or ceremony he took her by the hand and said, “Damsel, I say unto thee, Arise.” “Straightway the damsel arose,” we are told. Those who witnessed the miracle were astonished, but Jesus charged them not to make it known.

While it was true from the standpoint of the divine plan that Jairus’ daughter was not dead, but sleeping, Jesus may have had a very practical reason for not admitting openly that he believed she was actually dead. In the case of Lazarus, when the disciples did not perceive what the Master meant by his being asleep, he said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead.” (John 11:14) But it is not recorded that he did this in the case of Jairus’ daughter, although he was laughed to scorn for saying that she was asleep.

It was the miracle of awakening Lazarus that helped to bring about the arrest and crucifixion of Jesus. Then, however, Jesus knew that the due time had come for him to die, so there was no reason to keep anything concealed. But his reasoning may have been different in the case of Jairus’ daughter. He told the parents not to publicize the miracle, although all Jairus’ family and friends would of necessity know about it. In this way Jesus would not become quite so popular with his friends, and his enemies would not have quite the incentive to persecute him and hinder his ministry before God’s due time.

QUESTIONS

Why did Jesus say to Jairus, “Be not afraid”?

In what ways is sleep an illustration of death?

Why did Jesus instruct Jairus not to publicize the fact that his daughter had been awakened from the sleep of death?

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